MovieChat Forums > I, Claudius (1977) Discussion > WHAT is so good about it?

WHAT is so good about it?

posted 13 years ago by TheDistantPanic
10 replies | jump to latest

For someone who absolutely loves most historical films/series, I found this to be terribly boring. The sets and costumes seem terribly stagnant, nothing interesting happens for the first several episodes, and I can't say I was "gripped" by anything throughout the series, I didn't feel particularly attached or even sympathetic to any of the characters, it covers a momentous amount of Roman history while actually depicting very little of it... I just don't get it when I see the 9.2 rating and hear people saying it's the best series of all time. What is so amazing?

[–] angmc43 13 years ago

For someone who absolutely loves most historical films/series, I found this to be terribly boring.

There were many BBC productions I found boring (Like Anthony Hopkins' WAR AND PEACE). I, CLAUDIUS is NOT one of them.

The sets and costumes seem terribly stagnant,

You say it like that ruined the series for you.
The truth is that this is a look at the private lives of the Royal family of Rome, not the spectacle of Rome. If you were expecting battle scenes, chariot races, and gladiatorial combat, I am very sorry for your disappointment.

nothing interesting happens for the first several episodes,

Let's see, are your referring to the 12-episode cut or the 13 episode cut (which split episode 1 into two episodes)? Scenes that happened in the first several episodes.
-Livia discussing her plans to her son.
-Livia poisoning Marcellus ("Green you say?") and pimping Tiberius on Julia.
-Julia and Antonia discussing sex.
-Augustus berating Tiberius for seeing his ex.
-Claudius making his first chronological appearance before his father's corpse.
-Livia 'convincing' a noble to record her daughter's exploits.
-Augustus finding out his daughter's exploits...
-Thrasyllus' precarious situation with Tiberius.
-Augustus and Livia talking about Claudius.
-Livia lecturing the gladiators.
I found such stuff interesting. Sorry if you didn't think so.

and I can't say I was "gripped" by anything throughout the series,

The death of Augustus? The confession of Livia? Antonia's punishment for her daughter? What Caligula does to his sister?

I didn't feel particularly attached or even sympathetic to any of the characters,

I think that's the point. Even Claudius turns out to be a bit of a jerk. It's not a bad thing.

I just don't get it when I see the 9.2 rating and hear people saying it's the best series of all time. What is so amazing?

The storytelling, the acting (Jacobi, Philips, Blessed, Hurt, etc.), the script (by Jack Pulman), the direction by Herbert Wise, etc. The perceived shortcomings of the production values take a back seat against such prior quality. Sorry if you didn't like it.

[–] spqrclaudius 13 years ago

Great post, ang!

[–] lunarose 12 years ago

The story is engrossing, the script is excellent, and the acting is so natural it's like watching real life. Best series ever and nothing could ever top it.

"Qui conduisait la voiture?"

[–] Bobby_vs_Satan 11 years ago

I wouldn't say the acting is like watching real life. It's very stagey at times, especially Brian Blessed, and "acting" as Jon Lovitz would say. Does that mean I don't love the show. Hell no! So good it's stupid. Every line from Livia's mouth is pure double speak magic.

"Affleck, You da bomb in Phantoms Yo"

[–] bruce-129 11 years ago

I rated it very highly, and it could be a lot of told timers like me that saw this when it came out on TV ... in a wasteland with no cable and mostly nonsense, I Claudius was a breath of fresh air ... it was pure genius.

It's kind of like Star Trek the original series to me. I loved it as a kid and would rate it 10, but these days it is almost unwatchable ... and yet still better than the idiotic movies they try to make of it with JJ Abrams.

[–] OnlyRocknRoll 11 years ago

Perhaps it's a generational thing. I find that audiences in the past couple of decades have no appreciation for great dialogue and all of its subtleties. Most don't have the vocabulary to even come close to appreciating it.

As for the static nature, "I, Claudius" was shot more like a play. Plays call for more imagination and intelligence than the average movie goer possesses.

When this was first aired in the mid 70's there was nothing to equal it. It was brought back by popular demand in the later 80's (when people were able to record it) and then again recently for the third time. That IS amazing.

_______________________________________
"ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED??!!"

Maximus Decimus Meridius

[–] lunarose 11 years ago

It may be generational--I'm not ready for social security, but I'm not Generation X, either. lol As I said, to me it's the best TV I've ever seen. Today we are used to better production values, more glitz, more glamour, background music and such. "Claudius", with none of that, still holds up after 37 years, and doesn't seem stagey or dated. I've seen it numerous times and I never get tired of watching it.

My favorite modern-day program is "Prison Break", as you can see, my tastes are very varied. ;-)

"Qui conduisait la voiture?"

[–] ikke_for_let 10 years ago

Does the OP realize that every character in the series were real people. And most of what happened in the series either really happened in real life or are very good guesses at what might have happened.

I think every intrigue and murder is well motivated and rings true. None of the murders are explaned by ridiculous motives like "the assassin was crazy" which is the standard explanation now a days when a President gets murdered. There are very clear and believable human motives all the way through. So it's interesting from a historical point of view in the sense that it puts light on some events in Roman history that are not well documented.

[–] firstwinsgop 10 years ago

It may be generational--I'm not ready for social security, but I'm not Generation X, either.

I don't think it is generational so much as intellectual. The proportion of people in America that have IQs too low to appreciate I, Claudius is certainly higher now than many decades ago, and in that sense there is a generational component, but the driving factor in appreciating this production is intelligence. I wasn't even alive when this show was made and only heard about it after HBO's Rome came out, but I love it all the same. Fantastic acting and great dialogue.

[–] pbglynn 10 years ago

It's the best TV series I've ever seen. The action was mostly in the dialog and interactions and relationships of the characters. If you look at the scenes, especially the street scenes, you'll see that there's always something going on in the background. True, it doesn't have big, spectacular action sequences, but the great story, strong characters, and intelligent dialog more than make up for it.

When the first episode aired, I had it on for company while I dusted my room, expecting no more than the usual Shakespearean type drama. But when Tiberius and his mother have their first conversation, I knew we were in for something wonderful.

I'll get back to you after I've consulted with Satan.