Italian director Tinto Brass dies in Rome at 93

Tinto Brass, the Italian director known for his erotic films and the 1979 historical epic Caligula, has died. His family announced the news on Wednesday, confirming that he passed away in Rome at the age of 93.

Brass started making films in the 1960s with avant-garde projects before moving into the erotic genre. His work in that category included Salon Kitty in 1976, The Key in 1983, and Paprika in 1991. He kept working in the genre into the 2000s with titles such as All Ladies Do It, Frivolous Lola, and Cheeky.

His most recognized film, Caligula, came out in 1979. It starred Malcolm McDowell as the Roman emperor, with a cast that also included Helen Mirren, Peter O’Toole, and John Gielgud. Gore Vidal wrote the screenplay, and Bob Guccione, the founder of Penthouse magazine, produced the film. Critics and audiences gave the movie harsh reviews when it first released.

The production of Caligula involved heavy tension between Brass and Vidal. They both distanced themselves from the final cut. Brass was unhappy with the editing done after he was fired, while Vidal disliked how the director changed his original script. Decades later, the film gained a cult following. A 178-minute ultimate cut version screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023.

Born Giovanni Brass in Milan on March 26, 1933, he grew up in Venice. He studied law before working in film, serving as an archivist at the Cinémathèque Française in Paris. He also assisted directors Roberto Rossellini and Alberto Cavalcanti during that time.

Brass directed his first feature, Who Works Is Lost, which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in 1963. He followed that with the Western Yankee in 1966 and the mystery I Am What I Am in 1967. The latter film, starring Jean-Louis Trintignant, received a 4K restoration and screened at the Venice Film Festival in September.

In the 1970s, his surrealist comedy The Howl won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. Brass is survived by his second wife, Caterina, whom he married in 2017, and his children Bonifacio and Beatrice. His first wife, Carla Cipriani, died in 2006. They were married from 1957 until her death.