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Member since:09.08.2006
Reviews:31
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Rome is a lavish production on a scale arguably not seen since the days of pre-CGI. Tremendous effort has been made to ensure authenticity in period costume and architectural design all the way down to graffiti on the walls! The 12 hourly episodes that comprise the first series revolve around Julius Ceasar's crossing of the rubicon, defeat of Pompey and subsequent rise to absolute power.
All these events happen within a maelstrom of ruthless political manoevering, not only within the senate but also between the women that sit in the shadows behind the overt powers. Although there is not a weak performance from any of the regular cast, Polly Walker in particular deserves mention for her portrayal of Atia of the Julii.
Rome has an almost exclusively British cast, and what a cast it is too. Ciarán Hinds (Munich) as Caesar, James Purefoy (V for Vendetta) as Mark Anthony, Kevin McKidd (Dog soldiers) as Lucius Vorenus and Ray Stevenson (King Arthur) as Titus Pullo among others.
Now some of you who've not seen the series may by now be thinking that Rome is similar in structure to "I Claudius" rather than the far more action oriented "Gladiator". Well, here's the good news. Rome is the best of both worlds, posessing a fine script well executed but also several battle sequences and one particular event in particular that pull no punches in terms of the sheer brutality of hand-to-hand combat in scenes that stay long in the memories of the viewer.
Whirling within this maelstrom are a pair of soldiers, Lucius and Titus. Diametric opposites, they become firm friends. By the end of the 12 hours both have experienced pain, loss and disillusionment. Despite the deliberate flaws in their respective personalities, you care about what happens to them both. You really feel it and this is the acid test of any such series.
For those that did not see the series when it aired on the BBC, this DVD box set has none of the BBC editing controversy where language was suprisingly removed and three episodes edited into one. That fact alone will mean viewers of series one will also be buying this set as I have.
This six-DVD set therefore contains all twelve-episode run of Season One.
• "The Stolen Eagle" • "How Titus Pullo Brought Down the Republic" • "An Owl In a Thornbush" • "Stealing From Saturn" • "The Ram Has Touched The Wall" • "Egeria" • "Pharsalus" • "Caesarion" • "Utica" • "Triumph" • "The Spoils" • "Kalends of February"
Special features: • Audio commentaries from members of the cast and crew • 'All Roads Lead To Rome': an interactive onscreen guide for all 12 episodes with insightful historical facts about ancient Rome prepared by the series' historical consultant Jonathan Stamp • 'Friends, Romans, Countrymen: an introduction to the characters (15 mins) • 'Shot x Shot - Gladiator': a 'making of' documentary on the thrilling episode 11 fight sequence (40 mins) • 'Shot x Shot - Triumph Of Caesar': a 'making of' documentary chronicling the epic episode 10 triumph scene (40 mins) • 'The Rise Of Rome': a behind-the-scenes featurette on sets, wardrobe and actors' boot camp (25 mins) • 'When In Rome': a featurette on the culture of ancient Rome • Photo gallery featuring 50 previously unseen images • Character guide
Production Year: 1945 - Drama - Director: David Lean - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring: Celia Johnson, Trevor Howard, Stanley Holloway, Joyce Carey, Cyril Raymond
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Production Year: 1999 - Drama - Director: Dick Maas - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: William Hurt, Jennifer Tilly, Denis Leary, Michael Chiklis, Francesca Brown
Family dysfunction. Treachery. Betrayal. Coarse profanity. Brutal violence. Graphic (and ... more
sometimes brutal) sex. No, it's notThe Sopranos, it'sRome, HBO's madly ambitious series that bloodily splatters the glory of Rome just as savagely asMonty Python a...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Family dysfunction. Treachery. Betrayal. Coarse profanity. Brutal violence. Graphic (and ... more
sometimes brutal) sex. No, it's notThe Sopranos, it'sRome, HBO's madly ambitious series that bloodily splatters the glory of Rome just as savagely asMonty Python a...
Postage & Packaging: free Super Saver Delivery Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
The year is 52 B.C.Four hundred years after the founding of the Republic, Rome is the ... more
wealthiest city in the world, a cosmopolitan metropolis of one million people, epicentre of a sprawling empire. The Republic was founded on principles of shared power...
The complete first season of the daring ground-breaking and controversial historical ... more
drama series. Think of The Sopranos in ancient Rome and you'll get a flavour... This six disc box set contains the 12 hour-long episodes of the first season: this fe...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Advantages: Good historical fiction with showing the fall of the roman republic Disadvantages: Extras are a little disapointing aswell as the lack of military spectacle
Blythie362 09.08.2006 (09.08.2006)
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Review of Rome - Series 1 (DVD)
Advantages: Good historical fiction with showing the fall of the roman republic Disadvantages: Extras are a little disapointing aswell as the lack of military spectacle
Blythie362 09.08.2006 (09.08.2006)
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Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Rome - Series 1 (DVD)
![Rome: The Complete HBO Season 1 (6 Disc Box Set) [DVD] [2005]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/76770226.jpg "Rome: The Complete HBO Season 1 (6 Disc Box Set) [DVD] [2005]")
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