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I think the raciest episode, which I missed the first time round, was Messalina's competition with a prostitute to see who could take on the most men in one session. Messalina was the young wife of Claudius after he became Emperor; so it will be one of the later episodes. But I also have a vague memory, when I did catch up with it on a later showing, of this gang bang competition, to use porn terms, taking place offscreen with the prostitute staggering out of the room and into shot as Messalina shouts out for more men from off screen. So don't build up your hopes of lots of nudity.

I do remember that the actress who played Messalina was much better looking than any pornstar who has played this character. The Messalina story, and the Caligula story, have been popular themes for porn remakes, especially in Italian porn (by Joe d'Amato for example), but the 80s efforts were much better than those of the 90s.

According to the story Claudius came to power after Caligular was slain, now i have a vhs copy of the film Caligular which has loads of nudity through out, this film was shot back in the 70s and caused Mary Whitehouse and other anti pornsters to get on their soap boxes when it was given an 18 certificate, appearing in the film was a youthfull Helen Mirren a gorgeous young lady called Teresa Ann Savoy who was naked most of the time also Malcolm Mcdowell, Peter O Toole and other faces that you would reckonise, this film is now very hard to obtain and copies when they come up on ebay make good money, i have transferred my copy onto DVD+R if anyone would like a copy please email me but there will be a small charge just to cover my cost.

there was a digitally remastered 20th anniversary special edition (released a few years ago) with updated music score put out by Penthouse who produced the film. It also contains footage which was edited out of the original movie release shown in theatres. It is still available.

Couldn't sleep last night, saturday, too damn hot. Sat up flicking channels and stumbled across a documentary about current attitudes towards to Roman Empire and the part Television has played in forming those attitudes : I, Claudius has a lot to answer for !oops!

No one has mentioned the unfinished movie version directed by Alexander Korda in 1937.

I had to post this link because of the hilarious mixup between the two versions.

Mart

That was the film 'Caligula' by Tinto Brass, produced by Bob Guccione of Penthouse Magazine fame, that had lots of famous actors for the serious script, and then went and shot all the porn inserts when they had gone home. I particularly remember the scene where McDowell apparantly simultaneously anally fisted both the bride and groom at a wedding. As for 'I, Claudius' having nudity in it, I recall a later BBC production about the Borgias had tons of it. God bless the 1970's BBC. Anybody remember 'Year of the Sex Olympics' which was the prophetic precurser of all the pathetic 'reality' shows of today?
Andy

The lovely Sheila White----looked as if butter wouldn't melt, then became this sex-obsessed witch. She definitely got her baps out, as did Patricia (Magenta from Rocky Horror) Quinn who played Livilla.


Worth watching just for the famous faces.

The Borgias (and later The Cleopatras) was an attempt to repeat the success of Claudius----but it lacked a sympathetic central character.

I do, and it showed what the out come of watching crap could do to you.

I saw this on PBS here in America in 1975. Astoundingly, the nudity was left in for broadcast TV, but as I understand it, the scene where Caligula sliced open his sister/lover to eat her baby a la Zeus was cut here but shown in Britain. Anyone remember this? Seems a bit ironic now in view of films like "Strawdogs" now being banned there.

Anyway, an excellent production, great TV viewing.