Joshua Mun
Period 5
APLAC
Review of Spartacus
Stanley Kubrick's Spartacus
is by all definitions of the
word, great. When the film came out in 1960, audiences were
captivated by the epic tale of the enslaved Spartacus' ill-fated
journey to secure freedom in the face of the oppressive Roman empire.
With numerous Academy Awards under its belt, Spartacus
surely won the approval of
critics around the country. But what makes it such a great film? The
answer isn't simple- there are numerous factors that determine the
quality of a film.
For
one, a great film must have a compelling plot- a story that grips the
audience and makes them genuinely interested. In addition, great
films must have fantastic actors who are able to portray their
characters with skill and passion. Finally, the audience must be able
to extract a deeper meaning from the film- a message that the author
conveys through the movie.
Sure
enough, Spartacus
features a compelling story. The film was set far in the past, when
the Roman empire was still in power. Spartacus, a slave doomed to a
life of slavery, finds himself sold to the gladiatorial school of
Batiatus. Here, gladiators were trained to fight and die for the
Romans' entertainment. At the school, he meets Varinia, a fellow
slave, whom he instantly falls in love with. After months of
intensive training, Spartacus becomes a hardened gladiator but still
clings onto the hope of freedom. Sure enough, Spartacus leads a
successful rebellion against his captors and assumes leadership of
the newly-freed band of slaves. Meanwhile, the Roman Senate is
scrambling to deal with the rebellion. They send multiple armies
after the slaves but the slaves manage to dispatch every obstacle in
their path to freedom. Ultimately, the forces of Spartacus eventually
find themselves surrounded, faced with overwhelming numbers of
Romans. The final battle is short and ends with the capture of
Spartacus and his men. Crassus, a Roman officer, offers the slaves
the opportunity to be spared death if Spartacus reveals himself.
Before Spartacus stands, every slave rises up and proclaims, “I am
Spartacus,” guaranteeing that each of them would die an agonizing
death by crucifixion. By this time, Varinia has escaped and is about
to leave Rome with her newborn son when she sees a crucified
Spartacus. Overcome with grief, she shows him their son and assures
him that the child will learn “who his father was, and what he
dreamed of.” As Varinia leaves on a carriage, Spartacus watches her
go before slumping his head, indicating his death.
Rarely
does such a talented group of actors assemble to work in a single
film. Kubrick's vision would not have come to life on the screen had
it not been for the fantastic performances by Kirk Douglas and the
supporting cast. Douglas' natural depiction of a defiant slave
captivates the audience and draws them into the film. His talent
especially shines in the scene where he parts ways with Varinia for
the final time. Although he didn't have a single line in that
particular scene, he is able to convey sorrow wordlessly through his
facial expressions.
Finally,
a film must have deeper meaning. This is where Spartacus
truly shines; on a superficial level, the film is an action-packed,
epic story with a dramatic ending. Delve deeper into it, and you find
that there is a remarkable amount of sophistication behind Kubrick's
masterpiece. One scene of special importance occurs late in the film.
After Spartacus is crucified, Julius Caesar asks Crassus if he fears
Spartacus. Crassus responds, “Not when I fought him, I knew he
could be beaten. But now I fear him, even more than I fear you.” In
death, Spartacus has become more powerful than he had ever been. He
has become a martyr- a source of inspiration for slaves and
irrefutable proof that even the mighty Roman empire could tremble
before a single man.
Another
meaningful scene takes place as Crassus is marveling over the glory
of Rome. He proclaims, “Rome is an eternal thought in the mind of
God.” Someone else notes, “I'd no idea you'd grown religious.”
Crassus replies, “It doesn't matter. If there were no gods at all
I'd still revere them. If there were no Rome, I'd still dream of
her.” This scene symbolizes how humans often delude themselves into
believing what they want to believe. Despite the fact that the Roman
empire was corrupt to its very core, Crassus genuinely believed that
even God favored it.
Some
might argue that Spartacus
is overly romantic at some scenes; especially when Spartacus is with
Varinia. I'm sure everyone can relate to the idea of having someone
you can always rely on. That's what Varinia is for Spartacus; someone
who gives Spartacus genuine happiness even when the rest of his life
is filled with suffering. Furthermore, it's important to note the
difference in Spartacus' behavior. Around Varinia, he is only
concerned with her; he's no longer the courageous leader of slaves,
but the passionate lover. I believe Spartacus put it best when he
said, “Who wants to fight? An animal can learn to fight. But to say
beautiful things, and to make people believe them...” Spartacus was
happiest around with Varinia's hand in his own, not a sword.
Works
Cited:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054331/quotes
First off, phenomenal introduction including when it was released and how it has remained a classic. You did a nice job opening with the numerous factors, and then explaining each one individually. You stated your criteria for why this movie was so good clearly and you had quality backing from specific examples in the movie. I also liked how you were witty and ruthless in your rebuttal, completely denying the critics in a clever way.
ReplyDeleteThe only downside was your lack of an appeal to ethos with actual quotes from critics and reviews. Also, you glorified the movie too much, even though it is impossible for a movie to be good all-around, unless that movie is Rear Window by Alfred Hitchcock ;)
This was just a beautifully crafted essay. You defined what a "great film" was early on, and were thus able to focus your writing around this criteria. This kept the essay on point as it progressed. Additionally, the specific examples you talked about were very appropriate for what you were talking about, which again strengthens your argument. The summary was fabulous. It gave just enough detail, so that the audience could gain a general feel for the movie, but still left many points open, as to make the audience want to watch Spartacus for themselves. Your rebuttal is at a perfect contrast to the opposition, and greatly undermines those against your ideas. Unlike @Bender, I do not think you "glorified the movie too much." You are arguing that the movie is good, so therefore you have to make it sound good! Which you did! Good Job!
ReplyDelete