Spartacus - Opening Titles

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.

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".

titles/intro by saul bass the master.......
none better

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.

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

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

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 ] .

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.

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 .

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.