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I mean the 1960 movie with a highly competent cast and directed by Stanley Kubrick. Not the TV series from 2010.
What got me thinking about the movie Spartacus? Well....I had been viewing some episodes from the "Spartacus; Blood and Sand" TV series on syfy. The TV series uses familiar characters taken from the movie but adds its own storyline to stretch things out into a series. This made me want to review the original movie from 1960 to re-familiarize my memory.
The blu-ray I found is in 1080p widescreen. These can be found cheaply on ebay, btw. The overall look of the film is good. Colors appear unfaded and do not distract as do those on a VHS copy I have of the same movie. If restored, there are no visual or audible distractions. A nice, sharp picture.
Spartacus is a movie about a slave rebellion that is historical fact. Yep, an army of gladiators and slaves running amok about the Roman coutryside pillaging every expensive looking villa they come across. Slaves get wind of it and run away to join the slave rebellion. Wouldn't you!
On viewing this movie, yet one more time, I am struck by how good the cast is in this film. Kirk Douglas dominates the screen and is perfectly adequate as the film's protagonist. But his screen presence takes a back seat to the character roles played by Peter Ustinov, Lawrence Olivier and Charles Laughton.
Olivier as Crassus, a historic figure, and more than any other character in this cast gives the audience a view into Roman life. We see him first as an affable patrician father-in-law, then at work as a Roman Senator, then in his private chambers discussing clams and snails with Tony Curtis's character Antonino, and suggesting less than normal sexuality. Then again as a field commander of his own legions on the battlefield. Each role he takes on a new clearly different demeanor. And entirely believable. (Crassus is a scarey guy I'd want to stay away from. Powerful and threatening.)
Ustinov's Batiatus, owner of the Gladiator school, is fascinating to observe. He is 2 parts scoundrel, 2 parts slave owning biggot, 2 parts coward, 2 parts not-so-intelligent schemer. And 2 parts man with a heart and new found courage. What these parts add up to is a very memorable, perhaps defining performance by Ustinov. I'll always fondly remember Peter Ustinov for this role he played.
The movie opens out at the site of a desert mine being worked by slave labor. The sun bears down without mercy. Traveling with an entourage of slaves and servants Ustinov, owner of the gladiator school and looking for "talent", uses a short hand held prod to prop open the mouth of a slave in order to inspect the condition of "its" teeth. With a shake of the head Batiatus comments "As go the teeth, so go the bones", and walks onward to inspect the next slave. Then, somewhat condescending, instructs a slave to reposition the umbrella by stating "the suns over there", and comments on how much he's paying for this expedition. "Ruinous" he says. The scene is both comical and sobering as it becomes clear Batiatus means business.
There is a political struggle between Laughton's Graccus and Olivier's Crassus which strikes chords familiar to today's world. One figure, Graccus - member of the Roman Senate, is a populist man of the people, while the other, Crassus - also a Senator, represents an extreme Patrician world view. It mirrors today's struggle between liberals and conservatives. Not exactly, (today's world is not that extreme), but there are enough similarities to give the idea.
I found myself more interested in the scenes where Romans deal with Romans. Where self-satisfied wealthy Romans worry what to do about a slave rebellion. And Laughton's character Graccus, a man who accepts the world as it is with a wry wit while attempting to shape it to the benefit of his constituents. Graccus is a very likable character in this movie. But Olivier upstages all other players with his role as Crassus. In this movie, the evil strategic thinker, Crassus, prevails. And you believe it. To do otherwise is to risk personal ruin. Olivier really is Crassus.
But there is more. I thought the character Marcellus, the instructor at the gladiator school, was very convincing. Menacing and highly competent. Played by Charles McGraw. Another outstanding character; Draba, played by Woody Strode. A gladiator who sacrifices his life rather than obey the directive to kill Spartacus in the ring. Very memorable and believable.
Some of the other gladiators looked like they came out of central casting but none of them distracted from the story. Many of the faces seen of the slave army appear to be from the local environment, wherever the movie was filmed.
About the fighting action. They took it seriously in this film and worked to make it seem authentic. However, if you look to more recent films you can find more believable battle scenes and more believable individual fighting techniques. Think "Braveheart" * if you want to see some realistic fighting. A minor aspect that does not subtract from the viewing.
Brooklyn accent? Yeah, one of the gladiators, now a commander in the slave army, addresses his minions in a distinct New York accent. You can't miss it. Just one scene. I think it was...Harold Stone playing the character David.
Another note: even Tony Curtis played well in this flick.
A good movie for all time.
-Steve
footnotes:
* just one example. Recent movies tend to show much more athletic and convincing sword fighting than was done 50 years ago. They look less like "play acting" and more real. Partly this may be due to advanced filming and editing, computer graphics and, perhaps, a desire for greater authenticity. Additionally, today's actors appear more physically fit than those back then. (steroids, hgh...?)
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