When watching the movie, it shows beautiful buildings, the arena where the fighting goes on, what the Spartans wear, and the type of armor that is worn. Spartacus is based on historical events, characters, and architecture. So, when this movie was created, more than half of the content is real. But we all know movies are made for entertainment and to look appealing, so there are going to be some points in the movie that are made up or exaggerated. When making a movie entertaining, that is what the audience likes. That is what makes the movie interesting and keeps the audience entertained. But not only is Spartacus a movie, it is also a TV and comic series, video games, board games, and so much more.  

Based on the movie, the time period that is the focus would be Ancient Roman. During this time, Ancient Rome was popular and was known for their army.  One of the most popular buildings in Rome is the Roman Colosseum. The Colosseum was also used as the arena where all the fighting happened. The arena would be packed with the audience waiting for the fighting to go on; the different levels of the colosseum meant that you were ranked/more important. The main reason why Spartacus was fighting was for freedom amongst the slaves. The Roman time period exceeded almost 500 years and contained many important events that are talked about today. The Imperial Forum in Rome was a power structure, a place for debate, and meeting places. It was shown in the movie at different times to show Spartacus fighting. Trajan’s column was also shown in the movie. The column is 125 feet high and made of marble. The carvings show Roman people working on the tower. The carvings go into detail to the point where it shows what they are wearing. 

The armor and weapons that were used in Spartacus were actually used by the Spartans. The common weapon that was used was a sword. As shown in the movie, some were single-swords, dual-swords, or they used a spear. The sword was usually held on their hip by a holster. They also had a shield that protected them from their opponent. Many shields have cool designs with carvings on them. Some Spartans could relate or have meaning towards their shield. When making the movie, the director wanted the audience to see the detail that was on their shields or swords. 

When talking about the armor, each fighter had their own specific kind. When Spartacus was going around the towns freeing the slaves, he just simply wore a shirt that looked worn and ripped with black armor that crossed his chest. It wasn’t protective as the armor he would use in the arena, but it was something to protect him while he was riding his horse. When they were in battle, they would wear leather vests that went over their while chest. Some soldiers had fur on them, while others just had a shirt underneath. Most men were in a skirt type of thing that was also made of leather. They had a crossbody on that held their belongings and other weapons. Some Spartans wore helmets when they fought; it was more of a preference. While their opponent didn’t really have much but their clothes that they had on their body. The movie goes into great detail with their armor on their body because they want their audience to see what it was like to live in that time period. Also to show what they actually wore. 

During the fights, or one-on-ones, the arm that wasn’t holding the shield has a chain sleeve. This was used to protect their arm from the weapon that their opponent used. It was something different to see because most of their chest and legs were out. The Spartan relied on their shield to protect them. When watching the movie, you the audience, could see the materials that they had to work with were very little. So, when making the armor or weapons, they had to be very careful about what was being used. Spartacus used a little shield and a small knife during the fights. He doesn’t explain why he uses what he uses. 

On June 3, 1963, director Joseph L. Mankiewicz and 20^th Century Fox introduced the movie Cleopatra to the United States and with a budget of 44 million dollars, Joseph Mankiewicz performed an excellent presentation of Ancient Egypt and the depiction of Cleopatra alongside her life struggles and independency. Elizabeth Taylor played a magnificent role as Cleopatra with her beauty, strong emotions, and excellent acting. In the movie, there were multiple marble statues of gods and goddesses, hieroglyphic writing on the walls containing stories and legends, the sphinx was shown multiple times, intricate designs on the headdresses and jewelry, the Roman chest plates and their shields, and the Roman Empire was also shown. All these objects, paintings, and architecture played a major role in displaying the era of the Egyptians and Romans as well as who or what would have been worn, what buildings were used as for courtrooms, bedchambers, or temples for gods and goddesses. 

In the movie, there were statues of both gods and goddesses, such as women holding objects or dog or alligator heads with human bodies. One god shown quite often was Anubis, who is portrayed as a black pharaoh hound or the god of death as if foreshadowing the future deaths within the movie. Another statue shown quite often was the goddess Mut, or mother, who wears two crowns that represent Upper and Lower Egypt. This was statue was shown multiple times, almost representing Cleopatra as the mother of Egypt because she nourishes her land and protects her people with a motherly instinct. Her people also look up to her for answers, as if a child looking up to their mother to help them understand something new or heal their wounds. The last statue shown quite often was the god Sobek, or the Crocodile God, he was known to protect against evil, cure the ill, and ensure fertility within the Egyptian people and crops. It is unclear why Sobek was shown so often, but it may have been a hidden message, such as Cleopatra’s intelligence and her ability to help her people. 

Another artistic element we see often is the hieroglyphics on the walls inside the palace and buildings outside, or on the boats. When Cleopatra first met the Great Caesar, you can clearly see that Mankiewicz went into exquisite detail pertaining to the palace’s room and the stories of gods and goddesses or ancestors before Cleopatra. It is almost as if you are in the room and can clearly see how many or what exactly the hieroglyphs were. The movie projected the hieroglyphics through focusing the camera at a specific angle so no matter where you looked, you still saw the hieroglyphics. Also, if you pay close attention, you can see the Sphinx, or the body of a lion with the head of a king or god, within the room representing strength and wisdom. It is shown more often throughout the movie, in one of the rooms, outside the palace, and presented to the Romans as a gift of the unification of Rome and Egypt when Cleopatra and Caesar married. The Sphinx seems to have a symbolism for Cleopatra’s strength and independent nature that did not allow her being a woman affect how she rules her empire. Also, it would also be a very stereotypical symbol of ancient Egypt for the audience.

The movie also includes the lavish but revealing clothing for Cleopatra and her servants. Even though it was used to sexualize Cleopatra through the look and revealing clothing or nude scene, it also allowed the audience to understand her seduction better rather than through her words and actions. It sort of gives her a little extra pizzazz to her already boisterous personality and attitude towards those who look down upon her because she is a woman. Besides the lavish designs of her clothing as well as her subordinates and husband, the designer for the movie included intricate jewelry, headdresses, bracelets with snakes and such made from gold. Also, throughout the movie, we are introduced to the flail, which looks like a whip or the punishment to maintain order in Egypt, and the crook, the hook or the shepherd and care of the people, which were used in Ancient Egypt to represent the respectable position of a King or Queen. 

There was also the inclusion of makeup, which was another form of art due to the techniques and materials used. The Egyptians were famously known for the almond-shaped eyeliner and skincare oils, but also the perfumes used to protect the skin and avoid bodily odors because it was offensive to their gods. The kings and queens of Egypt were known to use thick eyeliner and like Cleopatra, wear “eyeshadow” up to their brows. It was known as a form of rank in hierarchy and to appeal to the audience’s imagined vision of Egypt, also the movie included this part of the history of Egyptians to provide visual understanding of who would wear it and why. As you can see in the film, servants or civilians did not wear makeup, they were barefaced and kissed by the sun, unlike Cleopatra who stayed in the shade and contained makeup.  

Even though the movie did not follow the exact history of Cleopatra for the sake of dramatization, such as making her younger brother seem to be a man in his twenties rather than thirteen years old and killing Cleopatra’s son before her suicide rather than showing he was executed after her suicide and claimed the new ruler. Mankiewicz did an excellent job of interpreting Egypt, Cleopatra’s life, and the artistry and architecture used. He showed the momentous buildings in Egypt and Rome with beautiful and detailed hieroglyphics, the detailed clothing and carvings on Egyptian and Roman jewelry and armor, and also included the statues of gods and goddesses repetitively to show Egyptian pride and religion. He even picked the best actors and actresses who played their parts beyond what words can describe, the costumes used within the movie were outstanding, and the designs on the jewelry, armor, shields, and headdresses were so intricately designed that even I had to take a step back and enjoy the beauty of the well thought out and designed pieces as well as the rooms and buildings within the movie. Overall, the movie was an excellent masterpiece and contained excellent details within the subtlest things that catch your eye with a moment’s glance and make the audience feel as if they are truly in the same room as the actors and actresses or beautiful settings. Also, due to there being such detail in the settings down to the smallest design, and being mostly historically accurate, the movie showed Cleopatra’s independence and strength, but also the struggles she dealt with throughout her life.

When Caesar leaves Egypt and returns to Rome, Cleopatra finds out she is pregnant. She begs Caesar to stay; without telling the news of her pregnancy. When their son is born, she lifts him up on the castle and shows all of Egypt her son. Cleopatra then travels to Rome to tell Caesar the news of their son. In Rome, Caesar finds a wife and has already picked Octavian as his successor. When Caesar finds out of his son, he is not pleased; but eventually claims him. The Romans seem to not be pleased as well; as they chant “Caesar’s whore!” when she arrives. Varela’s pouty face and dynamic acting show her anger and distress from this. Cleopatra meets Mark Anthony here, played by Billy Zane. The charismatic Mark Anthony surprises Cleopatra with their chemistry.

After Caesar’s murder, Anthony and Cleopatra move into lovers; the bloody battle for the heart and soul of the Roman Empire begins. It was no shock that Cleopatra’s entrancing behavior led Anthony to her; leaving Octavian with whom he was ruling Rome. At the end of the film, Cleopatra kills herself with the snake bite. All dressed in gold and jewels, Cleopatra wears her iconic eye makeup as she takes her final breaths. 

Throughout the film, the battle scenes are staged for excitement and come off realistic. We see blood and sweat from the men fighting for their lives. Scenes are cut to views of beautiful landscapes of Egypt’s and Rome’s beautiful scenery. Varela’s acting was amazing and powerful. She fulfilled her role as Cleopatra and made the audience envious of her. She can be a seductress queen while maintaining the power of her country by selling herself to men in power. The beginning love story between Caesar and Cleopatra was no match for the love between her and Anthony. I find it interesting how two powerful love stories were put in one. The film seemed to be made for drama purposes, not so much for historical purposes. There was a lot of drama and betrayal that we see in this film. Yet, we do see parts of history such as Cleopatra’s status and her death. There are a lot of faults in historical accuracy. This was a very theatrical film; if you are looking for solid ancient Egyptian history, then you have come to the wrong movie. 

The movie is set in first century BC Rome. The main character, Spartacus, is a man who was sold into slavery as a boy and has spent years working in mines. Being the strong man he is he tried to fight the guards and bit one in the ankle. He was then tied up and made an example of until a wealthy Roman man came along to buy him. The man was looking for strong, fit men to fight. The movie continues into a montage type scene where they have the slaves training and preparing to fight. In my opinion, this scene was very silly, I understand the movie is from the 1960s but some of the training techniques they do don’t seem realistic to me. There is one point where they basically are playing jump rope with a blade and also have to duck another blade. Around this time they also introduce a love aspect with a slave woman that he has feelings for. So far through the movie, most of the costumes and sets are very convincing. The quarries look just how I would imagine ancient Roman quarries would look like. There were large pits with hundreds of slaves with pickaxes and chains around them. Even the slaves and wealthy people have proper attire with the slaves wearing ragged robes and the wealthy people wearing clean white robes and gold necklaces, arm, and headpieces. 

Spartacus is also made to fight another slave gladiator with four rich Roman men watching. You could tell these men were rich because they wore clean white robes with gold accents and jewelry. It looked very convincing with how this fight would actually have been set. The fighting itself wasn’t too convincing but it did fit the scene. The set here again is very convincing. About this point in the movie, he makes a rash decision and drowns the man who was training them to fight. This scene is a strong turning point and also refers back to earlier in the movie when the trainer attempted to make Spartacus fight him in an attempt to make an example and kill him. I like how the directors choose to kill him because this shows how the tables have turned. Spartacus beings freeing the other slaves and starts a large rebellion against his owner. He is eventually elected as leader of the rebellion by the other freed slaves. Next, they begin to plunder and pillage many small villages across the countryside, getting rich while they do it. While they are continuing their raids, stealing and freeing slaves, Varinia escapes her owner and is reunited with Spartacus. Spartacus then convinced his rebellious army to fight against the much stronger republic in the hopes of freeing all people who are enslaved. The movie ends with a large battle and Spartacus getting to see his son before it ends. 

In all honesty, this movie really kept my attention the entire time. In my personal opinion, the plot was very predictable and it didn’t really keep me on the edge of my seat.  Just like a lot of movies from this time period the plot is straightforward and the next move can usually be predicted. The characters and the acting were very good and the actors seemed like they had real emotion and anger. The real strong suit of this movie was the sets and costumes. The sets and costumes were so period-correct I felt like I was actually there. The buildings looked very accurate for the time and did just appear as normal set backgrounds. Considering this movie was only the Fifth one that Stanley Kubrick directed it was very good. This was one of his first big movies and it was done very well. It obvious why it won multiple awards and it is so memorable. It is definitely a movie I would recommend to a friend or to anyone who is looking to watch a classic movie filled with action. 

The major piece of culture that the movie Spartacus that is shown is the life of a slave and how many slaves the Romans uses to build their cities.  The Gladiators were forced to fight each other in the small wooden arenas, and they trained and to fight for the amusement of the rich.  Every slave Spartacus came upon he freed, and they joined his army because they believed in his leadership.  The clothes the slaves wore were rags and leather armor.  Spartacus taught them how to fight and he led them against the armies of Rome using spears and shields that the slaves made themselves or won when they defeated the legions.  

In stark contrast to the slaves, the senators led lives of opulence and greed.  They use gold and marble in every building they were in.  The bathhouses were made almost completely out of marble with grand designs in the walls and pillars.  The walls of their homes had paintings of gods and goddesses on them and marble statues and busts everywhere.  The armor the generals wore were gold plated armor and red capes and gold-plated helmets.  On the armor were great feats of battle and their ancestors and previous rulers. Each soldier had a set of heavy iron armor and a wooden and metal shield and a brown cape.  This movie gave a very accurate representation of the respective sides with the Soldiers that had battle tactics and proper armor and training, and the slaves turned into Soldiers and trained by Spartacus.

The music composed for this movie is by Alex North.  This music is the best part of the movie and it makes the scenes so much more emotional.  If there was no music the movie would be so lifeless and emotionless.  The best part of the movie that music effects is when Spartacus is tied up and Crassus the new emperor confronts Spartacus and Crassus punches Spartacus and Spartacus in return spits in the face of the new Emperor and a big swell of music happens at the same time.  This impacts the overall feeling in the movie because you can really feel the life and death situation.  The greatest part of the entire movie is the battle between the slaves and the Roman Legions, and the music portrays the battle as a climactic final battle that will result in victory or death.

The movie shows all these aspects including the culture, grand designs of the building, the slave’s lives and the Roman Legion armor and the Generals.  This movie does an amazing job of portraying the stark contrast of the senator’s lives compared to the lives of the slaves.  The senators had wealth and slaves had nothing this was shown off very well in the movie because anyone that was freed from being a slave wanted to join the slave army immediately.  The music is the most amazing part of this movie and without it, the movie would not feel as great as it does.  I think this is one of the best movies based on the Ancient Romans before they became completely dominant over a large area.  I would highly recommend anyone who likes Roman history or any history to watch this movie and they will not be disappointed with the dedication the actors and directors put into this movie. 

In the beginning of the movie, you can see the slavery aspect of the ancient Roman time period come to be as the Roman soldiers were all wearing gladiator helmets they were beating the slaves. The outfits the Roman soldiers were wearing were portrayed very accurately as the sculpture “The Augustus of Primaporta” had matched up to the soldiers in the movie with a very similar look, as the dominant empire color red stuck out on their clothes. Also, very noticeable from the start is an early example of marble head sculptures like the one you can see of a woman displayed in one of the houses in the background of the main scene which reflects a famous sculpture of Antonius Pius. Many sculptures were brought to life during this time in Rome, as contrapposto was on the rise in sculptures artists were making a lot more of them, during the movie you can see a sculpture with this technique in the background. 

Spartacus is a movie depicting specifically the struggle of fighting and the glory that comes out of being a true gladiator. The movie portrayed the gladiators and armor that they wore almost perfectly making it seem like It was actually real and almost not a movie as the gladiator’s costumes were pinpoint accurate and precise with detail. The armor shined and the helmets where designed perfectly giving off a powerful look. The Roman Empire was famous for the dedication and will to build amazing structures as their architectures were precise and taken deep into consideration with great pride. In the movie, you can see in the background an example of a bridge with arches holding it up, which shows the geometrical symmetry in the structure. During the movie, the buildings are portrayed as typical ancient Rome structures, with the big white pillars and the look of higher status. As leaders tend to ride horses as shown in many ancient Roman sculptures, the movie nicely depicted the same way in the movie as examples are shown a lot. The movie has done a good job of incorporating fresco paintings in the background of scenes which is a painting done rapidly in watercolor on wet plaster or ceilings. The fresco painting in the movie has a similar touch to it and is portrayed extremely well as it reminds the typical viewer of the fresco “Garden from Villa of Livia” as it had multiple corresponding colors and looks that are accurately the same.

All together Spartacus the movie did well portraying the roman empire accurately displayed the artwork techniques and the structures of the time of the Roman Empire. Starting from the gladiators and armor to the fresco paintings and sculptures to the precise bridges and pillars in front of the buildings. The Roman empire was accurately displayed as the gladiators, scenery, and artworks were all depicted specifically.

The film is credited with its beautiful set and costume design thanks to the million dollar budget that the producers had to develop such an epic film. Cleopatra’s costumes were lavish and exotic along with other characters in the film presenting Roman culture and Egyptian culture altogether as one. Because she was a Nile queen she had a high position of power in her country, Hollywood sexualized her to present this. In some scenes she was nude presenting the ideal body of a young queen. She had many costumes in the film, and it was very difficult to keep note of them all. She is seen in the first scene wearing a sleeveless dress with a V neckline to emphasize the Egyptian queen apparel. The fabric appears to be silky and red and white which is bold and pure, this is almost characterizing her throughout her costumes. Red is also a color that is related to the Romans and symbolic in wealth. She is also seen wearing a sky blue gown in a scene that embodies her royalty. She is also clothed with headdresses that represent ceremonial elements. The jewelry she wears is almost all gold because of her royalty, but in an art view her not wearing the symbolic necklace with Caesar’s face on the gold coin, when her affair with Antony begins she no longer continues to wear it. Many of these costumes were steered to present the ancient art that are known about the Egyptians. The famous sculpture of Cleopatra is evident to try to represent her character in the movie and based on the costume design. The crown that Cleopatra is seen wearing is the ceremonial scenes I researched to be based off the sculpture of Nefertiti. She is also shown wearing a bracelet that resembles two snakes; snakes were significant in the Egyptian empire.

Cosmetics is a form of art, it consist of different tools and techniques to establish what others may perceive of someone. In relation to Cleopatra, the ancient Egyptian women wore heavy eye liner and used elements of minerals and animal fat to color their lips and eyelids. Cleopatra’s character is shown wearing heavy eyeliner and colors on her brows that are blue or green. Gender roles for makeup was not something Egyptians were concerned with. Men also wore cosmetics to adhere with their beauty standards. They also wore wigs and powdered their faces. This was clearly inspired by the history of the Egyptians.

The construction of the set also was a large part of the budget for the film. The interior design of Cleopatra’s palace was made of stone and some statues were present in the scenes to be marble. The term used to define it was a “barge” because it floated on the sea. There was an abundance of plants as well to design it to fit the climate of the geographical setting of her palace. Her temple was highlighted with gold and had statues of mythical creatures on the walls. When they were dining they used gold and jeweled goblets. The film detailed her embassy to be very wealthy, which is how historically it most likely was represented. The Egyptians were proud of their wealth and these factors are symbolic in representing their wealth. Another example that relates to Egyptian history was the feline statues on the throne, the Egyptians had believed that felines were godly. There were many presented elements of snakes on the door handles of the temple and ram heads on the furniture. The ram heads were correlated with Amon, an Egyptian god. The snakes were represented to reveal rebirth in Egyptian culture. The sphinx was also presented in the film to show more history. In one scene Cleopatra is shown in a large bathtub, which is true to the historical context because wealthy Egyptians were known to bathe than most Europeans. When Rome is presented on screen, the forum is shown which was a significant architectural design from the Roman Empire.

Although this was not quite revealed in the film, the Romans learned and gained interest in the Egyptian art. After the conquest of Egypt, Rome was provided with architecture and sculptures in the Roman forum based off Egyptian styles. According the metmuesum.org the wealthy Romans were inspired by the dress of the Egyptians which led to a new style of clothing inspired by their fashions. Long silk dresses and jewelry were brought into their culture and more enhanced in creative detail. Egypt was abundant in deserts that contained minerals and fine stones, these were traded to the Roman empire to use for their architecture. Egypt was also rich in gold, which led the creation of gold coins in Egypt. In the film, Cleopatra wears a gold coin with Caesar’s face on it.

The film Cleopatra was produced in the early 1960’s to appeal to the audience Hollywood wanted. It is not completely historically accurate but the the set and the props used to fulfill the Egyptian beauty was done in detail. They highlighted the wealth of the Egyptians in power and submerged the Roman empire into their culture. They provided an example of Cleopatra to portray their ideal beauty standards and sexualized her to the audience of this decade. The colors in the film were done symbolically to depict the difference of the Romans and the Egyptians. This film was beautiful, and the budget allowed them to fulfill the producers vision to portray an important part of history.

It begins in 1^st Century BC where Roman Republic has since fallen into a slum state of corruption with crooked aristocrats governing the law and trade while the menial work and labor-intensive jobs are done by armies of slaves. The setting depicts the once proud and opulent nation by hinting towards the reflection of how dominant the Roman Empire once was, only for the viewer to notice that it is in fact still prosperous, however it has not remained this way by the most noble means. The setting is also very visually radiant compared to other films of the era and incorporates color to draw the attention of the viewer towards the immediate plot and character action in the foreground, such as when he is being covered in paint during training, while leaving the background empty and bland in some scenes to help symbolize the vastness of the Roman Republic. The architecture is also true to the period with large opulent buildings being seen throughout the course of the movie that have intricate details such and decorative sculpting, massive stairways, and large stone columns that allow the building to give off an impressive look that emits wealth and power.

We are then introduced to Spartacus, a young rebellious slave who is so unwilling to continue his duties in a mining pit that his insubordination has him sentenced to death by starvation. By a stroke of luck he is saved from his sentence and almost certain death by a Roman businessman named Lentulus Batiatus, who was so impressed by his ferocious behavior and desire to live that he purchases Spartacus to be trained as a gladiator. He then undergoes extensive and physically abusive training lead by a man by the name of Marcellus who realizes the true potential of Spartacus which prompts him to push him, but not too hard in order to retain his value. Gladiators and the business built around their entertainment was very prevalent during the era of ancient Rome which the film captures the essence of well. From the large arena-like buildings similar to the Flavian Amphitheater that held these events, to the armor and weaponry showcased in the battles, this culture was what shaped the Roman Empire for generations and eventually lead to its demise which is apparent upon watching the film.

Spartacus then forms a relationship with a serving woman he had met in his cell with whom he faces many repercussions and humiliations due to mutually breaking the conditions of being a servant. Their relationship continues until she is eventually purchased by a wealthy Roman businessman and government official named Marcus Licinius Crassus, whose overall goal is to become a dictator of the Roman Republic. Meanwhile, Spartacus survives a fight where he was disarmed and left for dead until one of the other gladiators rebelled in a burst of defiance and attacked the audience ultimately ending in his death by the hands of one of Crassus’s guards. When Marcellus continues to humiliate Spartacus for his relationship with Varinia the servant he lashed back and kills him in a fit of rage which then erupts a riot. The gladiators are able to bombard the guard with sheer force and escape into the country where they then elect Spartacus as their leader. To put this into perspective, the Roman Republic had fallen under turbulent times and you can sense this unstable nature throughout the film where you recognize that there is foreshadowing leading to the fact that times are about to change and it can either be for better or worse.

Spartacus and his men pillage the countryside of Rome acquiring money and resources as well as gaining other forces of slaves along the way. Varinia is able to escape her capture at the hands of Crassus and return to join Spartacus accompanied by another slave by the name of Antoninus who was a slave entertainer. Amid panic ensuing in Rome, Spartacus convinces his men to fight to the death against the Republic in an attempt to abolish slavery and free all men forever. The rebellion is vicious and costs many lives but in the midst of all of the tyranny and mayhem in the streets of Rome, the city falls to its rebel which symbolizes the death of their old culture in the hopes of a new sustainable rebirth. Spartacus survives the carnage just long enough to see his baby son who is a living example of a new free citizen who has the opportunity to grow up in a slavery forbidden world all because of his doing. The film Spartacus was a classic take on an impressive Roman history that controlled much the world for generations and influenced a plethora of cultures for year to come. It can not fairly be compared to the blockbuster films of today, however its simplicity and heart provides the viewer with an interesting look upon a once dominant culture and the art that it spawned.

While this film is not without its flaws, the film at its core is a love story, with the focus being on the love story between Cleopatra and Caesar, and the background being that of any sort of art and or historical accuracy. This film was accurate in its depiction of the clothing and architecture of Egypt, with the clothing of Cleopatra being accurate. The filmmakers wanted to be as accurate as possible with the costume design of the film, with research being done from early Egyptian tomb paintings and sculptures. This was to be an epic in terms of a Hollywood film, so the filmmakers wanted to be as accurate as possible with their portrayals of these historic people. The armor of the Roman soldiers is fairly accurate in this film, even the armor of Caesar and his generals is accurate, being that as high ranking officials, their armor would be more detailed and be that of actual armor, unlike a common solider who wouldn’t have such extravagant detailed looks.

Although in the film the characters do visit the tomb of Alexander the Great, there is little evidence of Greek culture in this film, despite Cleopatra being of Greek descent. I would assume this was a choice by the writers and the studio to keep production costs down, to keep those costs down, I imagine the studio would’ve had to cut extra extravagant scenes maybe depicting more detailed artwork, seeing how at the time this was considered the most expensive film to be put in production. From Caesar’s very first meeting with Cleopatra, her clothing she wore is also accurate from that time period. It is also based on an account by the Roman historian Plutarch.

The film’s depiction of its main characters is also somewhat accurate, with Octavian being the most obvious. In the film he is depicted as a coward who would shy away from battle, faking an illness, when he was known as a brave and courageous warrior, who would even in illness, take the battle field. The main character Cleopatra herself, was described as a young woman of great beauty, in the film she is quite beautiful, she is smart and yet she makes bad decisions when it comes to love, mainly due to her desire to rule Egypt herself, thus getting involved with Caesar himself, then Antony instead of Octavian. I imagine such characters were changed or perhaps depicted differently based on how the script flowed, it may have made sense on paper but when acted out maybe took away from the main focus of the film, that being of Cleopatra and her journey. The performances are generally very good in the film, and again while the art and architecture of that time takes a backseat in this film to showcase the romance of Cleopatra, they are generally done well by the filmmakers.

This film does indeed have great performances by the lead actors that make you interested in what they do and say, as well as where they go in the film, regardless of some historical inaccuracies. The great performances overshadow any sort of art in the background, that being due to the fact they are not as significant to the plot or what is happening in the scene, unless you count the buildings you witness, for example, when Cleopatra enters Rome, you see the buildings have the classic Roman arches and pillars, which many buildings used in their designs, or when they visit Alexander the Great’s tomb however, there are fantastic costume designs and set pieces used to show the grand scale of how Egyptian royalty lived, and even battles at sea with the Roman ships are presented in spectacular fashion. It is of no surprise then that this film was heralded as the most expensive film of its time.

In conclusion, while this film indeed highlights the clothing styles and some architecture of both Rome and Egypt, the main primary focus of the film is the larger than life performances of the lead actors.

Spartacus and the other slaves rebelled and fought back, making their own army to fight against the Romans. Spartacus, and his pregnant love Varinia, picked up more slaves along the way, joining their new army. They were going to the sea to buy boats to sail, however, the ships never arrived. The movie goes on to show how Spartacus fought, but then was turned back into a slave. They show his struggles and the ending is one I had not thought would happen.

As far as props and costumes go, this film successfully portrayed the time period and the types of clothing that people wore in the Ancient Roman Era. The sandals were spot on as well as the clothes that the slaves/fighters were wearing. I thought of the movie Gladiator, because they are very similar as far as props and costumes go. It is interesting how they didn’t wear much armour, because in many other films, like Gladiator, they are head to toe in armour. It is interesting to see how different directors portray the same thing. However, I still feel like both makes the audience understand what a gladiator looked like. One thing I noticed specifically was how the wine was served from a giant bag like sack. There weren’t wine bottle like we have today, so that helped put me in the time period of the Ancient Romans. The makeup was very well done, as the slaves looked tired, dirty, sweaty, and run down. One thing that helps a general audience grasp the time period is how everything looks worn down and “old.” In this film, they actually made many of the structures and clothing of divine figures clean and pristine. Which, from an educational standpoint makes sense due to the fact that at the time, many of those buildings were relatively new. I could see, though, that to a general and uneducated audience, it would’ve been harder to picture the “old” setting.

The buildings and structures were much like the architecture of the actual time period. The columns and tent-like structures made it feel like there were the upper class Romans versus Spartacus and how they traveled rebuilding their tents from location to location.  I felt like the landscape was properly portrayed with far hills and deserts as well as forest areas and Roman cities. I would have liked to see the Colosseum more as this was a major topic in the film. Fighting was the main purpose of the slaves. When Antoninus and Spartacus were forced to fight, I feel that if it took place in a Colosseum, it would’ve been more epic and suspenseful. The reason I say this is because from an uneducated standpoint, when the average person thinks of Ancient Rome, one of the first things they think of is the Colosseum. So to appeal to the average audience, adding the Colosseum would’ve helped to picture Ancient Rome.

Overall, I think this film successfully portrayed the Ancient Roman era and the citizens and senate of Rome. However, I think some parts were dragged on. This film was about three hours long and I felt that there were some parts that could’ve been shortened or cut from the film. For instance, during the initial battle scene, the Romans set up their men in a strategical format. It went on for about five minutes. I feel like if they just showed how they were set up at the end, it would’ve still related the same thing. I would give this film an 8.5/10 if I had to, because it successfully portrayed the Ancient Roman era, as well as give a good storyline and plot. The excessive length of the film and unnecessary scenes is what is bringing the score down. However, I would definitely suggest this film to someone who enjoys a good love story, action, and history about the time period.