| Think history is boring? Think again! I Claudius is proof | | | | the ambitious Sejanus (Patrick Stewart) conspires to |
| that an educational film can also be one of the most | | | | obtain the throne and the infamous Caligula rises to |
| popular and entertaining series ever produced. A 1976 | | | | power. When his relative is murdered because of his |
| mini-series, starring many of the best known theatrical | | | | terrible reign of insanity, Claudius is thrust upon the |
| performers of its day, I Claudius is one of, if not the, | | | | throne, and he attempts to rule with a firm hand of |
| greatest productions chronicling the history of the | | | | justice and restore the republic to its rightful place of |
| Roman Empire. Covering the period from the later | | | | power... |
| years of Augustus's rule as the first emperor of Rome | | | | Wrought with suspense, the I Claudius DVD series will |
| to the death of Emperor Claudius, I Claudius takes a | | | | make its viewers question how any human survived |
| look at the social and political underpinnings and | | | | the era known as the ancient Roman Empire. The |
| developments of the Roman Empire through the eyes | | | | murders, double-crossings, and various affairs seem to |
| of Claudius, an often overlooked member of the | | | | be drawn from a fictional paperback found on |
| emperor's family. An epic in the true sense of the | | | | drugstore shelves - not in the pages of a history book. |
| word, I Claudius should be on every film buff's viewing | | | | But I Claudius stays true to the written account of |
| list... | | | | Roman Emperor Claudius who wrote his memoirs |
| A young male connected to the family line of Emperor | | | | during the few years of his reign as the supreme |
| Augustus, Claudius suffers from a strange limp and an | | | | leader of the greatest empire ever to exist on Earth. |
| odd stutter which make him appear to be a | | | | The result is a story more intriguing than any book or |
| simple-minded youth. But Claudius maintains a keen | | | | film since produced... |
| intellect, and he observes the events around him with | | | | With superb theatrical performances by the entire cast |
| meticulous precision. As the end of Augustus's long | | | | (including Patrick Stewart as Sejanus), I Claudius is an |
| reign as emperor nears its end, the ruler is in desperate | | | | engrossing storyline about the true-to-life people and |
| search of an heir. But what he doesn't know is that his | | | | events that shaped the history of ancient Rome. Like |
| wife Livia is determined to see her son from a | | | | the popular prime-time soap opera Dallas, viewers are |
| previous marriage, Tiberius, ascend to the throne. As | | | | drawn to the intrigue surrounding the various |
| such, Livia will stop at nothing to murder and ruin those | | | | characters without even realizing they're learning |
| who stand in the way - such as far more noble and | | | | history in the process! Given its historical accuracy, |
| deserving heir Germanicus. Through drowning, | | | | brilliant dialogue, and ingenious performances, I Claudius |
| poisoning, and less subtle means, she insures Tiberius | | | | ranks as a definite must-see series of films. In fact, |
| becomes the next in the line of succession... | | | | one of the top five best of all time... |
| Meanwhile, Claudius observes from the shadows as | | | | |