A detailed SPARTACUS: BLOOD AND SAND series
analysis is coming soon. In other words, this series rocks- a stylized character
driven action series with lots of fights and sex. Still it is the characters
that hold you, and that is what makes SPARTACUS: BLOOD AND SAND stand above what could have been like some so-so syndication
series action crap of years past. John Hannah and Lucy Lawless (as
the husband and wife who own the gladiator school aka ludus) are like the Macbeths as they scheme to rise in power with their
dreams of ambition and their decadence they participate in (they have their sexual ways with the slaves like it is nothing). Meanwhile, Spartacus dreams of being reunited with the wife that was taken from
him and seek revenge (and his freedom). The
first season is a mix of hopes and dreams only to see many of them crushed by tragedy and consequences of other’s actions.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Audio commentaries-
THE THING IN THE PIT by Director Jesse
Warn and actor Andy Whitfield
SHADOW GAMES by director Michael Hurst,
actors Andy Whitefield and Lucy Lawless
WHORE by actors Andy Whitefield, Lucy Lawless,
and Viva Bianca
PARTY FAVORS by actors Andy Whitefield,
Lucy Lawless, and Viva Bianca
REVELATIONS by writer Brent Fletcher, writer/
Creator/ Exec-producer Steven S. DeKnight, and actor Nick E. Tarabay
KILL THEM ALL by writer/ Creator/ Exec-producer
Steven S. DeKnight, and actors Peter Mensah and Katrina Law
SPARTACUS: BLOND AND SAND BEHIND-THE-SCENES-
a 14 minute making-of featurette made for the Starz movie channel
GLADIATOR BOOT CAMP- a look at the training the actors went through to play gladiators
GRIME AND PUNISHMENT- a clips reel of the various fight scenes from the first season
ANDY GETS PLASTERED- a look at Andy getting plaster put on him so the crew can match
up the various scars that Spartacus gets during the series
LEGEND RE-IMAGINED- a promo featurette about how they approached the show and why they wanted to make it
OH, THOSE RANDY ROMANS- all about the sexual decadence of the Roman Empire as portrayed in the series
SHOOTING GREEN: THE SHADOW OF DEATH- focusing on shooting the arena scenes
against green screen and inserting the arena (and crowds)
EXPOSING YOUR LUDUS- a blooper reel of sorts
FINAL ANALYSIS: SPARTACUS: BLOOD AND SAND is a great start to a fantastic series filled with violence, sex, and stories
that come out of the characters. I can’t wait for season 2 to be
made. I am sad that Andy Whitefield won’t be around for season 2 (he dropped
out to fight cancer which was in remission- my best wishes to Andy and his family).
This DVD review is ©11-18-2010 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.
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