A ROMAN HOLIDAY
2 Documentaries on the making of films about Ancient Rome

THE EPIC THAT NEVER WAS (BBC 1965) - on Charles Korda's attempt to make a film adaptation of Robert Graves' novel I, Claudius.  Made for BBC TV, it's about 70 minutes long and very well produced, featuring scenes of Charles Laughton, Merle Oberon, Flora Robson, Emlyn Williams and other stars of this unfinished production.  Hosted by Dirk Bogarde.  Very good! (71 minutes.)

THE MAKING OF GORE VIDAL'S CALIGULA (1976) - by Giancarlo Lui, who was on the set of Caligula during production.  Featuring Gore Vidal, Malcolm McDowell, Helen Mirren, Bob Guccione, Tinto Brass and some Penthouse Pets who participated in the film.  Eventually Gore Vidal had his name taken off the film, but he was initially very much involved in it.  Very informative and entertaining.  Bob Guccione is very well spoken and somewhat laughable, but I have more respect for him after seeing this documentary. (56 minutes, with a bonus trailer for more Roman fun attached to the end.)

MP4 files (Nero Digital) converted directly from DVD-R (EPIC THAT NEVER WAS is digitally mastered from a VHS source and looks it, but it's quite watchable. CALIGULA comes from the first Penthouse DVD release)
640 x 480

Audio: AAC 2ch at 128 kbs