This extract is about the different adaptations for film and television. The unfulfilled first version in the thirties, the successful TV production in the seventies with the legal copyright problems it had, and the subsequent broadcast in the United States. All in all, it has been one of the most important series ever made. The versions in VHS and DVD include some extras. There has been also other productions inspired by “I, Claudius” and also some parodies.
I Claudius – Adaptations for film and television
The book was to have been the subject of a 1937 film, produced by Alexander Korda and starring Charles Laughton, but it was dogged by ill-luck, culminating in a serious accident involving the female star, Merle Oberon, which caused filming to be abandoned. Some rushes still exist; the BBC featured them in a programme about Claudius some years ago, and were able to cut them together to make about five minutes’ running time.
In 1976, the book, together with its sequel, was adapted for television by the BBC, and proved one of the corporation’s most successful drama serials of all time. It starred Derek Jacobi as Claudius, Siân Phillips as Livia, George Baker as Tiberius, John Hurt as Caligula and Brian Blessed as Caesar Augustus. The cast also included Patrick Stewart as Sejanus, Margaret Tyzack as Antonia, Patricia Quinn as Livilla, John Paul as Marcus Agrippa, John Rhys-Davies as Macro, Sheila White as Messalina and Christopher Biggins as Nero. Wilfrid Josephs provided the suitably eerie title music. Among other awards, the series won 3 BAFTAs in 1977 (Derek Jacobi, Best Actor (TV); Siân Phillips, Best Actress (TV); Tim Harvey, Best Design (TV)).
Production of the series was delayed because of complex negotiations between the BBC and the copyright holders of the aborted film version. This did however give the scriptwriter Jack Pulman, who would die in 1979, more time to fine-tune his script.
The series was subsequently broadcast in the United States as part of PBS’ s Masterpiece Theatre series, where it was widely acclaimed. It has come to be widely regarded as one of the best television series ever made. In a list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes drawn up by the British Film Institute in 2000, voted for by industry professionals, I, Claudius was placed 12th.
Most VHS and DVD versions of the TV series include a BBC documentary on the Korda film project called The Epic That Never Was, featuring interviews with key production staff and actors as well as most of the surviving footage. The 2002 UK DVD edition also contains a documentary on the series, I, Claudius – a Television Epic, as well as some alternate and deleted scenes.
The Canadian independent film I, Claudia was inspired in title by this book. Another title punning I, Claudius is the book I & Claudius: Travels with My Cat by Clare de Vries about the author’s drive across America with her old Burmese cat. Sesame Street’s Monsterpiece Theatre also has aired a parody of the play (Me, Claudius). When the re-cut version of the infamous Caligula was released in Italy, it was re-titled Io, Caligola, in order to capitalize on the acclaim of Graves’ work.
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