ADDITION - Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray October 2015: WOW! All the complaints we had about the 50th Anniversary Blu-ray edition have been resolved! Example:

"Skin tones are quite red and it doesn't seem to have the same re-found dye as mentioned in the extras (ex. green light in the title as one example)"

The green is in the title, the dye restored and colors are a dramatic improvement in replicating the original appearance. Once again, with the imbedded timeline feature exact frame matches were very difficult, but the improvement is so obvious, I don't think it's required. Skin tones cool to a more natural state, there is also more information in the frame - on all 4 sides! Detail has tightened - there is  sense of depth! Magnificent!

Audio also advances - we get a new DTS-HD Master 7.1 surround track at a whopping 4929 kbps. Highly notable in the aggressive gladiatorial effects and the amazing score by the great Alex North (Man with the Gun, Under the Volcano, Viva Zapata, The Wonderful Country, Man With the Gun, A Streetcar Named Desire and more). It sounds wonderfully rich and epic. So impressive. There are optional subtitles and the Universal Blu-ray disc is region FREE.

Including the extras from the 2010 Blu-ray (4 Deleted Scenes, Archival Interviews with Ustinov and Simmons, Behind-The-Scenes Footage, 5 Vintage Newsreels, image galleries etc.) we get some new; I Am Spartacus: A Conversation with Kirk Douglas spends 10 heartbreaking minutes with the actor about Spartacus plus 9-minutes on Restoring Spartacus which will fill in some technical details of the process. The package includes a Digital Copy code leaflet for Spartacus and is UltraViolet for those that indulge.

Our highest recommendation! I feel like watching it again... right away. Wow.

ADDITION - Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray May 2010: Firstly, I am aware that some of the captures below on not exact frame matches but to adhere to the older Criterion images (one of our first comparisons ever on Beaver! 2001 Criterion vs. 1998 Universal DVDs) I stuck to an older methodology that made exact frame matching extremely difficult. To counter this I have added more than our usual number of grabs.

Extras - Universal has most (but not all) of the Criterion featurette extras - example they don't have all the Ustinov interviews, restoration piece etc.. The Blu-ray loses out in the larger sense without the commentary. This actually makes the Criterion DVD package worth owning despite its high price. It would have been marvelous to have Criterion do this title in 1080P but alas accepting the Universal's imperfect A/V seems not such a bad consolation in my opinion. A missed opportunity? - sure and the video transfer has issues but we still recommend specifically because of the offered price and audio.

NOTE (2010): People are speaking out against this title making a solid point that the majors won't get the point unless we are vehement in our dismissal. I believe they are right. Our recommendation is to own the Criterion DVD until this title is transferred correctly in the new format.

Gary W. Tooze