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Tinto Brass, director of Caligula and maestro of Euro erotica, dies aged 93

By · Via The Guardian · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Born in Milan and raised in Venice, Brass developed his craft as an editor, archivist, and assistant to legendary neorealist director Roberto Rossellini before embracing erotic cinema in the 1970s. His high-profile work, notably the 1976 release Salon Kitty, led to the star-studded but infamous 1979 feature Caligula. The project ultimately disintegrated into creative discord, with original screenwriter Gore Vidal disavowing it over added orgies and Brass rejecting the final cut after unauthorized hardcore footage was inserted. Brass, who spent his final years near Rome, had requested that his ashes be scattered across the Venice lagoon.

Key points

  • The production of Caligula caused screenwriter Gore Vidal to publicly disavow the film ov…: The production of Caligula caused screenwriter Gore Vidal to publicly disavow the film over Brass inserting extensive nudity.
  • Brass ultimately distanced himself from Caligula because Guccione spliced in unsimulated…: Brass ultimately distanced himself from Caligula because Guccione spliced in unsimulated hardcore sex scenes without permission.
  • The director viewed the erotic movie genre as an essential artistic tool to interrogate d…: The director viewed the erotic movie genre as an essential artistic tool to interrogate dynamics of money, sex, and power.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

Italian film director Tinto Brass, who was once hailed as the “Antonioni of the 70s” but came to be better known for bringing Italian erotic cinema to a wider audience with films such as Caligula and Salon Kitty, has died aged 93.

His wife Caterina Varzi and children Bonifacio and Beatrice Brass announced the news of the director’s death to Italian press agency Ansa on Wednesday.

Born in Milan and raised in Venice, Brass first started working in cinema after moving to Paris, where he was an editor and archivist at the Cinémathèque. Upon returning to Italy, he worked as an editor and assistant director to Roberto Rossellini.

His experimental and anarchic approach to film quickly earned him a reputation, and in 1964 he was commissioned by Umberto Eco to create two short films experimenting with visual language for the Triennale di Milano. Warner Bros reportedly approached him to direct A Clockwork Orange, though scheduling conflicts meant the film was offered to Stanley Kubrick instead.

In the 1970s, Brass moved on to erotic cinema. Though crass and filled with nudity,…

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