Spartacus (2004) (TV)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Robert Dornhelm

Writers (WGA):

Howard Fast (novel)
Robert Schenkkan (teleplay)

Release Date:

18 April 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Action

Tagline:

Once a slave. Forever a legend.

Plot:

Sentenced to spend out the rest of his adult life laboring in the harsh deserts of Egypt, the Thracian...

Plot Keywords:

Slave | Gladiator | Colosseum | Beautiful Woman | Crucifixion

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Goran Visnjic	...	Spartacus
Alan Bates	...	Antonius Agrippa
Angus Macfadyen	...	Marcus Crassus
Rhona Mitra	...	Varinia
Ian McNeice	...	Lentulus Batiatus
James Frain	...	David
Henry Simmons	...	Draba
Ross Kemp	...	Cinna
Ben Cross	...	Titus Glabrus
Paul Kynman	...	Crixus
Paul Telfer	...	Gannicus
Chris Jarman	...	Nordo
Georgina Rylance	...	Helena
Stuart Bunce	...	Cornelius Lucius
Hristo Shopov	...	Maecenus
Jack Huston	...	Flavius
Matthew Thrift	...	Caius
Simon Day	...	Orsino
George Calil	...	Pompey
Richard Dillane	...	Julius Caesar
Niall Refoy	...	Publius Maximus
Valentin Ganev	...	Marcus Servius
Jane Thorne	...	Demeter
Jalaal Hartley	...	Soldier at Senate
Assen Blatechki	...	Polymus
Krasimir Kutzoparov	...	Centurion #4 (as Krassimir Kotzuparov)
Kiril Efremov	...	Commodus
Panayot Tzanev	...	Centurion #2
Dobrin Dosev	...	Mummius (as Dobrin Dossev)
Stefan Shterev	...	Head Overseer
George Zlatarev	...	Jason (as Georgy Zlatarev)
Maxim Gentchev	...	Trainer (as Maxim Genchev)
Alexander Preslavski	...	Caiaphus
Yevgeni Kuznetsov	...	Another Gaul (as Evgenii Kuznetsov)
Vladimir Kolev	...	Centurion #1
Petar Hristov	...	Roman Soldier #1
Lyubomir Neikov	...	Cook
Grozdan Daskalov	...	Field Slave #1
Evgenia Radilova	...	Lucia
Dimiter Martinov	...	Messenger #4 (as Dimitar Martinov)
Hristo Mitzkov	...	Scout #1
Iliya Raev	...	Senator #1 (as Ilia Raev)
Sava Georgiev	...	Senator #2
Nikolay Borisov	...	Quintis (as Nickolay Borissov)
Dimitrina Zhivkova	...	Female Slave
Valentin Tanev	...	Wine Vendor
Nickolay Russev	...	Spartacus's Father
Tzvetan Philipov	...	Teenage Spartacus
Nikolai Urumov	...	Slave Auctioneer (as Nickolay Urumov)
Plamen Manassiev	...	Messenger #3 (as Plamen Manasiev)
Ilka Zafirova	...	Old Woman
Julian Vergov	...	Scout #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Atanas Srebrev	...	Centurion #3 (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Dornhelm

Writing credits (WGA)
Howard Fast		(novel "Spartacus")
Robert Schenkkan		(teleplay)

Produced by
Michele Greco	....	co-producer
Ted Kurdyla	....	producer
Angela Mancuso	....	executive producer
Judith Craig Marlin	....	associate producer
Robert Schenkkan	....	executive producer
Adam Shapiro	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Randy Miller

Cinematography by
Kees Van Oostrum

Film Editing by
Mark Conte
Victor Du Bois
Cindy Mollo

Casting by
Scott Genkinger
Junie Lowry-Johnson

Production Design by
Paolo Biagetti

Set Decoration by
Ettore Guerrieri

Costume Design by
Jane Robinson

Makeup Department
Anna Andreeva	....	assistant makeup artist
Rita Cecchini	....	hair stylist
Giancarlo Del Brocco	....	key makeup artist
Sergio Gennari	....	key hair stylist
Carla Indoni	....	key hair stylist
Rita Innocenzi	....	hair stylist
Federica Jacoponi	....	makeup artist
Maria Stankovich	....	assistant makeup artist
Alfredo Tiberi	....	makeup artist
Greta Velikova	....	assistant makeup artist
Gino Zamprioli	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Eva Bakardjieva	....	unit manager
Boiko Boyanov	....	unit manager
Michele Greco	....	production manager
Ted Kurdyla	....	unit production manager
Sasho Metodiev	....	local production manager
Marco Olivieri	....	unit manager
Radost Todorova	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Aaron Barsky	....	second unit director
Victor Bojinov	....	first assistant director: Bulgaria
Denitza Daverova	....	crowd co-ordinator
Hristo Dimitrov	....	second assistant director: Bulgaria
Sergio Ercolessi	....	first assistant director
Plamen Georgiev	....	junior assistant director
Krasimir Hazarbasanov	....	first assistant director: second unit
Phillip Kurdyla	....	second second assistant director
Barbara Pastrovich	....	second assistant director
Antony Tanev	....	second assistant director: second unit
Alexander Kossev	....	second second assistant director: second unit (uncredited)
Karen Xuereb	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Stefan Alexiev	....	props
Giovanni Battista	....	construction manager
Giuseppe De Luca	....	lead man
Orlin Grozdanov	....	set dresser
Nencho Hristov	....	props
Zhivko Kordov	....	props
Jasen Kovachev	....	stand-by props
Sebastiano Murer	....	stand-by props
Michael Panevics	....	property master
Yan Parvanov	....	model maker
Pietro Petri	....	carpenter
Stoyan Petrov	....	props
Giancarlo Sensidoni	....	assistant set decorator
Paolo Sforzini	....	painter
Lyubomir Sirakov	....	stand-by props
Arta Tozzi	....	set decorator production assistant
Stanislav Vayov	....	props
Zamfir Zamfirov	....	master carpenter
Zhivko Zhelyazkov	....	storyboard artist

Sound Department
Mario Ankona	....	boom operator: second unit
Nate Arrigoni	....	assistant sound editor
Bill Bell	....	sound editor
Beau Biggart	....	adr mixer
Sean Byrne	....	assistant sound editor
William C. Carruth	....	sound editor (as Bill Carruth)
Tim Chilton	....	foley artist
Bob Costanza	....	sound effects editor
Andy D'Addario	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mike Dickeson	....	sound editor
Joy Ealy	....	sound editor
Lisle Engle	....	sound effects mixer
Kevin Fisher	....	sound editor
Mark Friedgen	....	supervising sound editor
Tommy Goodwin	....	foley mixer
Anton Holden	....	sound editor
Dean Hovey	....	sound effects editor
Aaron Levy	....	sound recordist
Gary Macheel	....	sound editor
Kathryn Madsen	....	adr editor
Adriane Marfiak	....	sound editor
György Mihályi	....	utility sound
Timothy Pearson	....	foley artist
Mac Ruth	....	location sound mixer
Jill Schachne	....	foley artist (as Jill Sanders)
Mark Steele	....	sound editor
Richard S. Steele	....	sound editor (as Rick Steele)
Pál Szûrös	....	boom operator
Tim Terusa	....	sound editor
Lou Thomas	....	sound editor
Petar Yosifov	....	sound mixer: second unit
Randal S. Thomas	....	dialogue editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Pasquale Catalano	....	special effects
Darius Cicenas	....	special effects: second unit
Michael Clifford	....	special effects coordinator
Michael Cook	....	artist
Vasko Dikov	....	special effects
Fabio Traversari	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Sean Afshar	....	visual effects editor
Kenneth Bailey	....	visual effects supervisor
Geeta Basantani	....	digital compositor
Beverly Bernacki	....	digital compositor
Louis Bravo	....	visual effects editor
Eliot Cail-Sirota	....	CG supervisor: Stargate Digital
Maryam Carloni	....	digital compositor
Tim Donahue	....	matte painting supervisor
Adam Ealovega	....	compositing supervisor
Darren Frankel	....	VP, post production: Stargate Digital
Eric Grenaudier	....	visual effects supervisor
Sid Jayakar	....	digital compositor
Jared Jones	....	digital compositor
Jason Korber	....	digital compositor
Frank Lawas	....	visual effects I/O supervisor
Sam Nicholson	....	visual effects supervisor
Anthony Ocampo	....	3D artist
Megan Omi	....	digital compositor
Gordon Oscar	....	visual effects
Jeff Sargent	....	digital compositor
Victor Scalise	....	digital compositor
Charles Schwartz	....	matchmove and visual effects artist
Maryam Sharifi	....	digital compositor
Renaud Talon	....	visual effects compositor
Cedric Tomacruz	....	matte painter
John Vassallo	....	CG artist
Peter V. Ware	....	visual effects producer (as Peter Ware)
Doug Witsken	....	digital compositor
Chris Qi Yao	....	CG artist
Mike Yip	....	visual effects

Stunts
Boyan Anev	....	stunts
Georgi Dimitrov	....	stunts
Ivailo Dimitrov	....	lead stunt double
Dian Hristov	....	stunts
Radoslav Ignatov	....	stunts
Danko Jordanov	....	stunts
George Karlukovski	....	stunts
Rastislav Kotula	....	stunts
Asen Marinov	....	stunt double
Asen Marinov	....	stunts
Branislav Martinak	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Lubomir Misak	....	stunt coordinator
Radoslav Parvanov	....	stunts
Peter Plazak	....	stunts
Svetoslav Rangelov	....	stunt rider
Stanislav Satko	....	stunts
Stanimir Stamatov	....	utility stunts
Georgi Stanislavov	....	stunts
Marek Toth	....	stunts
Teodor Tsolov	....	stunt actor
Yordan Zahariev	....	stunt coordinator: Bulgaria

Camera and Electrical Department
Krassimir Arabadjiev	....	still photographer
Anton Bakarski	....	camera operator
Martin Balkanski	....	best boy: second unit
Nenad Boroevich	....	assistant camera: second unit
Paolo Bovi	....	best boy grip
Fausto Cancellieri	....	grip
Giancarlo Checchi	....	electrician
Roberto De Nigris	....	camera operator
Desislav Dimitrov	....	grip: second unit
Georgy Dimitrov	....	focus puller: second unit
Paolo Frasson	....	dolly grip
Nikolai Kerezov	....	assistant camera
Todor Kostov	....	electrician
Martin Kotev	....	gaffer: second unit
Romain Leroy	....	assistant camera: second unit
Maurizio Lorenzetti	....	first assistant camera
Zheko Manev	....	camera loader: second unit (as Jeko Manev)
Anton Nakov	....	focus puller: second unit
Alberico Novelli	....	gaffer
Sami Novelli	....	electrician
Roberto Perilli	....	generator operator: second unit
Flaviano Ricci	....	grip
Alessandro Rossi	....	best boy electric
Marco Rossi	....	electrician
Christopher A. Schenck	....	first assistant camera
Lyubomir Somov	....	assistant camera: second unit
Plamen Somov	....	director of photography: second unit
Doriano Torriero	....	key grip
Iliya Yonev	....	key grip: second unit
Aleksandr Zlatev	....	camera loader: second unit (as Alexandre Zlatev)

Casting Department
Vanessa Baker	....	adr voice casting
Victor Bojinov	....	casting: Bulgaria
Brendan Donnison	....	adr voice casting
Debbie George	....	casting assistant
Barbara Harris	....	adr voice casting
John Hubbard	....	casting: Europe
Ros Hubbard	....	casting: Europe
Tamara Notcutt	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Cassendre de le Fortrie	....	set costumer
Ani Gelinova	....	set costumer
Beatrice Giannini	....	assistant costume designer
Irena Maximova Kirkova	....	costumer
Hristina Krumova	....	wardrobe assistant
P. Kay Morris	....	assistant costume designer
Vera Radoslavova	....	wardrobe assistant
Burya Stefanova	....	costume supervisor
Sofiya Stoilova	....	costume assistant: second unit
Elena Stoyanova	....	costume department assistant
Vladimir Yossifov	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Joe Finley	....	colorist
Mark L. Levine	....	assistant editor
Rumen Mitov	....	assistant editor
Jessica Townsend	....	post-production assistant
Douglas Weiner	....	assistant editor
Todor G. Todorov	....	colorist: dailies (uncredited)

Music Department
James Bladon	....	music editor
Benedikt Brydern	....	composer: additional music
Peter Fuchs	....	music recording engineer
Russ Howard III	....	scoring assistant
Alex Kharlamov	....	composer: additional music
Julia Newmann	....	music assistant
Peter Tomashek	....	composer: additional music
Jeff Vaughn	....	score mixer
Gernot Wolfgang	....	composer: additional music

Transportation Department
Nickolay Georgiev	....	transportation captain
Roberto Leone	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Julie Adams	....	dialect coach
Kirby Adams	....	first assistant accountant
Andrew William Agzarian	....	production accountant
Silvia Badankova	....	production assistant
Nicholas Belgrave	....	production assistant
Brian Bero	....	armorer
Velina Boneva	....	assistant location manager
Stephen Chanev	....	accountant
Irina Cherkelova	....	local production coordinator
Dobrinka Cherneva	....	accountant
Massimo Ciaraglia	....	weapons master
Valentin Dimitrov	....	key production assistant: second unit
Ivan Doykov	....	on-set production assistant
Emil Gigov	....	production assistant
Marco Greco	....	location manager
Peter Hric	....	horse master
Borimir Ilkov	....	on-set production assistant
Krasimira Karachorova	....	script supervisor: second unit
Ivana Kastratovic	....	production coordinator
Galina Kitanova	....	assistant: Robert Dornheim
Hristo Kolev	....	production assistant: second unit
Kalina Kottas	....	accountant
Gustáv Kyselica	....	sword master
Roxann Langlois	....	travel coordinator
Albena Lazova	....	assistant to producers
Casey Leming	....	electronic graphic artist
Rousy Lyutskanov	....	additional location manager (as Rusi Lyutzkanov)
Plamen Mishinev	....	production secretary
Kalin Nikolov	....	on-set production assistant
Boyka Pehlivanova	....	production assistant: second unit
Violeta Piperevska	....	production secretary
Nasko Vulev	....	production assistant
Gabriella Winkler	....	script supervisor

Thanks
Alan Bates	....	dedicated to the memory of (as Sir Alan Bates)
Howard Fast	....	dedicated to the memory of

Production Companies

• USA Network Pictures

Distributors

• USA Cable Entertainment (2004) (USA) (TV)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Home Video (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Home Video (2004) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (2004) (Germany) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Germano Natali
• Ghost SFX
• Stargate Digital (digital effects)

Other Companies

• Arcodue  camera equipment
• Boyana Film Laboratory  film lab
• Echo Sound Services  sound editing (as Echo Sound)
• Intrada  score album released by (limited edition)
• Modern VideoFilm  post-production services
• R.C. Baral & Co.  post-production accounting
• Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra  orchestra
• Todd Studios  sound re-recording

Runtime:

174 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

Brazil:14 | Netherlands:12 (TV rating) | Netherlands:16 (DVD rating) | Germany:12 | Singapore:M18

Filming Locations:

Sofia, Bulgaria

Company:

USA Network Pictures

Trivia:

Dedicated to Sir Alan Bates (Agrippa), who died of cancer shortly after filming ended.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Spartacus is fighting in the arena with sword and shield he has his sword in his right hand and shield in his left, except in one brief shot where the film was obviously reversed.

Quotes:

Spartacus: I am not a king. I am something better. A free man.

Movie Connections:

Version of Spartacus (1960)

Utterly Amazing, Hauntingly Sad

I'll admit it right off. I've never seen the Kirk Douglas version of the film. From what I understand of it though, Douglas' portrayal was a much harder, gritty character than was Goran Visnjic's. Visnjic made you feel for he and all his men. The subtle undertone of sadness that permeated the character was breath-taking. While fighting, he moved with catlike grace and fiery hate towards those that enslaved him. The movie made me feel like I was there. The character jumped off of the screen with such truth that one could not help but cheer their victories and agonize and cry with them at their defeats. All in all, Spartacus was, in this humble writer's opinion, one of the most fascinating, beautifully choreographed and acted, and, most likely, underrated and unseen mini series of all time.