Cheap Spartacus (DVD) (Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier) (Stanley Kubrick) Price
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| ACTORS: | Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier |
| CATEGORY: | DVD |
| DIRECTOR: | Stanley Kubrick |
| THEATRICAL RELEASE DATE: | 07 October, 1960 |
| MANUFACTURER: | Universal Studios |
| MPAA RATING: | PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) |
| FEATURES: | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby |
| TYPE: | Feature Film-action/Adventure |
| MEDIA: | DVD |
| # OF MEDIA: | 1 |
| UPC: | 025192018121 |
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Customer Reviews of Spartacus
Very un-Kubrick style of a sweeping saga. Stanley Kubrick disowned this film. Maybe it was this film that made him so reclusive. It is unlike all the other Kubrick films I have seen, but that doesn't make this film bad. Matter-of-fact, I consider it a classic.
"Spartacus" has lost a wee bit of its original impact over the years, but it is still a wonderful and rewarding film. And seeing the restored version was a real treat. Except for "Braveheart", Hollywood doesn't make many of these epics anymore, and that is a shame when one considers the popularity of "The Ten Commandments" and "Ben Hur", and "Spartacus" is every bit as good as those two classics.
Set against the backdrop of Empirical Rome in the century before Christ, this three hour plus story (based very loosely on fact, I suspect) concerns a slave who becomes a gladiator solely for the purpose of Roman entertainment, then subsequently leads a revolt against the empire. Headed by an all-star cast that includes Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, and Laurence Olivier, this wonderfully-acted spectacle follows Spartacus' rise to power and his ultimate demise.
Between 1 and 10, "Spartacus" gets a 9. If, perchance, you have never seen this film, get it. You'll be kicking yourself if you don't.
ORIGINAL GLADIATOR GUY
SPARTACUS (Criterion, ...)
The late Stanley Kubrick is on a career roll with not only new DVD releases of his films but Spielberg's upcoming interpretation of Kubrick's long-in-development "A.I." One film Kubrick seemed to almost disavow since he saw it as strictly a directing assignment for producer and star Kirk Douglas, was "Spartacus."
This intelligent, sweeping (is there any other kind?) epic of a slave revolt is now available in an ultimate two disc set that not only includes a stunning 16x9 fully restored Super Technirama transfer, Dolby Digital 5.1 surround soundtrack, but also an eye-brow raising commentary with Douglas, Peter Ustinov, novelist Howard Fast (he's not thrilled with the detals of the screen adaptation), restoration expert Robert Harris, designer Saul Bass and a scene-by-scene analysis by former blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo.
Disc II includes rare, deleted scenes, vintage newsreel footage, 1960 promotional interviews with Jean Simmons and Ustinov, original storyboards by Bass, the 1960 documentary "The Hollywood Ten," plus archival documents about the blacklist, sktches by Kubrick, hundreds of production stills and more! This once controversial film has been called the prime model for "Gladiator," has never looked better. It still reverberates with our contemporary sensibilities as it blends politics, violence and sexual suggestion. "Spartacus" was the first Hollywood film to openly defy the blacklist and is a fitting universal metaphor for freedom and sacrifice. And a lasting tribute to Kubrick's genius. Highly Recommended. 196 minutes, PG-13.
3 Stars For 3 Outstanding Performances...
Kubrick replaced Tony Mann on directing duties for this brave, but lumbering costume epic which is ultimately propped up by three beautiful performances. Peter Ustinov(won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his work here), Charles Laughton(should have been similarly nominated)& Laurence Olivier all do incredible work under the guidance of a very young Kubrick & all deliver what comes very close to their best work. Their presence is notable chiefly for the fact that without them, SPARTACUS would never have been the extraordinary spectacle it surely is. Kirk Douglas gives a brooding(& lifeless)performance in the title role, ultimately undermining any sequence not containing the three aforementioned thespians. Jean Simmons, as the love interest, is similarly uninteresting & while undeniably beautiful, fails to evoke for the viewer the love & devotion she receives from Douglas & ultimately Olivier. Pre CGI, it comes armed with some beautifully choreographed & violent battle sequences, but for those looking for an earlier version of Ridley Scott's GLADIATOR, this one may come off a little old-fashioned. It is worth noting(& you'll learn this from the wonderfully insightful 1992 Ustinov interview[his impersonation of Laughton is a riot]contained in the bonus material)that Ustinov rewrote all the scenes he plays with Laughton. It should come as no surprise to the discerning viewer, they are easily the best moments in the film.....