:
Karl Johnson,
Karl Johnson,
David Bamber,
more...
:
Michael Apted,
Michael Apted
see all cast/crew...
: Not Rated
: HBO Home Video
: Television, TV Drama, Sword & Sandal
: English, Spanish, French
: English, Spanish, French
see additional details...
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Rome: Season 1 (Disc 1 of 6) (2005)
No dull, dry, pedantic tract this, the British drama series Rome covered the progression of Rome from Republic to Empire in a vivid, vibrant, spectacular and often sordid and profane fashion, succeeding brilliantly in putting a human face on ancient history--in many cases, all too human. This up close and personal look into the intrigues of the last half of the 1st century BCE was seen alternately from the perspective of the famous and infamous power brokers of the ruling and military class, and through the eyes of two humble foot-soldiers in Caesar's army, Lucius Vorenus (Kevin McKidd) and Titus Pullo (Ray Stevenson). Vorenus was a respectable family man who hated war and could not wait to return home to his wife Niobe (Indira Varma) and their children, and to start a small business that would provide him a modicum of security for life. Conversely, Pullo was an unabashed hedonist who loved the blood and stench of battle, and whose mission in life was to loot, pillage, ravage women and guzzle as much wine as possible. Ironically, Vorenus encountered virtually nothing but tragedy and failure, while Gallo thrived and prospered--and, through a combination of street smarts and dumb luck, always managed to avoid being executed for his many misdeeds, invariably emerging from his latest scrape drenched in glory and prestige. (Contrary to popular belief, both Vorenus and Pullo actually existed, and were mentioned in Caesar's "Commentaries"--though undoubtedly a great deal of dramatic license was taken with their personalities). While for many viewers Pullo was the series' most fascinating character, he was given a run for his money by the scheming, duplicitous Atia (Polly Walker), the niece of Julius Caesar (Ciaran Hinds). Using every wile at her disposal to increase her political power and wealth, Atia was not only a skilled bedroom diplomat, but was also eager and willing to misuse and exploit her children Octavia (Kerry Condon) and Octavian (Max Pirkis) for her own gain. Deceptively callow and sickly-looking, the young Octavian became the series' strongest and most ruthless player during its second season, ultimately morphing into what one historian has described as "The Michael Corleone of Rome." Though the dialogue and acting were as "modern" as possible under the circumstances, the producers of Rome strove for historical realism in every aspect of production. The standing sets representing the city, the Forum et. al. were the world's largest, covering five acres of Rome's Cinecitta studios. And the costumes, props, weaponry etc. were authentic right down to the smallest sandal and coin--to say nothing of the obscene Latin graffiti scrawled on the rotting walls of the Eternal City. Created by John Milius, William MacDonald and Bruno Heller, Rome premiered August 28, 2005 on the American HBO cable service, and November 2, 2005 on the U.K.'s BBC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Rome: Season 1 (Disc 2 of 6) (2006)
Rome: Season 1 (Disc 3 of 6) (2006)
Rome: Season 1 (Disc 4 of 6) (2006)
Rome: Season 1 (Disc 5 of 6) (2006)
Rome: Season 1 (Disc 6 of 6) (2006)
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| A Damn Fine Show
by Hallucination
August 14, 2006 - 11:37 AM PDT
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6 out of 6 members found this review helpful
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| "Rome" hits the spot in a dozen different ways, such as strong casting, twisted plotting, sharp dialogue, meticulous period detail, steamy sex, and realistic gore. The main characters are two Roman soldiers whose fortunes rise and fall with the tides of Roman politics, and who are less masters of their fates than victims of the Machiavellian political machinations of the great Roman houses. Their adventures cover ground that spans the territories of Roman conquest, from Northern Europe to the edges of Egypt, and their paths intersect with major historical figures (such as Julius Caesar, Marc Antony, and Cleopatra) who are portrayed with a new complexity that elevates them far above the blustering cartoon characters of epics past. HBO once again demonstrates why they are the kings of TV drama; the only downside to this show is the agonizing wait for the next season! |
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