The Slave

world home video premiere in proper aspect ratio
THE SLAVE is one of the better and more serious Steve Reeves films, along with LAST DAYS OF POMPEII, MORGAN THE PIRATE, GIANT OF MARATHON, and DUEL OF THE TITANS. By the time this film was made, Reeves had become better at reacting to his co-stars and was more comfortable performing for the camera. The film was partially shot on location in Egypt, so the cinematography has a different visual look than most other Greco-Roman films. Reeves plays a Roman centurion who discovers that he may be the son of the rebel slave Spartacus, leading to a Zorro-like nocturnal campaign of rebellion against the oppressive Roman establishment.

Warner Archives has released a MOD DVD-R of this film in the original CinemaScope aspect ratio of 2:40-1. This is a world home video premiere in the proper widescreen. Foreign PAL DVDs of the film are all improperly matted to 1:66-1 or thereabouts. These epic films always look better when properly letterboxed, due to their widescreen imagery...

Magnificent Italian Spectacle
It is ironic that the two Italian Directors who would change the look of the Western genre in the mid sixties were cutting their teeth in the spectacle arena many years before. Director Sergio Leone would direct the way ahead of its time epic 'THE COLOSSUS OF RHODES' aka 'IL COLOSSO DI RODI' -1961 and Director Sergio Corbucci would direct a series of spectacles with actor Steve Reeves of which this entry 'THE SLAVE-SON OF SPARTICUS' aka 'IL FIGLIO DI SPARTACUS'- 1962 emerges as Reeves peak as an action performer. Almost a direct sequel to Director Stanley Kubrick's 'SPARTACUS' -1960, this film continues the legacy as Varinia's child with Spartacus matures and takes revenge on Crassus who was responsible for his fathers demise and crucifiction. What we have is a magnificent film which sort of got lost in the shuffle with all of the Hercules, Samson, Maciste, Goliath etc. entries unleashed in abundance at that time. The main characters are portrayed by brilliant familiar Italian...

Pretty well done!
Ok so I am one that has seen a lot of movies and let me say this! That this movie was very well put together. Spartacus staring Kirk Douglas is one of my most favorite movies that I have ever seen! So 3 days ago when I was just browsing you tube I watched a couple of the older films like the Colosseum etc. And finally the slave popped up as an option to watch. So being curious I looked into it further and read about it on the info section about the movie. And as soon as I saw it reference Spartacus son I just had to watch it.
Now we all should know that it is unclear of whether or not Spartacus even had a son, he may have considering the fact he had a wife but total certainty is not clear. We also know that Spartacus was not crucified but actually killed during battle, and that he was probably a member of the Roman military before being made a slave pry do to desertion, however many a facts were in the film Spartacus, and believe it or not many a facts are still within this...

Click to Editorial Reviews