Spartacus
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Movie Reviews of Spartacus
Movie Review: I am spartacus! No,I'm Spartacus! No, I'm Spartacus! I'm Spartacus!
Summary: 5 Stars
That there appears to be enough historical information on a man who was nothing more than a slave of Rome near the beginning of the "Common Era", makes this dramatization a bit free with historical perspective. Stanley Kubrick did a fantastic job in bringing the "Man" to the big screen, though.
Kirk Douglas had his work cut out for him, playing Spartacus. You KNOW what he feels at any given moment, just by looking at his face! Here was a man who railed against the bonds he was born into. By what we know of the Ancient Roman world today, being made a Gladiator was a step up from the miserable existence Spartacus was used to, and if so, why did he revolt? Gladiators were the Superstars of their day. Men were jealous of their fame, and women, whether married or unmarried, dropped to the Gladiator's feet, and gave themselves in to whatever the Gladiator wished to do to them! They also became wealthy, and many were able to "buy" their freedom! Hardly something to revolt over, HMM? Revolt he did, though, and he became famous not for revolting, but for revealing to the Roman people, the excesses and arrogance of one of their own, Marcus Licinius Crassus (Laurence Olivier). By reading history on this man, you will find an intelligent and devious schemer, who preyed on all those around him. Crassus was known to (being the only one in Rome who owned "fire trucks") let fellow Romans' houses burn, unless they paid him his "fee"! While Kubrick makes him out to be somewhat bisexual, there is nothing on the history of this man to lend credence to it. His name and his legacy lives on, in Dictionaries around the world (look up the word "Crass", and you will know the man).
Much care was taken to lending a sense of realism to the strategies of both Spartacus and Crassus. Spartacus' near total ignorance as a strategist just made Crassus look all the more incompetent (if this is historically accurate, then what we see on screen very well may have happened)! This does not sit well with Crassus, and upon Spartacus' eventual defeat, he is advised by Rome's elite that if he kills all of Spartacus' followers, there would be no slaves to do the work, so he must spare them. In what is now the famous tagline associated with the film (and historically true, as well), Spartacus' followers were crucified, and the crosses stretched all the way to the gates of Rome, itself!
This film is a lush retelling of the story of one of Rome's darkest periods as a Republic. The film is bursting with first-rate talent, and it shows (it won four Academy Awards). While there are no special features on the DVD, you still get one heckuva great film!
Movie Review: An All Time Favorite
Summary: 5 Stars
Here is a Kubrick film many people don't know he had anything to do with. It is 1 of my All Time Best films. The stars include Kirk Douglas as Spartacus, Jean Simmons as his lover (she rivals any Hollywood star for beauty & excelled at playing the openly honest yet properly smouldering female guys like), Laurence Olivier, Peter Ustinov, Charles Laughton (Mutiny on the Bounty), John Ireland, Herbert Lom, not to mention Tony Curtis & George Kennedy. Sorry, I ran on a bit. The cast is actually matched by the screen play. Combined with Kubrick's direction this is over 3 hours of enjoyment.
The tale is however a look into the black heart of Roman power & manipulation. Spartacus is a Thracian slave that just don't get it. He won't do as told & doesn't care who knows it. He is willing to endure any pain or punishment in order to live life exactly according to his own code of honor. Rome is the task master that will whip till you surrender or kill if you won't. What a match.
He is purchased & brought to the gladiatorial schools of Rome where he learns to kill efficiently & where his hatred of Roman dominion grows till it fuels a rebellion at the gladiators training school. Once having escaped their keepers the erst while gladiators band together & head for the sea to escape Rome's wrath. As they go they free any slave in their path that wants to be free & their numbers swell to threaten even the security of Rome. Legions are sent out by the Roman Senate against them & are handily defeated by this collection of slaves as the Roman Senate names them.
The rebellion has become rich, mighty & are led by astute minds but how far will their abilities & deep bonds of brotherhood take them. It is the high sense of humanity in this film that I feel drove the actors to buy into every part they were given to play. The performance by the cast is Outstanding by any measure. Yet it is the story that unfolds the tapestry of human beliefs, emotions & loyalties. From the opening of the show to it's unforgettable end this movie enlightens & entertains on a high level. The love story between Spartacus & Virinia is one of the great one's on film. I would of loved to see more but I don't see a place in the show to put it.
5 STARS!
Movie Review: Sparticus is a legendary film.
Summary: 5 Stars
Stanley Kubrik directed this epic masterpeice about the ancient Roman empire and its probably one of the greatest Hollywood films of all time. If you love films like Gladiator, Braveheart ect. then you have to watch this, the film has been copied several times but Sparticus still remains the original and best and has inspired these other epic battle style films, the story is about a slave named Sparticus (Kirk Douglas) trained as a gladiator who held Rome's legions at bay for four years with an army of battle-trained slaves. Also starring Peter Ustinov as Lentulus Batiatus a slave runner and owner of the gladitorial school which Sparticus is forced to train in and then becomes the best gladiator who then revolts against the roman empire by freeing the slaves, the film also stars Laurance Olivier as Crassus the general of the Roman army who also happens to be a corrupt tyrant and starring Jean Simmons as slave girl Varinia and Sparticus's love intrest and Tony Curtis as Antoninus a singer and Crassus's personal servant you'll also get to see the cotroversial scene where Crassus seduces him in the bath this scene was removed, Antoninus soon escapes to join Sparticus's army. The film is about the cost and value of loyalty and the freedom of Rome itself which still took centuries before the whole empire started to collapse from its own corruption and decadence, Sparticus is a fantastic film with an intellegent storyline and while its not historicaly accurate it's still very entertaining and has a lot of memorable scenes like the one where the captured and defeated slaves start rising and saying "I'm Sparticus" the ending which another reviewer has mentioned is not your typical cliche happy ending but is more tragic and highly emotional it is very sad but still you will feel satisfied for watching this brilliant film. The film was made in 1960 during this time Stanley allready had a reputation as a great director and would become as famous later in his career when he made 2001 a space odessy and Dr.Strangelove, Sparticus is filled with romance, period drama and has fantastic battle and fight scenes which I highly recomend you watch whether you like old Hollywood films or just like a grand scale epic.Movie Review: defing role for screen legend. Masterpiece for the ages.
Summary: 5 Stars
There are not enough superlatives when one sets out to adequately review this undoubted masterpiece. That the movie was ever completed at all is testiment enough to the genius and determination of Kirk Douglas who made many more movies in his career with none even approaching the sheer brilliance of this stand out performance in my view. That he failed to win the acting Oscar that year is one of the enduring injustices in cinema history, we will never know totally whether it was because of political considerations involving Trumbo or merely the fact that Spartacus had the misfortune to follow Ben Hur the previous year which won the Oscar for Heston. It is one of the great imponderables.One could draw a parallel with Pattons failure to win a fifth star during WW2 when most people thought he deserved it. Spartacus stands alone not only for Douglas but for the brilliant casting which brought together for the first and probably only time in cinema history the trio of Olivier, Ustinov and Laughton.One can only imagine the tensions and creative arguement that ensued with these high profile icons each striving to surpass the others performance. Alex Norths score is as memorable as the acting and stands on its own as a masterpiece which has seldom if ever been surpassed. The sheer scope of this movie and the attendant cost probably means we shall never see a similar production again unless you are a devotee of digitally manufactured products which I personally am not although I realise they have a major place in the present and future and one cannot stand in the way of technology. The stark difference is evident if one views Spartacus against a film like Gladiator which incidentally won a best actor award for Russell Crowe which I think is an insult to Douglas but only in a subjective sense. Crows performance was undoubtedly enhanced by the digital aspects of that movie whereas Douglas's Spartacus is more pristine if one can use such an anology. All in all a masterpiece for many reasons apart from Douglas. One can only imagine how the completed film would have looked had Kubrick continued for the whole production. A tantalising thought.Movie Review: Always a favorite historical epic
Summary: 5 Stars
An epic telling of epic historical events. From the feel of the extent of Roman slavery given in the scenes at the mines and the gladiatorial training centers to the horizon filled with crosses at the end. One of the great themes of this film is the integrity and bravery of some of the "lowliest" slaves reminding us that it is these qualities that make us human and not our station in life. The readiness of the rebels in the end to stand up and be counted with the leader is the culmination of that theme; that ending scene still brings chills every time I see it. Even with such moving and serious themes, however, the film is sprinkled in places with humor and wit, especially with the slave-trader character in Mr. Ustinov.
The deleted scenes, such as the one with Tony Curtis in the bathhouse, build on what was only hinted at in the original release making the widespread treatment of such slaves more apparent. In some ways, I think I prefer the hint rather than the more direct portrayal but it is still done in a tasteful manner to convey the types of abuse that brought about the rebellion.
The gladiator fights and battle scenes are still some of the best ever made. I still enjoy them even more than the more recent movie of similar genre, "Gladiator."
All actors to portray Spartacus since have and will continue to have difficulty living up to the standard set by the gritty yet compassionate Kirk Douglas portrayal. His portrayal of the noble slave challenging the innequities of a superpower churn memories of similar times and similar men and women who have chafed at the manacles of slavery and injustice throughout history. From time to time, it is necessary to challenge the inconsistencies of a society that considers itself enlightened yet continues to oppress a few deemed as unimportant. As Thomas Jefferson once said, "A little rebellion now and then... is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government."