Post by Keith Heitmann on Jul 6, 2005 23:47:31 GMT -5
This is a DVD evidently based on a cable tv movie production that was apparently called "Imperium". At least that is what it looks like since on the box and the DVD label mark it as "Augustus", while the opening and closing credits called it "Imperium."
If you have been watching the ABC network mini-series called "Empire" on the death of Julius Caesar and the rise of Octavius his adopted son, or if you have seen the PBS series "I, Claudius" the story of "Augustus" will be a familiar one.
"Augustus" doesn't deal with fictional characters like that of "Empire" with it's gladiator bodyguard. It follows more along the lines of the "I, Claudius" episodes, dealing with Augustus Caesar life after he has assumed the role of sole Emperor and his family life and tradgeties. "Augustus" isn't quite as dark as "I, Claudius", which hints that many of the deaths were all part of plots by Augustus wife, Livia, to get her son from a previous marriage, delcared heir to the thrown after Augustus.
"Augustus" tells a pretty straight forward story starting with the death of Caesar and the struggle of the then Octavian (later Augustus) to become the heir and sole ruler in Rome as per Caesar's wishes.
Peter O'Toole plays the elderly dying Augustus and the story of Augustus' life is told through his rememberances and stories to his daughter Julia.
If you had to pick a history of this emperor to believe in based solely on "Empire", "I, Claudius", or "Augustus", I would say that "Augustus" probably comes as close to the factual truth of the three.
The 3 hour long story is very well done and production values are high, although some of the crowd scenes in the Roman forum seem a little sparse for a city that had 1 million people living in it 2000 years ago. Rome was the largest and most populated city in the world. It wasn't until the 1800s when London finally surpased the million mark in population was this particular record broken.
All-in-all, "Augustus" was an excellent movie. If you can find a place that rents it, rent it. Otherwise, if you enjoy movies about ancient Rome and its history, this would be a good one to add to your personal library.
If you have been watching the ABC network mini-series called "Empire" on the death of Julius Caesar and the rise of Octavius his adopted son, or if you have seen the PBS series "I, Claudius" the story of "Augustus" will be a familiar one.
"Augustus" doesn't deal with fictional characters like that of "Empire" with it's gladiator bodyguard. It follows more along the lines of the "I, Claudius" episodes, dealing with Augustus Caesar life after he has assumed the role of sole Emperor and his family life and tradgeties. "Augustus" isn't quite as dark as "I, Claudius", which hints that many of the deaths were all part of plots by Augustus wife, Livia, to get her son from a previous marriage, delcared heir to the thrown after Augustus.
"Augustus" tells a pretty straight forward story starting with the death of Caesar and the struggle of the then Octavian (later Augustus) to become the heir and sole ruler in Rome as per Caesar's wishes.
Peter O'Toole plays the elderly dying Augustus and the story of Augustus' life is told through his rememberances and stories to his daughter Julia.
If you had to pick a history of this emperor to believe in based solely on "Empire", "I, Claudius", or "Augustus", I would say that "Augustus" probably comes as close to the factual truth of the three.
The 3 hour long story is very well done and production values are high, although some of the crowd scenes in the Roman forum seem a little sparse for a city that had 1 million people living in it 2000 years ago. Rome was the largest and most populated city in the world. It wasn't until the 1800s when London finally surpased the million mark in population was this particular record broken.
All-in-all, "Augustus" was an excellent movie. If you can find a place that rents it, rent it. Otherwise, if you enjoy movies about ancient Rome and its history, this would be a good one to add to your personal library.