- Actors: Derek Jacobi
- Format: NTSC
- Language: English
- Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
- Number of discs: 5
- Studio: eOne Films
- Release Date: Mar 27 2012
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B006JY3OHW
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #5,455 in DVD (See Top 100 in DVD)
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Product Description
From Amazon.co.uk
A truly epic saga of dynastic conflict at the heart of Imperial Rome, I Claudius was the landmark BBC drama series of the 1970s. Originally transmitted as 13 50-minute episodes, it is now available as two double video packs. After chronicling the foundations of the British Empire in Elizabeth R (1971), the BBC chose to dramatise the human face of ancient Rome as interpreted by Robert Graves in his two enormously complex novels, I Claudius and Claudius The God. Derek Jacobi gives one of the greatest television performances ever as Claudius, the appalled chronicler of the decadence, corruption, intrigue and carnage which comes with absolute power of his ruling family. Augustus (Brian Blessed) is Emperor and Sian Phillips, Livia, his scheming, ambitious wife, Claudius' aunt. By virtue of his stammer and uncontrollable twitches, Claudius passes for a fool, thus escaping the poisonous machinations of Livia, all the while recording the comings and goings of the Imperial household. Inevitably lacking the visual scale of cinematic features Ben-Hur (1959) and Spartacus (1960), and today looking more studio-bound than ever, I Claudius remains a television masterpiece of intelligently written and rivetingly intense character drama. The saga ends with I Claudius - Part 2. --Gary S. Dalkin
Amazon.com Essential Video
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
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Most helpful customer reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
SETS THE STANDARD,
This review is from: I, Claudius (DVD)
Everything produced after "I, Claudius" is mere child's play in compare. If you're intelligent, savvy, well read and possess a trueappreciation for movingly acted and scripted drama look no further. The B.B.C. usually produces amazing series such as "The Duchess of Duke Street", "Danger UXB", "Prime Suspect"... well the list just goes on and on. But this fabulous drama raised the bar to heights that no one else has attained, and probably never will! P.S. I forgot to place on my list another wonder by the B.B.C., "Our Friends in the North" I urge all that read this review (both of you) to watch the other series listed. They are all magnificent!
5.0 out of 5 stars
I Claudius: a modern masterpeice,
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: I, Claudius (DVD)
This is a beautifully restored edition of I CLaudius. The bonus features alone are worth the purchase price. Although some of the prosthetic makeup is visible due to the digital restoration, it is otherwise a masterpiece.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.7 out of 5 stars (15 customer reviews) 66 of 68 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
35th Anniversary Set satisfies objections of past releases,
By Harold Wolf "Doc" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: I, Claudius (DVD)
Cut scenes return, alternate openings provided, SUBTITLES available, and picture is as fine as can be provided from the 1976 epic. A booklet provides accuracy data & a genealogical tree that is a remarkable value for keeping the characters straight through the 78 year time period. The 35th Anniversary Edition is the set to own, by JOVE.100s of reviews inform you of the content: An insatiable quest for power among Roman Emperor generations makes the story compelling. It's full of dastardly evolution. The Claudian Dynasty BBC spectacle filled with incest, base perversion and murder perpetrated within the royal family but presented with the historical humor of the 1930s Robert Graves novels. Augusta thru Nero, a plague of Roman Emperors, is a story supposedly told through the buried family story written by Claudius, exposing truth and sinister acts within the outlandish and intrigue filled generations. The film version includes the Graves' toga-talking slang, made a TV epic through the masterful writing of Jack Pulman. Through Roman period sexual twists (nudity, violence, and content warnings are correct throughout) viewers find humor in bizarre conduct, and jocular dialogue. Aligning with stellar writing was casting. Derek Jacobi shines as perfect here as he did as Cadfael. Augustus (Brian Blessed) & wife, Beautiful, evil Livia by Sian Phillips (Tinker, Taylor, Soldier, Spy), & her son Tiberius (George Baker -Ruth Rendell Mysteries). Add Claudius' mom, Antonia by Margaret Tyzack (Cousin Bette, Forsyte Saga). Caligula by John Hurt, Sejanus by Patrick Stewart (Star Trek), Nero by Christopher Biggins (Poldark), Narcissus (John Cater -Duchess of Duke Street), Ian Ogilvy (Upstairs, Downstairs) are a few more recognized. There is more. SUBTITLED Episodes total 668 minutes, plus 104 more if you view the alternate episodes. Episode 1: A TOUCH OF MURDER-Rome 24-9 BC (BCE). Original PBS alternates are 1: A Touch of Murder & 2: Family Affairs. 2: WAITING IN THE WINGS 3-5 AD (CE) 3: WHAT SHALL WE DO ABOUT CLAUDIUS? 9 AD 4: POISON IS QUEEN 13-14 AD 5: SOME JUSTICE 19-20 AD 6: QUEEN OF HEAVEN 23-29 AD 7: REIGN OF TERROR 30-31 AD 8: ZEUS, BY JOVE! 37-38 AD 9: HAIL WHO? 40-41 AD 10: FOOL'S LUCK 41-43 AD 11: A GOD IN COLCHESTER 47-48 AD 12 OLD KING LOG 54 AD ALL BONUS has SDH SUBTITLES: The booklet and 2 alternate episodes mentioned. "I, Claudius": A Television Epic -2002, 74 min behind the scenes "The Epic That Never Was" -1965, 71 min documentary of a failed B/W 1937 film adaptation staring Charles Laughton. 12 min Jacobi film interview from 2010 36 min Cast/Dir favorite scenes The only fault I found was the close ups show the latex masks used for make-up technique typical of the 1970s period. But remember, quite advanced in 1976. An epic that will never be out of style. And cut or reduced scenes are restored. Even for previous owners, this may be worth a new purchase. 44 of 47 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
None of the Users who gave this set a score of "1" have ever seen it. The Acorn has been remastered.,
By Leonard Norwitz - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: I, Claudius (DVD)
Both picture and sound quality are much improved over the previous Image sets. The content is as complete as is possible to get, minus the absence of the Alistair Cooke Intro's which were part of the Masterpiece Theatre presentations, but not the BBC. Subtitles are included, but the sound is so clear and natural that unless you are hearing impaired I doubt you will require them. Unlike the Users who feel inclined to write about something they've never seen, I have in fact seen an advanced review copy.I wish there was some way to have Amazon disallow comments from people who have no acquaintance with the product they write about, but such is the way of things - for now. 26 of 28 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
The reviews are NOT for the new ACORN release!,
By Barbara Siek - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: I, Claudius (DVD)
WAIT! All of these reviews, plus negative comments, go back to 2005, 2000, and refer to earlier, cut versions, or the 2-disc, squeezed one!They do NOT refer to the new Acorn Media, reg.1, release on FIVE DISCS, due out on March 27, 2012. Acorn includes the extended original episodes 1 and 2 and wonderful special features, e.g. THE EPIC THAT NEVER WAS, introduced by the superb British actor Dirk Bogarde plus other extras, such as the Derek Jacobi interview, an 8-page booklet, etc. I, Claudius was a fascinating series, and its seems that Acorn Media is doing justice to it. |
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