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Tinto Brass Dies: Italian ‘Caligula’ Director Was 93
Italian film-maker Tinto Brass has died in Rome aged 93, his wife and children announced to news agency Ansa. Though his career spanned experimental films and other genres, he became best known for erotic films including *Caligula*, whose controversial production reflected the clashes over his artistic vision.
Born in Milan in 1933, Brass began directing in 1963 and spent time in Paris among the emerging Nouvelle Vague, as well as making films in London. *Caligula*, made with a reported budget of $25 million, became embroiled in a dispute between Brass, screenwriter Gore Vidal and producer Bob Guccione, who added explicit scenes after filming. A re-edited version without those additions screened at Cannes in 2023, and Brass continued making films into the 2000s.
In short
- Tinto Brass has died in Rome aged 93.
- He became known for erotic films, especially *Caligula*.
- The film’s production sparked a dispute over added scenes.
Explained simply
Tinto Brass was an Italian film-maker who began directing in the 1960s. Early in his career he worked in several genres and spent time in Paris during the rise of the French New Wave, a movement known for experimenting with film style.
Brass became widely associated with erotic films, including Caligula, a film about the Roman emperor. Its production became known for disagreements between Brass, screenwriter Gore Vidal and producer Bob Guccione over the film’s direction and the addition of explicit scenes.
The dispute is part of the film’s history, alongside questions about who controls a film’s final version. Brass continued making films into the 2000s.