Spartacus

1960.
Unlisted / #81
Winner of 4 Academy Awards.

Spartacus (Kirk Douglas) leads a slave revolt against Rome.

Eddie: I didn't realize until I started watching this movie that SPARTACUS is a Stanley Kubrick film. While it's stylistically more of a departure for Kubrick, it's got a lot of the elements that I despise about his movies. À la 2001, why does Kubrick insist on lingering so long on one shot? Rome could've been sacked and rebuilt in the time it takes those legions to assemble before they attack the slave army. And vis-à-vis (that's right. I said it) nearly every Kubrick film, what the hell was this movie about? Was it about Spartacus? Was it about Rome? Was it a love story? I have no idea.

Douglas is all right, but he seems to rely pretty heavily on that grin to get him through scenes. Tony Curtis is terribly miscast. Even the dependable Laurence Olivier seems uneven throughout the film. My only concession is that Kubrick deserves major props for directing this epic film (cast of 10,000) at such a young age (33). In addition to directing, Kubrick served as the director of photography after he fired Russell Metty (who still managed to win the Oscar for Best Color Cinematography).

Sarah: The things Eddie hates about this movie are the things I like about it. I like that Kubrick takes his time to develop multi-layered films. His stories don't tell you their thesis, instead he leaves the audience to draw their own conclusions. He is subtle, which I find refreshing. Apparently I'm alone here because everyone else loves BLACK SWAN (aka "Mirror mirror on the wall, whose the craziest one of all?").

I really admire Kubrick, and the choreography of this mega-cast shows what a powerful director he is. But even my love for Kubrick doesn't make me think this is an AFI movie. While I found the subject matter fascinating, this film seems weak compared to the others we have viewed. It's a relic sitting on the list as a tribute to old epic films. It doesn't hold up. It's too costumed and melodramatic. Even if you could get past these issues to enjoy the emotional ride of the film, sooner or later Tony Curtis will enter. As soon as he says something in his thick, New York accent, you will again be taken out of the movie.

I'm all for more Kubrick on the list, but what about FULL METAL JACKET or THE SHINING? This is simply too much of a commercial drama to showcase Kubrick's talents. And we all know what happens when we try and make Kubrick commercial. We get A.I.

Why You Should See It: The love story between Spartacus and Varinia (Jean Simmons) is kind of adorable.

Psycho

1960.

#18 / #14

Nominated for 4 Academy Awards.

Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) hides away at a hotel after embezzling money from her boss. After Marion is murdered at the hotel, her sister Lila (Vera Miles) visits the hotel in the hopes of finding the killer.

Eddie: When I first saw PSYCHO on the big screen, I jumped in fright a few times. It's Hitchcock at his best. He draws out suspense better than anyone that came before him or anyone that's come since. While it's easy to compare PSYCHO to low-budget zombie movies like NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD or slasher films like TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, PSYCHO is much more psychological than either of those two. Sure, there is the now-trite theme of sex causing violence, but overall, PSYCHO is a psychological thriller - not a B-horror movie.

The unsung hero in PSYCHO, as in most Hitchcock films, is composer Bernard Herrmann. You can't think of PSYCHO without the violins of the Shower Scene, and the chilling simplicity of the score is a credit to Herrmann.

Sarah: I honestly don't know why Anthony Perkins didn't win an Oscar for this role. He is the first person to really play that type of troubled on the big screen, and his performance has become the go-to example for actors since.

I think the best thing about this film is true of many Hitchcock films. The scary comes after the movie is over, when everything Hitchcock has been planting catches up to you. Then you realize how truly brilliant he is.

Why You Should See It: The obvious reason is The Shower Scene, but I think that the scene much later in the film, when Mrs. Bates is unmasked, is a far more powerful scene.