The Caesars (1968 BBC series) is very under apreciated, let's compare...

I won't give much argument against THE CAESARS. At a time when modern-day viewers turn their noses at the older British serials (Ew, there's no action scenes or CGI!), it's nice to see some people actually appreciate them!

I have no problem with the lack of action or spectacle. While such points are important to BEN-HUR or SPARTACUS, the story of the Julio-Claudians as portrayed in both serials doesn't need such epic things because THEY are the epic.

I have little problem with the acting. Andre Morell was the best with his political adminstrations and schemes, though I think George Baker had the early progression from innocent to monster, and was very convincing as a perverted beast (Sorry, when Morell's Tiberius is described as sexually perverted, I...DON'T buy it). Jones got the stuttering buffoon right (even showing Claudius having a bad drinking problem), though he does lack Jacobi's ability to show the character's cleverness (though Claudius-playing-fool was probably the work of Graves and not actual history). Ralph Bates can be the most accurate Caligula (though, like Jacobi, Hurt was following a novel's depiction). I'd disagree about Blakiston being noble; Graves is rather flattering to the figure, whereas both Blakiston and Walker took major emphasis on 'Pina's historically-accurate BUT fatal-problem with tact, never stopping to attack Tiberius when she should have done better by keeping her mouth shut.

Interesting they left out Antonia, despite all her children appearing and her role in Sejanus' fall.

I wonder if the scene of Germanicus and Pina in bed together raised a few eyebrows, back when such bed-sharing was out-of-the-question on 1960s television (with exception to Herman and Lily Munster). THE FORSYTE SAGA already shocked people with the rape scene.

On a side note, Mithrandir, you have to remember that whereas THE CAESARS tried to be history I, CLAUDIUS is an adaptation of a novel which never attempted to be some authentic history. To say you want a historically-correct I, C, is like saying one wants a historically-correct THE ROBE (No Empress Julia) or a historically correct BEN-HUR (From what I've heard, Ben-Hur's slave galley-ship is innaccurate) or THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS (No massacre). Heck, from what I've read, Caligula never liked his nickname and the cult of himself might never happened (Seneca, who HATED the Emperor, never mentioned it in his accounts). So, just solely blame that silly History Channel docu for its lack of history.

Anyhoo lombard, I doubt that Peter O'Toole would have included in I, C. Herbert Wise wanted Blessed from day one. Besides, at the same time of I,C, O'Toole was partaking in Clive Donner's ROGUE MALE (because his wife's love of the novel), which became one of his greatest films ever. When the leading TV magazine showed that production on its cover instead of I,C, O'Toole was person non grata at the set. I would argue that Blessed also had some calculated role playing (his 'Mafia' scenes) and did some serious calm as well (his scene with Drusus especially) amid his bombast. I would actually argue that I, C is Blessed's best performance, because it combines his trademark bluster with subtle dramatics. And as for the physical resemblance, one can make the same argument for Colin Firth as George VI (way too muscular), thus showing that point can be irrevelant.

Unfortunately, THE CAESARS is a strictly UK product and not available in the US. It was released on DVD, but in Region 2 PAL which won't work on any NTSC player device (unless you have a Multi-region player).

Then again, not only is this serial filmed in the play-style of British television but is also in Black & White, so you might like it less.

It was on Youtube, not sure if it still is

"It's made up of facts, that doesn't make it true"-Spencer Hastings