Spartacus - Opening Titles

[Snake711cool]

Kubrick.

[TheProgFather7]

This paired with the 5 minute overture makes it easily the most pretentious opening sequence of all time

[cb81965]

The opening titles + theme music of this movie are better than most other entire films.

[mitzjob]

I ask you, has there ever been a better opening title sequence than this? I'd like to know...

[RGN07]

@mitzjob

Oh yes, there is an even better opening sequence imo. Conan the Barbarian has perhaps the best opening of all. It's battle tempo well represents the saga. You can see it here under "Conan the Barbarian part 1." Enjoy.

[Gonzoidzz]

This rocks!

[brmoogma]

the design of this titel is far ahead of its time....very nice

[arbexo]

impresionante.no hay palabras para describir la maestría de North, otro grande como rozsa o bernard hermann

[Mickagume]

THE greratest Main Title (music and graphics) in the history of film!... Absolutely without equal!

[mecastix]

espartacus the best.

[trence5]

Have any of you heard the one done by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra - its truly epic!!!

[jslasher1]

@trence5 Thankfully not.

[BibleJoker2Face]

does anyone have the complete soundtrack of this epic movie in mp3 format?

[bronxboy47]

An incredible score to one of the greatest movies ever made!

[DarwinsFriend]

A movie that almost never go made and had outrageous production problems: An Icon for all time. Douglas will be remembered a thousand years from now.

[milesanddizzy]

Best titles Saul Bass ever made and he did some great ones, the combination of visuals and music is brilliant.

[Pavletic111]

One of the Best Opening Titles, for one of the Best Movies Ever Made.

Stanley Kubrick, I Commend You.

[jheadSF06]

Thank you Saul Bass for this amazing opening credit sequence.

[Gonzoidz]

Best opening titles ever!

[falassarna]

ABSOLUTE MASTERPIECE OF FILM MUSIC SCORING FOR OPENING CREDITS!!! Stunning, epic music from the great american composer

[mpwheatley]

You know that when you watch Saul Bass titles like this you are in for a real treat.

[TheMASH1972]

great film , one of my all time favorites , btw has anyone ever seen the film siege of the saxons ?

[mogajones]

The best opening titles in the history of cinema. Music, pictures, message. No wonder it's still loved, 50 years later.

[PubliusQuintilius]

@mogajones

I fully agree!

[ChristForte]

can somebody please post the intermission scene on Youtube? I just loved the music during the transition from the first part of the film, to the intermission.

[Elitist20]

I saw the restored version on the big screen in 1991 - they don't make 'em like that any more!

[soccerfan1398]

you know what fuck twilight and that series this is the shit right here i dont care what anybody says

[Nazizombiesdie]

This may be the greatest movie ever!!!!!!!!!!

[tysonkat1]

This should of been in the 100 greatest war films, i'm starting to wish they should start talking about Spartacus and his revolt against the romans more in history classes because this is what really got me interested in history

[titanicpiano14]

Check Out My Rendition of the Ben-Hur Love Theme!

[PaulDougouba]

If you all liked this movie then you might try and read "Rubicon" by Tom Holland (2003)

It is a GREAT concise book on the history of the late Roman Republic - and you can read it in a few weeks.

At the very top were the men like Crassus (Lawrence Olivier) who were Rich and Decadent and cared only for power.

At the bottom were millions of slaves captured in Rome's Foreign wars. There was no middle class in Ancient Rome...only the Rich elite (Patricians) and the poor mob (Plebs).

[marvothemustang]

One of the best movies of all time and based on factual history!!! When Men were Men!!!!!

[backwater71]

this is one of my all time favorite movies as the opening title suggests sheer class the whole movie through the movie is a true classic

[ldaccardi]

if you listen to the music apart from the film you will experience a score that is so unique and precise that no other composer has ever been able to duplicate or reproduce it. even goldsmith and williams could not touch it.

also i mourn the loss of jean simmons

[tripsadelica]

@ldaccardi

Yes...abssolutely correct. This is probably North's finest score and in a vein very different to the way Dr. Rozsa or Dimitri Tiomkin might have scored the film (That's not to say they wouldn't have done excellent jobs...but they would have been very different...).

[spacepatrolman]

@tripsadelica miles davis predicted in an an interview in down beat magazine thart alex north would succesfully use jazz in a soundtrack here he blends stan kenton with respeghi

[Morecamb]

I first experienced this magnificent film with its pulsing ,emotive open on the truly BIG screen and stirring sound system at the Mann Theater in Minneapolis in 1960. Spartacus was an event movie that needed little hype becuase of its superb art direction, ensamble acting, direction, script, music and message. I attended with a church youth group -- ever since, I've sided with the oppressed.

[morriconelover]

@Morecamb

Nice story. Should say though that the historical sources dont mention about the motives of Spartacus. And Spartacus was actually not the only leader of the rebellion, put mention that there might have been three leading rebellion leaders.

[zulby09]

"There, boy, is Rome! The might; the majesty; the terror of Rome. There, is the power that bestrides the known world like the Colossus. No man can withstand Rome. No nation can withstand her. How much less a boy, hmm? There is only one way to deal with Rome, Antoninus. You must abase yourself before her. You must grovel at her feet. You must love her. Isn't that so, Antoninus?"(Marcus Licinius Crassus)

[tripsadelica]

@zulby09- Excellent quote! All world leader would do well to note that, despite what Crassus said Rome did, in fact, fall. To all things there is a season.

[greenparthianring]

That's the Romans

pure evil

[ArtCrumm]

The battle sequence at the end is the most accurate cinematic attempt to portray a Roman Field Army on maneuver. However, it devolves into a chaotic battle. That is not how Romans fought battles. They were highly disciplined and their organization left little to chance on the battlefield.

Spartacus probably was not killed in battle. In all likelihood, he escaped and lived out the rest of his life in some remote area of Roman Europe.

[ArtCrumm]

I hate to spoil the party, but the historical evidence doesn't support this version of Spartacus, or any of the film versions. Spartacus was a mercenary who escaped from service with the Roman army. He was captured and sold into slavery for "Taking the money and running". The modern versions are Marxist interpretations of very thin historical evidence. "Workers of the World Unite" has been replaced with "Slaves of the Romans Unite".

[morriconelover]

@ArtCrumm

Well, this is a movie, not a history book. But the historical sources does tell of Spartacus as a very talented strategist in fighting against the roman legions.

[greenparthianring]

That's according to the Romans

please look further

[fozzy280472]

titles/intro by saul bass the master.......

none better

[spencnaz]

One of the best opening titles in cinema, period. Simple, yet conveys the power struggle between the iron fist of oppression and desire for freedom of life.

[derekdavid4444]

Bravo to Kirk Douglas....The magnificent rebel..

[greenparthianring]

he wasn't a rebel

he just wanted to go home

 he was taken from his own country and brought to rome

[dpcon]

Shostakovich is the Russian composer poking through there in the jaunty string tune. But it's pure North -pure genius.

[TheMitzjob]

no, I'm Spartacus

[InfinityeXpress]

wow this is just as good as his score to Cleopatra...dang, between him and Miklos Rosza..the two are incomparable

[musicalpyramid]

Alex North is one of the unsung heros of Film Music IMO

[spacepatrolman]

North said he was influenced by prokofiev

so he studied in russia with an interpreter

some of the music in this score sounds like a cross between stan kenton and respegi miles davis predicted he would do that .

[pp312]

Interesting comment, spacepatrolman. Alex North was heavily into jazz, which he used in many films and which comes through in Spartacus. There is a part of this score which resembles Kenton's "Peanut Vendor". Fabulous score though--one of the all-time greats.

[wbaker7]

great opening and score and great movie too but it has its problems as well. it was authored by dalton trumble and based on a novel by howard fast--two well known communists and it shows in the good guys vs. bad guys interpretation. the slaves were not all good and engaged in considerable acts of revenge and they were not as united as the movie claims--a key reason they were defeated was disunity. that doesnt come out in the movie (but does in the 2004 version) but as a hollywood epic its great

[rogiet3]

One of the greatest openings in cinema..one of the greatest films in cinema.

[AllenbysEyes]

This is one of the great movie scores of all time - Alex North was a genius. Saul Bass's title design is also astonishing. This is a great movie; although it has a number of flaws the virtues more than make up for it. The score is one of the biggest virtues, along with the final battle, and Douglas, Olivier and Laughton.

[wbaker7]

oliver and laughton are good but the stand out in the movie is by far peter ustinov. he steals nearly every scene he is in and does it so well you dont notice. it was absolutely perfect. oliver although good plays crassus a bit too high minded--the guy in reality was more like a mafia god father than oliver allows for; laugton is good but many of the slave-gladitors look way out of shape--doubt they would have lasted more than one match--casting on the slave/gladitor side wasnt as good.

[GeoffreyThorpe01]

Of course you are...(prust rofl)

[sasha28192]

IM SPARTACUS

[LuciusSuperbus]

superb masterpiece

[SidFortune]

Hail composer North! Hail title director/produer Bass! Hail Director Kubrick! Hail Kirk! These rebels created the most stiring opening title sequence in memory. As the dark red curtain opened to reveal the enormous RKO Pan Theater screen in Minneapolis in 1960, this title sequence in no uncertain terms told a packed house that an important story was about to be told in a manner that matched that story's tragic and redeeming gravitas. Spartacus will win in the end.

[spacepatrolman]

Kirk douglas stuck his neck out hiring black listed writer dalton trumbo [in real life spartacus was killed in battle trying to kill craccius this was predicted by varina a psychic ] .

[spacepatrolman]

Coming soon to youtube jackie gleason on the colgate comedy hour with the honeymooners in a ten minute scene featuring the blacklisted actress that was replaced by audry meadows.

[spacepatrolman]

@SidFortune they cut up a lot of theaters to make tenplexes a theater in ohio was showing cinerama movies in recent years

[AugustCornelius]

One of the BEST movies ever made. P.s. avoid Roman sausages.

[Danitech2999]

What underrated soundtrack. This could be maybe one of the best opening sequences. And North´s march is awesome

[ferdinangenius]

best mix ever of music and graphics for a tittle sequence

[davidgrahamscott]

I totally agree with you! You are obviously a genius..