I, Claudius

[Guy Berger]

I started watching this on DVD -- it's really good! I'm 5 episodes into it. The only thing it's missing are some battles, but I guess they were on a tight budget.

Guy

[sidewinder]

It was originally broadcast on BBC TV back in the 1970s - a classic. Still one of the best things the BBC has ever done with a masterful performance by Derek Jacobi. The series was really a series of plays - hence the lack of any action/battle scenes. Quite a lavish budget for the times though, as I remember.

I must buy the DVDs for this one. Also the George Smiley stuff..

[Quincy]

It's fantastic! And as you're just 5 eps in, it's going to get even better. John Hurt as Caligula is just so perfect.

I've tried to sell this series to female Star Trek fans by pointing out that a youngish Patrick Stewart's legs can be seen for several episodes, but alas so far not one has bitten. Silly fools, it's one of the finest things ever put on tv. Um, the story, not Patrick's legs, though if you go for that kind of thing...

Edited June 29, 2006 by Quincy

[David Ayers]

Yes, an old favorite! It's great that people are discovering this for the first time on DVD.

[jazzbo]

I remember watching a few episodes as they aired on PBS here and enjoying them.

The books. I LOVE the books by Graves.

[BruceH]

I remember watching most of the episodes on TV back in high school. Good stuff!

[mikeweil]

The books. I LOVE the books by Graves.

Have you read his poetry? Some of it is stunningly beautiful!

Edited June 30, 2006 by mikeweil

[jazzbo]

I'm a big fan of Grave's writing. I think I read all I could lay my hands on in my twenties, and revisited some of them in the years afterwards. A great scholar and author. My favorites? His translation of "The Golden Ass" and his "King Jesus."

[sidewinder]

On a jazz-related note, I've read that British tenorist Ronnie Scott was friendly with Robert Graves and he and his ex-wife used to stay with Graves in Majorca (think that's where Graves' house was) back in the 1960s.