One Clav Divs
As some of you may know, over the past year or so, I’ve been getting into television dramas from the sixties, seventies and eighties. Probably because of the work the Resstoration team has done on sixties Doctor Who stories, if I’m honest, but also because, thanks to BBC4, for eg, I’m getting a chance to watch television that as a child I was too young to view, or simply wasn;t allowed to. But I’ve discovered something. Quite simply the dramas from these periods are far and away so much better then anything that the nineties onwards has to offer.
Dramas like Secret Army which has a superb theme tune – another thing that doesn;t seem to count nowadays, any old bland music will do. There was a reason theme tunes were called signature tunes.
However, one drama in particular has got me completly hooked.
I, Claudius.
It is, quite simply, superb. The casting is, ahem, stella – and perfect. Brian Blessed, Derek Jacobi, John Hurt, Geroge Baker-Â even Christopher Biggans! And yes, it has an instantly recognisable signature tune. Watching it you begin to realise that back then, what you were watching was a play. A proper play, alomst as if you were at the theatre, just so much better. No need for special effects and spectacular – the script and performance carries it.
So, if more internet capable is able to find a cheap dvd boxset of ol’ One Clav Divs, do please let me know.
And set your videos/tivos whatever you have to record it on BBC 4 – you simply will not regret it.
Brian Blessed, Christopher Biggins, John Rhys-Davies… these people just shouldn’t be in togas!
As for where is cheapest, from what I can find that will (amazingly) be the BBC Shop (http://www.bbcshop.com/invt/bbcdvd1085&bklist=icat,3,,420) at £27.99 + £2.45 P&P. As a bonus they’ve got a picture of Billie Piper at the top of each page in the shop!
Yes, I really should TiVo some of this old TV, just to see what it was like back then! Not sure about I, Claudius – with that cast it sounds more like a panto! I certainly want to catch those Smiley series, though.
it may sound like a panto, but the actors involved are at the height of their acting prowess. Actually, and this is the sad lil man coming out in me, there’s so many names from Doctor Who also – I was rather surprised, lol. George Baker was in Full Circle, BIG BRIAN was in Trial Of A Time Lord, Chris Biggens in The One Doctor, Derek Jacobi in Deadline and Scream of the Shalka, Kevin Stoney in both The Dalek’s Master Plan and The Invasion.
Oh, and John Scott Martin who last night got excecuted by BIG BRIAN for being one of BIG BRIAN’s daughter’s many, many lovers.
Boggles the mind, to be honest, LOL.
and many, many more, lol…