Bruno Mattei's Incredibly Perverse Story of Emperor Nero and Poppea

  

director: Bruno Mattei (as Vincent Dawn)
starring: Rudy Adams · Patricia Derek · John Turner · Anthony Freeman · Caterina Catambrone

    

Most every school kid knows that Nero was the Italian Emperor who played the fiddle while Rome burned. Here, legendary cult director Bruno Mattei adds much more to the story (while insisting Nero played a lire [harp] not a fiddle during the demise of his city). Mr Mattei delivers a truly perverse tale of a decadent Roman Empire on the decline empowered by a leader who was clearly insane.

Shot shortly after Mattei's CALIGULA AND MESSALINA, this is an epic venture filled with one depraved act of lunacy after another. During the impressive 103 minute running time, the filmmaker throws everything into the mix, including male and female nudity, orgies, incest, lesbian sex, muscle-bound midgets, Christians fed to the lions, gladiators (and gladiator's revolt), castration, whippings, bloated death, decapitation, et al. The story begins as Nero's mother wants her son to become the emperor and so - after giving Nero a handjob to boost his spirits - she kills her royal husband with poison mushrooms. The rest is history (Bruno Mattei style).