Review of "Spartacus"

[Primus Pilus]

As a departure from reviews of historical literature, Ursus has delved into a classic film of the Hollywood era of epics...

 

A young and ambitious Kirk Douglas apparently did not care to lose the title role of Ben-Hur to Charlton Heston. On the policy that outdoing rivals is the best revenge, Douglas plotted a new project. A best selling novel on a Roman slave revolt, light on history but heavy on drama, was written into a screenplay by a writer blacklisted as a Communist sympathizer. A nearly all-star cast was assembled, which included Laurence Olivier (who reputedly thought he would perform better in the title role than Douglas, and only grudgingly excepted a secondary role). The original director of the project was fired, and in his place was brought the artistic Stanley Kubrick (whose eye for dehumanization clashed with Doug' humanism). The Spanish army was enlisted to ape Roman legionaries, and an epic score was composed to bring orchestral notes. The result, whether foreseen or not, was one of the best films Hollywood ever produced. But it is not about history, and never was...

 

Spartacus DVD Review

[Primus Pilus]

I thoroughly enjoyed this review. I'm not sure I agree with the underlying "Christianity is better than the evil empire theme", but as it was prevalent throughout the "epic" era, it's a perfectly understandable notion.

 

In any case, this definately gave me the itch to watch old cleft chin duking it out with Romans once again.

[ASCLEPIADES]

Salve!

 

With rare exceptions, historical films tend to depict better the actual filming culture and epoch than the purportedly filmed culture and epoch.

Kubrick's "Spartacus" tell us much more about the US of the fifties and sixties than about the Late Roman Republic.

That's what makes it such a classical film.