Fiction
DVD
Availability
Details
PUBLISHED
©2008
EDITION
DESCRIPTION
2 videodiscs (185 min.) : sound, color ; 4 3/4 in
ISBN/ISSN
LANGUAGE
SERIES
NOTES
Originally produced as a motion picture in 1964
Disc 1 (89 min.) -- disc 2 (96 min.)
Marcus Aurelius Antonius, the philosopher-emperor of Rome, summons his empire's governors and princes to his German war headquarters for a Pax Romanus. He confides to his daughter, Lucilla, that his adopted son, Livius, will succeed him instead of his more unstable heir, Commodus. Overhearing this, Cleander, a blind prophet loyal to Commodus, presents Marcus with a poisoned apple. After the funeral, Livius, who does not share Lucilla's ambition for himself or Rome, allows Commodus to proclaim himself emperor. While pestilence ravages Rome, Commodus continues his vain, licentious behavior. He ultimately neglects to deal with all symptoms of unrest and banishing anyone reminding him of his responsibilities
Special features (disc 1, 26 min.): optional audio commentary by Bill Bronston (son of producer Samuel Bronston) and Mel Martin (biographer of Samuel Bronston); "Rome in Madrid" promotional film (c1964, 22 min.); theatrical trailer (4 min.); behind-the-scenes stills gallery; promotional material stills gallery; filmographies (Bronston, Mann, Tiomkin, Barzman, Franchina, Boyd, Loren, Guinness, Mason, Plummer, Sharif, Quayle, Ferrer, Ireland)
A fictionalized account of the ascension of Roman Emperor Commodus, in which Commodus assassinates his father (Emperor Marcus Aurelius) when he learns that Aurelius had planned to name Aurelius' adopted son Livius (a fictional character) as Aurelius' successor
Special features (disc 2, 70 min.): "The rise and fall of an epic production" making-of featurette (29 min.); "The rise and fall of an Empire" historical featurette (11 min.); "Hollywood vs. History" historical featurette (10 min.); "Dimitri Tiomkin : scoring the Roman Empire" biographical featurette (20 min.)
"Enhanced for widescreen TVs" -- Container
Director of photography, Robert Krasker ; film editor, Robert Lawrence ; music composed and conducted by Dimitri Tiomkin
Sophia Loren, Stephen Boyd, Alec Guinness, James Mason, Christopher Plummer, Anthony Quayle, John Ireland, Omar Sharif, Mel Ferrer
Filmed at Bronston Studios in Madrid, Spain
Not rated by the MPAA
DVD, region 1; Dolby digital 5.1
In English, with optional Spanish subtitles
Subtitled for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Golden Globes, USA, 1965: Golden Globe - Best Original Score (Dimitri Tiomkin)