The Caesars

Excellent series, but misguided to compare it to "I, Claudius"

While Ralph Bates was a good actor for Hammer and other companies, and is adequate here, comparing him to John Hurt's award-winning performance as Caligula in "I, Claudius" is just dumb. The Robert Graves story is a work of FICTION, while "The Caesars" is an attempt at being historical - which it utterly fails at, as the dialog is entirely speculative. Also, great swaths of events and characters are completely absent. These at least appear in "I, Claudius." There are no Roman crowd scenes, either in the city or the provinces, and these would have added to the series somewhat. Still, what there is is excellent: solid acting, good script, and production values being adequate for the budget. A treat to watch.

Having seen "The Caesars" when I was at school, I could not understand the swooning praise heaped on "I Claudius" which is comparatively superficial, inaccurate and a travesty.

To take just one example, the real Augustus was physically slight, intellectually subtle and personally formidable so casting Brian Blessed as Augustus in "I Claudius" was grotesquely wrong. Roland Culver was an infinitely better choice.

This was a series about the realities of power in any period - and rather closely followed the surviving record of the sophisticated and lurid Roman historian Suetonius.

The DVD was released in April 2006 - PAL/Region 2 - and is available from Amazon in the UK - but IMDb does not seem to have heard of this yet. The picture is sometimes rather dodgy but it is probably as good as we will get - and TV production was pretty rough in 1968 (compared to today's digitalised everything).

The writing and acting are still superb.

I've just seen this on DVD and it is a superb telling of the early days of the Roman Empire. We arrive at the conclusion of the reign of Augustus and focus on the rules of Tiberius (André Morell) and of his insane megalomanic nephew Caligula (Ralph Bates). Sonia Dresdel is suitably imperious as Augustus' wife Livia and Freddie Jones stands out too, as the supposed halfwit Claudius. I think it rather pointless comparing this series (6 hours & monochrome) with the later adaptation of Robert Graves' "I Claudius" books by the BBC (12 hours & colour) that covers a similar territory, but this is certainly well worth watching in it's own right even if the production is really rather stilted and theatrical - the lighting could have done with some extra wattage too! It is still a fascinating, intelligent, review of the glory, ignominy and megalomania at the top of the Roman World at the start of the rule of the Caesars.

Unseen for many years (probably because it was made in B&W) The Caesars was every bit the equal of the BBC's celebrated "I Claudius". A remarkable array of character actors, lead by the inimitable Freddie Jones as Claudius himself, made this peerless entertainment. In one respect at least it exceeded "I Claudius" and that is in the performance of the late and much missed Ralph Bates as Caligula. He gave a brilliant and chilling performance as the insane emperor, easily beating John Hurt's outrageously camp and excessive performance (just this side of pantomime in its overacting) for the BBC. Bates' performance, is nothing short of superb. B&W or not, this is one series that deserves rediscovery and a DVD release.

The only reason it is I Claudius, and not The Caesars, that people remember and fawn over today is The Caesars is in black and white and did not get nearly as much hype in its day.

It is a damn shame, as The Caesars is a superior show to I Claudius, from the acting to the choice of actors, to the portrayal of the main characters, it is simply far better.

Augustus, Tiberius, Germanicus, Claudius and Caligula are excellently portrayed here as believable human beings, with human motives, not like the tiresome 2d grotesques and borderline psychotics in I Claudius. Tiberius's character especially moved me.

If only it had been made in colour, it would be vastly more known and have the respect that is due to this wonderful show.

Instead of remaking, I Claudius, THIS should be remade with the same script. It is miles ahead.

Buy it or steal it, you are missing out.