I, Claudius
|
Our Price: $72.23 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $39.00 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Canada
Movie Reviews of I, Claudius
Movie Review: A Wonderful Historical Fiction Mini-series.
Summary: 5 Stars
This production of the original BBC mini-series is fantastic! I own this and highly, highly, and even more highly, recommend it!!!First of all, the history in this adaptation to the novel by Robert Graves, is impeccable. I make such judgements as a historian, and don't make them lightly. Certainly, there are many flights of fancy and conjecture in this historical fiction, but it is one grand historical fiction! They have the timeline down pat, and the familial and dynastic relationships as well. Poetic liscense is taken, again, in all of the fiction and conjecture, but it really all fits into place with the history, and with what contemporaries wrote of the Julio-Claudian line.
Claudius, the grandson of the first emperor of Rome, Augustus, is played by Derek Jacobi. Claudius was a stammerrer/stutterrer and had a lame foot. Who would have known the greatness that was destined for him other than the Sybill? Claudius' life is chronicled from the retrospectof his autobiography(it would be wonderful is such a one existed!). All of the players for power in his family are there, from Augustus, played by Brian Blessed, to his wife Livia, played by Sian Phillips, to Caligula, played by John Hurt, to the ambitious Sejanus, played by Patrick Stewart(with hair!), and the awful Nero. Claudius' rise to power is the culmination, and his poisoning by his wife the climax. At the end, he and the Sybill(the oracle), laugh about how he cheated death....as he buried a copy of his autobiography that Nero and his mother had so craftilly destroyed.
Another note on the acting in this. Most of these actors are Shakespearian actors. Derek Jacobi's performance is stupendous! I also particularly liked Brian Blessed as Augustus, John Hurt made a very believable Caligula, and Patrick Stewart, so far away from his role as the captain of the Enterprise, plays a villanious and conniving Sejanus.
All in all, get this, beg borrow or steal to watch it. I know its long....13 hours to be precise. But it is worth it. Like a good book, you can't put it down!
The DVD Format is very nice as well.
Movie Review: A true masterpiece
Summary: 5 Stars
This is quite an ambitious project taken on by the BBC. It covers the reigns of Caesar Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula and Claudius. It is more or less the memoirs of the sagacious Claudius (based on the book by Peter Graves). The series features Derek Jacoby as Claudius, Brian Blessed as the eccentric but magnanimous Augustus and Patrick Stewart as the conspiring Sejanus, head of the Praetorian Guard. We also get some cameos of Livy and Horace to boot!The film starts before Claudius was born - about 20 years post-Actium. It traces thru enough conspiracies, scandals and debauchery to make modern day soap-operas look tame by comparison. It has its share of femme fatales, between the insidious Livia, the selfish Messalina and the gregarious (to say the least) Julia. It details the ruthless nature of those close to the top, all wanting to wear the purple themselves, or conniving to get their next-of-kin to assume the throne.
The film has the "feel" of a play. The sets are static, there is no incidental music and the movie lacks panoramic views of the architecture of ancient Rome. This is not to say that there is anything wrong with this approach, just that it is not the same type of movie as, say, "Gladiator" or "Spartacus" in this respect.
This is a wonderful, must-see production for any fan or historian of antiquity. The film covers a whole lot of ground (to say the least), but still fits in allusions to numerous historical nuances (such as the defeat of Varrus by Armenius of Germany, as well as the horse that Caligula made into a senator). I would suggest that anyone who wishes to watch this film first read Michael Grant's "The Roman Emperors" thru the reign of Nero to get a backdrop on what is going on. Also, the DVD "Cleopatra," starring Timothy Dalton as Julius Caesar, was an ambitious project which leaves off about 20 years before the beginning of "I, Cladius."
Movie Review: A Brilliant, One-of-a-Kind Television Landmark
Summary: 5 Stars
There aren't enough positive words to describe this television triumph, so let's put it this way - this is "Ben Hur" "Gladiator" and "Spartacus" with elements of Cleopatra, Caligula and Moses thrown in. A landmark television mini-series with an operatic look and feel (though not sung in any way) everything about it is alive - from the sets to the actors. Easily the most convincing ancient period piece, everything flows to a time and place that no longer exists, except in the imaginings of the creative process. I Claudius excells in every aspect of every creative element - script, cast, direction, art design, cinematography, lighting - it must be committed to in order to be appreciated fully. In other words, set aside a week to watch the DVD, or two even, with designated times for viewing, so that you can appreciate its addictive qualities. It's more than a tale of ancient Rome, but a soap opera or dramatic heights and callous lows that can make you cry, blush and even laugh on occassion. The amazing Derek Jacobi is unforgettable - he's luminous and present, fully realized as both simpleton and emperor by Jacobi, embued with profound and meaningful twitches and mannerisms lesser actors would've used for comic releif (often needed here, by the way.) Sian Phillips is uniquely grand in another key role - as Livia, mother of the emperor and betrayer, manipulating everything she can get her hands on. You hate her for disparraging Claudius, but laugh nervously when she turns on the charm.A handful of superb miniseries have been presented over the years on television, accessible to all, and applauded for generations. Like "Roots," "Upstairs, Downstairs," "Elizabeth R," and "Tales of the City/More Tales of the City" - I Claudius withstands the test of time, and remains today a thrilling, jaw-dropping event. Make Time for this ALL TIME CLASSIC.
Movie Review: Believe the Hype-Patrict Stewart of Star Trek's in thisgem
Summary: 5 Stars
This miniseries clearly demonstrates that it is plot, characters and pacing that make for great movies, tv and miniseries. I can only imagine what this "in-studio" production could have been if made today (with equal actors and direction) with a multimillion dollar budget and directed by Peter Jackson.Claudius is played by Derek Jacobi of Cadfael fame.
A dashing Patrick Stewart of Star Trek fame has a small but impressive part as advisor to Tiberius.
The "unknown" Christoper Guard has a small role - he was the voice of Frodo in the Lord of the Rings (78)
The first Roman emporer of Rome Augustus is played by Bian Blessed (Prince Vultan in Flash Gordon-1980)
Just when you believe that the mass-murdering wife of Augustus is the main "villian", here comes John Hurt as Caligula. (Hurt has starred in Harry Potter, the Elephant Man, the voice of Aragon in Lord of the Rings (78), and he played Quentin CRISP of The Naked Civl Servant (off subject, one of CRISP's lines: "When I was coming to America, I went to the American Embassy and the man asked me 'Are you a practicing homosexual?' And I said I didn't practice. I was already perfect.").
WARNING: What most reviewers don't warn you about is that in I, Claudius Hurt is at the center one of the most brutal scenes in cinematic history. I won't give a spoiler, but you've been warned. By the way, the scene is done with restraint and is integral to the plot, making it both brutal and satisfying--from a cinematic standpoint anyway. Personlly, I'd like to forget I witnessed it. I cringe at the thought of how Quentin Tarantino would abuse us should he remake this classic.
Another shocking scene features a child's head being carried by none other than John Rhys-Davies (otherwise known as Gimli in Peter Jackon's Lord of the Rings, as well as star of Sliders, Raiders of the Lost Ark and the Naked Civil Servant.)
Movie Review: Fantastically well done series
Summary: 5 Stars
I was originally forced to watch I, Claudius as part of a high-school Latin class. Let it suffice to say that the viewing had the desired effect. It ratcheted up my enthusiasm for Latin and classical history in general to the point where I ended up studying it at the university level. Having read both books, I, Claudius and Claudius the God by Robert Graves, this is one instance where I actually felt the film version was better than the literary one.
The series is exceptionally well done. The acting is simply superb and the viewer will notice many familiar faces parade across the screen--including a great performance by Patrick Stewart (of later Star Trek fame) as Aelius Sejanus, the right-hand-man of the emperor Tiberius. John Hurt was *the* Caligula for the ages.
The series produced dozens of memorable lines that immediately entered my lexicon and have remained even years later including:
"You've become a god!"
"Is there anyone in Rome who has not slept with my daughter?!"
"I have survived with half my wits, while others have died with all of theirs intact. Evidently, quality of wits is more important than quantity."
"My body is full of maggots..."
"You knew I was at war with Neptune. How dare you ride with him!"
"What makes you think a filthy, smelly old woman like you could become a goddess?"
The list goes on endlessly. If you are someone who enjoys classical Greco-Roman history, owning a copy of I, Claudius is mandatory. If you don't, you should watch it anyway. I have forced several family members and friends who had no interest in the subject to watch the series, and to a person, they all got a tremendous kick out of it. Very highly recommended!