War seems like a game to them... Oh Gods of Antiquity, why should I watch this movie? . .
Not so long ago I took the trouble to read the work of the Italian garibaldist Rafello Giovannoli called Spartacus. And so I wanted to see a close manuscript adaptation of the novel that I was already fidgeting in my chair. Sources have told me that the 1960 film with Kirk Douglas is a film adaptation of another work, and the closest to the book is a Soviet film, which has not survived. And yet, from the extant days, there was an old movie to which I was invited by an electronic guidebook. So, "Spartacus" 1913 directed by Giovanni Enrico Vidali
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I must say that at first I was like, wow, here's the entourage, here's the Big Circus! Here is Spartacus! But -- wait a minute. Where's Sulla? And why are book prototypes named by other names? And – oh, gods of antiquity!.. – I have to translate the silent movie myself, but I know only the English. Well, what can I do, I took the goose myself...
Mother of God, what do we have with the battle? Jesus Christ! As they say, I understand everything, but I do not understand this! Massage with Spartacus at the head... Are they afraid to hurt each other? You're not serious, are you? Is that how I watch the whole movie? Oh, I assure you, the book of battle occupied 2/3 of the works! Yeah. Strange as it may seem, on the one hand I had to be disappointed, and on the other, my eyes had not seen this wretchedness. All right, to hell with that fight. I get the choreography minus. What's next? And then... The story was simplified. Is that good or bad? Well, I have to say it's not a bad thing. This, strangely enough, fits into the framework of the narrative on the screen. After all, besides Sulla, there is neither Enomaus nor Eutibides.
Instead of Valeria, the wife of Sulla, here is the daughter of Mark Crassus Naron - she is here the beloved of Spartacus. For a second, the similarities with the book came back. I mean, you can guess what's what and what's what. One moment! Guess who knows what Giovannioli wrote about! Spartacus gets his freedom and, as I have seen from here, stays in the gladiator school. In his head, as in the book, a noble plan ripens. He beats up gladiators, breaks out of school and settles down on Vizuvia. And even shows the descent on the slings! Good. By then, almost half of the time had passed. Where are you going to put so many things? Where?? Nowhere! But I repeat what I said in the paragraph above, it is not so bad. The role of Enomai and Eutibidou was played by Noricus (or Noric, I don't know, forgive my translation). But what kind of role, alas, I can not say (for this is already a spoiler part). But!! Although the story generally went as it pleased and completely became free from the writer, but I, oddly enough, it even pleased! Especially the epilogue.
In the role Spartacus was Mario Guaita. Idamis (book version of his sister Mirza) showed Christina Raspoli. Not Valeria, but Narona in the world was Maria Gandini. In the role Marc Crassus Enrico Bracci. Well, Noric[us] is Luigi Mele. Of course, I think that I will not meet anyone who would know these pioneers of cinema, terribly overplaying.
So what's the movie? Uf... Let's go, I've taken into account the pros, I've taken into account the cons... This is not the most outstanding silent film. It hardly makes sense for someone to wander and watch it, especially if your English is at the level of "the". But when you think about it, it's good. A lot of people were involved in making this film. And animals! And sets. The creators were doing an important job! The fact that I have an average grade, rather, I clinged to the fact that he, this Spartak, is not very Giovanniolievsky. Was he supposed to be like that? Rhetorical question.
5 out of 10