worth it

Rating: Null/10 (28 January 2004)

For some reason, this was the one of the great 1950s-60s classics I had never seen, not to mention the one Kubrick classic I'd missed. But I finally watched it (letterbox, of course) on DVD and have to say, I see why it's considered a classic. From what I've heard and read of the true story of Spartacus, it strays a bit, and some of the stars (Douglas, Curtis) stay a little too well-groomed throughout the movie, but overall, it is an incredible film. It is more David Lean than Kubrick, but there are some excellent touches that remind you it is Kubrick (the snail-oyster thing, of course). And, as with any film in which I've ever seen him, Charles Laughton is just a bulbous, but overwhelming presence. He is in charge of virtually every scene he's in.