The Arena

[Aurelia]

A few days ago, I came across a film called "The Arena" at a DVD store. It seemed interesting but after googling it, I was sort of disappointed to find that it was a remake of a 1974 production featuring Playboy playmates as gladiatrices. Now this might be of interest to some of the gentlemen frequenting this forum. In any case, I was wondering if anyone here has seen this film? It was released in 2001 so it's not exactly recent. And judging by the plot summary below not the most historically accurate story either, hehe.

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0284867/plotsummary

[GhostOfClayton]

With the best will in the world, this does seem a wee bit tacky. And having just had a look at a clip on YouTube . . . well . . . judge for yourself:

 

 

Funnily enough, is does seem quite well reviewed on this website, so you never know.

 

What can it hurt to buy it?

[Aurelia]

Hmm, I think I'll wait for a very very rainy day to rent it...

 

Btw, I found a clip of the 70s version on You Tube. It looks very entertaining. And the camera work... wow!!

 

[Lanista]

Its a great movie, I've seen it dozens of times. Yep, its tacky, but its good tacky.

 

It was shot in Eastern Europe and that really works it is favour: the set people have done a brilliant job because the frontier city of (if memory serves) Durostum is a really depressing place. Out-of-favour governor Timarcus is pissed off at everything and everyone, so his character is more than just evil for evils sake. He feels he's had a raw deal and he's taking it out on everyone.

 

Lisa Dergan and Karen McDougal do fine jobs in the movie. And, to be honest, there's far more nudity in the Grier/Markov classic than there is in this. So the the "Playboy" tag is a little misleading: you'll see more boobs in 10 minutes of "Spartacus: Blood and Sand" than you will in the whole movie.

 

But - before anyone goes rushing out to buy it on my recommend, bear in mind that this is a Concorde movie and a remake of an exploitation flick, so aside from the two protagonists, the acting is pretty ropey...even from Timarcus who went on to star in the uber-overrated Russian dirge called "Daywatch."

 

So did the director, Timur Berkmabetov (I did that without looking it up - wonder if I got it right) and then ended up directing Angelina in "Wanted." I have to say that of all things, its Berkmabtov that really lets this movie down - and the girls themselves state this in their (really really long) interviews in the special features. He goes for this really choppy style in the climatic fight sequences, but their so choppy its hard to see what's going. The actresses got the hump when they saw the final cut because they'd spent almost every day they were on set practising their moves, so when it was all juddery cuts, you don't really get to see the effort they put in.

 

But what the hell. Its all good fun, and as I say, I've seen it loads of times. But you HAVE to view the interviews with the actresses after you've seen it once, and then watch it again, it gives you a real insight into the hell these girls went through to make this movie. A titbit - they say that the actor playing the lanista was a raving alkie who's breath stank not just off booze, but fags and...well...it was just foul. So when he's shouting at them, doing the "Full Metal Jacket" bit, they're all flinching away. Its not from fear - they're trying not to hurl *lol*.

 

And then there's the Roman party...its the strangest thing I've seen in any swords and sandals flick - and I've seen a few of 'em...but basically, the Romans all get pissed up, form a circle, hold hands and jump up and down, chanting rhythmically. Maybe its an allegory for an all guy orgy, I don't know.

 

If you can get it on the cheap, go for it...its a great laugh, disposable entertainment. And the Romans wear lorica too.

 

Its worth watching back-to-back with the 1973 version...same plot, different directors...so you can see how the same subject matter is handled differently. They both sort of trump each other in different departments I think. But yeah - definitely worth a watch in my book.

 

Cheers

 

Russ

[Aurelia]

That was an excellent "review" Lanista, thanks for that.

 

I won't buy the DVD but I don't think there's any harm and renting it, just for kicks. I don't mind tacky as long as it is entertaining.