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Post by janetcatbird on Sept 22, 2006 12:55:16 GMT -5
One of the few sets my university library actually has, hooray! I've just finished Part 4 (Posthumous gone, Claudius marries). Livia is so deliciously evil, Augustus (well Brian Blessed) has the voice, and so many good quotes! Admittedly I'm frantically redrawing family trees as I watch in a desperate effort to keep track, but it helps.
According to the Masterpiece Theatre website, they've got a poll for fans to vote on favorite categories. Best Actor/Actress, Best Villain (Livia, of course, is nominated), Best Before They Were Famous. Apparently the winners will be shown in March--oh lord, I just realized that's the annual begathon. So go vote to catch the classics once more!
On an off note, the book I, Claudius by Robert Graves is quite good as well.
"Does Lucius know you're plowing his mother's furrow with such furious skill and energy?"
--Catbird
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Post by Techguy on Sept 22, 2006 18:47:27 GMT -5
Wow, it's been ages since I saw this series on my local PBS station. My most memorable characters and actors are Derek Jacobi, who is terrific in the title role, Margaret Tyzack as his mother Antonia, Sian Phillips as the tarantula crossed with black widow spider Livia, and John Hurt as Caligula.
Speaking of Caligula: Catbird, did you get to the part where Claudius discovers what Caligula has done to his (Caligula's) pregnant sister/wife? Does your library have the unedited uncensored version?
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Post by janetcatbird on Sept 24, 2006 20:31:55 GMT -5
www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/index.htmlThere's the website to vote for favorites for repeats. Like I said, Derek Jacobi is nominated as Claudius for Best Actor in a Historical Drama, and Sian Phillips as Livia is nominated for Best Villain. I'll go start a Masterpiece Theatre thread for the nominations, but Romans represent! Techguy, We're everywhere! Last night at a friend's house (well, friend's boyfriend, long story) I had a nice long chat about I, Claudius with a couple people, and we're all just eating it up. I personally love the idea of an I, Claudius toga party, so there's always possibilities. And yes, it's unedited. At least, I'm assuming it is 'cause PBS normally gets away with more intense stuff, and we did see naked dancers in Part I. I'm only through Part IV (Posthumous banished, Claudius married to the giant). I know Caligula is a "highlight" but I'm not there yet, hush! Something fun I found online: The I, Claudius drinking game. (I may be a college student but I'm not an idiot who gets tanked for the sake of it. I just love how it shows a real fan's knowledge of the thing.) www.sepulchritude.com/suffer/volumethree/claudius.htmlSuggested Beverage: Wine, of course. Red wine. When in Rome, do as the Claudians do. if you must refrain from red wine for some reason (i.e., you're the designated charioteer or something), of course, the game can be played with another beverage but, for Jove's sake, try to use a goblet or chalice for it! ... For each "quaff count" below, quaff the wine like the characters do at their banquets -- a decent swig. No dainty little sips like you're afraid your wine might be poisoned or something.
1 quaff for:
Banishments in General Executions in General Suicide in General Adultery in General Orgies
2 quaffs for:
Murders & Assassinations in General Poisonings in Particular Incest Omens and Sibyls
3 quaffs for:
Assassinations/Poisoning of Emperors (w/accompanying appropriate food if poisoned-- see below) Banishment of Julia Starvation of Livilla Livia Becoming a Goddess The Winner of Messalina and Sylla's Contest
Many quaffs (drain that goblet!) for:
That --uh-- thing Caligula does at the end of Episode 9 "Zeus, By Jove" (we don't want to give it away if you've never seen the series before.) "Not my head!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Eat a Fig for: Poisoning by Fig
Eat a Mushroom for: Poisoning by Mushroom
Optional:
Hum "Let's Do the Time Warp Again" at the first appearance on screen of Livilla and of Nero (Agrippinilla's son -- don't be thrown off by the many other characters who have Nero tacked onto their name somewhere) You deserve ten gold stars for knowing why. Yell "Make it so" at Sejanus at some point. Brandish Boiled Asparagus for: You'll know.
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Post by Techguy on Sept 24, 2006 21:06:34 GMT -5
Toga parties? Red wine? Catbird, with the exception of the poisoned figs and mushrooms, your university sounds like PBS crossed with "National Lampoon's Animal House"! Who's Bluto, Otter, Pinto, Boon, and Flounder in this production?
No worries, I wouldn't dream of giving away any more details about Caligula. The experience is best appreciated and has the most impact as you see it happen.
One other scene I suggest you look out for if you haven't already been there: Claudius' wife in a contest with one of the local "ladies"--and I'm using that word very loosely (no pun intended)!
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Post by janetcatbird on Sept 24, 2006 21:14:58 GMT -5
Actually this was a friend of a friend at a very different university that I was talking with--although the toga party was my suggestion! Only one or two of the Classical Studies majors even know about I, Claudius right now. (I'm trying to remedy the situation but so far people just roll their eyes at me.) Somebody was comparing it to Rome on HBO, just talking about how cool it'd be to watch them together. I couldn't tell you from personal experience.
But the sexual escapades are definitely a hoot, in an eeeeeeuuuuuwwwwww!!!! sort of way. Lord knows that family gene pool's a jacuzzi.
And I haven't actually tried the game, I just found the rules online. Red wine makes my stomach sour, I'll probably stick to grape juice. Darn it, just when you thought I was breaking out of my shell I have to out myself as a goody-two shoes!
--Catbird
ETA (Mon 9-25-06): I just finished Parts 5-6, "Poison is Queen" and "Some Justice". (Augustus dies, Tiberius is emperor, Pino and his wife tried for treason/murder because they poisoned Germanicus on secret orders from Livia and Tiberius.) Oh lord, little Caligula is CREEPY!! Ewww, yuck, I have to go wash off the slime.
Livia's laugh at the end of part 5 "Bye bye, Clau-clau", wow that's evil. How wicked can you get? Agrippina rocks, it's nice to have a strong female other than Livia who isn't a hoochie or an ice queen.
Best funny moment: Livia discussing technique with Martina, the poisoner who did Germanicus in. Martina, quite impressed with the Lady's knowledge, comments that "It's a pity you don't get to practice, you'd be quite good." I burst out laughing as Livia maintained a sheepish, I'm not sure how to take that "Uhm, thank you." Hee!
Young Picard! Patrick Stewart looks icky with that bad curly toupee. What a nasty piece of work...that evil little smile when he comes to collect the letters from Pino. But he's a gooooood slimebag!
"By the way--don't touch the figs."
--Catbird
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Post by janetcatbird on Oct 2, 2006 21:02:54 GMT -5
I've up through Part 8: Sejanus and his family wiped out. Man Patrick Stewart can play slimy! (Although when he's got his hand at your throat screaming "I LOVE YOU!!!" in that furious growl, umm, not exactly romantic.) When he was talking dirty to Livilla all I could think was "Make it so, indeed".
I'm not yet at Caligula's moment of glory, but so far, ewww! (How bout him groping and lip-locking with Livia the Cryptkeeper, huh?) "People really are despicable"...
IMDB can tell you so much that will just blow your mind:
John Hurt (Caligula) is perhaps most famous for his role as the guy who has an alien burst out his stomach in "Alien" and later did it again in "Spaceballs". (For the record, I have not seen "Alien", but adore "Spaceballs".) He also played Jesus in "History of the World, Part I".
Patricia Quinn (Livilla, Claudius' dark-haired sister who was all hot and heavy with Captain Picard) is forever immortalized as Magenta in "Rocky Horror Picture Show". I wondered why she looked so familiar, and just scared my roommate with "Oh my gosh! That IS her!!!"
Sir Derek Jacobi, sigh and swoon, was of course Claudius. In Kenneth Branaugh's version of "Hamlet", he played Claudius. And for a real trip, watch him in the episode of "Frasier" as the hammy bad Shakespearean actor. He deservedly won an Emmy for that. And Saturday night I watched one of my Cadfael videos.
Watch for John Rhys-Davies (also an impressive voice) as Macro, the second-in-command who arrests Sejanus and takes care of the purge. I don't know if he plays a big role in the next parts.
Just had to share the excitement.
--Catbird
PS: "I want to be a goddess!" is now proudly displayed on my dry-erase board.
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Post by janetcatbird on Oct 8, 2006 23:10:03 GMT -5
Techguy, I've seen Caligula. Oh my...were you all icked out at him with Drusilla ("Don't go in there") or the performance for Claudius and the two other guys? I was glad they didn't get too graphic--I mean, yeah, a couple boobs or whatever at the orgies, but they didn't linger. The cinematography was very matter of fact, if that makes sense--no gratuitous lingering or close-ups, just a sense of Yeah, that's how it was.
I was intrigued by Drusilla--playing up to him to survive, and she called Claudius on his own acting. Bless her heart, at the golden bracelets I started fussing "Run! Honey, get out of there! Run!" Later on, who was it Caligula married? The lady with the baby who Claudius visited, she seemed a nice person trapped in a bad spot.
But the dance!!! I was watching at 1 AM in a house full of sleeping people (I'm on break at home) so I couldn't shriek too loudly, but--oh my. John Hurt should have won something for his overall performance.
--Catbird
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Post by Techguy on Oct 8, 2006 23:43:19 GMT -5
Catbird, have you seen "I, Claudius" to completion? The scene I have been hedging around is the one with Caligula and a very pregnant Drusilla...he begins a playful sex bondage game with her, and then...he couldn't bear the thought of another "god" one day replacing him so he...
The version I saw on my local PBS station was VERY GRAPHIC. If you saw it too you'll know what I mean. Claudius walks in on the scene after the fact and sees...
And for icky/eew in a more humorous way, there's the matter of Messalina and Scylla. Not a cage match exactly but...
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Post by janetcatbird on Oct 9, 2006 10:34:38 GMT -5
I'm only through Part 10: Caligula/wife/baby assassinated and the guards decide that they might as well make Claudius emperor so they can keep their cushy bodyguard gig. As to Caligula and Drusilla, in the version I saw he hooked her up to the "golden bracelets" and pulled her tunic off, but the camera only saw from behind. He insisted there would be no pain, and as he placed the sword against her belly she started screaming. Claudius runs to the door and starts pounding, Caligula emerges with his mouth all bloody and warns Claudius "Don't go in there." Claudius opens the door just enough to peek, and he whirls around with a look of horror/disgust on his face (we don't actually see in the room), "End of Part Nine", credits. I'm pretty sure this is the unedited version, cause we've seen nudity and lots of ketchup packs during the assassinations, but what do you remember? www.anselm.edu/internet/classics/I%2CCLAUDIUS/ Neat little website which feature summaries and historical evaluations of the series. I've been checking it as I go. According to them: You would think that Caligula's antics were crazy enough: the Senatorial brothel, the Senatorial stallion, the incest with his sisters, etc Why the hell Pulman needs to invent the 'Cronus swallow your child' thing is beyond me. Wasn't Caligula supposed to be Zeus?They downplayed Calpurnia (the live-in Claudius had for companionship), she wasn't a huge role in the book but she was a confidant who helped Claudius keep his head. So I was disappointed in that. --Catbird
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Post by Techguy on Oct 10, 2006 3:12:51 GMT -5
Catbird, I was a few years younger than you are now when I saw "I, Claudius" in its first airing on PBS stations. I don't think the version I saw was ever shown again.
What I remember seeing is the scene as described on the website link you provided--NOT from behind but showing...everything, even the EATING part! And when Claudius looks inside the room, the viewing audience also got to look inside in the aftermath of what Caligula had done.
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Post by janetcatbird on Oct 10, 2006 12:18:03 GMT -5
Wow, I definitely have the toned-down version then. Hmmm... PBS censors, this is the old VHS edition so I'm guessing they had to snip some parts or else the FCC would get in their faces (and if they had to add obscenity fines on top of normal programming costs then the begathons would never end!). Now I'm wondering what they did to the Venus dance--I'm also wondering how they kept straight faces while filming that.
--Catbird
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Post by janetcatbird on Oct 16, 2006 20:04:03 GMT -5
"Not my head!!! Not my head!!!"
Yep, done with Messalina. What a skank, huh? And Scylla, Prostitute Guild Representative, was indeed a highlight. (Actually i read somehwere that Robert Graves wanted to title his book Not My Head! but the publishers wouldn't let him.) The snooty actor Mnester was also a trip, in that campy self-serious way we love to mock.
"I've lived too long to be the bedtime toy of a seventeen-year-old girl." Some great lines here. Does anybody know if Herod Agrippa really did go all Messianic back in Jerusalem?
--Catbird
PS: I actually found myself nodding and smiling in an "Aww" sort of way at the three pillars of the temple of love: frankness, kindness and understanding. Something that is actually applicable.
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Post by SarahIvy on May 6, 2007 14:11:25 GMT -5
I wanted to drag this thread up for reasons twofold: 1) I adore I, Claudius, and it is my husband's alltime favorite miniseries. We haven't watched it in several years, but the mister just listened to the audiobook on his commute, and is all raring to view it again. Perhaps I'll have to try my hand at the drinking game Catbird posted 2) We just started watching the first season of Rome on DVD, and I was wondering if any of the I, Claudius fans had watched it? I'd highly recommend it. Both the mister and I agree it's not quite as excellent as Claudius (it also takes a bit more dramatic license), but it is very good, and chronicles the history of Rome from Ceasar's civil war with Pompey up through Augustus and Mark Antony.
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Post by janetcatbird on May 14, 2007 11:00:44 GMT -5
My best friend's Daddy was talking about the Rome/Claudius connections back in the fall. He is/was a big fan of both, and while I've never seen Rome we had some fun with that. My classical studies roommate just rolled her eyes at me last year, and this past year my roomie laughed at my compulsive need to stop, write, rewind, pause, etc. to write down so many great quotes. (Yeah yeah, I know I can go online, but sometimes IMDB is inaccurate!)
I must track down some of John Hurt's other work, because now when I try to describe him I can only say "Ca-lig-ula!!!", complete with dramatic arms lifted/jazz hands flip out, because really, you can't not say it like that.
--Catbird
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