Spartacus

1991 "They trained him to kill for their pleasure ... but they trained him a little too well"
7.9| 3h17m| PG-13| en| More Info
Released: 26 April 1991 Released
Producted By: Universal Pictures
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
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Synopsis

The rebellious Thracian Spartacus, born and raised a slave, is sold to Gladiator trainer Batiatus. After weeks of being trained to kill for the arena, Spartacus turns on his owners and leads the other slaves in rebellion. As the rebels move from town to town, their numbers swell as escaped slaves join their ranks. Under the leadership of Spartacus, they make their way to southern Italy, where they will cross the sea and return to their homes.

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Reviews

Hellen I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much
Cubussoli Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!
Jeanskynebu the audience applauded
Juana what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.
elvircorhodzic SPARTACUS is an adventurous drama in which an idea about freedom has resisted to strength of a glorious Roman Empire. A bloody and romantic tragedy is filled with historical inaccuracies.A proud and gifted man named Spartacus, is so uncooperative in his servitude that he is sentenced to fight as a gladiator. He was transferred to a school for gladiators, led by a sly Roman businessman. Spartacus, despite harassment at school, forms a quiet relationship with a serving woman. A Roman senator, who aims to become dictator of Rome, has visited the businessman and his school. Two women from his entourage want to enjoy the fights to the death. Spartacus is one of the selected gladiators. This fight will change awareness among slaves...The main protagonist is a kind of "trigger" , who has changed the political situation in Rome. An arrogant and uneducated slave has risen from the bottom through an immortal idea of freedom. Mr. Kubrick has very meticulously processed topics related to leadership, true love, politicking and dictatorship. He has, regardless of the historical inaccuracies, skilfully pointed out a ruin of the great empire. The ideas of eternity can be interpreted as a kind of paradox or fear. Unlike other epic films from that time, Christian motifs were replaced with determination and desire for freedom. Dealing with "tricky" issues is important in this film. Mr. Kubrick, in a very clear way, shows scenes of sexual desire, homosexuality, bisexuality, and even torture through scenes of crucifixion.Scenery is impressive, especially in the final battle. Soundtrack is great. Characterization is reflected in a sort of rivalry. Rivalry in love and politics. Kirk Douglas as Spartacus has offered a good performance. The tension in his face is a reflection of seriousness of his character. He is not overly romantic, but he has a remarkable sense of leadership and fellowship. Jean Simmons as Varinia is an attractive slave and a very strong woman, who shows her pride, love and character in almost every scene. Laurence Olivier as Crassus is the main antagonist and a very complex character. He is actually an unfortunate character, because he can not feel the love and the freedom. There is always interesting and entertaining Charles Laughton as Gracchus. Peter Ustinov, in my view, did not deserve an Oscar for the role of a wily and manipulative Batiatus. Tony Curtis as Antoninus is a bit theatrical and unconvincing as an artist among the gladiators.This is an exciting epic adventure in combination with the political drama. Some ideas are truly eternal.
jacobs-greenwood Though it's a fairly long historical epic, this essential drama features some terrific performances and huge battle sequences in the movie-making era before CGI, which enabled such scenes to become more commonplace.Directed by Stanley Kubrick with a screenplay by Dalton Trumbo, based on the novel by Howard Fast, and featuring Kirk Douglas in the title role, the film includes Best Supporting Actor Peter Ustinov as a droll self-interested gladiator-owner-businessman Lentulus Batiatus; it also won for Color Art Direction-Set Decoration, Cinematography and Costume Design and was nominated for Editing and Alex North's Score.Laurence Olivier as Crassus and Charles Laughton as Gracchus provide the Roman Senate political backdrop as they alternatively manipulate the younger more naïve among them: John Gavin – as Julius Caesar – and John Dall, the less capable Glabrus. #62 on AFI's 100 Most Heart-Pounding Movies list. #44 on AFI's 100 Most Inspiring Movies list.Spartacus (AFI's #22 hero) is a proud, combative slave that's saved from death when he's picked by Batiatus to become a gladiator. After being trained by Batiatus' ex-slave gladiator-trainer Marcellus (Charles McGraw), he's forced into a ring "fight to the death" with Draba, another slave-gladiator (played by Woody Strode), for the pleasure of some visiting Roman 'royalty': rich Crassus, Glabrus and their women (Nina Foch and Joanna Barnes).After losing to but being spared by Draba, who chooses to take out his anger futilely against the Romans, Spartacus leads a revolt of the gladiators against their captors, which becomes an insurgency and then a quest for freedom by all of "slave nation".The major subplot involves the slave leader's love for the slave woman Varinia, played by Jean Simmons. Later, she too becomes a pawn in the Senators' manipulations. John Ireland plays Spartacus' loyal right- hand man Crixus; Harold J. Stone plays the silent David, another loyalist.Tony Curtis plays Antoninus, a slave gift to Crassus that's scared away by his master's advances, runs away to join Spartacus and, with his 'singing' and other entertainer talents, adds a culture to the uneducated slave clan as they revel in a freedom that must inevitably end. Herbert Lom plays a negotiator on behalf of some Sicilian pirates that were to join the slaves' rebellion against Rome.The memorable scene in which Antoninus and each of the other slave survivors claim - "I'm Spartacus" - to keep their Roman conquerors from identifying their leader is nowhere near the end of the story.
LeonLouisRicci A Film Directed by a young Stanley Kubrick that is Unlike the Kubrick We Know and Love. He Surrenders (ouch) to the Conventions of the Time and seems to be more than Competent but Artistically Anemic.But Fulfilling His Contract Obligations Professionally He Delivered a Mammoth Movie that is Compelling and Timeless. That of Humans wanting to be "Free" from Bondage, Servitude, and Inhuman Evil Entrenched in Unenlightened Power and Corruption.The Movie is Corny and a Product of its Era, but is One of the more Intellectual "Epics" and Tries Mightily to be Progressive. It mostly Succeeds and when Viewed Today is full of Fun and Despite its Length is, along with Demille's "The Ten Commandments" (1956), a Glorious Entertainment, if Confined by a Hollywood System of Conventional Conservatism, Blacklists, and DemagogueryThe Cast is Stellar, the Cinematography Beautiful, and the Aching Caste System is its central Theme. Emotional to Extremes, it can't help but be, the Film has its Clunks and some Miscasting, but Never Fails to be Compelling, even as it Demonstrates its Obvious and Manipulative way it is Smarmy in the Love Scenes and Heavy Handed with its Staged Shots of the "Family Bonding" that Depicts Campfire Coziness among the newly Freed People.It was Defiant for its Time with an Unusual and Audacious, against the grain Rebellion from the Studio System. Kirk Douglas was Not to be Denied and this "Labor of Love" Movie Manages to Deliver its Message as much Pomp and Circumstance to be Audience Friendly and as much Anti-Establishment that was Allowed at the Time for a Film of this Magnitude.
lantern4444 This gripping tale from early Roman history will keep you enthralled over the length of the film. There is much intrigue and political maneuvering behind the scenes which adds greatly to the story of the movie. The actions scenes are dramatic and effective on the individual scale and grand and bold in the large battles. The fighting scenes are realistic and varied which keeps the audience entertained. The characters in the movie are well developed over time. They are shown to develop strong friendships and loving relationships with their partners throughout the movie. Also the movie portrays the Roman Empire at the time in terms of the political, economic, military and foreign policies and how they all come to bare upon the situation at hand. The acting is great with many notable stars present. This is a great movie only let down by the limited special effects of the time.