I, Claudius -- A New Release? (1 Viewer)

[Johnny Angell]

Amazon has what I believe is a new release of this great series here: http://www.amazon.com/I-Claudius-Sian-Phillips/dp/B006JY3OHW/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1334254108&sr=1-2
Is anyone familiar with this? We have a DVD of this that is several years old. Even before HD came out, one could tell the picture quality was not that great.
Does anyone have this new release? Comments anyone. Right now you can get it for $34.67.

 

[WinstonCely]

I read one of the user reviews of this 35th anniversary edition and they said that it includes the uncut BBC episodes, so I think that may be the biggest difference. These also seem to be SD DVDs as well, and I don't think we'll get a BD of this series, because - correct me if I'm wrong - the series was filmed on video, not film so there's no image quality benefit in putting it on BD. Although, it would be nice to have the whole series on fewer discs if they did.
I think this may be the time to grab the series though. I've wanted it for years. I actually have vague memories of my parents watching it when I was too young to remember, and would also try to catch it if it ever was re-broadcast. It'll be interesting to see the episodes that were edited for content in their entirety!

 

[Gregbert]

I would bet that this is the same as the remastered BBC PAL release of 2002. If I recall correctly, the original R1 Image release came out before this and used the masters they had on hand which were not restored.
http://from-the-archive.blogspot.com/

 

[David Weicker]

I purchased this new release. It definitely is an upgrade from the US Image release from 2001 (the picture is much better). I think it also was an upgrade from the UK 2002 release (from what I understand, this was redone either for this release, or in the past couple of years). It was done on tape, so it won't look great, but this new version definitely looks better than the previous version.
As for it being uncut, that refers to the broadcast versions. I believe that both the US and the UK DVD versions were uncut. Many of the Masterpiece Theatre broadcast episodes had some cuts (mostly nudity).
There are two different versions of the first two 'hours' on the discs. It was filmed as thirteen 'hour' episodes, but when it was first shown by the BBC, they combined the first two 'hours' into a 90+ minute episode (cutting out the middle end credits and opening titles. plus a few scenes) - essentially making it a twelve episode series. When it was first broadcast here in the US by Masterpiece Theatre, they showed the beginning as two separate episodes. So, depending on how you look at it, it is either 12 episodes (with a double first episode) or 13 episodes. The original US DVDs had them as thirteen 'hour' episodes.
This new release gives you the option of watching the first two 'hours' as the 90 minute 'double' episode, or two 50+ minute episodes.
David

 

[WinstonCely]

Thanks for the info! Maybe my wife will get the hint and grab this title for me for my birthday. LOL

 

[Matt Hough]

Some of the violence was cut out for Masterpiece Theater broadcasts, too. I'm remembering the mess that was made of Caligula with his sister before her demise.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I purchased this new release. It definitely is an upgrade from the US Image release from 2001 (the picture is much better). I think it also was an upgrade from the UK 2002 release (from what I understand, this was redone either for this release, or in the past couple of years). It was done on tape, so it won't look great, but this new version definitely looks better than the previous version.
As for it being uncut, that refers to the broadcast versions. I believe that both the US and the UK DVD versions were uncut. Many of the Masterpiece Theatre broadcast episodes had some cuts (mostly nudity).
There are two different versions of the first two 'hours' on the discs. It was filmed as thirteen 'hour' episodes, but when it was first shown by the BBC, they combined the first two 'hours' into a 90+ minute episode (cutting out the middle end credits and opening titles. plus a few scenes) - essentially making it a twelve episode series. When it was first broadcast here in the US by Masterpiece Theatre, they showed the beginning as two separate episodes. So, depending on how you look at it, it is either 12 episodes (with a double first episode) or 13 episodes. The original US DVDs had them as thirteen 'hour' episodes.
This new release gives you the option of watching the first two 'hours' as the 90 minute 'double' episode, or two 50+ minute episodes.
David

David, I am assuming you say the pic is better because you have already watched it. Between your comment and the Amazon reviews, I went ahead and bought it. BTW, I think I remember reading the the sound was better. I think it was mentioned that it dialogue was clearer.

 

[David Weicker]

David, I am assuming you say the pic is better because you have already watched it. Between your comment and the Amazon reviews, I went ahead and bought it. BTW, I think I remember reading the the sound was better. I think it was mentioned that it dialogue was clearer.

I haven't watched the entire thing (plan to introduce my sons to it soon). I did do some scene comparisons with the 2001 release - both switching between the two dvd players, and then split screen using my tv's POP feature. In all the scenes I chose, I found the new version superior.
It also takes up a lot less shelf space - the 2001 release was in five standard dvd cases, this is one five-disc standard size case
David

 

[Matt Hough]

I have the very first release with the episodes on flippers. (I assume this was the first release). The sound is for me a lot more problematic than the picture.

I have watched it quite a few times over the years but not lately, so I settled in today and started with episode one. I got to episode eight before tonight's prime time TV took over. What a magnificent series. The intrigue is so delicious, and I remember watching it week by week during the original broadcast how breathless we were to get to a new episode each week.

 

I have it and watched the entire thing. It's the same transfer as the 2008 release. It looks very good. There is one odd glitch (also on the previous release) during Episode 10 from the 5:04 mark...looks like a digital glitch..the picture jumps. I don't think it was like this before, but it could have been that the older versions weren't as clear, making it hard to see. I am happy with my purchase though, and it's nice having the two "extended" episodes of 1 and 2 to watch, or as 12 episodes as it was presented originally on the BBC.

 

[AndyMcKinney]

Some of the violence was cut out for Masterpiece Theater broadcasts, too. I'm remembering the mess that was made of Caligula with his sister before her demise.

are you talking about the scene that was originally at the end of "Zeus By Jove" where

Spoiler

Caligula cuts his unborn child from his sister's belly and eats it

?
If so, that scene is not restored, because the BBC themselves wiped it from the master tape after viewer complaints arose from the original broadcast (a similar fate befell a few other BBC programmes of the '70s). Unless some sort of off-air recording surfaces someday, there's no way this scene will ever be seen again.

 

[WinstonCely]

are you talking about the scene that was originally at the end of "Zeus By Jove" where

Spoiler

Caligula cuts his unborn child from his sister's belly and eats it

?
If so, that scene is not restored, because the BBC themselves wiped it from the master tape after viewer complaints arose from the original broadcast (a similar fate befell a few other BBC programmes of the '70s). Unless some sort of off-air recording surfaces someday, there's no way this scene will ever be seen again.

Did the original uncut version have more than just Caligula emerging from the room with blood on his hands and terror on his face? Damn! It was intense enough for me with just that!

 

[smithb]

Did the original uncut version have more than just Caligula emerging from the room with blood on his hands and terror on his face? Damn! It was intense enough for me with just that!

I have the 2008 version, and it and every other version I recall seeing from an earlier DVD rental to what I saw on repeated on PBS many years ago have had the same scene, described below:

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Caligula fastening his sister to the bed, disrobing her, and bringing a knife to her belly before the fade away. Then Caligula coming out of the room with blood on his hands. I couldn't imagine them taking it any further then that, but I wouldn't know having not seen the original broadcast.

 

[Matt Hough]

restored, because the BBC themselves wiped it from the master tape after viewer complaints arose from the original broadcast (a similar fate befell a few other BBC programmes of the '70s). Unless some sort of off-air recording surfaces someday, there's no way this scene will ever be seen again.

You're right; it's edited on the video, but the broadcast version was edited even more and much more clumsily than it now appears on video.

 

[AndyMcKinney]

I couldn't imagine them taking it any further then that, but I wouldn't know having not seen the original broadcast.

Trust me, they took it further than that, which is what sparked the viewer complaints. The stuff that's edited out is after the "fade-out" (that's why they faded out--to cover the edit) and has never been seen outside of the very first BBC-1 broadcast, so it was wiped from the master tapes before it could be sold into syndication (unlike the Monty Python "undertaker" sketch, which was deleted from the master tape after syndication sales had started, which explains how the footage of that was later recovered from an NTSC copy in Canada, as I recall).
There's absolutely zero chance of the I Claudius footage being recovered from a TV station, syndicated copies, etc. The only chance is if an early VHS/Beta adopter (or someone well-off enough to have a U-matic or some other sort of machine in the home, or a school or library recording it, etc) made a recording of the original broadcast and preserved it all this time.

 

[WinstonCely]

Trust me, they took it further than that, which is what sparked the viewer complaints. The stuff that's edited out is after the "fade-out" (that's why they faded out--to cover the edit) and has never been seen outside of the very first BBC-1 broadcast, so it was wiped from the master tapes before it could be sold into syndication (unlike the Monty Python "undertaker" sketch, which was deleted from the master tape after syndication sales had started, which explains how the footage of that was later recovered from an NTSC copy in Canada, as I recall).
There's absolutely zero chance of the I Claudius footage being recovered from a TV station, syndicated copies, etc. The only chance is if an early VHS/Beta adopter (or someone well-off enough to have a U-matic or some other sort of machine in the home, or a school or library recording it, etc) made a recording of the original broadcast and preserved it all this time.

Too bad, but then again as I said earlier, the way it is now is sufficiently graphic.... maybe because it's left up to the imagination.

 

It's graphic enough as it is. I don't need to see anymore...the scene is very disturbing.

 

[smithb]

It's graphic enough as it is. I don't need to see anymore...the scene is very disturbing.

Agree completely.