I, Claudius - Five Disc Set (DVD)

I, Claudius is the 13 episode BBC2 serial detailing the life of the Roman Emperor Claudius, based on the 1934 books by Robert Graves (I, Claudius and Claudius the God). The series follows the life and times of the first four emperors of Rome, From Augustus to the death of Claudius himself. It's a superbly acted series featuring some fantastic actors and performances including Brian Blessed, Patrick Stewart, John Hurt and, unforgettably, Derek Jacobi's brilliant portrayal of the stuttering, lame emperor Claudius himself. The series was a landmark on it's release in 1976 and has aged well all things considered. Initially viewers may find it difficult to ...  Read the complete review

So, hubby and I had finished watching Between the Lines Series 1 and the next draw from our little tub of white slips of paper produced - I, Claudius. I wasn't thrilled. Hubby's choice had won out yet again and after the fast and exciting Between the Lines, I feared I, Claudius would be slow and dull. Still, I'd give it a try... I, CLAUDIUS - THE FACTS I, Claudius is a BBC TV series shown back in 1976 (I turned seven that year.) and was based on Robert Graves' two novels. The DVD boxset came out in 2002 and currently costs £26.97 at Amazon. It contains five discs with a running time of 648 minutes and is rated 15. The first episode ...  Read the complete review

I, Claudius is one of the BBC’s most celebrated costume dramas, and rightly so. Made in 1976, it adapts Robert Graves’ novel (and its sequel, Claudius the God). It tells the story of the first four Roman emperors: Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula and Claudius. It’s pretty monolithic, consisting of 12 hour-long episodes, but the pace rarely flags, except towards the end. The production values are of an exceptionally high by 70s TV standards, and it contains some absolutely brilliant acting. It also has a fantastic opening-titles sequence, involving a snake, which was entertainingly piss-taken by Blackadder a few years later. The series is narrated by Claudius ...  Read the complete review