MovieChat Forums > I, Claudius (1977) Discussion > Is upgrading to the 35th annv DVD worth ...

Is upgrading to the 35th annv DVD worth it?

posted 13 years ago by HAL_is_innocent
3 replies | jump to latest

I currently have the Image Entertainment 2000 release of the DVDs. I know there are some extended episodes, a behind the scenes documentary, and an interview with Derek BUT is it worth it to spend another $30 to buy it again? I expect the remastering improves the quality but this is still a DVD, not a blu-ray. It even has a 'Due to the age of these programs and the improved resolution that DVD provides' warning on it so I'm not too excited about a quality upgrade. I would be excited about this if it turns out my release is edited or censored in any way and the 35th anniversary version contains the episodes as they were aired in the UK. Anyone have experience with both versions?

[–] paulench 12 years ago

YES, If for nothing else, it has SUBTITLES, making it well worth it, especially for us Yanks who don't always catch what was said.
Also the video quality is very good and probably the best we'll ever get, even if it were released on BluRay.

[–] Lwchapelhill 8 years ago

The only thing I noticed that was kind of weird about the resolution and the transfer to DVD was what some up-close flames looked like (when paper and scrolls were being burned). The flames had some brightness to them and some color around the edges (mostly reds and greens). As I say, that was the only aspect of the DVDs that was odd. Plus, there are great extras on the 35th anniversary edition. One poignant note: George Baker, who played Tiberius, was one of the filmed interviews for the 35the edition, and he died soon after doing the interview. It's a nice opportunity to get the insights of another one of the series' main actors, and hear his reminiscing about his experiences.

[–] CakesAndAle 8 years ago

I have the 2000 set too. I thought about upgrading, but then wondered how often I would watch the extras. Probably once, in reality. So I waited until my library bought the new set and I borrowed it just to watch the extras. I'm satisfied with what I have. I've never needed subtitles for I Claudius.