Comments on: When in Rome http://filmjournal.net/mike/2007/03/06/when-in-rome/ Fri, 05 Dec 2008 12:10:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.0 by: Mmmm » Cack! Rome is where the heart is… http://filmjournal.net/mike/2007/03/06/when-in-rome/#comment-585 Tue, 27 Mar 2007 20:52:29 +0000 http://filmjournal.net/mike/2007/03/06/when-in-rome/#comment-585 [...] First, the inevitable question - is Season Two as good as its predecessor? For fans of the series, the initial run was a triumph, a richly detailed look at Rome’s political and social history that pulled no punches in its graphic depictions of sex and violence. Millions of dollars had been plunged into it, producing an epic affair that mirrored real life events whilst showing what life was like through all stratas of society. One of the first season’s biggest hurdles was in the amount of exposition it had to get out of the way before moving on to the good stuff. This covered a good deal of the first three episodes, and explains the merciless chopping of content to fit within two one-hour shows aired on the BBC. [...] […] First, the inevitable question - is Season Two as good as its predecessor? For fans of the series, the initial run was a triumph, a richly detailed look at Rome’s political and social history that pulled no punches in its graphic depictions of sex and violence. Millions of dollars had been plunged into it, producing an epic affair that mirrored real life events whilst showing what life was like through all stratas of society. One of the first season’s biggest hurdles was in the amount of exposition it had to get out of the way before moving on to the good stuff. This covered a good deal of the first three episodes, and explains the merciless chopping of content to fit within two one-hour shows aired on the BBC. […]

]]> by: Mmmm » Carry Yawn Cleo http://filmjournal.net/mike/2007/03/06/when-in-rome/#comment-87 Tue, 13 Mar 2007 15:48:34 +0000 http://filmjournal.net/mike/2007/03/06/when-in-rome/#comment-87 [...] Regular readers of the site will have spotted my review of the Rome Season One boxset from last week - a shame more of you didn’t comment, but , er, Rome wasn’t built in a day (groan). Currently, I’m keeping tabs on Season Two, presumably before it is chopped up and mangled for BBC audiences later in the year. I love this sort of stuff, I confess, and Rome pretty much has the lot - detail, lashings of plot, and a surfeit of sex/violence/swearing that has guaranteed it an ‘18′ certificate and the blushes of viewers everywhere. The second - and final - series looks likely to culminate in the decisive tussle between Octavian Caesar and Mark Antony for hegemony in the failing years of the Republic. Those who possess even a nodding acquaintance with ancient history should be aware of how it turns out, if not from general knowledge, then perhaps from watching the likes of Cleopatra, Joseph L Mankiewicz’s sprawling, four-hour epic and one of Hollywood’s most notorious productions. [...] […] Regular readers of the site will have spotted my review of the Rome Season One boxset from last week - a shame more of you didn’t comment, but , er, Rome wasn’t built in a day (groan). Currently, I’m keeping tabs on Season Two, presumably before it is chopped up and mangled for BBC audiences later in the year. I love this sort of stuff, I confess, and Rome pretty much has the lot - detail, lashings of plot, and a surfeit of sex/violence/swearing that has guaranteed it an ‘18′ certificate and the blushes of viewers everywhere. The second - and final - series looks likely to culminate in the decisive tussle between Octavian Caesar and Mark Antony for hegemony in the failing years of the Republic. Those who possess even a nodding acquaintance with ancient history should be aware of how it turns out, if not from general knowledge, then perhaps from watching the likes of Cleopatra, Joseph L Mankiewicz’s sprawling, four-hour epic and one of Hollywood’s most notorious productions. […]

]]> by: Mike http://filmjournal.net/mike/2007/03/06/when-in-rome/#comment-80 Fri, 09 Mar 2007 15:58:00 +0000 http://filmjournal.net/mike/2007/03/06/when-in-rome/#comment-80 Cheers ghost, and I definitely enjoyed Rome more when I could watch the episodes en masse. Season Two - though only 10 episodes this time around! - is going well, though it might be a good thing that they're calling it a day here, as it would appear they're running out of credible things for Vorenus and Pullo to do, and their story is now playing second fiddle in terms of interest to the historical events. Just my opinion mind, and it's still as good as anything on the box right now. Cheers ghost, and I definitely enjoyed Rome more when I could watch the episodes en masse. Season Two - though only 10 episodes this time around! - is going well, though it might be a good thing that they’re calling it a day here, as it would appear they’re running out of credible things for Vorenus and Pullo to do, and their story is now playing second fiddle in terms of interest to the historical events.

Just my opinion mind, and it’s still as good as anything on the box right now.

]]> by: ghostof82 http://filmjournal.net/mike/2007/03/06/when-in-rome/#comment-66 Tue, 06 Mar 2007 19:31:09 +0000 http://filmjournal.net/mike/2007/03/06/when-in-rome/#comment-66 Funny, I watched the ROME boxset last week with the wife and agree with your comments completely. I enjoyed the show when it was originally aired, but isn't it amazing how shows like this really bloom when you can watch them in a few sittings on DVD? Watching the episodes in quick succession, they really flowed much better than they did on a weekly basis. I have heard that season 2 is a grand finale for the series. Can't wait. Shame on the BBC for making us wait so long, who do they think pays the license fee? Funny, I watched the ROME boxset last week with the wife and agree with your comments completely. I enjoyed the show when it was originally aired, but isn’t it amazing how shows like this really bloom when you can watch them in a few sittings on DVD? Watching the episodes in quick succession, they really flowed much better than they did on a weekly basis. I have heard that season 2 is a grand finale for the series. Can’t wait. Shame on the BBC for making us wait so long, who do they think pays the license fee?

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