Spartacus (1960) – The Epic Hero

For your fourth blog post assignment, I would like you to write a fully developed blog post with multimedia annotations that touches on your experience annotating and interpreting Spartacus. I would like you to discuss the following elements (a few lines for each element should probably suffice, but you should write at least 200-250 words):

1) What are some of the elements of the “Epic” film genre (review the notes on Quo Vadis if you forget)? Is Spartacus an “Epic” film?

2) The character of Spartacus has often been seen as a quintessential epic hero. In your opinion, is Spartacus a hero? What makes him a hero?

3) Spartacus is directed by one of the most famous and technically exacting directors in film history, Stanley Kubrick. Discuss one or two scenes that stand out as particularly impressive instances of film direction. Think about the formal elements of filmmaking: narrative, mise-en-scène, camera work, editing, and sound. Kubrick was especially influential in terms of cinematography, so pay close attention to how he uses the camera.

4) Two of the main themes of Spartacus are the quest for freedom and the inhuman nature of slavery. In your opinion, how are these themes represented in Spartacus?

5) How was the classical world of ancient Rome portrayed in Spartacus? Based on your knowledge, was it authentic or simply generic? Did the director and screenwriters try to follow the historical evidence for Spartacus’ revolt or did they change it to make the story more entertaining?

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