If you're a fan of the movie "Spartacus", this is the version to get; the Universal DVD is as bare bones as they get with just the movie. The Criterion version looks great. The facelift the film received help return much of its luster. Kubrick later disowned his version of the epic Hollywood Sword & Sandal genre, but Kubrick brings much of his sensibility to bear; the fight sequences and epic vistas bring to mind Kubrick's work on Paths of Glory and 2001. True, this isn't a complete Kubrick picture; Kubrick had nothing to do with the screenplay and Douglas had all but cast the picture in collaboration with director Anthony Mann (dismissed after butting heads with Douglas one too many times).Is it Kubrick's finest film? Well, frankly no it isn't. It's an interesting mishmash between Kubrick's detached, ironic style and Hollywood glitz. Spartacus is Kubrick for people who don't care for Kubrick's detached style. It doesn't measure up to Lolita, Dr. Strangelove, 2001 or A Clockwork Orange although it does compare favorable to the much darker Paths of Glory.
Kubrick stated that his intent at the time was to subvert the cliches of the genre. As a result, Kubrick manages to reinvent a genre that was in danger of becoming a parody of itself. As a collaborative effort, Spartacus is a great piece of entertainment and far more sophisticated than almost everything else that came out of Hollywood at the time.
The transfer is beautiful with much of Kubrick's bold use of color restored. The strong acting of most of the cast has always been a virtue of Sparatcus. The soundtrack has been meticulously transferred to 5.1 and Alex North's beatiful score has never sounded so sweet, tragic and powerful before. The audio commentary is the same one that was on the laserdisc version. It provides additional understanding about the complexity of making an independently produced project like Spartacus. Kirk Douglas' bold decision to produce the film himself (with Universal-International distributing)was a leap of faith in both the material and the talented director.
The second disc is stuffed with supplements that are found nowhere else.There's two older interviews with Peter Ustinov, Jean Simmons plus one that Ustinov did in 1992 for the laserdisc edition. It's delightful and he shares a number of funny stories about the picture. There's also a text overview of Kubrick's career and his involvement with the picture. Included also are sketches Kubrick made for the motion picture (artistically they're nothing special but they do provide insight into Kubrick's role in the visualization of the film). Included are some vintage newsreels and a promotional film originally made but unfinished for Spartacus that gives us a glimpse behind the scenes. The promotional film is missing it's soundtrack (in fact, it might have been lost if not for the forsight of a private collector) and has much from North's score. We also get to glimpse at Saul Bass' wonderful title design sequence.
Criterion has been both praised and criticized for their DVDs and laserdiscs before. While they tend to be expensive, this is the complete package. Occasionally Criterion will release a package that isn't up to their usual standards. Spartacus isn't one of them. Robert Harris (Harris restored the film along with Vertigo)evidently was also involved in the transfer to DVD. If you want a spectacular transfer of the film, loads of extras about the making and background of the project from those involved, this is the set to pick up.
Here's the main problem: most all the film grain and fine detail have been completely wiped out in a clumsy attempt to remove video noise. Which begs the question: so what's the point of owning it on blu-ray?
What's worse is that it didn't have to be this way. But I guess this is what happens when an indifferent media conglomerate has complete control over a masterpiece. Check out Robert Harris's (the man who restored the film years ago) extremely negative review of this blu-ray on the web. I thought maybe he was overdoing it a bit, but no. It's even worse than he says. If you have the Criterion DVDSpartacus Criterion Collection, just hang on to it for now.
Buy Spartacus (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) (1960) Now
The Movie:I've been letting this one sit in my collection for a few months before I let loose on it. This is one of my personal favorite movies. In the "swords and sandals" genre I think it is among the finest it has a stirring story, a wonderful sense of scope, a great soundtrack, and a set of truly exceptional performances, including screen greats such as Laurence Olivier, Peter Ustinov, and Kirk Douglas. Although it doesn't display the sort of technical mastery that Kubrick would assert on his later films, there is still a certain Kubrickian something to the direction, as well. Certain camera moves, certain lingering shots, certain compositions. All told, it's a great movie and a great representation of the 1950-60s "epic" motion picture tradition. At 3-plus hours, it always remains brisk and entertaining, and it's a movie I frequently revisit because of its richness and replay value.
The Blu-Ray:
But then we get to this transfer. Having owned the Criterion DVD edition of this film, I was well acquainted with its look and feel.
This Blu-Ray transfer has been stripped of all natural film grain. As such, a level of fine detail is missing from the image, one which has been compensated for by the application of edge enhancement (quite noticeable on the tall iron bars frequently visible in the gladiator school) and an artificially boosted contrast.
On the plus side, the image *is* more detailed than the Criterion DVD. Interested viewers ought to search "spartacus dvdbeaver" in order to see that site's comparison between the Criterion DVD and the Universal Blu-Ray. You should be able to note that several of the comparison shots show that mid-sized details are much sharper. But fine details such as film grain are gone. It should also be rather apparent that colors have been juiced up for this release as well Kirk Douglas was always a bronzed sort of guy, but he looks like he spent a few too many hours in the tanning salon for this release. The most revealing comparison is the shot of Douglas being painted to show "kill zones" by his instructor. Details on the instructor's uniform like his metal buckles are clearer. But check out the high contrast areas such as the metal bars in the lower left there is practically a double image made of edge enhancement halos. The flesh tones also are hot and unrealistic. Facial details at this distance look waxy.
The irritating aspect of Universal's thought process is that there was apparently a fresh, restored celluloid interpositive from 1991 that could have been re-transferred at only nominal cost. Instead, the studio went with the cheaper option of using the inferior early-90's HD transfer of that interpositive, a transfer that Richard Harris (who oversaw the 1991 restoration) has called flawed in the extreme, riddled with noise. This noise was washed away with DNR, and then compensated for with edge enhancement.
So in the end, this is sort of a textbook case for a middling Blu-Ray transfer. Sure, it looks better than a DVD. But it is obvious that we're missing so much more that we could have seen. I'd call this comparable to decent cable television HD. Smooth, compressed, pleasing to the uncritical eye, but unsatisfying to those who wish their movies to look like they were shot on film, not on a computer.
The audio is quite nice. The DTS soundtrack presents the booming music score quite well, and the voice acting always comes through well. Extras of course fall short compared to the Criterion release, which had an entire extra disc to its credit. But we do get deleted scenes, some classic interviews and newsreels, some behind the scenes footage, and a trailer. Had we not known of the Criterion DVD, I think most would be pleased. But the lack of commentary and the lack of a comprehensive making-of documentary are glaring. A movie like this cries out for a discussion of writer Dalton Trumbo, Kubrick's tension with actor-producer Douglas, the Hollywood blacklist, and the many elements that slipped past censors of the day.
Conclusion:
As it stands, I can't go above three stars, here. The movie is undeniably great. Those who enjoy historical epics will find a lot to love. But the video transfer is significantly flawed (though perhaps not fatally so). That makes this an "average" home video purchase at best.
This is a stopgap. I think it's worth buying at a low price, in order to have a version of this film in high definition. But we can only hope that either Criterion gets the rights back from Universal and does their usual respectful job, or the powers that be at Universal pull their heads from their rears and decide to treat this classic the way it deserves to be: with a fresh, modern HD transfer from film elements that will give us a truly filmic presentation of a great flick.
Read Best Reviews of Spartacus (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) (1960) Here
I have reviewed this film at length, with links available under external reviews at the IMDB; however, I want to encourage readers to check out the Criterion Special Edition for the extras. The best feature on the 2nd disk is an interview with Peter Ustinov where he tells some of the background "dirt" behind Sparatus--hilariously scrunching up his face and immitating the great Charles Laughton to tell us about the ego wars that Laughton conducted with Sir Laurence Olivier.Then by all means turn on the main commentary to hear original author Howard Fast (fired from writing the screenplay by Douglas for being too slow) absolutely rip into Douglas for his acting. I had to recue it to make sure I heard some of these criticisms correctly--far different fare than the usual promotional tone of most commentaries. The others offering commentaries are uncensored in their criticism as well, so count this as the most honest and refreshing commentaries on the market!
Want Spartacus (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) (1960) Discount?
Well, call me a romantic but I still love this picture. Yes, it's a bit dated in technique, and it was restrained in its depictions of sex and violence and adult themes by the Hays office (the official Hollywood censor board). And it has a bit of Hollywoodness in its love story and presentation (music etc.), but it also had heart and it strived to evoke a spirit of rebellion and defiance of oppression that moved me way back when and still does today.And I don't give a tinker's damn what Howard Fast's, Dalton Trumbo's, or Kirk Douglas's for that matter, politics were...it's a helluva an entertaining movie!
Stanley Kubrick replaced Anthony Mann after production began. He had decried the film and script because it wasn't the one he would have written, but I think he did a good job just bringing this effort off and he was able to tone down or eliminate much of the Hollywoodisms. The matter-of-factness of Varinia's having to offer herself, the icily calm and detached way Olivier dispatches Woody Strode like an animal, though he is unnerved by the meaning of the attack. These are Kubrickian touches.
In the extra goodies in this Criterion effort, we discover that it was a very difficult shoot with everyone fighting with everyone. You had 4 major egos at battle: Kubrick, Douglas, Olivier & Laughton...each with his own ideas about what was or wasn't important. Would have been nice to have Stanley's comments, but we do get Douglas, Fast, & (most amusingly) Peter Ustinov's recollections.
All that is interesting, but beside the point. Why I love Spartacus is: the great Gladiator school sequence; the genuine warmth and relaxed sexiness of Douglas & Jean Simmons (lovely & luscious)together; the depiction of Rome at its height of power and the nice interplay between the corrupt but true democrat Laughton and the haughty and superior Olivier, whose lust for order and power is a far more sinister corruption; the wonderfully flawed & human Ustinov and the affection and warmth of his scenes with Laughton (much of which he wrote and they worked out together); great battles; and finally, the haunting image of the road to Rome decorated with the crucified remnants of Spartacus's slave army.
This last is why I return to this movie again and again. When the slaves lose, as they had to lose fighting against the awsome power of Rome, and the defeated remaining men standup and claim they are Spartacus knowing crucifixion will follow their gesture; and, Spartacus too goes to the cross but swears to Crassus over the dead body of Antoninus (Tony Curtis) "he'll be back and he'll be thousands"....well, it gets the blood moving. I love defiance in defeat.
And the last scene, with Varinia holding up his son to the silently dieing Spartacus saying "he's free" may be Hollywood corn to some, but it was just that small note of hope that makes movies emotional experiences rather than academic exercises to me. You can have the razzle dazzle of Gladiator, I will take the emotional heart of Spartacus any day. There is still something thrilling & uplifting in watching someone go down to defeat with chin raised (cleft and all) in defiance. Probably 4 to 4-1/2 stars, but will always be 5 to me for sheer entertainment.
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