He used to describe himself as “the most censored filmmaker of all time”, and his ambition was to show the “real man” through eroticism and sex - even when that meant depicting society’s most powerful people. The Italian state censors often demanded changes to his films, or that they be stopped altogether.
“Caligula” (1979), about the sadistic Roman emperor, starred Malcolm McDowell, Peter O’Toole and Helen Mirren and was filled with sex, violence and orgies. The production was marred by conflicts between Brass, screenwriter Gore Vidal and producer Bob Guccione, founder of Penthouse magazine. The film was also reported to the police over an alleged necrophilia scene, and Brass said that filming gave him nicotine poisoning.
Before that, Tinto Brass had worked with the leading figure of neorealism, Roberto Rossellini, including on the film “The General” (1959). Brass also moved in the same circles as French New Wave filmmakers such as François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard.
Brass turned down an offer to direct “A Clockwork Orange” (1971), which Stanley Kubrick later directed, and instead made his own film, “L’urlo” (1968).
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