Rent Spartacus (1960)

3.9 of 5 from 240 ratings
3h 6min
Rent Spartacus Online DVD & Blu-ray Rental
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Synopsis:
This presentation of the powerful film classic features an additional five minutes of footage cut from the film's original release, plus the original overture and extended soundtrack. Director Stanley Kubrick tells the tale of Spartacus (Kirk Douglas), the bold gladiator slave and Varinia (Jean Simmons), the woman who believed in his cause. Challenged by the power-hungry General Crassus (Laurence Olivier), Spartacus is forced to face his convictions and the power of the Roman Empire at its glorious height.
Actors:
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Directors:
Producers:
Edward Lewis
Narrated By:
Vic Perrin
Writers:
Dalton Trumbo, Howard Fast
Others:
Bill Thomas, Robert Lawrence, Alex North, Alexander Golitzen, Russell Metty, Eric Orbom, Russell A. Gausman, Julia Heron, Valles
Studio:
Columbia Tristar
Genres:
Action & Adventure, Classics, Drama
Collections:
A History of Gay Cinema: According to Hollywood, A History of The Classical World In Cinema, Acting Up: British Actors at the Oscars, Award Winners, Cinema Paradiso's 2024 Centenary Club: Part 1, Drama Films & TV, Films to Watch If You Like..., Getting to Know..., Getting to Know: Audrey Hepburn, History of US Presidents in Cinema: Part 2, Introducing the Thesping Olympians, Oscar Nominations Competition 2024, Oscar's Two-Time Club, Oscars: Winners & Losers, A Brief History of Film..., The Instant Expert's Guide, The Instant Expert's Guide to Stanley Kubrick, The Instant Expert's Guide to: Robert Aldrich, Top 100 AFI Movies, Top 100 AFI Thrills, Top Films, What to Watch If You Like: Misfits
Awards:

1961 Oscar Best Supporting Actor

1961 Oscar Best Cinematography Color

1961 Oscar Best Art Direction Color

1961 Oscar Best Costume Design Color

BBFC:
Release Date:
12/09/2005
Run Time:
186 minutes
Languages:
English Dolby Digital 5.1, French Dolby Digital 2.0, German Dolby Digital 2.0, Italian Dolby Digital 2.0, Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0
Subtitles:
Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, English Hard of Hearing, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish, Turkish
DVD Regions:
Region 2
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen 2.35:1
Colour:
Colour
BBFC:
Release Date:
24/01/2011
Run Time:
197 minutes
Languages:
English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, French DTS-HD High Resolution 5.1, German DTS-HD High Resolution 5.1, Italian DTS-HD High Resolution 5.1, Japanese DTS-HD High Resolution 5.1, Spanish DTS-HD High Resolution 5.1
Subtitles:
Cantonese, Danish, Dutch, English Hard of Hearing, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish
DVD Regions:
Region 2
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen 1.85:1
Colour:
Colour
BLU-RAY Regions:
B
Bonus:
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Archival Interviews with Peter Ustinov and Jean Simmons
  • Behind-The-Scenes Footage
  • 5 Vintage Newsreels
  • Image Galleries: including Production Stills, Concept Art, Costume Designs, Storyboards, Posters and Print Ads
BBFC:
Release Date:
17/08/2020
Run Time:
197 minutes
Languages:
Czech DTS 5.1, English DTS:X, French DTS 5.1, Polish DTS 5.1, Russian DTS 5.1, Thai DTS 5.1
Subtitles:
Cantonese, Complex Mandarin, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English Hard of Hearing, Finnish, French, Hindi, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Russian, Simplified Mandarin, Swedish, Thai
DVD Regions:
Region 2
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen 2.20:1
Colour:
Colour
BLU-RAY Regions:
B
Bonus:
  • Extended Version with 12 additional minutes
  • I Am Spartacus: A Conversation with Kirk Douglas
  • Restoring 'Spartacus'
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Archival Interviews
  • Behind the Scenes Footage
  • Vintage Newsreels
  • And More!

More like Spartacus

Reviews (2) of Spartacus

Watch Trumbo first. A significant movie. - Spartacus review by BP

Spoiler Alert
16/06/2020

Long and a bit clunky but enjoyable, so long as the neat hairstyles don't irritate you.

More particularly, an extra ingredient is its significance from a 1940-60s USA political point of view - McCarthy etc, then black equal rights. Until I re-watched recently, then saw Trumbo, I hadn't realised what an important film it was, for its time. And still is, actually.

A useful antacid for the indigestion caused by the present USA political administration.

You'll have to devote an evening, as it is so long, but time does not drag and there's a useful half time to fetch the coffee and whisky!

2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.

Classical Epic. - Spartacus review by Steve

Spoiler Alert
15/09/2022

This saga of the ancient Roman world remains relevant, unlike many contemporary historical epics, because its themes are timeless and universal. Spartacus (Kirk Douglas) was a slave and gladiator who went to war with Rome to gain the freedom of his class. When he rouses his army before the battle he is obviously also speaking to the emerging US civil rights movement.

And Dalton Trumbo's brilliant script references the McCarthy witch-hunt of the '50s. Trumbo was one of the Hollywood Ten who refused to co-operate with HUAC. The famous scene when the Roman general (Laurence Olivier) commands the survivors of the uprising to identify Spartacus and they all respond "I am Spartacus" must have gone straight to the heart of US audiences.

Douglas' performance is immense. He is matched by Olivier who evokes decadent cruelty without overacting or a flicker of camp. The whole cast is excellent. Peter Ustinov steals his scenes as an unctuous, mercenary slave merchant. Alex North's innovative score does a lot of the heavy lifting. The Roman world feels plausible, whether the intimate interiors or the huge hillside battle scene.

It's a grand spectacle which demonstrates that political miracles are possible. And it continues to inspire. This is the best film of its genre, not because of the epic scale but because of its powerful evocation of humanity and brotherhood. And Douglas' production broke the stranglehold of HUAC on American cinema, which may even be the film's greatest legacy.

0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.

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