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Rome on Ö÷²¥´óÐã2 last Night
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Message 1.Â
Posted by Richie (U1238064) on Thursday, 3rd November 2005
What did people think?? I really enjoyed it. I'm not sure how much liberty they took as much of my more indepth knowledge of that period is from the Marius/Sulla/Caesar novels by Colleen something or other (really cant remember her surname)
I did find the depictions very vivid and the characteisation easy to follow
i recognised Cato before he even opened his mouth (same with Pompey, although Brutus and Cicero took more imagining)
So what does everyone else think? -
Message 2
Posted by kevmar (U1902470) on Thursday, 3rd November 2005
I think it's well worth watching.
A bit patchy,but then again how do you put all that went on in a less diluted way,bearing in mind the length of the show?
When I see pompey,I just think harvey moons looking his age,it was him wasn't it?
Also the need for rape scenes was a bit ott,but then again it was past 9pm,only just. -
Message 3
Posted by ap Tom (U1380901) on Thursday, 3rd November 2005
I enjoyed it. Obviously, they are bound to take liberties with the actual history, but it is drama, isn't it? I don't think it is claiming to be a verbatim account of the events (how would we know anyway?). I particularly liked the portrayal of Mark Anthony - made a nice change from previous interpretations.
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Message 4
Posted by Nestor62 (U2391254) on Thursday, 3rd November 2005
My view is that it scored very highly on the probable look and feel of ancient Rome. A lot of it was slum building of very poor standards -- so unlike all those 50 Hollywood 'swords and sandals' epics.
However, I was a bit unhappy with all the rather one-sided treatment of the sex scenes. I think there was an interview with the director in the Radio Times, where he said that the Romans had a much more unfussy view of sex than we do. So upper class Romans would make love with their slaves present to fan them to keep them cool etc.
Which is fine, I am sure he is right.
However, that is not what we saw. The camera did not treat the sex scenes in an uncomplicated way -- except perhaps for that Roman soldiers' rape of the sheperdess towards the end. No, what we get is long sensous shots of women getting their kit off. Quite a few scenes in fact. But no great muscly men doping the same? Hmm... ancient history or merely a bit of titillation in a toga....
I mean I'm not saying I'd necessarily want to see Kenneth Cranham as a full-frontal Pompey, but it was one-sided.
OItherwise, Caesar and Pompey were believeable. And I quite liked the brutish and murderous Roman soldiers -- whether I will stick the entire series remains to be seen. -
Message 5
Posted by HenryMartel (U2353098) on Thursday, 3rd November 2005
l thought it a watchable if a little too titivating in parts, the two soldiers interaction being the best of it, but l enjoyed Egypt on Sunday more ! That l will watch through.
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Message 6
Posted by yellowcat (U218155) on Thursday, 3rd November 2005
I enjoyed it. Obviously, they are bound to take liberties with the actual history, but it is drama, isn't it? I don't think it is claiming to be a verbatim account of the events (how would we know anyway?). I particularly liked the portrayal of Mark Anthony - made a nice change from previous interpretations. Â
If aunty beeb is going to produce an historical drama, it
should have historical fact driving its narrative. Otherwise what is to stop the producers having a Rome -
East Enders Christmas special (or should that be Saturnalia special?).
"Eear, Caesar, gaul blimy wot you up to? That's my market stall your
legionnaires are piliging. Grantius aint goin to like this" -
Message 7
Posted by yellowcat (U218155) on Thursday, 3rd November 2005
Overall, enjoyable though.
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Message 8
Posted by Anglo-Norman (U1965016) on Sunday, 6th November 2005
Rather underwhelmed, actually. It looked great, but felt pretty lifeless somehow. I don't know whether I'll bother with the rest.
In spite of the attention to detail, they STILL made a mess of the appearence of the Roman Army.
As for the sex - unnecessary, I feel, and I think they've taken Roman political satires and attacks too literally. Republican Rome was in many ways rather prudish and puritanical. -
Message 9
Posted by Anglo-Norman (U1965016) on Sunday, 6th November 2005
Incidentally, it seemed odd that given that pretty much everyone else was enjoying themselves, the great 'Bald Adulterer' himself, Gaius Iulius Caesar, kept himself to himself throughout.
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Message 10
Posted by DaveMBA (U1360771) on Monday, 7th November 2005
The setting were good, but the rest was pretty abysmal. The politics at the heart of this story were dumbed down - for the Yanks I expect, who can only cope with "Bill & Monika", hence the extended sex scenes. The acting was generally poor too. Wednesday is gym night!
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Message 11
Posted by Stoggler (U1647829) ** on Monday, 7th November 2005
The setting were good, but the rest was pretty abysmal. The politics at the heart of this story were dumbed down - for the Yanks I expect, who can only cope with "Bill & Monika", hence the extended sex scenes. The acting was generally poor too. Wednesday is gym night! Â
Funny that we always assume that any dumbing-down is for yanks when the vast majority of Brits aren't familiar with the complicated politicking of the Roman world. It is a TV drama who needs impact and is trying to appeal to as many people as possible rather than be a dry Open University lecture intent on educating, so it needs to sacrifice some amount of historical accuracy for that reason. A programme like this needs to keep the action and story going and getting bogged down on the minutiae of the period will not allow this and people will just turn their TVs off.
On the other hand, I wasn't that impressed with the opening programme myself with some poor acting and dialogue. Perhaps it'll improve... -
Message 12
Posted by Richie (U1238064) on Wednesday, 9th November 2005
ok, now I might well be wrong here, but wasnt the treasury left in Rome
That the point was that Pompey and co fled, leaving the gold behind
Yet the closing scene tonight is off the legionary leading the gold away from Caesar?
Minor alterations for telly I can take, but wholesale alteration is very very annoying -
Message 13
Posted by Stoggler (U1647829) ** on Thursday, 10th November 2005
Article in yesterday's Evening Standard suggested that Michael Apted (the director?) was annoyed with the Ö÷²¥´óÐã as they had cut it (the Ö÷²¥´óÐã version is apparently shorter than the HBO version) and the Beeb have left the sex scenes in it, making it look more salacious than it really is.
Is this true, and if so, why...? -
Message 14
Posted by DaveMBA (U1360771) on Saturday, 12th November 2005
That was only for prog 1 - Ö÷²¥´óÐã version. It is because the Ö÷²¥´óÐã is run by people with degrees in Media Studies, who think they will get/keep an audience with sex scenes. I see that the site now says it is Rome's changes "seen through the eyes of 2 soldiers" - that is the "relationshoip" approach to soap operas.
Prog 2 was just as bad - the camerawork is dreadful - two sentences and we are off to another scene. The story about the gold was as bad as the handbags at dawn over the eagle.
I shall be out on this Wednesday and I certainly need a few gym sessions after that.
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