Rome - The Complete First Two Seasons | 
 enlarge | Directors: Adam Davidson, Alan Poul, Alan Taylor, Alik Sakharov, Allen Coulter
Actors: Kevin Mckidd, Ray Stevenson, Polly Walker, Kerry Condon, James Purefoy
Studio: Hbo Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $119.42
Buy New: $67.00
You Save: $52.42 (44%)
New (46) Used (11) from $67.00
Rating:  52 reviews
Sales Rank: 64
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Ntsc, Widescreen
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Number Of Discs: 11
Running Time: 1320 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 5.9 x 3.2
MPN: HBOD97955D
UPC: 026359795527
EAN: 0026359795527
ASIN: B000Q66PXE
Theatrical Release Date: August 28, 2005
Release Date: August 7, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Studio: Hbo Home Video Release Date: 08/07/2007
Amazon.com
Family dysfunction. Treachery. Betrayal. Coarse profanity. Brutal violence. Graphic (and sometimes brutal) sex. No, it's not The Sopranos, it's Rome, HBO's madly ambitious series that bloodily splatters the glory of Rome just as savagely as Monty Python and the Holy Grail soiled the good name of Camelot (but with far fewer laughs; very few funny things happen on the way to this forum). Set in 52 B.C. (Before Cable), Rome charts the dramatic shifts in the balance of power between former friends Pompey Magnus (Kenneth Cranham), leader of the Senate, and Julius Caesar (Ciaran Hinds), whose imminent return after eight years to Rome after conquering the Gauls, has the ruling class up in arms. At the heart of Rome is the odd couple friendship between two soldiers who fortuitously become heroes of the people. Lucius Vorenus (Kevin McKidd) is married, honorable, and steadfast. Titus Pullo (Ray Stevenson) is an amoral rogue whose philosophy is best summed up, "I kill my enemies, take their gold, and enjoy their women." Among Rome's most compelling subplots is Lucius's strained relationship with his wife, Niobe (Indira Varma), who is surprised to see her husband alive (but not as surprised as he is to find her upon his homecoming with a newborn baby in her arms!) Any viewer befuddlement over Rome's intrigues and machinations, and determining who is hero and who is foe, disappears the minute Golden Globe-nominee Polly Walker appears as Atia, Caesar's formidable niece and a villainess for the ages. In the first hour alone, she offers her already married daughter as a bride to the recently widowed Pompey. Rome is a painstakingly mounted production that earned eight well-deserved Emmy nominations in such categories as costumes, set design, and art direction. Michael Apted (Coal Miner's Daughter) was honored with a Director's Guild Award for the first episode, "The Stolen Eagle." But artistic considerations aside, instantly addicted viewers will agree with Atia, who notes at one point, "I adore the secrecy, the intrigue. It's most thrilling." Season 2 begins in the wake of Julius Caesar's assassination, and charts the power struggle to fill his sandals between "vulgar beast" Mark Antony (James Purefoy) and "clever boy" Octavian (Simon Woods), who is surprisingly named Caesar's sole heir. The series' most compelling relationship is between fellow soldiers and unlikely friends, the honorable Lucius Vorenus (Kevin McKidd) and Titus "Violence is the only trade I know" Pullo (Ray Stevenson), who somewhat reverse roles when Vorenus is overcome with grief in the wake of his wife's suicide. Season 2 considerably ups the ante in the rivalry between Atia (an Emmy-worthy Polly Walker), who is Antony's mistress, and Servilia (Lindsay Duncan) with attempted poisonings and sickening torture. Another gripping subplot is Vorenus's estrangement from his children, who, at the climax of the season opener are presumed slaughtered, but whose true fate may be even more devastating to the father who cursed them. Rome's second season does not scrimp on the series' sex and violence, in both cases exceedingly brutal. But in this cauldron of treachery and betrayal, words, too, are vicious, as when a defiant Atia ominously tells Octavian's new wife, Livia, "Far better women that you have sworn to [destroy me]. Go look for them now." In writing Rome's epitaph, we come to praise this series, not to bury it. Although two seasons was not enough to establish a Rome empire, it stands as one of HBO's crowning achievements. --Donald Liebenson
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| Customer Reviews: Read 47 more reviews...
Magic BBC & HBO Collaboration November 25, 2008
Mr. S. Morgan (Sydney, Australia)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The BBC has a justified worldwide reputation for producing top-draw dramas, and HBO has a reputation for producing hardcore dramas such as The Sopranos.
Although I was a bit skeptical about this tie-up, it worked pretty well in Rome. I ordered both Season 1 and Season 2 from Amazon, and loved every minute of both of them.
It's a crying shame that there will be no Season 3, because the viewer numbers were not good enough. Everyone wants reality tv these days, it seems....humph!
My only real criticism of the shows, and it's more a question-mark than a criticism, is how did on earth did they get so many cockney accents in Rome at the turn of the millenium? Not only accents, but the slang used was very London Docks.
I have read other criticisms that have pointed out that none of the major battle scenes were enacted, and although it wouldn't have been a bad thing to have included these, I think the show was more about the people than the historical battles that took place.
Fantastic shows, well done the Beeb and HBO.
 Rome, Seasons 1 and 2 November 23, 2008
Jackie Tabb (Houston Tx)
This series is great! I've watched many shows about Rome(a notable one being I, Claudias) but this is my favorite. I like that it's told from the point of view of the common soldier. Vorenus and Pullo seem as though thay really existed.
The show was shot in Rome and used Roman extras, and this added a sense of realism to it. If you are bothered by full frontal nudity, you may not like it, as there is a lot of sex.
I do confess I have a crush on Kevin McKidd who plays Vorenus. And his character is a man of great honor and a firm believer in standing by his friends. The actor is now a regular on Grey's Anatomy if, like me, you get attached to him.
I highly recommend this DVD. You won't regret buying it.
Awesome to watch October 24, 2008
Renee M. Orzechowski (Westminster, CO usa)
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
Loved the series, hoping for season 3. This is a great series based on history.
Rome: Television's finest hours October 22, 2008
Whamo (San Clemente, California)
This captivating, compelling, culturally accurate rendition of ancient Rome is a well-written, acted, directed, staged, and screened story of two soldiers. Their story intertwines with Julius Caesar, Brutus, Anthony, and Cleopatra. Rome captures the world of Rome in detail, from the music, to the graffitti on the walls, the town crier, the orgies, the parades, the gladiator pit, the calender, life at the family dinner table, the slaves, the religious rites, the street gangs, homosexuals, the Jews, Egyptians, the barbarian tribes, the military camps, the theatre, the brothels, the opium dens, and the senate. Rome's focus on the women of the age elevate it beyond all of the other films about Rome, even "Spartacus" and Marlon Brando's great version of "Julius Caesar", and breaks new ground. Like many, my only complaint is that the story ends, when in reality, the Roman Empire lasted 10,000 years, and there is much more of the story to be told. My sincere thank you goes to John Milius and his magnificent crew of writers and actors that pulled off this masterpiece.
 Ordering Both Seasons from Amazon is Most Likely a Bootleg October 20, 2008
Scooter (Cincinnati, Ohio)
5 out of 9 found this review helpful
DVD's and case are made of good quality material. All DVD's are viewable, but are similar to the 'Complete 1-6' of the Sopranos...unauthorized boxset with bootleg DVDs. The actual DVDs have Chinese writing on them...and a small logo on the back is burned off (on every disc).
Note that some players have issues with these. Better off buying both seasons seperately.
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