Joë Caligula (1969)

aka: Joë Caligula - Du suif chez les dabes
Dir: José Bénazéraf

There's a new gang on the streets of Paris looking to carve out territory using the tools of seduction and violence. Joe Caligula (Gérard Blain THE AMERICAN FRIEND), his cut-throat men and his sister Brigitte (Jeanne Valérie DESERT COMMANDOS), have left behind their home in North Africa to steal and kill in the big city. The well armed gang start by knocking off gas stations and cafes and then turn their sights on the established criminal overlords who control the city. Those in power want to remain in power and unleash their fury on the young upstart.

Other than reading about director Jose Benazeraf in the pages of Cathal Tohill's and Pete Tomb's IMMORAL TALES book I was not familiar with the Frenchman or his work. A recent review of this film in the pages of VIDEO WATCHDOG spurred me into seeking out the film. A film that was banned in France and prevented from being released due to its violent content. It wasn't until the far more violent BONNIE AND CLYDE was released that JOE CALIGULA was able to be projected to the nation. The ban for violence is a bit surprising viewing it from today's perspective as it is very tame by today's standards. There is a copious amount of nudity that I would think pushed the boundaries of 'good taste' at the time. It's interesting to note that Jose ended his career making cheap pornos. He's yet another example of a film maker breaking down the taboo barriers of nudity and sexuality who ended up trapped by those digressions. Those circumstances are similar to the career trajectories of Jess Franco, Jean Rollin and Aristide Massaccesi (Joe D'Amato).

Watching the film nearly fifty years after its release I'm not going to be shocked by those aspects its contemporary audience was shocked by. I will admit to being surprised by the amount of female flesh on display for a crime film. The flimsiest excuse is good enough to show a naked woman. Phone in the bed room rings? Show a naked woman getting out of bed. Gangsters visit a night club? Spend the next few minutes focused on the two strippers on stage performing their act to a cover of Elvis' TROUBLE. Cat fight? The busty blonde's blouse will reveal all when tugged. Not that I'm complaining. Those scenes did help pass the time watching an amateurish, poorly acted, boring film.

I can understand the odd out of focus shot in a film from this period. I can also understand the casting of non-actors in a low budget film shot on location. But make certain the extras don't continually look at the camera. Padding the run time with endless shots of someone driving a car or wandering the streets of Paris leads to tedium. The greatest fault of the film are the characters. I don't know why the main characters do what they do and it doesn't help when the actors are wooden. There's a sub plot about Brigitte's jealousy of her brother dating women that hints at incest but Jeanne Valérie's dead pan performance diffuses any possible tension and confuses the meaning of her treachery at the climax.

I did like the eccentric touch of Joe putting on sunglasses prior to committing a crime. In a film filled with vagaries I get why Joe does it. Tres cool.

*1/2 out of ****