Spartacus: Blood and Sand

Plot synopsis:
In the 1st century BC, the Roman Republic has slid into corruption, its menial work done by armies of slaves. One of these, a proud and gifted man named Spartacus (Kirk Douglas), is so uncooperative in his servitude that he is sentenced to fight as a gladiator. He is trained at a school run by the unctuous Roman businessman Lentulus Batiatus (Peter Ustinov), who instructs Spartacus's trainer Marcellus (Charles McGraw) to not overdo his indoctrination because he thinks "he has quality". Amid the abuse, Spartacus forms a quiet relationship with a serving woman named Varinia (Jean Simmons), whom he refuses to rape when she is sent to "entertain" him in his cell.
Batiatus receives a visit from the Roman senator Marcus Licinius Crassus (Laurence Olivier), who aims to become dictator of Rome. Crassus buys Varinia on a whim, and for the amusement of his companions arranges for Spartacus and three others to fight in pairs. When Spartacus is disarmed, his opponent, an African named Draba (Woody Strode), spares his life in a burst of compassion and attacks the Roman audience, but is killed by an arena guard and Crassus. The next day, with the school's atmosphere still tense over this episode, Batiatus takes Varinia away to Crassus's house in Rome. Spartacus kills Marcellus, who was taunting him over this, and their fight escalates into a riot. The gladiators overwhelm their guards and escape into the Italian countryside.
Spartacus is elected chief of the fugitives and decides to lead them out of Italy and back to their homes. They plunder Roman country estates as they go, collecting enough money to buy sea transport from Rome's foes, the pirates of Cilicia. Countless other slaves join the group, making it as large as an army. One of the new arrivals is Varinia, who escaped while being delivered to Crassus. Another is a slave entertainer named Antoninus (Tony Curtis), who also fled Crassus's service after the Roman tried to seduce him. Privately, Spartacus feels mentally inadequate because of his lack of education during years of servitude. However, he proves an excellent leader and organizes his diverse followers into a tough and self-sufficient community. Varinia, now his informal wife, becomes pregnant by him, and he also comes to regard the spirited Antoninus as a sort of son.
The Roman Senate becomes increasingly alarmed as Spartacus defeats the multiple armies it sends against him. Crassus's populist opponent Gracchus (Charles Laughton) knows that his rival will try to use the crisis as a justification for seizing control of the Roman army. To try and prevent this, Gracchus channels as much military power as possible into the hands of his own protege, a young senator named Julius Caesar (John Gavin). Although Caesar lacks Crassus's contempt for the lower classes of Rome, he mistakes the man's rigid outlook for nobility. Thus, when Gracchus reveals that he has bribed the Cilicians to get Spartacus out of Italy and rid Rome of the slave army, Caesar regards such tactics as beneath him and goes over to Crassus.
Crassus uses a bribe of his own to make the pirates abandon Spartacus and has the Roman army secretly force the rebels away from the coastline towards Rome. Amid panic that Spartacus means to sack the city, the Senate gives Crassus absolute power. Now surrounded by Romans, Spartacus convinces his men to die fighting. Just by rebelling and proving themselves human, he says that they have struck a blow against slavery. In the ensuing battle, after initially breaking the ranks of Crassus's legions, the slave army ends up trapped between Crassus and two other forces advancing from behind, and most of them are massacred. Afterward, the Romans try to locate the rebel leader for special punishment by offering a pardon (and return to enslavement) if the men will identify Spartacus, living or dead. Every surviving man responds by shouting "I'm Spartacus!" (an idea from Fast's novel, not documented by history). As a result, Crassus has them all sentenced to death by crucifixion along the Via Appia.
Meanwhile, Crassus has found Varinia and Spartacus's newborn son and has taken them prisoner. He is disturbed by the idea that Spartacus can command more love and loyalty than he can and hopes to compensate by making Varinia as devoted to him as she was to her former husband. When she rejects him, he furiously seeks out Spartacus (whom he recognizes from having watched him in the arena) and forces him to fight Antoninus to the death. The survivor is to be crucified, along with all the other men captured after the great battle. Spartacus kills Antoninus to spare him this fate. The incident leaves Crassus worried about Spartacus's potential to live in legend as a martyr. In other matters, he is also worried about Caesar, who he senses will someday eclipse him.
Gracchus, having seen Rome fall into tyranny, commits suicide. Before doing so, he bribes his friend Batiatus to rescue Spartacus's family from Crassus and carry them away to freedom. On the way out of Rome, the group pass under Spartacus's cross. Varinia is able to comfort him in his dying moments by showing him his little son, who will grow up without ever having been a slave.

Tags: violence, revenge, murder, historical fiction

Review:
It's hard even to catch your breath after what I have just seen: The last episode offers the greatest form of chatarsis I have ever witnessed/felt in a TV show.I will root for Spartacus in season 2 (and 3, and 4).Sorry about the spelling errors and such..
This show, even after the less than spectacular pilot, can be and for the moment is great and it's not the gore or sex that make it so.In 300, Rome and even Gladiator, to which Spartacus: Blood and Sand is usually compared, the main characters are free men and women, people who act on their generally free will(yes, even in Gladiator).
Spartacus: Blood and Sand displays the Roman world through the eyes of the downtrodden, the helpless and the people without rights - the enslaved, THE underdogs, who eventually tried to defy the might of Rome, who lost and lost in an epic and tragic way and in their fall still achieved greatness and immortality.
Among the nudity, spilling blood and duel sequences, Spartacus: Blood and Sand shows the viewer why freedom is such a cherished thing, what happens when we lose it and why people throughout time have risen to regain it and died pursuing it or defending it.
Why am i so excited by it then: For the ones that want to see fights, blood, brutality, sex, men looking like gods, blood, erotica, excitement, blood, swearing, allot of skulls being bashed, sweat, savagery, arena fights, honor, friendships intrigues, assassinations, and lets not forget some more blood, this is a show for you.It is brutal and it is one of the best shows out there.
If you want a series about Roman history, one can watch HBO's Rome (a very fine TV show).
If you want to see a trashy and outrageously entertaining TV show with nonstop gore and nudity (both male and female) as well as graphic sex, Spartacus (very loosely based on the history of Ancient Rome's slave gladiator turned rebel leader) should be the choice.Supposedly, TV shows are by necessity tamer than movies, yet I haven't seen any movie as consistently graphic about sex and violence as Spartacus.
its been said many times on this site but i want to add by voice, Spartacus is the TV show now and one of the best ever, along with Sons of Anarchy.sure it started life as a 300 clone but now the story line, acting, characters, plots twists, everything are beyond the best TV and movies ever made.
all TV and movie writers should study this to see how real characters are developed and stories created.and the acting, where to start, Andy Whitfield and John Hannah are brilliant and Peter Mensah just owns the screen every time he's on camera.
A Little Too Much Sex, But a Whole Lot of Fun. I've been looking very forward to the Starz original series "Spartacus: Blood and Sand." And I'm happy to say that if you were looking forward to it, you're in for a wild ride.They tell you right in the front of this show that this is meant to be an intense depiction of Rome.
It is one of the most graphic TV shows I've ever seen.However, if you liked 300 (which I did) and you see the slow motion as a way to rise the intensity and that the graphic violence/sexual content is meant to connect with the characters towards some degree, you will enjoy this show.
But it's not only a story full of blood and gore and sex and nudity; it also has a lot of character to it and a lot of substance.Andy Whitfield is brilliant as "Spartacus." He drives the character and makes you feel for him.
There was one moment where it looked like a video game, but only for a second.it's not only a story full of blood and gore and sex and nudity; it also has a lot of character to it and a lot of substance.So if you like sword and sandal epics and you don't mind gore and nudity, Spartacus: Blood and Sand is the show for you.
I personally thought it was a fun, kick ass, macho show, and while it does have a little too much sex and reminds me a lot about 300, it'll definitely keep my attention for the next episode.Spartacus: Blood and Sand airs on Friday at 10 o' clock on Starz..
Like the gladiatorial games it draws from, 'Spartacus - Blood and Sand' is a spectacle of violence, gore and sexy naked bodies.That's why it's such fun.'Spartacus BaS' definitely has its roots in the Raimi & Tapert school of "fun", though.Both '300' and 'Gladiator' are often over-rated; like 'Spartacus BaS' they are also "fun" movies that weren't brain-dead yet didn't require much more than simply sitting back and enjoying them.
While I rank the likes of 'Rome' VERY highly, it was more of a period drama (like 'I, Claudius' before it) than an action series, and it boasted a far higher budget and attempt at realism than BaS.Unlike some shows (even many excellent ones) the episodes are extremely well-paced, never feeling overlong yet a lot happens in each; every one almost feels like a mini-movie, and while we are left wanting more, there are so far none of the forced "cliffhangers" shows like 'Lost' and '24' make us suffer through over and over again.On the casting front, I'm very glad (and not just for the obvious reasons) that Lucy Lawless was so up for this, as she really has fun with her (admittedly Attia-like) role, also proving to mainstream audiences that Xena was not just a "fluke", while John Hannah lends weight to proceedings and Viva Bianca really "gets" what this is about and provides an enormous addition to the sense of fun and enjoyment as she plays the kind of spoiled rich girl that crosses genres.
In fact, fans of Australian and New Zealand made shows will recognize a lot of the cast, and its great to see cameos by some old RenPics favorites.While the overuse of CGI gets annoying (it reminds my of late 90's "movie" video games like 'Wing Commander III' when ALL the sets were green screens!) I'll take that over NO scope or action (even 'Rome' - though for their own reasons - never went the "huge scale" path with massive Colosseum events or field battles).Spartacus (played by Andy Whitfield with just the right mix of determination and self-pity) gets on my nerves a bit for being such a blatant idiot at times, making both typical "movie mistakes" ("let the bad guy live", etc.) and very human ones.
But it is very nice, on the other hand, to have a "heroic" series/character who is still very flawed and (thankfully) far from the best fighter in the show.'Spartacus BaS' takes a while to get going, and the pilot definitely visually and stylistically feels more '300' than perhaps it should, but once we get to the training school, we're in much more solid territory.It isn't original...
But this is something to expect in a genre that is both based in history and has a fairly narrow list of (decent) fellow entries.So far, I've seen only three episodes, but - for what I understand to be a "startup" network's first big show - I think it succeeds wonderfully and shows great promise...
I don't know much about the original story of Spartacus, but the action and blood flows like the waters of Niagra Falls.
Spartacus has been a drug since the first episode, and proved popular not only with my testosterone filled male friends, but with the females as well.Spartacus has everything that today's public truly desires: violence, sex and a good story, ironically the same things we desired back in the Roman times when the sand was wet with blood in the arenas.
Spartacus is not for the older ones either as the violent and sexual filler (the purpose of teenagers' lives) is too great and the story is not of fine flavour, like a good wine, but rather of an overwhelming taste, like a big juicy steak - great for some, but others just can't chew through it.Edit: it seems the website played a prank.
Didn't initially think I would like it due to violence and gore, but the stories of the characters and their plights, loves and lives grip you almost immediately.
I have been told to watch Spartacus for a while now and I have spent the last few weeks being mesmerised by this show for its violence, sex and awesome characters.
However, similar to the spin off series gods of the arena my biggest criticism of this show is the overuse of slow mo, it gets better as the show progresses but it is just really jarring especially when it is used for things that aren't action scenes where it feels really unnecessary.
This series is not for people who liked "Rome." You are not going to find good acting, dialogue, writing, or likable characters here.
I've been reading through some of the reviews people have written and I have to ask, have we been watching the same show???Spartacus is by far the best new show on television!!!
Too bad Andy Whitfield has cancer, but it would be great to see a prequel surrounding the Gladiator School and its characters before Spartacus arrives.
Andy Whitfield as the title character Spartacus does a credible job but I can't overcome the idea he's in the part because someone in Hollywood thought he'd just look good.
Spartacus: Blood And Sand Season 1 review I watched this series with great reluctance, having been urged to do so by my 20 year old son.
May I just say that even after years since I've watched Spartacus: Blood an Sand it is still the first thing I recommend to people when I get asked if I know any good TV series.
And yes, these series are brutal, contain violence, blood and hardcore sex, but it is just a cherry on top of a great story and dialogue, winning my heart over Game of Thrones any time of the day.The first season is just a masterpiece of plot twists and tension, which - if watched alone - makes for a perfect story on its own.
Is the first time I write a review on IMDb , I could not resit to do it since this TV series brought me a so deep addiction like never.Spartacus is all about blood ,violence , brutal fights , political intrigue , sex and even a bit of love ,all this things are very well connected together and every time an episode ends you just wish the next come soon and the addiction to watch the next one grow stronger on you.When I finish to watch the first episode I was like...hmm...nice ....but I never thought was became so good and addictive , and I'm writing this review after watching episode 9.Each episode's ending is leaving you with the hope to watch the next as soon as possible and the story is growing more every time with deep intrigues and awesome fights in the arenas,surprising you with good visual effects ( a mix between "300" and "Glatiator") , the acting are impressive for a TV series and the main actors deserve an Oscar !!
For sure Spartacus is a very mature TV series which must be watch by only mature peoples due the huge amount of nudity and sex scenes.I wish Spartacus with the time, will not loose the interest that has kept my attention and my addiction till now but continuing surprising me every episode.Glory to Spartacus....may the gods be with you..
My equation for Spartacus is very straightforward"Spartacus" = 5 x "Games of thrones"If you like history & action; this is a must watch TV series.
It tries to be 300 without the budget (I'm pretty sure just about all of it was filmed in front of a green screen and it just comes off looking really cheesy), Gladiator without the acting (the main character wasn't terrible though I can't say the same for most everyone else), and Rome without decent writing (the dialogue is just weak).So if you're looking for soft-core porn with B rate special effects and action this might be for you, otherwise I would suggest leaving this one alone..
Still, thats not a flaw with Spartacus, its just a fan pipe-dream.For those new to the show or looking to give it a go, the pilot (which hooked me) is not the best episode by far, it just sets up the characters but feels more stylised than the rest of the series.
I've been watching "Spartacus" series from the very beginning and IMHO only 3 actors were good in this NON-historical, but hysterical porn movie: Andy (RIP), the actor playing Batiatus (Uncle in "Mummy") and the actor playing Enomaius (who is god knows why Afro-American male, when in reality he was a gaul).
i just got done watching a few episodes of this show .which was more then i needed to see.i understand its on t.v and you have a budget but this show is horrible it's like a cheesy scifi channel rip off of 300 .the CGI graphic's are laughable .the gore and violence is almost slapstick .the nudity and sex of course are thrown in to sell the show .my opinion most times when any kind of show or film throws in excessive nudity or graphic almost pornographic sex scene .You know it's to distract from the lack of quality of that particular show or film your watching .
This is not a review but a word of caution: When a few weeks ago my wife suggested we watch 'Spartacus'--knowing our mutual penchant for series like 'Lost', 'Downton Abbey', 'Satisfaction', 'True Blood'.
It turned out that the fake landscapes via computer and the fake dripping of blood from episode 1 could be easily overlooked for the wonderfully absorbing story over the next 30+ episodes.To add to above, this series was the best introduction to the ancient Rome's society.We just finished watching the last episode of the last season (Season 3, episode 10).
Well if you haven't watched any of the previous Spartacus series, this is certainly not the best place to start, either of Blood and Sand or Gods of the Arena is.The 3rd series: Vengeance, was unfortunately the weakest of all 4 series.
I watched it to see the story complete, but it wasn't much more.So how can the 4th series be better when the 3rd series had been worse and faced with unavoidable issues like even more memorable have been eliminated from the show (through death) and that we know the inevitable fate of Spartacus?Well they found answers in abundance, and none to excess.
Spartacus is an addicting show that never gets boring, it's a very action packed show with lots of blood, sex, intrigue, betrayal and revenge, i liked the show since the first episode that till now it's the best series premiere i've ever seen, the show is epic and very well acted, there's a lot of charismatic characters and even charismatic villains who you root for, is a show i recommend for everyone cause it's very much one of the most epic shows i've ever seen, it's the kind of show you just want more and more and you just can't get enough.
The special effects are great, the fights are awesome, the cast is impressive (worth to mention John Hannah, Lucy Lawless, Viva Bianca, Andy Whitfield, Dustin Clare, Katrina Law, Manu Bennett, Liam McIntyre,Lesley Ann-Brandt and Craig Parker), i hope desperately Spartacus return in all it's glory for more seasons and prequels, the show mixes historical events with great action packed scenes and revenge plots, it's like 300, but 1000 times better..
The series was inspired by the historical figure of Spartacus, a Thracian gladiator who from 73 to 71 BCE led a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic departing from Capua.After the completion of the first season titled Spartacus: Blood and Sand, production for another season was delayed because lead actor Andy Whitfield was diagnosed with early-stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma so Starz produced a six-episode prequel mini-series entitled Spartacus: Gods of the Arena.
Spartacus was probably one of the best television series I have ever watched in my life.
Despite other TV series, its end don't let you disappointed, even if like me, you already know about the history of Spartacus.
A must see for anyone who likes history, battles, great characters and tons of bloody scenes!
Review of Blood and Sand: After ROME, I've always been on the look out for adult-oriented historical TV series that bring ancient eras to life in all their vivid, bloody glory.
SPARTACUS: BLOOD AND SAND came out a couple of years ago, and only now have I caved in to see what all the fuss is about; I'm glad I did, because this gladiator drama is every bit the equal of ROME.I'll admit that the first couple of episodes (the first series runs for 13) left me distinctly ambivalent.
Still top drawer entertainment throughout, excellent fight scenes combined with truly intriguing plotting.Review of Vengeance: Fans who wondered whether SPARTACUS could continue in the wake of star Andy Whitfield's death needn't have worried: VENGEANCE proves to be a decent follow up to BLOOD & SAND, offering the same kind of plotting and intrigue that fans of the show love, albeit with a few changes to the format.It's not quite as good as the first couple of seasons, and that's due to some minor flaws in the writing.
And, let's face it, none of the episodes could ever hope to equal the brilliance of BLOOD & SAND's season finale, KILL THEM ALL.It's still great entertainment though.
The sex and violence have been upped, and the blood looks much less CGI-like than in the original show.