One of his more formidable scenes was shot in bed with a horse. In the film, Caligula awakens from a nightmare to find not his mistress beside him, but Incitatus, his horse. To calm both human and animal, soothing lullaby music was provided during the scene. Special makeup and adhesive fluid were imported from Hollywood, Wales, London, Paris and even East Berlin to reproduce Tiberius' features as they appeared on existing coins and busts. This time, he takes his life in a reddish-brown marble bath.
Steam discharges from vents and flaming braziers illuminate and heat the large room.
It's a dramatic moment achieved with the special dignity only John Gielgud could bring to the role. The set was closed except to the few technicians needed for lighting, camera and makeup. The producers wanted to accurately depict the excesses and extravagances of Caligula. They chose Academy Award-winner Danilo Donati, the genius behind the sets of Fellini, to recreate the look of Caligula's Rome. Never meant to sail, the ship served as the Imperial Brothel in Caligula's palace, where he employed the wives and daughters of his Senators.