Universal Pictures released Spartacus to theaters on November 17, 1960. Stanley Kubrick directed the film starring Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, and Jean Simmons.
‘Spartacus’ Criterion Summary
Stanley Kubrick directed a cast of screen legends—including Kirk Douglas as the indomitable gladiator that led a Roman slave revolt—in the sweeping epic that defined a genre and ushered in a new Hollywood era. The assured acting, lush Technicolor cinematography, bold costumes, and visceral fight sequences won Spartacus four Oscars; the blend of politics and sexual suggestion scandalized audiences. Today Kubrick’s controversial classic, the first film to openly defy Hollywood’s blacklist, remains a landmark of cinematic artistry and history.
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Universal Pictures released Spartacus on November 17, 1960. Stanley Kubrick directed the film starring Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, and Jean Simmons.
Nice to hear the love for nightmare Alley! Chris and Shane mentioned it as well on the last noir podcast. I certainly think it’s a possibility, criterion has been doing a lot of noirs lately – Moonrise, Breaking Point, Detour, In A Lonely Place, Asphalt Jungle, They Live By Night. All are worth seeing, if you haven’t. Very excited about Short Cuts podcast
Also anthony Mann is a pretty highly regarded director today by film critics. He Showed violence in sort of an unprecedented way for the time. Made some great noirs(Raw Deal, Border Incident), great westerns(Winchester 73, The Naked Spur, Man of the West) great epics(el cid, fall of the Roman Empire)
It’s sort of odd that he had so much conflict on Spartacus with Kirk Douglas, yet they ended up working together a few years later on Heroes of Telemark.
Would you put Nightmare Alley in your top 100?
I haven’t compiled a top 100, but if I did it’s certainly possible nightmare Alley would make it. Are you a fan of Short Cuts?
I have only watched it once, and remember liking it. I do like Raymond Carver stories a lot too.