If you guys think the movie is great, and so do I, you should all read the original book Spartacus, which I have. The author who wrote the story, wrote it for his children and others that they would honor freedom and human dignity and live nobly, that all who read it “may take strength for thier troubled future and that they may struggle against oppression and wrong-so that the dream of Spartacus may come to be in our own time.” He published the book himself in 1951 and 1952. The book is phenomenal, and like all books versus movies, they contain so much more that is sometimes lost.

Love the show but was disappointed and strongly taken back by the events of the recent episode “Party Favors”. Anyone else out there also feeling that the show made a wrong turn?

From wikipedia:

“According to the differing sources and their interpretation, Spartacus either was an auxiliary from the Roman legions later condemned to slavery, or a captive taken by the legions. Spartacus was trained at the gladiatorial school (ludus) near Capua, belonging to Lentulus Batiatus.

In 73 BC, Spartacus was among a group of gladiators plotting an escape. The plot was betrayed but about 70 men seized kitchen implements, fought their way free from the school, and seized several wagons of gladiatorial weapons and armor. The escaped slaves defeated a small force sent after them, plundered the region surrounding Capua, recruited many other slaves into their ranks, and eventually retired to a more defensible position on Mount Vesuvius.

Once free, the escaped gladiators chose Spartacus and two Gallic slaves — Crixus and Oenomaus — as their leaders.”

Rome’s fight scenes were visceral, like some kind of ancient version of Saving Private Ryan; Spartacus’ fight scenes are very badly done. The special effects look like a poor rip off of 300. It looks shit, and they’re trying too hard with the ‘Oh, look how vulgar these Thracians are!’.

LOL Jack Thompson. There you go people, this show has the Jack Thompson shit stain of approval.