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Post by The Doctor on Aug 28, 2009 18:47:56 GMT
Just watched the first episode. My goodness, it's brilliant stuff. Such sharp dialogue and finely honed performances. And Brian Blessed is amazing!
-Ralph
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Post by karla on Aug 29, 2009 7:46:41 GMT
CALIGULA!!!!!!
it is a good series
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Post by The Doctor on Sept 5, 2009 21:49:38 GMT
Watched episodes 2 and 3 this evening. Jings, if more shows had dialogue that dripped with such finely honed quality (like this does) I'd watch a hell of a lot more telly. And the cast is amazing.
-Ralph
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Post by The Doctor on Sept 6, 2009 21:50:33 GMT
Watched episodes 4-6 today. Everyone in Rome is evil! Patrick Stewart has hair!
-Ralph
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Post by The Doctor on Sept 9, 2009 10:40:29 GMT
Episodes 7 and 8 last night. Pretty shocking stuff! The last years of Emperor Tiberious are monstrous and the madness of Caligula is utterly terrifying!
-Ralph
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Post by The Doctor on Sept 9, 2009 21:23:04 GMT
Polished off the series today. Stunning, stunning stuff. Here is a review which sums it up better than I could: www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=58338Gives away a few plot points but to be fair, the series was made in 1976. Spoiler warnings persist only so long! -Ralph |
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Post by The Doctor on Sept 10, 2009 21:48:30 GMT
There's a very interesting feature on the DVD dug out from the archives from 1965 regarding the unfinished 1937 version of I Claudius. Fascinating to see what might have been and amazing that any footage survives. Actually, it's amazing the documentary survives either.
-Ralph
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Post by legios on Sept 11, 2009 6:20:29 GMT
It does sound like the DVD release is a very good package. It is always nice to see vintage television get good treatment when it comes to a release.
Karl
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Post by legios on Sept 21, 2009 19:38:13 GMT
Made a start on this over the last couple of days and I have watched the first three episodes so far.
Wonderful stuff - a series that is almost entirely powered by dialogue, and what dialogue it is. It is rare to find a cast and a script that can make people in rooms talking so absolutely riveting. The dialogue is wonderful in construction and the cast really get to grips with it.
It does a good job with the history as well - lots of things are missed out or simply not dwelt upon, but the general sweep of events and the trajectories of the various characters who come and go are reasonably true to actual events.
(The production is strangely modern in a lot of ways as well - the lack of non-diegetic music within the episodes, the tendency for the camera to act as if it were a silent particpant in the scene, these things were uncommon then and have since been hailed as innovations in more recent times. But then, they do say that history repeats....)
Karl
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Sept 22, 2009 10:11:07 GMT
Into Episode 6 now. Absolutely tremendous stuff. Splendid cast and performances from everyone involved. I'd never seen Brian Blessed the actor before and he is a powerhouse in it. Patrick Stewart as Sejanus is wonderfully smug and evil, he has hair - which is a bit disconcerting.
Andy
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Post by The Doctor on Sept 22, 2009 16:47:17 GMT
You just want to punch him whenever he is on screen.
-Ralph
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Sept 22, 2009 17:00:40 GMT
What little I saw of John Hurt as Caligula in episode six was splendid. Especially with Livia on her death bed.
It's wonderful that just before they die people realise that Claudius is not the fool they take him for.
Andy
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Post by The Doctor on Sept 22, 2009 17:38:18 GMT
You will not believe what Caligula gets up to. One scene in particular. You'll know it when it happens.
-Ralph
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Sept 23, 2009 18:16:22 GMT
Just finished the series. Brilliant stuff, gripping from start to finish.
Andy
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Post by legios on Sept 27, 2009 19:40:40 GMT
I'm about three quarters of the way through now. Good grief there is some strong, and very, very dark stuff in here. Caligula is genuinely terrifying - there is a real sense that you have no idea what he is going to do next. Even the stuff that one feels one should have expected from history blindsides you somewhat because of the way his performance can turn so suddenely within the confines of a single scene.
I thoroughly approve of the way some of it is staged as well. It comes from the days when folk still realised that an actors reactions to things we don't see can be far more horrifying than showing us things in gory detail. There is a certain moment towards the end of one episode that is entirely carried by Derek Jacobi's reaction to something that is kept just out of our line of sight. a modern production would be inclined to feel it had to try to put said event onscreen but it wouldn't have anywhere near the horrific impact that it does when you don't see it.
The cast and director have done an absolutely superb job - I really cannot take my eyes of the screen, it is utterly absorbing television.
Karl
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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on Sept 27, 2009 19:43:22 GMT
So how many boxed sets of this have you guys got between you, or are some of your watching it on YouTube?
Never seen an episode myself, but all these rave reviews are starting to make one curious.
Martin
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Post by The Doctor on Sept 27, 2009 20:33:20 GMT
I have the box set, which the Kaptain is currently viewing.
-Ralph
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Sept 27, 2009 22:07:39 GMT
I acquired it via yarr. But based on it, shall be shelling out on the DVD boxed set. A christmas treat to myself methinks.
Andy
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Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2009 22:32:02 GMT
I'm not really into historical stuff like that (although saying that I do enjoy a couple of Monty Pythons films - does that count?). You all seem to have given the series good reviews though I might be tempted to watch an episode or two on the net somewhere along the line.
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Post by The Doctor on Sept 28, 2009 9:46:59 GMT
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Sept 28, 2009 9:49:46 GMT
It's gripping stuff from start to finish.
Andy
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Post by The Doctor on Sept 28, 2009 9:52:48 GMT
Also: Brian Blessed actually acts! Now I love BRIAN BLESSED! the celebrity chap, but my goodness he's astounding in this. Such a subtle performance.
-Ralph
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Sept 28, 2009 9:59:23 GMT
Yes indeed. I'd never seen him act before until I saw this.
Andy
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Post by blueshift on Sept 28, 2009 11:30:59 GMT
Okay, I may as well find the boxset of this!
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Post by The Doctor on Sept 28, 2009 19:42:21 GMT
Do it!
Be warned the humour is very very black in it, and often similtaneous with terrible things happening!
-Ralph
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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on Sept 27, 2010 18:58:05 GMT
Just started reading the book by Robert Graves. Very promising start. May try the series after.
Martin
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