I just finished reading "I' Claudius" and the sequel "Claudius the god".
I thoroughly enjoyed them both and recommend them highly. It was hard to keep in mind I was reading fiction and not the notes of Claudius himself.
Very well written and a real page turner. I know some liberties were taken with some things but over all I loved it and am sorry to have finished them. (Now I'd like to see the BBC series).
Quote:I know some liberties were taken with some things but over all I loved it and am sorry to have finished them. (Now I'd like to see the BBC series).
Graves is actually very, very close to the sources. The only thing he does is: to state as
fact what is merely suggested by the
ancients. Even strange details (Julia having intercourse on the rostra) are in the sources (Seneca).
I Claudius is the best!
The TV series is a favorite around our house and we usually watch once a year or so as the mood strikes us.
Great cast and great performances.
Let us know your reactions to watching it.
Narukami
Quote:Even strange details (Julia having intercourse on the rostra) are in the sources (Seneca).
_________________
But not shown in the TV series! :wink:
I have just bought the series on DVD , well worth it. The acting by all concerned is superb. The Graves translation of Suetonius is still available as the Penguin edition.
Graham.
I remember working 16+ hour shifts on an intense job many years ago, and using an episode of I Claudius to switch off and wind down each night.
I still can't get my head around Brian Blessed as Augustus, though :wink:
Quote:I still can't get my head around Brian Blessed as Augustus, though
But can you get a round Deepeeka helmet around your head?? That's the question!
I'm planning to get the DVD, too. Amazon has it, so it's a done deal.
Fantastic on DVD, and one of those dramas you can watch over and over without really getting bored.
I cannot get my head around the fact that Captain Jean Luc Picard and Sejanus are one in the same
hock:
Quote:Fantastic on DVD, and oe of those dramas you can watch over and over without really getting bored.
I cannot get my head around the fact that Captain Jean Luc Picard and Sejanus are one in the same hock:
Or the fact that he once had hair!
hock:
hock:
As for Brian Blessed...even though it may not be accurate, it is how I would like to think Augustus was.
Then again how about John Hurt as "Little Boots"? -- what a performance.
Graham is quite right -- the series is well worth the purchase price. I have had copies on betamax, laser disc, and now DVD. (Boy--does that list date me. :oops: )
:wink:
Narukami
Quote:I cannot get my head around the fact that Captain Jean Luc Picard and Sejanus are one in the same
Patrick Stewart is ageless
hock:
Looks exactly the same :lol:
Quote:Or the fact that he once had hair!
You mean hairpiece/Wig/rug//toupee/weave ? :wink:
I've had the boxed DVD set for 5 years and I enjoy it immensely. The only complaint I have about it is the quality of the video. It wasn't remastered - it just looks like a dvd with recorded video.
And mine runs 669 minutes long. I just found that
[size=150:fp9ejt9d]this one [/size]runs 740 minutes long ! What's up with that ? Is there lost footage or did they just add extra features ? Anyone know ?
~Theo
Hi Jaime
Mine has an even shorter running length than your version and that is the 5 disc version available here in the UK. This includes two documentaries, one on the making of the series, the other the unfinished film vesrion starring Charles Laughton, plus deleted scenes from the series. So I do not know what extras are available on the one for sale which appears to be a special edition set.
My old VHS version has a similar running time to my DVD and that was just the series. So I am wondering if the DVD running time given on the box is the series only minus the extras. In which case the ebay version could be the same as I have. Perhaps someone who has the ebay version can help out.
Graham.
My old laser disc edition of "I Claudius" has an aprox running time of 663 minutes. (They do not give an exact running time bless their hearts.)
I know that the DVD includes a docu about the aborted feature film of "I Claudius" with Charles Laughton as Claudius, however I doubt it runs as long as an hour... Perhaps the 740 minutes is a mistake. :?
Narukami
Oh! I had no idea there was a series as well, I shall have to look out for it.
I finished reading I,Claudius a few months ago, very interesting! It's hard not to believe that it is actually Claudius writing it. I did not have much knowledge about Emperor Claudius other than what Suetonius wrote... but strangely enough now after reading the book I have begun to refer to him (at least in my head) as "Uncle Claudius" lol!
Looking forward to getting my hands on Claudius the god
Well, i read first Suetonius, and it was funny to read latter I Claudius; it was like reading the same story but with a little more of humor.
Quote:I cannot get my head around the fact that Captain Jean Luc Picard and Sejanus are one in the same hock:
If you think that's bad, Manimal (Simon MacCorkindale) turns up in one episode!
Since we're all comparing sizes, mine claims to be 648 mins, has 5 DVDs, and is BBCDVD 1085 (dated to 2002).
Probably the best DVD I have (although it is a close-run thing with Battle of Britain...).
Mike Bishop
Quote:If you think that's bad, Manimal (Simon MacCorkindale) turns up in one episode!
Or Macro who became Gimli via shouting Indeee! (John Rhys-Davies)
Quote:Probably the best DVD I have (although it is a close-run thing with Battle of Britain...).
So when you are in your plane are you trusting in radar and praying to God or more accurately the other way around?
Graham.