Stars: Brian Blessed, John Hurt, Derek Jacobi, Sian Phillips, David Robb, Patrick Stewart, Fiona Walker

Director: Herbert Wise

Summary: The history of the Imperial Family of Rome as seen through the eyes of would-be historian Claudius.

Hebert Wise's epic 13-part miniseries is packaged here in a special collector's set. Follow the lives and stories of the last of the Roman emperors, as they ruthlessly wield their power through murder and debauchery. The tales are witnessed and related by Claudius (Derek Jacobi), whose physical handicaps protected him from assassination by Caligula (John Hurt), only to become a corrupt emperor himself.

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A truly epic saga of dynastic conflict at the heart of Imperial Rome, I Claudiuswas the landmark BBC drama series of the 1970s. Originally transmitted as 13 50-minute episodes, the series dramatises the human face of ancient Rome as interpreted by Robert Graves in his two enormously complex novels, I, Claudiusand Claudius The God. Derek Jacobi gives one of the greatest television performances ever as Claudius, the appalled chronicler of the decadence, corruption, intrigue and carnage which comes with the absolute power of his ruling family. Augustus (Brian Blessed) is Emperor and Livia (Sian Phillips) his scheming, ambitious wife, Claudius's aunt. By virtue of his stammer and uncontrollable twitches, Claudius passes for a fool, thus escaping the poisonous machinations of Livia, all the while recording the comings and goings of the Imperial household.

Events become increasingly frenzied as Caligula (John Hurt playing the tyrant with psychotic fury) bloodily slaughters his way to power, making a senator of his favourite horse along the way. Claudius eventually becomes Emperor himself, and Jacobi is simply magnificent in the intensely moving finale, which is not to overlook the rest of a fine cast, including: George Baker; Ian Ogilvy; Christopher Guard; Stratford Johns; John Rhys-Davies; Bernard Hepton and Patrick Stewart as the murderous Praetorian Guard Captain Sejanus. Inevitably lacking the visual scale of cinematic features such as Ben-Hur, and today looking more studio-bound than ever, I, Claudiusremains a television masterpiece of intelligently written and rivetingly intense character drama. --Gary S Dalkin

Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Year:	1976
Release Date:	September 30, 2002
Runtime:	650 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	B B C D V D 1085
Keywords:	General, I, Claudius, Tv, Drama, Period
Genre:	Drama