HBO and BBC2 to take on I, Claudius

[fljustice]

Rome producers picked up the rights to Robert Graves' books and will use them as source material rather than remake the BBC classic. I loved the original series and reread the books a year or so ago. Hope HBO does right by this classic.

http://www.cinemablend.com/television/I-Claudius-Picked-Up-By-HBO-BBC2-Mini-Series-32746.html

[sweetpotatoboy]

You beat me to it! I just saw this story and was going to post it. Could be great, I think!

[SGM]

I don't see the point of remakes unless it was first a film and then made for TV because that way the story doesn't have to be cut down so much as in Tom Jones (Albert Finney - a fairly definitive version) but the TV adaptation with Max Beesely (spelling might be wrong there) was actually pretty good. Plus I like Max anyway. But TV remakes of TV -- not too sure about that. Can't we have something new? Although if it's HBO then it stands a pretty good chance of being OK.

[annis]

It's always tricky when you get remakes of classic movies/TVseries. However I loved what HBO did with Rome, so their take on I, Claudius could be good, vicious fun :)

[Brenna]

It's always tricky when you get remakes of classic movies/TVseries. However I loved what HBO did with Rome, so their take on I, Claudius could be good, vicious fun :)

Me too! I was so disappointed when the canceled it after two seasons!

[BrianPK]

Me too! I was so disappointed when the canceled it after two seasons!
I bought the blu ray version of this and my wife and I have watched it a few times.Marvellous series.
Looking forward to the new version of I Claudius. Again, I have viewed the original early 70's series a few times and even though the acting is splendid and is wonderfully done, the sound, and sets leave a lot to be desired. The limited budget at the time didn't allow for any decent sized crowd scenes and this took from the spectacle.

[Madeleine]

I remember the original series but was probably a bit too young to watch it. HBO will probably put their own stamp on it which would be interesting! As Brian says, the original is probably a bit creaky-looking now, although I've just read on imdb that HBO is having fixed budgets, so perhaps they may have to cut down on the extravagance a bit.

[sweetpotatoboy]

But TV remakes of TV -- not too sure about that. Can't we have something new?

It needn't necessarily be a remake of the original TV adaptation. It could be a brand new adaptation of the original book(s). I'm sure they will get inspiration from the original series but not to actually go back to the books would be a big shame.

[fljustice]

It needn't necessarily be a remake of the original TV adaptation. It could be a brand new adaptation of the original book(s). I'm sure they will get inspiration from the original series but not to actually go back to the books would be a big shame.

It's my understanding that they're using the original books as source material, rather than re-shooting the old scripts.

[SGM]

It's my understanding that they're using the original books as source material, rather than re-shooting the old scripts.

I think my point was that these books have already been done and there are so many out there that have not, not that they are remaking the original series from the same script. Sorry, I expressed myself badly.

It's just like the Shakespeare plays that have been done so many times (not that I have any objection to them doing an awful lot of Shakespeare) but I would like to see some of his contemporaries as well. John Ford to name but one, particularly "'Tis Pity". Not exactly contemporary to Shakespeare (because I always get his dates wrong) but I would love to see Ben Jonson's Bartholmew Fair etc etc. I think my point is that it is good to see the stuff that has not already been done. As I mentioned the TV adaptation of Tom Jones was good because it was not as cut down as the film -- TV having much more time than film.

[parthianbow]

Argghh - I still haven't finished watching the original TV series. I'd better get on with it, or I'll never see it. I have every faith that HBO will make a good fist of it - look at Rome, The Sopranos, The Pacific, Band of Brothers etc. etc. etc.

Have they ever made a turkey of a series? (I don't know, just asking.)

[Telynor]

I love that original series of I, Claudius; the casting of that was brilliant, and I can't forget Patrick Stewart as Sejanus. Or Brian Blessed. Or Sian Phillips who was fantastic as Livia. I guess I will wait until it's on DVD to watch it, as we don't have HBO. Part of me is really torn in case it turns out to be not so good.

[SGM]

and I can't forget Patrick Stewart as Sejanus

I hadn't remembered that. The first time I remember noticing him was as Karla in Tinker Tailor. Weirdly, I remember Ian Ogilvy as Drusus and was reminded about him again because they were showing The Witchfinder General on TV again.