I, Claudius [1976] [DVD]

Bought the I Claudius DVD set used but good.It was in excellent condition and delivery was very quick.I have really enjoyed rewatching this marvellous drama.In my opinion it is still as good today as when I first watched it all those years agoDerek Jacob's performance as Claudius is spellbinding.

'I Claudius' is a stunningly good adaption of Robert Graves two novels about the beginning of the Emperors as rulers of Rome after the four civil wars which finished the Roman Republic off. Beautifully acted by some of the great British acting fraternity everybody is so good and works together so flawlessly with so many great scenes and it looks sumptuous in its colour video. Derek Jacobi, an actor I always looked out for since seeing him in 'Man of Straw' a few years before is the centre of everything as stuttering, limping, clumsy Claudius who's not as stupid as he seems and who is a born survivor in a murderous family ruled by Livia, his grandmother who is killing everyone who gets in way of her precious son, Tiberius, path to the Imperial throne. An outstanding cast in a first rate murderous drama. There are also some interesting extras including actors memories and favourite scenes plus a tv documentary about the film version of 'I Claudius' starring Charles Laughton from the 1930's which unfortunately was never finished due to financial problems. It looks as though it might have been a great film. What a shame. Still any film would have only lasted a couple of hours while this tv series does the complicated plotting of the two novels justice by running to a dozen episodes without a dull moment in any of them.

I found "I Claudius" a brilliantly written and acted BBC drama. I have read the books "I Claudius" and "Claudius The God" by Robert Graves and this series does them full justice. There are astonishing performances by the whole cast, especially Derek Jacobi as the stuttering title character and John Hurt as the insane Caligula. The whole production has a darkly humorous quality as sparkling as anything in Evelyn Waugh.The programme feels more theatrical than cinematic and it has been suggested that it should be given a more modern makeover. Such a production might be glossier but to even equal the brilliant scripts of Jack Pulman would be very unlikely.One of the greatest historical adaptations ever made. Quite remarkable.

Arrived on time and, as expected.Regards,tim

Younger readers who don’t remember I, Claudius, the 1976 TV adaptation of the two Robert Graves novels, I, Claudius and Claudius the God, may wonder what all the fuss was about. Lots of period drama set around the louche lifestyles and murderous intrigue of generations of Roman Emperors, they may say, plus a few well-known faces looking relatively youthful.In fact summing up the series thus fails to do any justice at all to arguably the single greatest historical drama series ever broadcast. In the face of the likes of Brideshead Revisited, Pride and Prejudice, Bleak House and very many more that’s a pretty big claim, one deserving of a full rationale; so my objective here is to justify why I rate this particular adaptation so highly.My argument comes in five parts, so without more ado let’s explore them:1) Staging Scale and ScopeBearing in mind this is a series made entirely within the confines of BBC TV Centre studios, it recreates the breadth and depth of the Roman Empire from the perspective of Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus to stunning effect, a combination of the late Jack Pulman‘s breathtaking script and Herbert Wise‘s direction that give an optical illusion – at once paradoxically expansive yet strangely claustrophobic – the studio effect seems so apt for the cloistered world of Roman Emperors, many of whom went out to explore their Empires but in Rome justifiably lived in fear of those around them.On reflection, maybe what I like about the staging is that it retains the vestiges of theatricality, which some hate but I rather enjoy!2) Historical DramaNot only that but the passage of time and the historical narrative is handled with great assurance and clarity, no mean feat in view of the complexity of relationships in the Roman caesural lineage. More than that: It puts emotion and intrigue into decisions, provides a narrative drive and tension behind what are well-known facts, albeit with some fictional twists. They do say life is stranger than fiction, and here is the proof!Of course, it’s told from the perspective of Claudius, which, like Salieri in Amadeus, might be an unreliable memoir, but at every turn it breathes life into the historical facts and figures better than any David Starkey, Michael Wood or Niall Ferguson.In spite of the saga lasting generations and incorporating many characters, the narrative drive and scheming logic never fail. From beginning to end this is riveting drama, told with guile and purpose.3) CharactersThe joy of dramatisations and fiction based on real life is that you would never dare create the characters in fiction. They are more outrageous than anything you could possibly dream up! Claudius himself is more than a little wily, but all around him the most bizarre characters appear, most transcribed from known sources by Graves with little added or taken away. Everywhere you look, from the divisive Livia, vicious Tiberius, loopy Caligula and loopier Nero, and many many more. Make no mistake, this was a golden era of nutcases and eccentrics alike.4) Casting & ActingLet’s face it, Derek Jacobi as Claudius is towering, the fulcrum on which the drama turns. Not only has he perfected the art of a limp, stammer and nervous twitch better than any actor in history, but his presence as the reluctant caesar and chronicler of the times is immense. This was a very fine performance, captured for posterity, from the very young to the very old Claudius.B-b-b-b-but it was far from being alone. Great jewels of acting shine out at every turn, being memorable. Once you’ve seen John Hurt as the barking mad but hideously evil Caligula, how could you possibly forget that cameo? Nor indeed Brian Blessed as the blustering, eye-swivelling but convivial Augustus, and Siân Philips as the wickedly Machiavellian Livia? It’s unfair to single out particular actors, since Claudius works best as an ensemble piece, and I doubt if the BBC ever assembled a greater ensemble cast for any period drama.5) QualityThis series amounts to 600 minutes of TV over 5 DVDs. It is riveting, compelling viewing from start to last. The theme music by the late Wilfred Josephs alone is enough to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.

Great series originally this captures it including the squeamish way murder was portrayed in those days