"Actor: Silvana Mangano"

• Oedipus Rex | Blu Ray | (24/09/2012) from £9.99   |  Saving you £10.00 (100.10%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Three years after The Gospel According to Matthew, Pier Paolo Pasolini resumed his series of classical adaptations with asavage, highly personal take on Sophocles' ancient Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex (Edipo Re). As his first colour feature, Oedipus Rex makes brilliant use of wildly alternating Moroccan landscapes to transpose collective myth into a particular vision that is at once tender, sensual, and wholly unsparing.The film is divided into three sections set in different eras. The opening takes place in 1920s Italy, and recounts a birth thatechoes that of the director himself, the product of a beautiful bourgeoise's affair with a military officer. The mid section depicts a time outside of history - it is here that the myth of Oedipus (portrayed by Franco Citti of Accattone and Coppola's The Godfather), one of patricide and incest, plays out opposite the young man's mother/lover (Silvana Mangano). An epilogue shot on the streets of present-day Bologna finds Oedipus playing his flute for a bustling citizenry.

• Dune | Blu Ray | (18/10/2021) from £17.05   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  A PLACE BEYOND YOUR DREAMS. A MOVIE BEYOND YOUR IMAGINATION. Following a notorious aborted attempt by Alejandro Jodorowsky in the 1970s, Frank Herbert's bestselling sci-fi epic Dune finally made it to the big screen as the third film by emerging surrealist wunderkind David Lynch, featuring an all-star cast that includes several of Lynch's regular collaborators. The year is 10,191, and four planets are embroiled in a secret plot to wrest control of the Spice Melange, the most precious substance in the universe and found only on the planet Arrakis. A feud between two powerful dynasties, House Atreides and House Harkonnen, is manipulated from afar by ruling powers that conspire to keep their grip on the spice. As the two families clash on Arrakis, Duke Atreides' son Paul (Kyle MacLachlan, in his screen debut) finds himself at the centre of an intergalactic war and an ancient prophecy that could change the galaxy forever. Though its initial reception ensured that Lynch largely eschewed mainstream filmmaking for the rest of his career, Dune has since been rightly re-evaluated as one of the most startlingly original and visionary science fiction films of the 1980s. Its astonishing production design and visual effects can now be appreciated anew in this spellbinding 4K restoration, accompanied by hours of comprehensive bonus features.

• Conversation Piece (1974) (Masters of Cinema) Dual Format (Blu-ray & DVD) edition | Blu Ray | (15/08/2016) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Eureka Entertainment to release Luchino Visconti's CONVERSATION PIECE, a heartfelt tale of loneliness and intimacy starring Burt Lancaster and an international ensemble cast, in a Dual Format edition as part of the Masters of Cinema Series on 15 August 2016. Eleven years after The Leopard, the revered Italian maestro Luchino Visconti reteamed with the iconic Burt Lancaster on the lavish Conversation Piece [Gruppo di famiglia in un interno]. A retired American professor (Lancaster) lives a solitary and luxurious life in a house in Rome. His world takes an unexpected turn when he is forced to rent part of his house to a countess and her companions: a lover, a daughter and the daughter's boyfriend. Forced into interaction with the unruly younger group, the professor's growing fascination begins to stir the possibilities of a life he had previously kept at arm's length. A sumptuous, grandly enjoyable chamber drama with a wry sense of humour, Conversation Piece features an international ensemble cast including Helmut Berger, Silvana Mangano and Stefano Patrizi (with uncredited cameos by Claudia Cardinale and Dominique Sanda). The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present Visconti's penultimate film in a new dual-format edition from a brand new 2K restoration. Click Images to Enlarge

• Dune | DVD | (04/10/2004) from £6.24   |  Saving you £-0.25 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  David Lynch's Dune is the brilliant but fatally flawed would-be epic feature film version of Frank Herbert's novel of the same name, the bestselling science fiction novel ever written. It is a complex but too heavily simplified version of a far more elaborate book, a darkly Gothic far future space opera revolving around an imperial, dynastic power struggle on the desert planet of Arrakis. With what was in 1984 an enormous $40 million budget, Lynch retained a surprising amount of the industrial/Victorian feel of his previous features, Eraserhead (1976) and The Elephant Man (1980), and was able to bring to the screen some of the most imaginative and awe-inspiring production designs, costumes and action then seen. Indeed, as a spectacularly atmospheric vision of the future Dune has as much to recommend it as the far more celebrated Blade Runner (1982), with which it even shares the female romantic lead, Sean Young--here just one star in a superb cast. The problem, which an unauthorised extended TV version failed to fix, is that Lynch's original vision of Dune was massively cut for length, and as such the final third is so rapidly paced as to undermine the superb first two thirds. A director's cut is sorely needed, the cinema version playing like a butchered masterpiece. Also available is an entirely unconnected four-and-a-half-hour mini-series, Frank Herbert's Dune (2000), which is less visionary but more coherent. On the DVD: The 2.35:1 image suffers from not being anamorphically enhanced. There are minor flecks of dirt and scratches, but generally the print used is in good condition although there is a considerable amount of grain in some scenes and the image could be more detailed. The packaging claims the sound is Dolby Digital 5.1, but it is actually three-channel sound (stereo plus centre speaker), with the main stereo feed being duplicated in the rear channels. A full 5.1 remastering would improve matters considerably. Special features consist of the original trailer and a pointless gallery of seven badly cropped stills. There is a very basic animated and scored menu using the portentous main theme music from the film. --Gary S Dalkin

• Ludwig | DVD | (19/06/2006) from £31.03   |  Saving you £-18.04 (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Visconti's 1972 film is a lavish and operatic portrait of Ludwig II the `Mad King' of Bavaria. From his glittering coronation to his mysterious suicide Ludwig II (1845-86) epitomised the doomed nineteenth-century Romantic hero. A loner by nature he was tormented by his unrequited love for his cousin Empress Elisabeth of Austria who sensed his true sexual nature and fragile grip on reality. But as war raged around him Ludwig's sole obsession remained the visionary music of Ric

• Dune UHD (Limited Edition) | Blu Ray | (30/08/2021) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  A Place Beyond Your Dreams. A Movie Beyond Your Imagination. Following a notorious aborted attempt by Alejandro Jodorowsky in the 1970s, Frank Herbert's bestselling sci-fi epic Dune finally made it to the big screen as the third film by emerging surrealist wunderkind David Lynch, featuring an all-star cast that includes several of Lynch's regular collaborators. The year is 10,191, and four planets are embroiled in a secret plot to wrest control of the Spice Melange, the most precious substance in the universe and found only on the planet Arrakis. A feud between two powerful dynasties, House Atreides and House Harkonnen, is manipulated from afar by ruling powers that conspire to keep their grip on the spice. As the two families clash on Arrakis, Duke Atreides' son Paul (Kyle MacLachlan, in his screen debut) finds himself at the centre of an intergalactic war and an ancient prophecy that could change the galaxy forever. Though its initial reception ensured that Lynch largely eschewed mainstream filmmaking for the rest of his career, Dune has since been rightly re-evaluated as one of the most startlingly original and visionary science fiction films of the 1980s. Its astonishing production design and visual effects can now be appreciated anew in this spellbinding 4K restoration, accompanied by hours of comprehensive bonus features. Special Features: Brand new 4K restoration from the original camera negative 60-page perfect-bound book featuring new writing on the film by Andrew Nette, Christian McCrea and Charlie Brigden, an American Cinematographer interview with sound designer Alan Splet from 1984, excerpts from an interview with the director from Chris Rodley's book Lynch on Lynch and a Dune Terminology glossary from the original release Large fold-out double-sided poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Dániel Taylor Six double-sided, postcard-sized lobby card reproductions Limited edition packaging with reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Dániel Taylor DISC ONE - FEATURE & EXTRAS (4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY) 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray™ presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) Original uncompressed stereo audio and DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing Brand new audio commentary by film historian Paul M. Sammon Brand new audio commentary by Mike White of The Projection Booth podcast Impressions of Dune, a 2003 documentary on the making of the film, featuring interviews with star Kyle MacLachlan, producer Raffaella de Laurentiis, cinematographer Freddie Francis, editor Antony Gibbs and many others Designing Dune, a 2005 featurette looking back at the work of production designer Anthony Masters Dune FX, a 2005 featurette exploring the special effects in the film Dune Models & Miniatures, a 2005 featurette focusing on the model effects in the film Dune Costumes, a 2005 featurette looking at the elaborate costume designs seen in the film Thirteen deleted scenes from the film, with a 2005 introduction by Raffaella de Laurentiis Destination Dune, a 1983 featurette originally produced to promote the film at conventions and publicity events Theatrical trailers and TV spots Extensive image galleries, including hundreds of still photos DISC TWO BONUS DISC (BLU-RAY) The Sleeper Must Awaken: Making Dune, a brand new feature-length documentary by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures exploring the making of the film, featuring dozens of new and archive interviews with cast and crew Beyond Imagination: Merchandising Dune, a brand new featurette exploring the merchandise created to promote the film, featuring toy collector/producer Brian Sillman (The Toys That Made Us) Prophecy Fulfilled: Scoring Dune, a brand new featurette on the film's music score, featuring interviews with Toto guitarist Steve Lukather, Toto keyboardist Steve Porcaro, and film music historian Tim Greiving Brand new interview with make-up effects artist Giannetto de Rossi, filmed in 2020 Archive interview with production coordinator Golda Offenheim, filmed in 2003 Archive interview with star Paul Smith, filmed in 2008 Archive interview with make-up effects artist Christopher Tucker *** EXTRAS STILL IN PRODUCTION AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE ***

• The Witches | Blu Ray | (08/01/2018) from £19.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  The Witches In the mid-sixties, famed producer Dino De Laurentiis brought together the talents of five celebrated Italian directors for an anthology film. Their brief was simple: to direct an episode in which Silvana Mangano (Bitter Rice, Ludwig) plays a witch. Luchino Visconti (Ossessione, Death in Venice) and screenwriter Cesare Zavattini (Bicycle Thieves) open the film with The Witch Burned Alive, about a famous actress and a drunken evening that leads to unpleasant revelations. Civic Sense is a lightly comic interlude from Mauro Bolognini (The Lady of the Camelias) with a dark conclusion, and The Earth as Seen from the Moon sees Italian comedy legend Totò team up with Pier Paolo Pasolini (Theorem) for the first time for a tale of matrimony and a red-headed father and son. Franco Rosso (The Woman in the Painting) concocts a story of revenge in The Sicilian s Wife, while Vittorio De Sica (Shoeshine) casts Clint Eastwood as Mangano s estranged husband in An Evening Like the Others, concluding The Witches with a stunning homage to Italian comic books. Features: Brand new 2K restoration from original film elements produced by Arrow Films exclusively for this release High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation Original Italian mono audio (uncompressed LPCM) Brand-new audio commentary by film critic and novelist Tim Lucas Interview with actor Ninetto Davoli, recorded exclusively for this release English-language version of Vittorio De Sica s episode, An Evening Like the Others, starring Clint Eastwood Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Pasquale Iannone and Kat Ellinger

• Ludwig | Blu Ray | (13/12/2021) from £23.79   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  A string of masterpieces behind him including Ossessione, Senso, The Leopard and Death in Venice the great Italian director Luchino Visconti turned his attentions to the life and death of King Ludwig II of Bavaria in 1972, resulting in an epic of 19th-century decadence. Dominated by Helmut Berger (The Damned, The Bloodstained Butterfly) in the title role, Ludwig nevertheless manages to find room for an impressive cast list: Romy Schneider (reprising her Elisabeth of Austria characterisation from the Sissi trilogy), Silvana Mangano (Bitter Rice), Gert Fröbe (Goldfinger), John Moulder-Brown (Deep End) and Trevor Howard (Brief Encounter) as Richard Wagner. As opulent as any of Visconti's epics Piero Tosi's costume design was nominated for an Academy Award Ludwig is presented here in its complete form in accordance with the director's wishes. Special Features 2K restoration from the original film negative High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation Two viewing options: the full-length theatrical cut or as five individual parts Original Italian soundtrack with optional English subtitles Original English soundtrack with optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing Interview with actor Helmut Berger Interview with producer Dieter Geissler Luchino Visconti, an hour-long documentary portrait of the director by Carlo Lizzani (Wake Up and Kill, Requiescant) containing interviews with Burt Lancaster, Vittorio Gassman, Francesco Rosi, Claudia Cardinale and others Speaking with Suso Cecchi d'Amico, an interview with the screenwriter Silvana Mangano: The Scent of a Primrose, a half-hour portrait of the actress Theatrical trailer Reversible sleeve featuring two choices of original poster artwork

• Barabbas | DVD | (25/03/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Starring Anthony Quinn in the title role Barabbas was released in 1961 in the midst of a wave of widescreen epics based on Biblical characters. "It begins where the other big ones leave off", declaims the trailer. The screenplay, by playwright Christopher Fry (who also contributed to Ben-Hur), is an unusually intelligent one: listen out for Barabbas' final encounter with the Apostle Thomas, for example. Further assets are the imaginative, sparingly orchestrated score by Mario Nascimbene and a handsome production design by art director Mario Chiari that is so rewarding to the eye in Aldo Tonti's often dazzling cinematography. Like the other Biblical epics of the day, in its original theatrical incarnation Barabbas had an intermission and orchestral intermezzo which is sadly missing from this version. (It occurred at the point where Barabbas emerges from a 20 years exile in the sulphur mines in Sicily, allowing the audience to dwell on his recuperation before we next encounter him. He now appears muscled and bronzed ploughing the verdant fields outside Rome in all too quick a fashion!). Many scenes, such as Christ's crucifixion, are shot and staged like tableaux in a style reminiscent of the great masters of art. And in Fleischer's hands this film surpasses anything Ridley Scott achieved years later in Gladiator: he fills the huge arena--a vast Roman amphitheatre--with a gladiatorial school of hand-to-hand combat, a parade of elephants and a den of lions, and then caps his production with a riveting and thrillingly mounted duel between Jack Palance, careering round the circumference of the arena in his chariot, and Barabbas dodging him on foot. The supporting cast, who sport a variety of accents call for some tolerance, however. On the DVD: Barabbas on disc comes devoid of any extra features other than trailers for it and another contemporaneous blockbuster, The Guns of Navarone. --Adrian Edwards

• Dune | Blu Ray | (05/10/2021) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• Pasolini 101 (Criterion Collection) | Blu Ray | (27/06/2023) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• Dune--Special TV Edition | DVD | (23/10/2000) from £15.05   |  Saving you £4.94 (32.82%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Dune: Special TV Edition is an extended US network television version prepared in 1988 from David Lynch's 1984 film of Frank Herbert's classic science fiction novel, Dune. The original cinema release of this complex tale of interplanetary intrigue was heavily shortened and this 176-minute TV edition should not to be confused with Lynch's still unreleased three-hour-plus "Director's Cut". In fact Lynch disowned this TV version, replacing his director's credit with the infamous pseudonym Alan Smithee and his screenplay credit with the name Judas Booth (a combination of two notorious traitors). What the network did was add 35 minutes, about 15 minutes in the first two thirds, which in the cinema cut is in any case superbly paced, and around 20 into the final 40. This latter material does help balance the frenetic rush of the cinema cut, restoring important scenes such as Paul Atreides' fight with Jamis, a Fremen funeral and Jessica Atreides' taking the "Water of Life". What primarily alienated Lynch was the imposition of a folksy, sometimes laughable narration, as well as the replacement of the original prologue with a far longer sequence explaining the Dune universe via pre-production paintings. This TV edit is a travesty of what, in the "Director's Cut" at least, is probably a great film, and is really only worth seeing to get a glimpse of the material Lynch was forced to remove. The unconnected mini-series, Frank Herbert's Dune (2000) does a far better job of telling a more complete version of the story. On the DVD: There is a fold-out colour booklet which contains a wealth of stills, a reproduction of the original cinema poster and a worthwhile essay on the original film that avoids any discussion of the TV version it accompanies. On the disc there is only the original theatrical trailer. The superb cinematography is ruined by the panned and scanned 4:3 image, which is grainy and has poor colour fidelity. It is also soft, lacking detail and washed-out, probably a result of being converted from American NTSC TV format video rather than coming directly from an original film print. Certainly the DVD of the cinema version looks far better. The audio is thin mono, completely failing to do justice to how fantastic a post-Star Wars 40-million-dollar science fiction epic should sound. --Gary S Dalkin

• Dune -- Two-disc Special Edition | DVD | (04/07/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  This two-disc special edition release of David Lynch's 1984 film Dune presents the same cut as originally shown theatrically, but with an improved transfer compared to the previous DVD edition and with the addition of new and archive documentary material. In case of confusion, it should be noted that this is not any of the following versions: the re-edited TV movie adaptation of Lynch's film, the long-sought-after extended version Lynch screened for cast and crew in January 1984, a new Director's Cut, or the Sci-Fi Channel mini series. The first disc contains a new anamorphically enhanced 2.35:1 transfer taken from a High Definition archive copy of the 1984 film, further restored to remove dirt and scratches, and a Dolby Digital 5.1 remix as well as the original stereo soundtrack. The film looks superb and sounds almost as good, though a DTS soundtrack would have been welcome. The main extras are a well illustrated 32-page booklet written by Paul Sammon, author of the excellent Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner and The Making of Starship Troopers and a new 38-minute anamorphic widescreen documentary, Impressions of Dune. This is much superior to the average making-of, featuring significant new contributions from Kyle MacLachlan, producer Raffaella De Laurentiis, cinematographer Freddie Francis and others--though David Lynch is conspicuous by his absence. Destination Dune is a six-minute promotional featurette made by Sammon at the time of the film's release and the 4:3 image is fairly poor quality. An 83-second BBC interview with Frank Herbert is too short to be of more than passing interest, though the original trailer is a fine example of the 1980's way of selling movies. The set is completed with routine cast and crew profiles. Even with no involvement from Lynch and no commentaries, this is still the best Dune on DVD. --Gary S. Dalkin

• Conversation Piece | DVD | (30/06/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  An explosive love story of two women who lead a reclusive professor (Lancaster) into a complex web of sexual intrigue...

• Theorem (Stamp) | DVD | (24/09/2007) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  A handsome enigmatic stranger (Terence Stamp) arrives at a bourgeois household in Milan and successfully seduces each family member not forgetting the maid. Then as abruptly and mysteriously as he arrive he departs. Unable to endure the void left in their lives the father (Massimo Girotti) hands over his factory to the workers the son abandons his vocation as a painter the mother (Silvana Mangano) abandons herself to random sexual encounters and the daughter sinks into catatonia. The maid (Laura Betti) however becomes a saint.

• Barabbas | Blu Ray | (08/07/2022) from £36.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  An epic account of the thief Barabbas, who was spared crucifixion when the Jews chose Christ in his place. Struggling with his spirituality, Barabbas goes through many ordeals leading him to the gladiator arena, where he tries to win his freedom and confront his inner demons.A 1961 religious epic film, directed by Richard Fleischer (Fantastic Voyage) and starring Anthony Quinn as Barabbas, Silvana Mangano, Jack Palance & Ernest Borgnine.Product Features1080P High definition presentationTheatrical TrailerLimited Edition slipcase on the first 1500 copies with unique artwork.More features TBC

• OEDIPUS REX | DVD | (24/09/2012) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £16.99

  Three years after The Gospel According to Matthew, Pier Paolo Pasolini resumed his series of classical adaptations with a savage, highly personal take on Sophocles' ancient Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex (Edipo Re). As his first colour feature, Oedipus Rex makes brilliant use of wildly alternating Moroccan landscapes to transpose collective myth into a particular vision that is at once tender, sensual, and wholly unsparing. The film is divided into three sections set in different er...

• The Witches | DVD | (08/01/2018) from £7.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  The Witches In the mid-sixties, famed producer Dino De Laurentiis brought together the talents of five celebrated Italian directors for an anthology film. Their brief was simple: to direct an episode in which Silvana Mangano (Bitter Rice, Ludwig) plays a witch. Luchino Visconti (Ossessione, Death in Venice) and screenwriter Cesare Zavattini (Bicycle Thieves) open the film with The Witch Burned Alive, about a famous actress and a drunken evening that leads to unpleasant revelations. Civic Sense is a lightly comic interlude from Mauro Bolognini (The Lady of the Camelias) with a dark conclusion, and The Earth as Seen from the Moon sees Italian comedy legend Totò team up with Pier Paolo Pasolini (Theorem) for the first time for a tale of matrimony and a red-headed father and son. Franco Rosso (The Woman in the Painting) concocts a story of revenge in The Sicilian s Wife, while Vittorio De Sica (Shoeshine) casts Clint Eastwood as Mangano s estranged husband in An Evening Like the Others, concluding The Witches with a stunning homage to Italian comic books. Features: Brand new 2K restoration from original film elements produced by Arrow Films exclusively for this release Standard Definition presentation Original Italian mono audio Brand-new audio commentary by film critic and novelist Tim Lucas Interview with actor Ninetto Davoli, recorded exclusively for this release English-language version of Vittorio De Sica s episode, An Evening Like the Others, starring Clint Eastwood Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys

• The Decameron | DVD | (27/04/2009) from £9.22   |  Saving you £10.77 (116.81%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The first of Pasolini's colourful entertaining and highly erotic Trilogy of Life films The Decameron tells ten stories based on 14th century originals. Full of bawdy earthy spirit and presented in high definition restoration the film romps through its tales of sex and death - of lusty nuns and priests cuckolded husbands murdered lovers and grave robber - with five of the stories linked by the character of an intriguing artist played by Pasolini himself.

• Classic Cuts Collection - Historical Epics | DVD | (26/03/2007) from £6.95   |  Saving you £18.04 (259.57%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Barabbas (Dir. Richard Fleischer): Barabbas (Anthony Quinn) is a man literally marked with the blood of Jesus. Before being crucified Jesus is brutally flogged while tied to a post outside Barabbas' cell. When released by decree of the people Barabbas staggers into this post covering his hands in Christ's blood. His life is never the same again... The Conqueror: John Wayne stars as the Mongolian chieftain Temujin better known as Genghis Khan. The Mongol warlord must do battle against the rival tribe that killed his father however the battle pales in comparison with Temujin's home life. He must attempt to woo the heart of the red-haired Tartar prisoner Borlai (Susan Hayward) whom he captured in a raid... Spartacus (Dir. Stanley Kubrick): Stanley Kubrick's film tells the tale of Spartacus the bold gladiator slave and Virinia the woman who believed in his cause. Challenged by the power-hungry General Crassus Spartacus is forced to face his convictions and the power of Imperial Rome at its glorious height. A classic inspirational true account of one man's struggle for freedom Spartacus combines history with spectacle to recreate a moving drama of love and commitment. Gladiator (Dir. Ridley Scott): The great Roman General Maximus (Russell Crowe) has once again led the legions to victory on the battlefield. The war won Maximus dreams of home wanting only to return to his wife and son; however the dying Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) has one more duty for the general - to assume the mantle of his power. Jealous of Maximus' favor with the emperor the heir to the throne Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) orders his execution - and that of his family. Barely escaping death Maximus is forced into slavery and trained as a gladiator in the arena where his fame grows. Now he has come to Rome intent on avenging the murder of his wife and son by killing the new emperor; Commodus....