Monday, January 28, 2019
Spartacus
- Commentary: Yet another film I was surprised to discover I didn't own. This was a Mom favorite and it was through me watching her savoring the movie (especially the love story and the plight of Varinia) that I came to appreciate it to the point that, a good year or so ago, after checking the movie out of the library several times, decided to purchase it.
Yes, it's clearly dated in its portrayal. It rather reminds me of my reaction to The Story of Ruth, when I blurted, in response to watching the priestesses preparing for a sacrifice to Chemosh, "Isn't it interesting that the priestesses gowns look exactly like 1960's evening gowns. Do you think the state of dressmaking, at that time, included all those stays and breast shapers?" My mother ignored me.
At any rate, I continue to find this movie involving. The write-up of the movie on the back of the case in which the movie came characterizes it as a portrayal of a "triumphant" slave revolt. Maybe idealogically and politically it was "triumphant" but, certainly, the fate of the slaves who participated in the revolt was, well, not particularly triumphant. Looking back at the revolt from 2100 years, noticing the current failings of imperialism, the nascent revolt of everyone but the plutocrats, the years-long dismissal of Christianity, let alone religion, and the success of various social democracies versus the burgeoning torpor of a variety of neo- and post-imperial regimes, well, however inspirational it might have been in 1960, it is mildly depressing, now.
Update 9/29/19: Is this a "gang-movie"? Yeah, it is. More of a "good-gang" movie, but a gang-movie, nonetheless. Still fun to watch.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Kirk Douglas Spartacus Laurence Olivier Crassus Jean Simmons Varinia Charles Laughton Gracchus Peter Ustinov Batiatus Tony Curtis Antoninus John Gavin Julius Caesar John Dall Marcus Glabrus Nina Foch Helena Glabrus John Ireland Crixus Joanna Barnes Claudia Marius Charles McGraw Marcellus
Just in case, here's the Wikipedia write-up for the movie.
Release Date: 1960
Directed by Stanley Kubrick.
Labels: action1, adventure1, drama4, fantasy1, gang-movie, historical2, jean-simmons, kirk-douglas, mom-favorite1, period2, political1, spectacle1, stanley-kubrick, tragedy1
