Films with a Roman theme...

Arkad786 · September 16, 2004, 02:37 PM

just wondering do you know of any good films with a Roman theme?

For example i loved every minute of Gladiator long before i knew of RTW coming out, same with Spartacus its a old classic.

Recently iv seen two good films that reminded me of Rome Total War, one was Troy (although not Roman as such) but close enough with spectacular battles and sieges! and King Arthur i was suprised to find takes a new twist to the old English story and makes it "Romanish", also for those of you who like Barbarians there are tons in it *viking*

believe it or not i even liked controversial "The Passion of the Chirst" because of the Roman/Jewish theme.

anyone else seen any such good films recently?

**Spirix** · September 16, 2004, 03:07 PM

Well theres spartacus

**totalwar junkie** · September 16, 2004, 03:12 PM

so is that king arthur movie pretty good?

i still gotta see that, though i heard some bad reviews of it.

Arkad786 · September 16, 2004, 03:35 PM

I kinda liked it, but i suppose thats becos i was with my girlfriend when we watched it and we were both expecting to see something like the classical English Story, it turned out to be the story of a Roman Commander who goes off into Northern England to fight some Barbarians, as the Roman Empire starts to show signs of the Fall, and they withdraw their forces from Britain.

lol my GF was devasted! she was expecting to good old King Arthur with his rosey wife Gueneveer live in Camelot happily ever after!

its worth wacthing i guess, but now i have seen it 2 times and cant watch it a third (cheesy in some parts) but overall Good.

**God-Emperor of Mankind** · September 16, 2004, 03:47 PM

Caligula
Life of Brian
Ben-hur.

**ximan** · September 16, 2004, 03:49 PM

Ben Hur
Gladiator
Spartacus
Caesar
Passion of the Christ
Cleopatra

Those are the only ones I have seen.

NHspartan · September 16, 2004, 04:02 PM

well i any ones lookin for a spartan movie see THE 300 Spartans

**Siblesz** · September 16, 2004, 04:13 PM

moved.

**stalhandske** · September 16, 2004, 05:37 PM

Has anybody mentioned "Fall of the Roman empire".
Copy/pasted this :
"This is the plot "Gladiator" ripped off. As Emperor Marcus Aurelius Ceasar and his top general battle the Germans, The Emperor decides to make the general (who happens to be a friend to his son, Commodus, and lover to his daughter, Lucilla) his heir. The Emperor is murdered and Commodus becomes Ceaser, and proceedes to turn the glory of Rome into a decadent party. The efforts of the general and Lucilla to keep Marcus Aurelius' dream of a noble and republican Rome are contiually thwarted by Commodus, who sends the general to Germany and marries Lucilla to Omar Sharif (a foreign prince). It all ends up with massive battle scenes, dancing in the streets of Rome, burning martyrs, and a mano-a-mano between the general and Commodus."

And also

Ben Hur
Spartacus

These three are classic "Sword and sandal"-spectacles.

**God-Emperor of Mankind** · September 16, 2004, 05:45 PM

So I'm the only one that have seen Caligula :p ??

**stalhandske** · September 16, 2004, 05:48 PM

Originally posted by TB666@Sep 16 2004, 11:45 PM
So I'm the only one that have seen Caligula :p ??

I have seen it.If i remember right it was quite,how can i say it.... decadent

**God-Emperor of Mankind** · September 16, 2004, 05:51 PM

I liked it even without the sex scenes.
Too bad he never got to finish the movie

**stalhandske** · September 16, 2004, 06:04 PM

Most of i remember about "Caligula" was sex scenes and some hassle with knives.
But when i saw it i was in booze and much more younger than today,it is about hormones.....

**Armatus** · September 16, 2004, 06:23 PM

There is a new version of Sparaticus staring the guy from ER.

**God-Emperor of Mankind** · September 16, 2004, 06:26 PM

TV-version or hollywood blockbuster movie ??

**Armatus** · September 16, 2004, 08:29 PM

Spartacus - The Complete TV Miniseries (2004)
Released on Amazon.com Oct 26 2004.

**Anoikis** · September 16, 2004, 08:34 PM

Has anybody seen this?

I liked the original; but it's funny how Spartacus was made out to be this noble character.

Here's a list of historical inaccuracies that someone posted elsewhere about this movie (well it was 1960)

Ah, the joy of Spartacus. The joy of people almost getting Roman stuff right... other than...:

1. Glabrus' first two names swap round halfway through the film, i.e. Publius Marcus to Marcus Publius. Incidentally, this isn't a valid Roman name construction, since Publius and Marcus are both praenomina (first names).

2. One of the women in Crassus' party has her husband's surname. Uhuh.

3. There's no way a mine slave would have survived that long. Two years tops.

4. Gracchus. Presumably based on Gaius Gracchus the reformer who died about 50 years before the revolt of Spartacus.

5. There was no garrison of Rome. No troops were allowed within the sacred boundary of the city.

6. Crassus was never dictator, nor did he draw up a proscription list.

7. The senate house (curia) was oblong, not semi-circular. Rather like the modern British House of Commons, although NOT divided into parties.

8. My favourite: The slaves were crucified along the Via Appia, which led to Brundisium (Brindisi). Batiatus and Varinia are meant to be going to 'Aquitania', which, presumably is in Gaul. Gaul wasn't conquered until 20 years later, when Caesar did it, and the Via Appia would have been in the wrong direction anyway.

Thoughts?
*OD*

**Carolus XII** · September 19, 2004, 08:55 AM

Here are some techicolor blockbuster epics from the 1950s. QUO VADIS (Robert Taylor, Deborah Kerr), THE ROBE (Richard Burton), and the sequel to the Robe DEMETRIUS AND THE GLADIATORS (Victor Mature), ALEXANDER THE GREAT (A young and blonde Richard Burton as Alexander).

I don't even know if it exists on tape or DVD, but if you could get your hands on the old PBS "Masterpiece Theater" production of I, CLAUDIUS ...you won't go wrong. It's the best thing I've ever seen on PBS. (Thanks to the book club thread for reminding me of this mini series).