The movie I am reviewing today is Spartacus, story of a gladiator who started his own army of slaves. The introduction of the movie starts with some instruments playing a majestic music. The soundtrack immediately puts us in the past. The beginning of the movie had a glorious sound to it as it showed different ancient sculptures. All of these were dressed in battle
gear, some fine clothing as if it was a royal member and most likely important figures during the time period. The sizes of these sculptures imposed a great imperial power. Some of the poses also suggests that they were enforcing a mass body of people. The head of one was raised as if he was speaking and making hand gestures.
The sculpture and architecture was nothing that could compare to modern art. Seeing the detail created in the stone, such as faces and muscular textures in different suggest the hard work and patience was required to make them. The setting of the movie starts showing slaves breaking down a lot of stone. Enforcing them were soldiers with whips, which definitely indicates the time period was a long time ago, during the time of empires and slaves.
The clothing worn by the slaves was beat up, and torn apart, aside from the already torn up cloth it was meant to be. The torn cloth they used for clothing was sweated out and dusty, indicating that they were the slaves of the setting. The soldiers were all armored, in uniform with weapons. Not only did this physically show their positions in the movie but this backed up traits of their actions.
As an example, the soldiers physically a slave who appeared to be dead, from exhaustion. He was so exhausted he was unresponsive, but one slave noticed this unresponsive man with a pack of bricks on his back and tried to help. The soldiers, seeing this good act of the slaves began whipping both slaves. This shows the bad mentality of not only the soldiers but also the empire who are obviously doing a job, that was being enforced by an emperor.
Spartacus and the people on his side were all dressed in different neat clothes, and wearing shoes on their feet. This aspect of the movie shows the difference between the citizens of Rome and the slaves of Rome. People wearing such costumes help to create the setting of ancient Rome. Spartacus shows independence, bravery, and integrity in the difficult situation with him being against such a big empire as Rome. The Roman army, big and brutal, gathered in one scene. The army was praising the death of the notorious slave Spartacus, who had a slave army of his own.
Spartacus’s slave army all lived peacefully but yet so depressed. During the movie a scene played where people were all just resting, exhausted. Many were still awake just making sure their loved ones were comfortable, but you can sense the mood with the fires and people cooking their meat on sticks. Slave agriculture was being displayed through all the people in poor
clothing just trying to escape Rome. In the movie Spartacus witnesses a little girl asking her mom, “When are we going home.” As her mother comforted her with a goodnight trying to get her to just sleep, indicating that they all just want to leave.
After being made a captured slave once again and brought back to Rome, the foundation of the environment very much indicates the culture. From the soldiers of Rome in a organized line formation overseeing the march of the slaves back into Rome. In the end Marcus, the Roman army general, took Spartacus’s wife into his home, trying to win her love.
