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 Kester Pelagius |
Augustus (2003) |
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Posts: 920 (11/14/07 22:28:25) |
New review up at Mise-en-scene Crypt. This was apparently a multi-national production that's part of the "Imperium" mini-series.
Yeah, I never heard of it either. Interesting, if overly talkative, movie with great costumes but less than stellar matte effects. Anyone here seen it? |
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jriddle |
Re: Augustus (2003) | ||
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Posts: 101 (11/15/07 23:54:50) |
Saw it when it first hit DVD in the U.S. The review to which you linked is mostly spot-on. Its writer was confused by elements that required an understanding of Roman history, and that was the reaction of a friend with whom I watched it (I didn't have that problem, though).
I would add that O'Toole is frequently quite good (when isn't he, right?), even though it's a relatively small role--most of the movie takes place in flashback, with a younger actor as Octavian. The movie needed a more viciously-written Livia--what's the point of casting Charlotte Rampling in the part, then not giving her evil to work? The movie also felt like only a portion of a larger work--I'm not surprised to find out that is, in fact, the case. Only a day before I'd seen it, I'd watched the 2002 JULIUS CAESAR miniseries, and it pales beside that one. Writing about it today, I'm presently in the midst of working my way through HBO's ROME series, and it pales beside that one, as well. I suppose it's worth a look for those like myself with an interest in these things. But probably only one look. |
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Kester Pelagius |
Re: Augustus (2003) | ||
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Posts: 920 (11/16/07 08:37:19) |
Quote: That would be me.  Quote: I think the real problem is that the miniseries just glosses over certain events and characters too quickly rather than take the time to establish characters and their point and purpose. Thus the end effect is a muddled, sometimes none too clear, time compressed glossalia of events. Or, to look at it another way, the miniseries shoehorned Cliff's notes versions of Roman history (some of which looked to be based on extant plays on the subject) into the flashbacks. As for why this was a problem for me. . . Quote: That hits it spot on. Augustus did NOT feel like a complete work unto itself, but rather as something cobbled together as an afterthought. We see way more of Mark Anthony in the flashbacks than we do of Octavius, and at least one of the DVD releases gives the actor playing Mark Anthony (not the actor playing the young Augustus) a prominent place on the cover. I think that says it all. Not to mention Mark Anthony has the best lines. I'm sure I'm not going to get this right but the one that sticks out in my mind was when he was in bed with Cleopatra and said something to the effect of: "The longer I spend between your legs the more divine I become." A bit churlish, but vastly more memorable than any of the dialogue the young Augustus had. Quote: Agreed. Worth watching once, but only because Peter O'Toole is in it. If not for his presence this would be totally forgetable. |
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