Spartacus:
The Complete Collection
(2010 - 2013/Anchor Bay Blu-ray Box Set)
Picture:
B+ Sound: B+ Extras: A Episodes: B+
One
of the most epic Blu-ray releases of the year slashes onto home video
capturing all four seasons of Starz! Spartacus
series. Seasons in this box set (which we have looked at separately
over the years) include Blood
and Sand - The Complete First Season,
Gods
of the Arena
(which serves as a prequel), Vengeance
- The Complete Second Season,
and War
of the Damned - The Complete Third Season.
Anchor Bay has re-released every season of the hit Starz! TV show
'Spartacus' as part of an impressive collectible bundle that houses
all of the included 13 discs (39 episodes) in a highly collectible
digi-book case. The set also comes with several new supplements,
including three commentaries and an exclusive bonus disc with several
featurettes. All old supplements from the previous releases do carry
over but if you are a diehard fan of the show then this is a release
that you do not want to miss!
With
a style akin to 300,
this Spartacus series pushes the visual boundaries of style while
giving its audience a daring amount of blood, sex, and nudity that
many other channels would surely shy away from. If you are a fan of
Gladiator
or the 300
films, then this is a sword and sandal series that will be right up
your alley. This is not Stanley Kubrick's Spartacus!
In
Blood
and Sand:
Torn
from his homeland and the woman he loves, Spartacus (Andy Whitfield),
a Thracian warrior captured by Romans, is enslaved into a gladiator
training school owned by Batiatus and his wife Lucretia. He is
forced to fight daily for his life against deadly foes, under the
brutal whip of trainer Doctore. Against all odds, Spartacus'
rebellious instincts, his intense love for his wife Sura and his
powerful fighting skills drive him to win a series of near-impossible
battles - setting in motion a revolution against the tyranny of Rome.
To survive, he must become more than a man and more than a
gladiator. He must become a legend.
In
Gods
of the Arena:
Before
Spartacus struck down his first opponent in the arena, there were
many gladiators who passed though the gates and onto the sand.
Spartacus:
Gods of the Arena
tells the story of the original Champion of the House of Batiatus:
Gannicus in a more ruthless time before Spartacus' arrival where
honor was just finding it's way into the arena.
In
Vengeance:
After
the bloody escape from the House of Batiatus that concluded
Spartacus:
Blood and Sand,
the gladiator rebellion begins to strike fear into the heart of the
Roman Republic in Spartacus:
Vengeance.
Praetor Gaius Claudius Glaber and his Roman troops are sent first to
Capua, and thence to Mount Vesuvius, to crush the ever-growing band
of freed slaves under Spartacus before they can inflict further
damage. Spartacus finally comes face to face with the man who sold
his wife into slavery and condemned Spartacus to slavery as a
gladiator owned by Batiatus. But Glaber fails in his obsession with
killing Spartacus - who is this time played by Liam McIntyre. The
freed gladiator champion Gannicus decides to join ranks with the
rebels under Spartacus. And the widows of both Lentulus Batiatus and
Gaius Claudius Glaber are soon to join their dearest husbands in the
afterlife.
And
finally - The
War of the Damned:
Gaius
Claudius Glaber is dead. Many months have passed since his defeat
and the rebel army, led by Spartacus and his generals Crixus,
Gannicus and Agron, continue to amass victories over Rome. With the
rebel numbers swelling to thousands of freed slaves, Spartacus is
more determined than ever to bring down the entire Roman Republic.
Following Ashur's death, Naevia and Crixus fight as one. Together,
the rebels engage in one bloody skirmish after another and prepare
for the inevitable: a full out war with Rome.
The
Roman Senate turns to Marcus Crassus, a wealthy, strategic
politician, for aid. He respects his opponent and refuses to make
the same mistake Glaber and his predecessors have. With a young and
fiercely competitive Julius Caesar as an ally, Crassus is determined
to crush Spartacus and his rebellion. The epic conclusion of a
legendary journey, Spartacus:
War of the Damned
will unleash a battle unlike anything ever seen before.
Anchor
Bay has really outdone themselves with the sound and picture on this
release - presented in 1080p high definition (aspect ratio of 1.78:1)
with lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround, the show has never looked or
sounded better than it does here. Subtitles are also available on
the disc in English SDH and Spanish. Total running time for the
series is 35 hours, 36 minutes.
As
mentioned before previously released extras will be available in the
set as well as new supplements including:
Three
New Season One Audio Commentaries
Spartacus
Fan Favorites With Liam McIntyre
Scoring
A Hit: Composer Joseph LoDuca
An
Eye Full: Roger Murray
Spartacus:
Paul Grinder
The
Last Word: John Hannah
This
is a set that you do not want to miss! Recommended!
-
James Harland Lockhart V
https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv
