Released in 1960 Spartacus followed the rebellious slave, who has never been free, forced to be a gladiator.Starring Kirk Douglas the film was based on Howard Fast's novel and directed by Stanley Kubrick it is widely regarded as one of the best sword and sandal movies of all time.
After Varinia, the woman he has fallen in love with, is bought by Crassus (Laurence Olivier) Spartacus leads a slave uprising across Italy that soon has thousands marching on Rome, recruiting people as they go.Rome sends army after army to squash the rebellion but Spartacus and his army, who are heading to the coast to escape on the ships if Cilician pirates, defeat them all.
But the pirates have been bought by Rome and offer to take only Spartacus, the pregnant Varinia and Spartacus's senior officers, to Asia to live like kings.
But Spartacus refuses to leave behind the rest of his men and they find themselves surrounded by three Roman armies.
They fight for their freedom but the rebel army is defeated.
In the movie's most memorable scene the surviving members of the rebel army are told that they will not be harmed if they identify Spartacus.
One by one they all stand up claiming they are Spartacus and they are condemned to crucifixion. Spartacus dies a martyr, a symbol for the free man, knowing that his son will grow up free.
- King Arthur
Attempting to follow in the successful footsteps of Gladiator in 2004 Clive Owen took on the role in Antoine Fuqua's 2004 movie King Arthur.
The movie brought together a cast that included Keira Knightley, Ioan Gruffudd, Mads Mikkelsen, Ray Winstone and Stellan Skarsgard.
Owen is 'Artorius' or Arthur, the hero of Roman and British parentage eulogized in the ancient Celtic poem. Like his loyal Knights, he sees only chaos and devastation will follow Rome's final pullout of Britain.
Although, as a dedicated Christian he is desperate to return to Rome to influence the budding religion, his first loyalty is to his pagan Knights.
Arthur sees his duty is to free them from their servitude to Rome so they may return to their ancestral homeland in Sarmatia. However, before he can, he must lead his Knights of the Round Table on one last mission, deep into enemy territory on a quest of adventure and profound enlightenment.
Here, Arthur, Lancelot, Galahad, Bors, Tristan, Dagonet and Gawain are forced to confront their traditional enemy: Merlin and his indigenous guerilla armies. Disdainfully called 'Woads' by the Knights for the Woad plant they use to dye their bodies, Arthur and his Knights will see these guerillas are the soul of Britain, devastated by generations of Roman rule.
Now, with Rome gone, and without the help of Arthur and his knights, the invading Saxons will roll over the people like an avalanche.
Under the guidance of the shaman, Merlin and the beautiful, courageous Guinevere (Keira Knightley), Arthur will struggle to find the strength to forsake his dreams of Rome to 'become a leader in this land,' and to change the face of history.
Despite the high quality cast the movie was critically mauled when it was released and was criticised for it's historical inaccuracy.
However the film did go on to gross over $203 million at the global box office, making back it's estimated $90 million budget.
Other Roman themed movies include Caligula, The Last Legion and The Fall of the Roman Empire.
Centurion is released 23rd April.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
Tagged in Neil Marshall