''Spartacus'' is a 2004 North American

miniseries A miniseries or mini-series is a television series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. "Limited series" is another more recent US term which is sometimes used interchangeably. , the popularity of miniseries format h ...

directed by

Robert Dornhelm Robert Dornhelm (born 17 December 1947 in Temesvár, Romania) is an Austrian film and television director. Biography Dornhelm is of Jewish descent. He has worked on numerous television programmes and has also released such movies as ''Echo Pa ...

and produced by Ted Kurdyla from a teleplay by Robert Schenkkan. It aired over two nights on the USA Network, and stars Goran Visnjic,

Alan Bates Sir Alan Arthur Bates (17 February 1934 – 27 December 2003) was an English actor who came to prominence in the 1960s, when he appeared in films ranging from the popular children's story '' Whistle Down the Wind'' to the " kitchen sink" dram ...

(in his final television appearance), Angus Macfadyen, Rhona Mitra, Ian McNeice, Ross Kemp and Ben Cross. It is based on the 1951 novel of the same name by Howard Fast. The plot, setting, and costumes are nearly identical to those of

Stanley Kubrick Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, his films, almost all of which are adaptations of nove ...

's 1960 version; however, this adaptation follows Howard Fast's novel more closely than does Kubrick's film. (Two of the more noticeable omissions from the new adaptation are the "I am Spartacus!" scene and the reunion of Spartacus and his wife after the battle.) The miniseries is shown as a story a woman narrates to her son, who are later revealed to be Spartacus' wife and son. A notable piece of dramatic license has Spartacus' son born exactly at the moment Spartacus dies in battle. As Marcus Crassus and Pompey Magnus are being proclaimed co-consuls, the announcer calls Rome an Empire, when it was still a Republic at the time. However, in contemporary Latin, the meaning of “Imperium“, empire, just meant area where one exercises power.

Plot

The Gaul woman Varinia ( Rhona Mitra) and her village are attacked by the Romans. Her entire village is taken into slavery, and she is sold to Lentulus Batiatus ( Ian McNeice). Spartacus ( Goran Višnjić), a Thracian slave condemned to the mines, attempts to protect another slave. Spartacus is nearly crucified before Batiatus purchases the man. Spartacus and a handful of other slaves are brought to Batiatus' '' ludus'' to be trained as gladiators. Spartacus and the other slaves are brought to the gladiators to eat, where he meets Nardo ( Chris Jarman), Draba (

Henry Simmons Henry Oswald Simmons (born July 1, 1970) is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Alphonso "Mack" Mackenzie in the ABC superhero drama series ''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' (2014–2020) and Baldwin Jones in the ABC police drama ser ...

) and David ( James Frain). Before a fight breaks out between Draba and Gannicus ( Paul Telfer), they are stopped by their trainer Cinna ( Ross Kemp).

Cast

* Goran Višnjić as Spartacus *

as Antonius Agrippa * Angus Macfadyen as Marcus Crassus * Rhona Mitra as Varinia, Spartacus' wife * Ian McNeice as Lentulus Batiatus * Paul Kynman as

Crixus Crixus was a Gallic gladiator and military leader in the Third Servile War between the Roman Republic and rebel slaves. Born in Gaul, he was enslaved by the Romans under unknown circumstances and trained as a gladiator in Capua. His name means " ...

* Paul Telfer as Gannicus * James Frain as David *

as Draba * Chris Jarman as Nordo * Ross Kemp as Cinna * Ben Cross as Titus Glabrus, based on Gaius Claudius Glaber * Niall Refoy as Publius Maximus, based on Publius Varinius * George Calil as Pompey Magnus * Richard Dillane as

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...

References

External links

* * {{USANetwork Shows 2004 television films 2004 films American biographical films Films set in ancient Rome Films set in classical antiquity Depictions of Spartacus on television USA Network original films Cultural depictions of Marcus Licinius Crassus Gladiatorial combat in fiction Films directed by Robert Dornhelm 2000s English-language films 2000s American films

Plot

Cast

See also

References

External links