I, Claudius
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Movie Reviews of I, Claudius
Movie Review: All Roads Lead To Rome
Summary: 5 Stars
Extraordinary is the first that comes to my mind when describing this engaging and colorful epic tale that takes place between 24 b.c.e. and 54 a.c.e.. It covers the lives of the first four Emperors of ancient Rome and their personal and political lives which were inseparable. This is a complex, moving story masterfully acted and extremely well-written. It took me the first two episodes to get the cast straight, then I was hooked. I have watched it twice already and was sad both times when it was over. Derek Jacobi does an astounding job portraying the bungling, stuttering, limping and twitching Claudius (a feat in itself!) as does Sian Phillips as the evil manipulative Livia who controls all their lives. The rest of the cast is also superb. There is not one disappointing performance in this wonderful drama loaded with plot twists and humerous moments. Although I question the actual occurrences (such as Livy poisoning everyone that stood in her way) it doesn't take away from the enjoyment factor which for me was immense. A true study into the lives of the imperial families and a must-see for anyone who enjoys great entertainment. I can't recommend it highly enough. One word of advice: sit through at least two episodes before you decide whether or not you like it.Movie Review: Great drama
Summary: 5 Stars
I remember seeing this series on TV many, many years ago when I was still in high school. And was very happy to find it on DVD now. The DVD transfer is very good too. But enough said about that.If you like British historical drama of outstanding quality or just Roman history, this is a set you ought to buy. The acting and script are spellbinding. I have watched all of the 5 DVD's in three days, which was sth of a marathon watch. There are no weak spots in the acting and it is fun watching a young 'captain Picard' (yes I also love to watch Star trek). The sets are old-fashioned and nothing like the sets of, for instance, productions like Elizabeth.
But who cares about sets and the like if the acting is so good. The whole series breathes 'theatre' and I love it. It brings back the stories from Latin classes in High school. The Gods, Augustus, the Roman empire and all the Roman stories come to life, as seen through the eyes of Claudius. They are living and breathing (and very fascinating) people. No computer tricks and such needed. The script and the acting speak for itselves.
Just buy, borrow or hire the set. Pretend you are not at home in the weekend, do not answer the door or the phone (better still, get it off the hook). And enjoy.
Movie Review: fantastic viewing
Summary: 5 Stars
Back in the 70's this masterpiece was tucked away on the minority channel of BBC2 on a Monday evening (repeated on Weds). In spite of the apparent lack of faith shown in it by the schedulers, I Claudius became a huge hit...and rightly so...and won awards by the cartload.
In spite of the limited sets and obviously low budget this series is compulsive viewing thanks to its superb casting and its compelling storyline.
Sir Derek Jacobi leads a star cast and is so believable as the stammering, twitching Claudius who stays alive, while many around him are murdered, by letting everyone believe he is a witless fool. Brian Blessed plays the emperor Augustus, Patrick Stewart is Sejanus...crafty and ambitious and John Hurt plays the insane Caligula. The production, taken from Robert Grave's novels, follows the Roman Imperial family from the time of Augustus through to the reign of Nero.
The DVD of this production is excellent, the colours have never looked so vibrant, dialogue is so clear and subtitles are available for the hard of hearing....a bonus that wasn't available when first aired. This may not be a glossy, expensive costume drama but for sheer quality and entertainment value, it cannot be surpassed.
Movie Review: The Brits show us how it should be done
Summary: 5 Stars
I was first introduced to this series in 1990 or so, when PBS' Masterpiece Theater reaired it due to audience popularity. I can see why. At the age of 18, this was the first series that helped me gain a deep appreciation for British drama and how far ahead they are of us Americans. After all, could we envision Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt starring in something of this caliber? I think not. And I also learned more about the early Roman Empire then I ever did in history class!
There are so many outstanding actors and actresses in this production, but my favorite can only be perhaps the most underrated of his generation, John Hurt. Outlandish, disturbing, and hilarious as the same time as Caligula, I was almost sorry to see him get killed off. How is it possible that Mick Jagger has been knighted by now, but not Hurt?
The retro feel of the sets and camera work may take some getting used to in today's world of big blockbuster special effetcs, but it's also a breath of fresh air. If only more American viewers would turn off the celebrity and reality TV trash and be exposed to this kind of art...they don't know what they are missing.
Movie Review: The Claudians on DVD!
Summary: 5 Stars
If you haven't purchased the tape set, it's deliriously wonderful to have this on dvd. However, be advised there aren't any "extras" that weren't in the tape set. But that may be more than enough if you're a fan of the series who taped it off PBS: this commercial release (like the tape set) is the uncut BBC version of the series, which includes footage MASTERPIECE THEATRE didn't think America was ready for (mostly nipples, buttocks and the odd gory shot of John Hurt :-).DVD video and sound quality do go to waste a bit, here, since the original was shot on video and this was before tv shows had stero. But it's as good a transfer as you can hope for, and the chapter selections (roughly 7-10 per episode) are great: exactly the spots I wanted to skip to. The discs break down as follows: Discs 1 and 2 have three episodes per side, and Disc 3 is single-sided with episode 13 and the Korda film documentary.
While I could wish they'd managed to put on some more extras about the BBC production, after all this time, that's probably just wishful thinking.