I, Claudius

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This superbly acted, mordantly funny romp through 70 years or so of Roman history is one of the best-loved miniseries ever made, and deservedly so. Derek Jacobi plays Roman Emperor Claudius, who reflects in old age on his life and his remarkable family, giving us a history lesson that's unlike anything you learned in school.

The story begins in 24 B.C. during the reign of Augustus Caesar, Rome's first emperor, and ends in A.D. 54 with Nero on the throne. In between, I, Claudius details the scheming, murder, madness, and lust that passed for politics in the early years of the Pax Romana. The biggest worm in the Roman apple is Augustus's wife, Livia (the superb Siân Phillips), whose single-minded pursuit of power shapes the destiny of the Empire. With a carefully planted rumor here and a poisoned fig there, she gradually maneuvers her son, Tiberius, toward the throne, creating an atmosphere of suspicion and treachery that starts Rome on its helter-skelter slide into bloody chaos. Phillips somehow makes us understand this extraordinarily wicked woman. As she ages and her carefully wrought webs begin to unravel, it becomes clear that Livia has been as thoroughly poisoned by her own ambition as her victims were by her carefully prepared meals.

Further acting honors go to George Baker as Tiberius, who resists but eventually succumbs to the destiny forced upon him by his mother, and to John Hurt as a hilarious and absolutely terrifying Caligula. In one breathtakingly tense scene, the mad Emperor performs a dance in drag, then asks Claudius to critique it, perfectly capturing the horror of a world where one wrong word means death, or worse. Jacobi is the perfect Claudius, hiding his intelligence behind a crippling stammer and shuffling around the edges of events--until he finds himself pulled to the very center. His wry comments give shape to the tangled story of his family and help the audience make sense of a dauntingly complex cast of characters.

I, Claudius might seem a little studio-bound to viewers brought up on more recent big-budget costume dramas, but the topnotch cast and the incident-filled plot are more than enough to hold the attention through almost 11 hours of gripping, deliciously wicked Roman follies. This boxed set also includes a documentary entitled "The Epic That Never Was," about Alexander Korda's failed attempt to film I, Claudius in 1937. The film, directed by Josef von Sternberg and starring Charles Laughton as Claudius and Merle Oberon as Messalina, was abandoned unfinished, and it remains one of Hollywood's great lost movies. --Simon Leake

Description

Roman history comes alive in this magnificent 13-part series. "I, Claudius" (1976, 668 min.) ranks among the most acclaimed productions in BBC history. Tracing the lives of the last of the Roman emperors, it's an epic of ruthless ambition, shocking debauchery and murderous intrigue set in one of history's most fascinating eras. Bearing witness to the saga is Claudius, whose stutter and limp have marked him a fool--yet whom prophesies have foretold will one day rule Rome. This collector's edition set includes a unique documentary feature, "The Epic That Never Was" (1965, 71 min.), a remarkable behind-the-scenes look at Alexander Korda's ill-fated 1937 screen adaptation of "I, Claudius." Starring Merle Oberon and Charles Laughton, the chronicle of this uncompleted masterpieces is an unforgettable coda to one of the greatest stories ever told.

Customer Reviews:

Soapy but fascinating near-history.......2007-09-16

I didn't follow this TV series on its first go-around in 1976, because I thought it would be little more than an historical soap opera. I have not changed my mind about that, but the quality of writing and acting is, of course, far superior and the stories are much more compelling. I found myself watching all thirteen episodes straight through over a single weekend.

History it isn't, and there is a tendency for people to forget that a movie or TV program doesn't portray reality. But though the accounts of Tacitus and Suetonius may differ from those of Robert Graves in terms of what actually happened (if any truth can be found at all within contemporary documents), they all certainly must agree on the tone of the times and the character of the personalities involved in this era of the first four Roman emperors.

Historians say that it is unlikely that Livia was the poisoner she was cracked up to be, and Claudius probably wasn't the poor tormented sweetie -- but, then, without all that, there would be much less of a story to tell. Oh, well, not only must the needs of drama be served, but also it is human tradition for history to be slanted by its writers. Is a modern historical novelist or TV/cinema scriptwriter really any different from an ancient archivist twisting events into sycophantic paeans dedicated to some victorious strongman?

Regarding the video itself, I concur with other reviewers' complaints about the poor sound quality and the dreadful make-up (latex attachments that are all too visible in close-up), although the color seems to have been restored very nicely.

The hidden jewel in this boxed set is the documentary on Disc Five called "The Epic That Never Was". This treasure is worth the price of the whole series, preserving beautiful, precious footage of the aborted 1937 Sternberg version. I was especially captivated by the deliciously oily portrayal of Caligula by Emlyn Williams, whose work both as an actor and as a playwright has been sadly eclipsed all these years.

Makeup by Play-Doh.......2007-09-05

Truly a must see. Outstanding acting and absorbing dialogue. I also liked the DVD extra content. However, I found the makeup extremely distracting. I can't imagine what they were thinking. On many characters it looks like it was clumsily applied with a trowel. So bad I find it downright distracting at times.

excellent and timeless.......2007-08-01

About as faithful to the books as you could be, although it is helpful to read the books and then watch the series.

This series was tremendously ahead of its time when it was broadcast. For some reason being on BBC-PBS and all those togas made the fact that what most of the characters are doing is really evil palatable.

Excellent and enjoyable in every way, with stunning performances by the best classically trained actors.

I, Claw..Claw..Claudius is no fool.......2007-07-15

This has to be one of the best BBC productions I've ever seen. You will absolutely be blown away by these actors and the quality of the screenplay. I read "I, Claudius" some years ago and admittedly, it didn't form much of an impression on me. This production caught me completely off guard. I can't believe I bought this from a used-seller for $40 and was given such a treat to watch all these master-class Shakespearean actors. Why have I not heard or seen Sian Phillips before this? She's absolutely wonderful. She's such a wicked woman but intensely amusing. You get to see decades of her misdeeds, all in the name of Rome of course, but even I pitied her during her death-bed scene. There's so many brilliant characters, several who are just so wonderfully hateful, especially John Hurt as Caligula. I read somewhere that most of what we know about Caligula is rumor, that his actual recorded history is unfortunately lost. There's some concurrance though, that he was either mentally ill or suffered from epilepsy. This production however, doesn't give him an ounce pity. He's depicted as as vile and grotesque, a "monster," even as a young boy. I couldn't stop watching him or feeling afraid for any other person he came in contact with. No one was safe or able to speak out against him. John Hurt was I think only 36 at the time of this production, but he made the wisest choices as an actor. At the center of this family firestorm of murder, intrigue, and debauchery is our little Claudius. It's amazing to watch him survive through one clamity after another with barely the perception of his idiocy keeping him alive. I was a bit conflicted as to how I felt about him, though. On one hand I felt pity for him and his afflictions, and how he was mistreated by practically all his family. He was charming, loyal, and intelligent but unfortunately, too trusting. On the other hand, he barely had a back-bone. It's in his nature not to make trouble and he tries not to get involved, but sometimes that choice makes him gutless esepcially when innocent people need help. Even with some production, visual and sound problems with this DVD, I would still give this series higher than 5 stars if I could. I count myself very fortunate to have seen this. It's given me enthusiasm to buy other films and books centered around Imperial Rome. This DVD series is an absolute treasure, you wont be disappointed.

I Claudius looks good.......2007-07-14

I didn't watch it originally. Now, I think Derek Jacoby is brilliant. And the boxed set is terrific.

I, Claudius [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Netherlands ]

Average customer rating:

A masterpiece

I, Claudius [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Netherlands ]
Director: Herbert Wise
Manufacturer: Movie Power
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000AAVPLS

Product Description

Netherlands released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada. Languages: o Dutch (subtitles on/off) o English (Dolby Digital 2.0) Synopsis: Often called the finest TV miniseries ever made, I, Claudius burgeons with exceptional scriptwriting, character development, and acting. It centers on the lives of ruling Romans of the Imperial Age between 24 B.C. and 54 A.D. The audience's guide is Claudius Caesar (10 B.C.-54 A.D.), a clumsy, stuttering good-for-nothing who is deceptively clever and becomes emperor in 41 A.D when nobody is looking. Claudius was the son of General Nero Claudius Drusus and the grandson of Livia Drusilla, the wife of Caesar Augustus, who ruled Rome as its first emperor from 27 B.C. to 14 A.D. Claudius wrote a history of Rome that does not survive, but novelist and poet Robert Graves (1895-1985) imagined what Claudius reported and presented it in two books -- I, Claudius and Claudius, the God -- on which the miniseries is based. Although the production depicts known history factually, it interprets the private lives of Caesarean nobility through Claudius (Graves). The script is mordantly witty and so titillating in its depiction of political intrigue, decadence, murder plots, insanity, and unbridled ambition that it manages to fascinate and horrify at the same time. Sian Phillips steals the show as the conniving, unremittingly despicable, and sometimes drop-dead funny Livia, the wife of Augustus, even though Brian Blessed (Augustus), John Hurt (Caligula), and Derek Jacobi (Claudius) are all nearly flawless in their roles. Although the backdrop is static, the plot and pacing are nimble and dynamic. The decline of the Roman Empire was never so uplifting and entertaining as in this television tour de force. Special Features: o Interactive Menu o Scene Access

Customer Reviews:

A masterpiece.......2006-01-26

The BBC production of 'I, Claudius', now decades old, still captures the imagination, and is as fresh and timeless as when it first was broadcast. This is a testimony to the skill not only of the actors and production crew, but also to the writer (Graves) who produced what is essentially an historical novel in colloquial English which gives a real feel for the day-to-day life in the imperial family in Rome. Drawing heavily on Suetonius (the People-magazine writer of his day, far more interested in intrigue and personality than great historic events), Graves constructed a storyline that covers the major events of the advent of the Roman Empire (from out of the Roman Republic) by following the lives of the first four Emperors, primarily narrated as a 'history' written by Claudius.

The series consists of 13 one-hour episodes. They begin prior to Claudius' birth and continue through to his death. We are introduced to the men and women who were important imperial figures: Augustus, portrayed as a reluctant emperor; his wife Livia, mother of the nation, far more ambitious than any around her, and in many ways the power behind the dynasty; her sons Drusus and Tiberius, one destined to die early and the other to become emperor (the only emperor never to be deified, in fact); Agrippa, also ambitious but bumbling; Antonia, daughter of Marc Antony, and portrayed ultimately as the most honourable woman in Rome.

With this mix, the story begins of the jockeying for position within the royal family. Livia is determined that Tiberius succeed Augustus, and systematically eliminates all rivals. Whenever someone rises to prominence such that he might pose a challenge (Julia's sons, Germanicus, etc.) they are either discredited and exiled or, for safety sake, an accident or illness is arranged. After Livia is gone we see the rise and fall of Caligula, and the unlikely succession to power of Claudius. Once again intrigue enters in the form of the emperor's wife, not once, but twice, with finally Nero being favoured over Claudius' son Britannicus, who is murdered shortly after Claudius' death. Nero is the last of the Claudians, a prominent family Livia worked to hard to secure on the throne.

Perhaps the greatest scene is the dinner part in which Livia, Claudius, and Caligula are discussing prophecies and the future, at which point Livia confesses her crimes and her motivations to Claudius in hopes that he will, when emperor (a prediction he in no way believes), see to her deification.

Derek Jacobi plays Claudius (from young man to old) with great skill and care. Fortunately for Jacobi, whose career spans stage and screen as well, he has the acting ability to avoid being type-cast, but there is a tendency to default to Claudius (see the scene in the movie 'Dead Again' in which Jacobi plays a man with a stutter). Sian Phillips almost steals the show with her masterful portrayal of Livia. Her speech to the dying Augustus, explaining to him as he slips away why she was compelled to poison him, is a remarkable performance. Brian Blessed plays Augustus with skill. John Hurt, known for bizarre and eccentric performances, manages to interject the right amount of mania into Caligula.

Ultimately, Claudius did write histories and commentaries, but they have not survived. It is unknown if they did not survive due to political censorship (which I, Claudius implies) or because they simply weren't that good.

Alas, in truth, Claudius was neither as competent or caring an individual as one would believe from this re-creation. But it is fair to say that he was a good sight better than those before and after his reign. If you'll invest 13 hours in this series (and yes, it is worth it), take the time to invest a few hours in a legitimate history to find some of the historical realities that were 'glanced over lightly'.

This DVD release is specifically for those with PAL players (the standard NTSC of North America will not show these DVDs properly).

Average customer rating:

I, Claudius [Region 2]
Starring: Derek Jacobi , Siân Phillips , Brian Blessed , George Baker , and John Hurt
Director: Herbert Wise
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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