"Spartacus"

Films/DVD Asylum

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Although a much better film, "Spartacus, like "Ben Hur", uses British actors to play the Romans (with the notable exception of John Gavn as Caesar) and Americans to play the gladiators and slaves (with the notable exception of Jean Simmons as Varinia) This 1960 film is directed by Stanley Kubrick, the only one of his films over which he did not have total control. He was hired by producer/star Kirk Douglas after Douglas fired Anthony Mann two weeks into the shoot. Everything here is top drawer, from the casting and acting to the Alex North score and Saul Bass' brilliant and clever opening credits. A large battle scene was added to the script well into the production schedule. A recent Pepsi commercial spoofs the famous "I'm Spartacus" scene. The Cathilic church objected to the crucifixion scenes and they were shorthened for re-release. The film was beautifully restored in the early nineties, and includes the "oysters or snails" sequence cut before the film opened in the clever restoration, they age adjusted Tony Curtis' voice and Anthony Hopkins did the late Lawrence Olivier's voice. This was called the "thinking man's spectacular" at the time. Criterion has done a magnificent job on its DVD package. A MUCH better film than "Gladiator"

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Topic - "Spartacus" - rico 07:01:53 05/24/06 (3)

I saw the re-release on Boston's last 75-foot screen before it was torn down. - clarkjohnsen 07:30:45 05/24/06 (2)

Re: I saw the re-release on Boston's last 75-foot screen before it was torn down. - rico 07:35:42 05/24/06 (1)

Small world! nt - clarkjohnsen 07:39:18 05/24/06 (0)

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