Rating: 
Summary: I Claudius is a Mini-Series for the Ages
Review: This is a film that students of Ancient History and avid readers of Graves will be viewing for hundreds of years. One can only say about this film what Virgil's Dido said to Aeneas before he departed to establish his people in Italy: In freta dum fluvi current, dum montibus umbrae, lustrabunt convexa polus dum sidera pascet, semper honos, nomenque tuum laudesque manebunt! (As long as the rivers run through the valleys, as long as the clouds pass over the mountains, as long as the stars shine in the heavens, always shall thy name, thy honour and thy glory abide!).
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Summary: A true classic, fondly remembered and available again
Review: When they showed this series on PBS when I was in high school, I was a faithful viewer, both on Sundays and Wednesdays when they'd repeat Sunday's episode. Some people were very surprised that my mother encouraged me to watch with her...she said "Of course I let him watch---who else is going to explain all this Roman history to me?" There are too many classic moments to tell about---but my favorite is when Tiberius (the successor to Augustus) has been informed by Claudius that his right-hand man in Rome, Aelius Sejanus (played with great panache by Patrick Stewart) murdered Tiberius' son in collaboration with the son's wife, and is plotting to overthrow Tiberius and take over Rome. Caligula, who is standing nearby, acts greatly shocked at this treachery. In tones of utter wonder, he says "Aren't people _disgusting?_" Considering just _who_ says this, and what the viewer already knows about him (not to mention what he'll do later on) if you don't laugh at that, you've probably eaten some of Augustus' figs by mistake.
Rating:
Summary: A true masterpiece
Review: 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."
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Summary: Friends,Romans,Countrymen...
Review: For anyone who has read the books,and is wondering how they could possibly be transferred to film,here is your answer. Produced in the 1970's , a time when the BBC seemed capable of producing classic historical drama at will (see the Six Wives of Henry the VIII,Elizabeth R among others) this fascinating and entertaining Roman epic really "dishes the dirt" on the early Caesars and their devious relatives. Derek Jacobi leads an inspired cast of fine British actors, along with the great Brian Blessed as Augustus,and special mention must also go to a very young looking John Hurt as the fabulously mad Caligula. This title comes strongly recommended for anyone interested in Roman history (however whether or not it is entirely historically accurate is open to question),and if you enjoy the series ,then read the books as well,because they're even better.
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Summary: One of the Best TV Series Ever
Review: While I haven't bought the DVD yet, it's at the top of my Christmas list this year. This was a strikingly adult series. It should not be confused with history because Graves' interpretation of possible motives were probably bleaker than the actual events. But the acting and writing are both very, very good. Brian Blessed, George Baker, John Hurt and especially Derek Jacobi give the definitive performances of four consecutive Roman emporers (Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula and Claudius). Sian Philips was the "immoral center" of the first 2/3rds of the series, and ages very convincingly over about a fifty year period. The supporting cast, particularly Patrick Stewart, Margaret Tyzack and Patricia Quinn are great. If you appreciate fine acting and adult writing, this series is not to be missed.
Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Example of Literary License
Review: I have looked everywhere for scholarly work on Livia Drusilla, and there is precious little. And what I have found has been mostly conjecture. This clears the way for Robert Graves's historical fiction, I Claudius. After all, one can easily conjecture from what we do know - the numerous heirs standing in Tiberius's path to the Imperium who died under cloudy circumstances - that something was rotten in the state of Rome during the reign of Augustus and his immediate successors. And if Graves offers up Augustus's wife Livia as the Black Widow to end all black widows, who can object? This thirteen-part BBC drama is, along with the inexcusably neglected BBC Lionheart epic, A Fall of Eagles, the greatest TV drama ever made and is among the greatest of dramatic productions ever made in any medium, including live theatre. (If you have seen both, you will notice some of the same cast, including Derek Jacobi and Patrick Stewart.) In fact, I Claudius is indeed "live" theatre. It is one of the few productions I can recall to bring the advantages of live theatre to television - long dialogue and up-close and personal relationship to the audience - while avoiding theatrical staging's claustrophobic effects on a small (or even large) screen. This is accomplished, I believe, by screenwriter Jack Pulman and production designer Tim Harvey. Pulman's dialogue is so dynamic and fluent, that it compensates for the constraints on physical action imposed by a TV studio. And Harvey achieves a small miracle by somehow conveying the grandeur of Rome, though likewise constrained by TV. This opening up of both the physical and emotional atmosphere creates ample room for the story and the performances. And what performances they are! Claudius is Derek Jacobi's starmaking rôle. And Siân Philips plays the evil Livia with a deliciousness that makes us all feel terribly guilty. For make no mistake, this is a cruel, murderous and depraved woman, and this is a monstrous story. Yet, at the end of each episode, we are lusting for more, just like the Roman mobs in their bloody circuses. And now I'm watching it yet again - this time on DVD!
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Summary: You're all scum and you know it.
Review: The books were the talk of Latin class in the sixties, I was mesmerized by the stories (though I never did read Suetonius) and the BBC production when it aired. This still has some of the finest performances on film. Even now I look for Brian Blessed's name (he was playing in London this summer). Scenes come back to me years later ("Hey Fritz..the new Caesar....Kaisar!" "Ja??") and Livia's immortal speech to the gladiators ("I want my money's worth!") when I'm watching NFL. We should get the Germans to raise a temple to Robert Graves for this one.
Rating: 
Summary: 5 stars for I Claudius, no stars for image-entertainment/CBS
Review: I bought the DVD boxed set fully aware that this was a 24 year old made-for-TV production. I was therefore expecting perhaps a "flat" look with mono sound and muted colours. What I didn't expect was that image-entertainment/CBS would (apparently) cut the DVD from a bad second(+) generation video tape - rather than the presumably superior BBC master. The sound is muffled and the picture has noticeable ghosting. There are no sub-titles so the DVD has to be viewed with the sound on full blast. To be fair to IE/CBS this was true when I watched the series on BBC TV on its first broadcast. Given the (unfortunately) limited market for quality drama in the US I wouldn't expect the full George Lucas treatment. However, why could not IE/CBS (a) get hold of a better master; (b) spend a little money on cleaning up the soundtrack/image; (c) provide sub-titles? Buy it anyway because you'll forget the technical limitations within minutes as you become totally absorbed in this wonderful drama. I note that "The 6 Wives of Henry VIII" (which I intend to purchase) is distributed by "BFS". I hope they've done a better job than IE/CBS and that they will be releasing "Elizabeth R" when the time comes. Amazon should have separate content/technical ratings for DVDs.
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Summary: Great drama!
Review: All I can say about this DVD is that this is one of the best pieces of television drama that I have ever seen. The performances are excellent all the way around, and the story of the Roman emperors and the intrigue surrounding them and their families makes for a tense, involving drama that keeps the viewer glued to the TV. The DVD itself is excellent with a sharp clear picture and clear sound. I have no problems at all with this DVD and recommend it highly for anyone who is interested in great dramatic acting, ancient history, and the intrigue involving the emperors of ancient Rome!
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Summary: I, Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanincus......
Review: So Begins the best PBS/BBC series ever, finally on DVD. I do think they good have spaced it out better, but now it will live forever. This copy is better than the tapes, not only because of it will live forever, but because all existing footage, beginning and ending credits are included. Brian Blessed, Derek Jacobi, Sian Phillips, George Baker, and John Hurt and many other known and unknown names at their best. If you like this, you should also purchase the Six Wives of Henry VIII. Next up: Elizabeth R? (I hope).
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