entertainment

Star Channel to air 'Spartacus: Blood and Sand'

42 Comments

Star Channel will start showing the U.S. television series "Spartacus: Blood and Sand" from July 24. Talk show “Sekine Tsutomu Eiga no Jikan” co-hosts Tomoko Matsumoto and Tsutomu Sekine discussed the gladiator series recently on one of their programs along with former martial arts fighter and professional wrestler Nobuhiko Takada, who is now an actor, and TV personality Dave Spector.

Sekine said he was very enthusiastic about the story that focuses on the Thracian slave Spartacus, who led a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic. Takada said the fighting techniques of the stars were amazing. "I can only imagine the sort of training gladiators had to go through. I think it must have taken at least two years for them to become fighting machines."

Spector, who appeared on the show wearing an original T-shirt he bought himself, commented on the popularity of the show in the U.S. and said that “it's a show that was created for cable TV. Before it aired, it wasn't really well known, but once people started seeing it, they thought it was awesome. It got good media reviews."

"Spartacus: Blood and Sand" will premiere on Sat, July 24. The first episode will be free to watch. After that, it airs every Friday from 9 p.m. starting from July 30.

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Is this show know for some spicy romance scenes? Here is a clip from the show.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xchfuv_spartacus-blood-and-sand-sex-scene_sexy

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It's only available on the pay television Starz network in U.S. and as such I'm too cheap to pay(and I'm not into gladiators anyway)

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Seen the previous of it on Cable here.

Looks like the usual Blood gore fest(Brian De Palma would be proud) with the usual babe/hunk/nudity/sex elementa added in. Imagery is close to 300, etc.

In short more softcore mixed in with copious amounts of violence, action, SFX and plenty of blood.

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"Spector, who appeared on the show wearing an original T-shirt he bought himself,..."

Not sure what this means.

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Captain Oveur: "Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?"

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Having watched the entire series to date uncut, be ready for lots of blured out images. Lucy Lawless looks good naked though!

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Eye Yam Spurt A Cuss!

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Americans should take their hands off Thracian history, Spartacus or any Thracian Hero. The last American show I watched about Orpheus, they represented the Thracian mythological musician like a black man. Thracians are the oldest population of the Balkans and Europe, the people who invented wine and who died because of love for win. Thracians were enslaved by Romans because they spent their lives drinking instead of fighting. But still americans should not touch Thracian subjects because they create something worse than manga.

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LoveUSA: I guess we'll just have to wait for the Thracians to make their own TV series!

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LoveUSA: Spartacus was almost certainly not actually from Thrace - he was called a "thracian" after the style of gladiator he was. Some think Spartacus was perhaps even an ex-Legionary, who was punished with becoming a gladiator for desertion.

Anyhow, I've seen clips, and it indeed seems like a 300-esque cartoon, which will undoubtedly be full of historical inaccuracies (like having Spartacus come from Thrace, etc.).

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I guess we'll just have to wait for the Thracians to make their own TV series!

How do you know they do not have?

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Some think Spartacus was perhaps even an ex-Legionary

If you want to oppose Plutarch, you can think what you want.

Based on grecian sources, Spartacus was Thracian. He was from the tribe Maedi (Medi). They area Maedica was between rivers Nestrum and Strymon.

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I've actually watched the whole first season and it is very violent, extremely bloody and absolutely not for kids under the age of forty... (I'm exaggerating here but it is gory in the extreme).

Still, as no-brainer entertainment, it has some redeeming qualities;-))

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first season was great waiting for season two to start

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Americans should do Persians next!

(Oh wait, they already did "300"....)

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lostrune2.

300 is Spartans(Island of greece).

And movie forgot to mention that they had 3000~5000 Greek hoplites behind them. Granted some good movies can be made on the persian wars.

Don't expect Hollyweird to get it right though.

Look at Valkyrie(recent Tom Cruise) movie, place of attempt was a few hundred kilometers off as been documented often and shown in other movies.

Don't get me started on "The last samurai"(mixed about 200yrs of history) or "Memories of a Geisha".

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I seriously doubt it could touch the HBO miniseries "Rome". Also chock full of historical errors, but in some ways a good insight into what Roman life was probably like.

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I have already seen all the episodes of this series and it has appalling violence and gorge-rising full-frontal male nudity in abundance. Prob the censors will mosaic those bits but there is a lot of it and it is a real turn-off. I actually cannot recommend anyone watching this series under the age of 18 at least. Oh, and the main actor has come down with cancer so the series has been shelved.

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Still think we are getting closer and closer to "Running Man", "Death Race", etc.

Series like that seem to be the setup/preparation, IMHO.

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Zenny11,

Didn't the 300 Spartans fight the Persians?

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Need to check up on that. Persian definition varied across the ages. ;)

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yeah, claimed as 2nd persian invasion. Just different from ancient wargames.

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300 is Spartans(Island of greece).

300 Spartans fought somebody :)))

Need to check up on that.

hahaha Are you an american, Zenny11? of course the greeks fought the Persians.

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I think that nobody should touch the role of Spartacus except Kotooshu. He is so perfect for this role, his body is like gladiator's, he has the Thracian genes, he is the handsome hero of wrestling. I cannot imagine anybody else in this physically demanding role except Kotooshu. Why he does not have the leading role is beyond my comprehension.

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Loveusa.

I am as far from being an american as I am from being Japanese = european.

Sorry, got confused as many persian wars were not fought by persian troops but rather by persian tributaries. Hence the ancient wargaming reference.

European and ancient wars get confusing as to who actually fought.

Kotooshu might actually make a realistic gladiator based on historical evidence.

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No doubt there will be blurred images and plenty of mosaic bits. I kind of liked it though.

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Being PPV they might let quiet a bit slide.

Personally from what I have seen, I might watch it if there is nothing better on (and that is hard) just don't expect me to pay for it.

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No doubt there will be blurred images and plenty of mosaic bits.

Yes, the Romans are almost as famous as the Japanese for their mosaics.

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I want to make a proposal for the next hollywood movies/series: the Crusades. I think this topic is not yet touched. After Troy, Alexander, 300...this is a good topic. Arab world would be happy too because several of the greatest victories of the Muslims against European crusaders were in these times. Such series will contribute to the world peace. Actually the series should focus on Saladdin, one of greatest Arab and world warriors. He proved the crusaders could be defeated. Actually in those times crusaders and arabs and turks formed sometimes aliances. People can work together if there is will.

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I have seen the series unedited and it was great!!! Yes, full frontal nudity for men and women (thankfully no erections (visible)) but there was plenty of action both in the arena and out.

Good story. Good characters. Believable, except for Asher, perhaps (what's up with that accent???) I love the way they talk, too!! I've already watched the entire first season twice 'cuz it's so good!

Too bad the lead actor has cancer. I hope he comes through!

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Too bad the lead actor has cancer. I hope he comes through

Yes he came through and hes fine, but the next series are based on "the house of batiacus" so thats before spartacus came, because the producers didn`t know how well the lead star would fare. Absolutely a great series, but yes I recommend you download them , because the Japanese version will be heavily censored

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Nagoyalove.

Sorry, he came through what? Having lost a few loved ones to cancer I assume his 1st bout of chemo(maybe surgery).

He won't be considered cancer free for atleast 5yrs even if he had chemo and surgery. 5yrs that is without anymore cancer cels showing up, 10yrs to be sure.

Many people(depending on type of cancer) have to take hormone, etc meds for the rest of their lives.

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"Spartacus: Blood and Sand" Season 2 is a go! Star Andy Whitfield's diagnosis of Stage 1 non-Hodgkin lymphoma put production of Season 2 on hold. Instead, producers greenlit a 6-episode "Spartacus" prequel series starring Lucy Lawless and John Hannah.

Whitfield announced to Deadline that he is now cancer-free and has already begun training for his appearance in the prequel series. "I'm raring to go," he says, noting that his treatment was completed in mid-May.

"I was a healthy young man and had no idea that this could happen," Whitfield says of the initial shock. "It was frustrating that the first season was ending on such a high note and we could have been rolling into season 2."

Spartacus will be seen in two episodes of the prequel. Whitfield will begin filming his scenes in October, which gives him plenty of time for the rigorous boot-camp training he does for the physically demanding role. After the prequel series wraps the cast will immediately segue into the full Season 2 of "Spartacus: Blood and Sand."

Andy used the time off to "heal, stay in the now, and spend time with my family," he says, but he's looking forward to getting back into his gladiator sandals.

As for what the ordeal has taught him, Whitfield says he's learned to "stay in the now and enjoy every moment."

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Zenny11, Im not familiar with Stage 1 non-Hodgkin lymphoma, but from what I read, its treatable. Tough to hear though about your personal experiences, but stories like Andy Whitfield's may give you and many others a positive boost.

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Don't worry I also have cancer survivors like my mom(25+yrs but been a roller-coaster).

Right now there is ONLY one 100% curable cancer, rest can be treated but a full cure is rare.

Wish him the best but lymphs are a bad place to have cancer as it is the 1st location a cancer will spread to.

Sad to say but cancer don't care about age, physical fitness, etc.

Like I said wish him the best and hopde he can make series and movies.

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I have seen some of this latest violent and pornographic trash to emanate from America, on Youtube. The word "depraved" doesnt even begin to describe it. There is enough sick violence going around via video games, without this brain-imploding rubbish.

As for the "experts" quoted above - what do they know about anything, except for how to make money by appearing "trendy?"

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I am sorry to hear about the cancer of the main actor. Hopefully he will recover and continue the series. Cancer is not a death sentence anymore, it is completely treatable. Also, I have heard physical activity and training is good for cancer survivors. Wish him success.

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LoveUSA,

Unfortunately, some cancers still don't have a cure, like pancreatic cancer.

Persians were portrayed in 300 as well as Spartacus was portrayed here, I guess.

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Spartacus is my favourite historical person, so I wish him to be portrayed at his best.

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Spartacus is a good movie Make a movie about Ghangis Khan !!!! Please no more: and please no flying in the air and one man fighting 100 soldiers with 1 swipe of his sword 100 soldiers died. I'm sick of those movies Aka cliff is one of them.

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Spartacus is cool Red Cliffy is a stupid movie and toooooo long

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Spartacus will always be Kirk Douglas in my mind. Long before computer generated troops. Hail Kubrick, hail Super Panavision.

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