The fall of the Roman Empire
By: Samuel Bronston presents ; screenplay by Ben Barzman, Basilio Franchina, Philip Yordan ; produced by Samuel Bronston ; directed by Anthony Mann
Contributors: Loren, Sophia, 1934- actor; Boyd, Stephen, 1928-1977, actor; Guinness, Alec, 1914-2000, actor; Mason, James, 1909-1984, actor; Plummer, Christopher, actor; Quayle, Anthony, 1913-1989, actor; Ireland, John, 1914-1992, actor; Sharif, Omar, 1932-2015, actor; Ferrer, Mel, actor; Krasker, Robert, cinematographer; Tiomkin, Dimitri, 1894-1979, composer; Samuel Bronston Productions, Inc; Weinstein Company Home Entertainment (Firm); Genius Products, Inc
Edition: Two-disc deluxe ed.; widescreen format (2.20:1).
Series: The Miriam collection -- 2; Miriam collection -- 2.
Publisher: Weinstein Company Home Entertainment; Distributed by Genius Products
Published: 2008
Place of publication: [New York, N.Y.]; Santa Monica, CA
Language: eng
Format: [videorecording] /
Number of pages: 185
ISBN-13: 9781594447365
Subjects: Drama; Succession; Emperors; History
Other titles: Fall of the Roman Empire (Motion picture)
Description: Marcus Aurelius Antonius, the philosopher-emperor of Rome, summons his empire's governors and princes to his German war headquarters for a Pax Romanus. He confides to his daughter, Lucilla, that his adopted son, Livius, will succeed him instead of his more unstable heir, Commodus. Overhearing this, Cleander, a blind prophet loyal to Commodus, presents Marcus with a poisoned apple. After the funeral, Livius, who does not share Lucilla's ambition for himself or Rome, allows Commodus to proclaim himself emperor. While pestilence ravages Rome, Commodus continues his vain, licentious behavior. He ultimately neglects to deal with all symptoms of unrest and banishing anyone reminding him of his responsibilities.

A fictionalized account of the ascension of Roman Emperor Commodus, in which Commodus assassinates his father (Emperor Marcus Aurelius) when he learns that Aurelius had planned to name Aurelius' adopted son Livius (a fictional character) as Aurelius' successor.
Notes: Originally produced as a motion picture in 1964.

Special features (disc 1, 26 min.): optional audio commentary by Bill Bronston (son of producer Samuel Bronston) and Mel Martin (biographer of Samuel Bronston); "Rome in Madrid" promotional film (c1964, 22 min.); theatrical trailer (4 min.); behind-the-scenes stills gallery; promotional material stills gallery; filmographies (Bronston, Mann, Tiomkin, Barzman, Franchina, Boyd, Loren, Guinness, Mason, Plummer, Sharif, Quayle, Ferrer, Ireland).

Special features (disc 2, 70 min.): "The rise and fall of an epic production" making-of featurette (29 min.); "The rise and fall of an Empire" historical featurette (11 min.); "Hollywood vs. History" historical featurette (10 min.); "Dimitri Tiomkin : scoring the Roman Empire" biographical featurette (20 min.).

"Enhanced for widescreen TVs" -- Container.

Director of photography, Robert Krasker ; film editor, Robert Lawrence ; music composed and conducted by Dimitri Tiomkin.

Sophia Loren, Stephen Boyd, Alec Guinness, James Mason, Christopher Plummer, Anthony Quayle, John Ireland, Omar Sharif, Mel Ferrer.

Filmed at Bronston Studios in Madrid, Spain.

Not rated by the MPAA.

DVD, region 1; Dolby digital 5.1.

In English, with optional Spanish subtitles.

Subtitled for the deaf and hard-of-hearing.

Golden Globes, USA, 1965: Golden Globe - Best Original Score (Dimitri Tiomkin)
Table of contents: title: Disc 1 (89 min.); title: disc 2 (96 min.).