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I Claudius (1976) (Complete Series + Documentary) (Five Disc Imperial Remastered Edition) (Region 2) (Import)

Derek Jacobi (Actor), George Baker (Actor) | Rated: Suitable for 15 years and over | Format: DVD

4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (209 customer reviews)

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Product details

Actors: Derek Jacobi, George Baker, John Hurt, Patrick Stewart, John Rhys-Davies
Language: English
Subtitles: Danish
Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
Number of discs: 5
Classification: 15
Run Time: 647 minutes

Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (209 customer reviews)

ASIN: B00601QGYC
Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 119,863 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)

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Reviews

Scadinavian Edition, PAL/Region 2 DVD: Subtitles: English, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish. Audio: English. No English Subtitles. Also included is a unique documentary features, "The Epic That Never Was", a remarkable behind-the-scenes look at Alexander Korda's ill-fated 1937 screen adaptation of I, Claudius. Starring Merle Oberon and Charles Laughton and narrated by Dirk Bogarde, the chronicle of this uncompleted masterpiece is an unforgettable coda to one of the greatest stories ever told. I, Claudius ranks among the most acclaimed productions in BBC history. Tracing the lives of several Roman emperors, it's an epic of ruthless ambition, shocking debauchery and murderous intrigue set in one of history's most fascinating eras. Bearing witness to the saga is Claudius, whose stutter and limp have marked him a fool - yet whom prophecies have foretold will one day rule Rome.

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Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

122 of 123 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars BBC DRAMA AT ITS BEST 14 May 2003

By MR BEN W HALTON

Format:DVD

An epic soap opera following the life and times of the great imperial Cesars in Rome at the height of its world power. Massive helpings of sex, intrigue, violence and madness all acted with gusto by a stellar British cast, aided by a witty script and skillful direction. Both Derek Jacobi as Claudius and especially John Hurt as Caligula are absolutely mesmerising. If you know nothing of this period in history you will learn much even if a great deal of artistic license was used by Robert Graves in his books on which this series is based. Knowing how each member of the extended and inter-married imperial family is related to the other can be sometimes confusing but is essential in following the plot and if you pay sufficient attention you will be rewarded. Some great extras on the DVD too with an hour long retrospective containing interviews with all the major players and the cast choosing their favourite scenes being among the best. Theres an absolutely essential family tree as well but its a bit of a spoiler so best left til last. ...As well as being a great example of why the BBC was once so deserving of its reputation as a leading force in TV drama throughout the world, what you are getting here is the chance to immerse yourself for a few hours in a gripping story set in a studio-bound but convincingly Roman world, one that you will be utterly grateful you had the great fortune not to have been born into.

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75 of 76 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A masterpiece! 19 Dec 2008

By Mr. P. D. Humphreys

Format:DVD

I remember seeing thie series on the TV many years ago, and I wondered how it would compare to my memories.

The bad stuff first: this dates from the time when the BBC used videotape, rather than film. Everything is studio-bound, and all the sets, even the most ambitious, are obviously just that, with multiple shadows. The picture quality is also soft, though the colour isn't too bad. As for the box, it contains precious little about the production: shame on you, BBC.

The good stuff: the artificiality actually helps, as you start to see this as a theatrical production, rather than a realistic one. And as such, it is tremendously gripping, with Graves' words impeccably transferred to the new medium, and a dream cast, with no weak link. Almost immediately you are drawn into the plot (Claudius doesn't actually appear for ages, but you don't care), and you are held until the end. Yes, it really is that good!

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95 of 97 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The very best of BBC drama, excellently acted throughout. 20 Sep 2002

By Helen Gabell

Format:DVD

I saw this on when I was at school back in the 70's, when it was first shown (twice a week), and when it was repeated in the 80's. I have since bought the videos. This dedication must go some way to show how incredibly powerful the acting and script are in this portrayal of Imperial Roman life from Augustus to Nero. Personally I can't wait to see them restored on DVD, complete with cast interviews.
The power of this series lay in it's use of small sets, making the intrigue far more personal and believable. Poison dripped from every word, look and gesture of Sian Phillips as Livia. John Hurt was incredibly disturbed & disturbing as Caligula, and Derek Jacobi was amazing as Claudius, surviving when all around fell.
The biggest problem with I Claudius is that the acting and story are so powerful, I often find myself thinking of the actors Roman characters when I see them in other things.
This is a must watch piece of classic BBC drama, with the cream of British acting talent.

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70 of 72 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Golden Age of Rome - and Television 9 April 2010

By Green Knight TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:DVD

"I, Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus, this that and the other, am now about to begin ......"

The opening words of this extraordinary series are the stuff of legend. Derek Jacobi as the Emperor Claudius, with his limp and his stammer (the yardstick by which all subsequent actorish stammers have been measured) and the remarkable makeup that takes him from old man to young man to old again turns in such a superb performance throughout the eleven episodes that he must be numbered one of the all-time greats in television drama.

The supporting cast is no less impressive - from the deadly Livia of Sian Phillips, the fiercely matriarchal Antonia of Margaret Tyzack (why was she never made a DBE ?) and Brian Blessed's homely, bumbling Augustus Caesar - down through the ranks to the minor roles, what we have here is ensemble playing of the highest quality.

It is deliciously theatrical - mainly because that was how the series was conceived. It could never have been 'Ben Hur' - or any other toga-clad epic with thousands of extras in a sun-drenched location - studio drama was never like that, and it's often a better and more powerful product because of its necessary limitations. 'I, Claudius' begins with a script that is a masterpiece of adaptation. Anyone who has ever ploughed through Robert Graves's original novels (yes, there are two of them, and mighty hefty they are) will realise the Herculean labour undertaken by Jack Pulman (who also adapted the BBC's 'War & Peace') and will have to agree that he did a superb job with extremely exacting material.

The novels contain very little dialogue, with most of what speech there is reported by the narrator, Claudius.... To get round this, Jack Pulman has created a deliciously modern and often very funny tragi-comedy which somehow sits effortlessly among the fountains and colonnades and scantily-clad slaves of Ancient Rome - and the actors play it for all it's worth. It's frequently over the top, but it's meant to be, and it works.

The idea of a 'classical period' being portrayed in any other way is now virtually unthinkable. Thanks to 'I, Claudius' the heavy rhetoric and the thees and thous beloved of so many epics have gone for ever.

Even the music will be a surprise to anyone not familiar with the series: no brazen symphonic score or pseudo-antique strumming and tinkling of cymbals - we are blasted with a hard-hitting, almost jazzy affair to accompany the slithering of a viper across a mosaic depiction of the emperor and the opening titles.

There is plenty of sex and violence and even some nudity (yes, really, in 1976!) and in the days of the programmes' first transmission, warnings were given out that 'some viewers may find certain scenes disturbing ...'

Viewers of today needn't fear. They will have seen far worse on their screens, in every sense. They can watch all eleven episodes and enjoy them for all the right reasons. An added bonus is the BBC documentary 'The Epic That Never Was' introduced by a very elegant and well-spoken Dirk Bogarde. He charts the story of the failed attempt to film Graves's books in 1937. The producer Alexander Korda had Charles Laughton, Merle Oberon, Emlyn Williams and Flora Robson lined up and signed up to play the protagonists - alongside a galaxy of British movie stars. The project was doomed, and was abandoned a short way into shooting.

The surviving footage is shown in full, and is a fascinating record of vintage film production. There are entertaining interviews and anecdotes from surviving cast and crew alike, all extremely intelligent and at the forefront of their respective professions.

This boxed set of 'I, Claudius' on five DVDs is extremely good value, even at full price - and the series must remain one of the BBC's crowning glories. Like Shakespeare, it's for all time. The gods forbid that ANYONE be cynical enough to try doing a 'remake'.

If you haven't got a copy, get one. It's worth every penny or cent or euro, and probably always will be.

(MARGARET TYZACK'S OBITUARY APPEARED IN 'THE DAILY TELEGRAPH' IN JUNE, 2011. I HAVE ADDED THE TEXT TO THE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW. WORTH READING.) Read more ›

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Update

I questioned the receipt of this item and found out at a later date that it had been received by a member of my family and I was not told. Read more

Published 2 days ago by Clive Davies

5.0 out of 5 stars I Caudius

I first Saw this brilliant production over 30 years ago and it is as fresh today as then. I know memory becomes distorted over time, but I believe the production may have been... Read more

Published 9 days ago by Mrs. A. C. Penny

5.0 out of 5 stars Helped sort out the muddle of people.

As have been studying the' Fall Of The Roman Empire' in Edinburgh. The series has helped as far as the family structure is concerned. Read more

Published 14 days ago by Mary Gremson

2.0 out of 5 stars Not exactly as described.

The only plus point about this DVD set is the fact that it is considerably cheaper than the official BBC releases. Otherwise I was very disappointed. Read more

Published 15 days ago by James Rigg

1.0 out of 5 stars Was a very dodgy copy..

The series was, of course, a classic. This DVD is a disgrace though-badly packaged with sleevenotes in a foreign language and the actors faces appearing on screen as blue as a... Read more

Published 15 days ago by JT

1.0 out of 5 stars only one disc of 5 will play on our DVD Player all 4 BBC Discs will...

Delivered in December for Xmas. 5 box set and we viewed Disc No 5 as it was ageneral information disc, no problem. Read more

Published 16 days ago by T Doubtfire

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent - much enjoyed

I enjoyed it on TV - so much better to have my own boxed set and watch it as often as I like

Published 18 days ago by dorothyjean

4.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant

I never saw this the first time around. It really is a TV play, but the quality is astounding and I am so glad I bought it! Read more

Published 25 days ago by W.L.

5.0 out of 5 stars Drama at its best.

Nothing much can be said about this Series - Brilliant adaptation, Brilliant acting/actors and completely shows ( it's a 1970's BBC production) just how to make drama nowadays,... Read more

Published 28 days ago by June F. Miller

5.0 out of 5 stars Educational, exciting, raw, no holds barred tv series at its best.

This is everything that is missing in modern day television. Compulsive viewing of a well made and acted series which never disappoints.

Published 1 month ago by jim crawford

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