Spartacus (1960) Won the Academy Award for art direction/set decoration, cinematography, costume design, and supporting actor. Nominated for editing and score. Kubrick's only true "epic" movie is also the only movie where he had absolutely no control over the screenplay. The film is about, of course, Spartacus, a slave who was bought and trained to be a gladiator. Using his newly acquired battle skills, he leads a growing army of slaves that first defeats their captures, and later the Roman army. Despite the small degree of artistic freedom taken in all historical dramas, this film holds up very true to the actual recorded events. Of the twenty four-week shoot, a quarter of that time was spent on the final slave army versus Roman army battle. After completion, the scene suffered massive editing to censor some of its more violent moments. The film took even more butchering when it was rereleased seven years later. The whole experience soured Kubrick and he never took a project that he didn't have complete control over again.

The rebellious Thracian Spartacus, born and raised a slave, is sold to Gladiator trainer Batiatus. After weeks of being trained to kill for the arena, Spartacus turns on his owners and leads the other slaves in rebellion. As the rebels move from town to town, their numbers swell as escaped slaves join their ranks. Under the leadership of Spartacus, they make their way to southern Italy, where they will cross the sea and return to their homes. Meanwhile, in Rome, the slave revolt has become a deciding factor in the power struggle between two senators: the republican Gracchus and the militarist Crassus, each of whom sees the fortunes of the rebellion as the key to his own rise to power or humiliating defeat. As the two statesmen attempt to aid, hinder and manipulate the rebels for their own benefit, Spartacus and his followers press on toward freedom.

Stanley Kubrick (July 26, 1928 - March 7, 1999) was a Jewish American film director and producer who is widely considered to have been one of the most innovative, talented, and influential filmmakers of the late 20th century. Kubrick's films, most of which were adapted from literary sources, are characterized by technical brilliance, inventive, often economical storytelling, and timeless wit. His trademarks include close-up shots, long tracking shots and extensive zooms, and use of pop songs and classical music.

Spartacus was a Roman slave, who led a large slave uprising in what is now Italy, during 73 BC-71 BC. His army of escaped gladiators and slaves defeated many Roman legions in several engagements. This conflict is known as the Third Servile War, one of the three slave rebellions of ancient Rome. This war was also known as the "Gladiator War".
One of the most common theories is that Spartacus fought in the Roman Army as an auxiliary. The auxiliary forces were made up entirely of men from subject lands, who willingly fought for the Romans. Spartacus deserted the army, was outlawed, captured, sold into slavery, and trained at the gladiatorial school of Batiatus, owned by Lentulus Batiatus, in Capua. He took his ideas from Blossius of Cumae, which can be summarized as: "the last will be the first [and vice versa]."

From: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, the article about Spartacus.