Gore Vidal’s Caligula (1979): Denying the Author
Keywords:
Gore Vidal, Caligula (1979), cinematic authorship, auteur theory, screenwriting, film productionAbstract
This article analyzes Gore Vidal’s complex relationship with the film Caligula (1979), focusing on an accompanying documentary that challenges Vidal’s authorship. The paper explores debates surrounding cinematic authorship, particularly the auteur theory, which emphasizes the director as the primary creative force. The author contends that Vidal’s involvement and subsequent disownment of the film highlight tensions between the screenwriter’s vision and the producer-director’s interventions. This study examines how the documentary subverts Vidal’s claimed ownership, questioning the validity of authorship in collaborative filmmaking. The article demonstrates that Vidal envisioned a harmonious collaboration among screenwriter, producer, and director, with the screenwriter at the center. However, disputes between Vidal, producer Bob Guccione, and director Tinto Brass complicated this vision, influencing the film’s reception. The methodology includes analyzing debates on authorship in cinema, contrasting the auteur director with the metteur en scéne, and exploring the role of the screenwriter. The significance of this work lies in its contribution to discussions on cinematic authorship and the challenges of collaborative creativity.
(The abstract and keywords were prepared retrospectively for indexing purposes using AI-assisted tools and editorial review, based on the original article. They did not appear in the original publication.)
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