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Not-on-DVD The Fall of the Roman Empire AC-3 WS Mega-Rare LaserDisc Loren Drama

The Fall of the Roman Empire AC-3 WS Mega-Rare LaserDisc Loren Drama

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The Fall of the Roman Empire AC-3 WS Mega-Rare LaserDisc Loren Drama

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The Fall of the Roman Empire AC-3 WS Mega-Rare LaserDisc Loren Drama

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The Fall of the Roman Empire AC-3 WS Mega-Rare LaserDisc Loren Drama

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The Fall of the Roman Empire AC-3 WS Mega-Rare LaserDisc Loren Drama

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Mega-Rare Remastered, Dolby Digital AC-3, Widescreen, LaserDisc Movie Near-Mint LaserDiscs and Jacket with a split and a compressed corner

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Mega-Rare Remastered, Dolby Digital AC-3, Widescreen, LaserDisc Movie

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Sophia Loren and Stephen Boyd in...

The Fall of the Roman Empire

( Catalog Number ID3683PF )
(2.35:1) (4 Sides) (CLV) (NTSC)

LaserDisc Special Features

Best Version on LaserDisc
Includes the Overture and Intermission
See Many More Rare Dolby Digital AC-3 LaserDiscs at DaDon's...

The Fall of the Roman Empire
1964 - 182 min. - Color
Genre: Drama
Not Rated
Country: USA

LaserDisc Movie Storyline:
The success of Anthony Mann's wide-screen epic El Cid (1961) led to this even grander undertaking, one of Hollywood's periodic infatuations with the decadence of Imperial Rome. After murdering his father, Emperor Marcus Aurelius Commodus drifts into a life of wanton depravity as the Gothic hordes gather at the Empire's borders. THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE is a Hollywood spectacular in the grand tradition, but Mann manages to elicit some terrific performances amongst the mob scenes. According to the trailer, the film contains "Not just 3 or 4, but ALL of the known emotions!"

LaserDisc Movie Review:
Though Fall of the Roman Empire is now infamous as the epic which destroyed the cinematic "empire" of producer Samuel Bronston, the film is actually an above-average historical drama, attempting to make sense of the political intrigues which resulted in the dissolution of the Glory That Was Rome. The film begins with wise, diplomatic emperor Marcus Aurelius (Alec Guinness) calling together the various representatives of the many nations within the Empire as a means of securing peace and prosperity for all involved. When Marcus intimates that he intends to turn over his crown to adopted son Livius (Stephen Boyd) rather than the logical successor Commodus (Christopher Plummer), he is poisoned by one of Commodus' cronies. Marcus' daughter Lucilla (Sophia Loren) tries to get Livius to claim the throne, but he wants no part of it; thus, the fate of the empire is in the incompetent hands of the preening Commodus. Despite efforts by cooler heads to save Rome from ruin, Commodus vainly declares himself a god and kills anyone who poses a threat to him. When he learns that Lucilla actually has a stronger claim to the throne than he does, Commodus condemns her to be burned at the stake. Only then does Livius intervene, slaying Commodus and promising to try to pick up the pieces of the disintegrating empire. Attempting to find a common ground between history buffs and action fans, Fall of the Roman Empire has come to be regarded as a classic. Alas, audiences in 1964 had grown weary of epics (especially after the highly touted but disappointing Cleopatra), and failed to turn out in sufficient enough numbers to justify Fall's exorbitant cost. Virtually wiped out, Samuel Bronston would not be able to return to filmmaking until 1971, and then only on a much smaller and more pinchpenny scale. --- Hal Erickson

This film does not depict the fall of the Roman Empire, only the beginning of it. And it takes three hours to do it. Like Gladiator more than three decades later, it distorts second century Roman history, making Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Sir Alec Guinness) a victim of murder instead of plague. And like Gladiator, it distorts events surrounding the death of Aurelius' son and successor, Commodus (Christopher Plummer). In real life, Commodus was strangled while taking a bath. Finally, like Gladiator, it depicts the empire as infinitely big, infinitely powerful, and infinitely magnificent. The sets and action sequences of The Fall are impressive: There are endless parades of soldiers, a beautifully reconstructed Roman Forum, and a spectacular fight between racing charioteers. Unlike the chariot race, however, most of the film plods along at a tortoise pace, first under the gloomy winter skies of the Danube region, then in the treacherous shadows of the Forum. Plummer carries the film as the loony Commodus. He knows how to sneer, defy, lurk, double-cross, and turn thumbs down on the hapless. And though we don't get to see him die in a bathtub, we do see him wield Commodus' famous sword in a fight to the death against good guy Livius (Stephen Boyd) while the latter's beloved, Lucilla (Sophia Loren), is about to be burned at the stake. Guinness is somber and wise as the aging Aurelius, showing no hint of the emperor's Christian-hating side as he attempts to prepare Rome for its future. Boyd, who also drives a lickety-split chariot in Ben-Hur, plays the altruistic Livius as noble and selfless --- and humorless. Performing ably in supporting roles are old pros such as James Mason, Mel Ferrer, Omar Sharif, Anthony Quayle, Finlay Currie, and John Ireland. Dimitri Tiomkin won a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination for the fine musical score. --- Mike Cummings

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Cast for The Fall of the Roman Empire

Alec Guinness - Marcus Aurelius
Sophia Loren - Lucilla
Stephen Boyd - Livius
James Mason - Timonides
Christopher Plummer - Commodius
Anthony Quayle - Verulus
Omar Sharif - Sohamus
John Ireland - Ballomar
Mel Ferrer - Cleander
Eric Porter - Julianus
Douglas Wilmer - Niger
Peter Damon - Claudius
Andrew Keir - Polybius
George Murcell - Victorinus
Lena von Martens - Helva
Gabriella Licudi - Tauna
Rafael Calvo - Lentulus
Norman Wooland - Virgilanus
Michael Gwynn - Cornelius
Guy Rolfe - Marius
Finlay Currie - Senator
Virgilio Teixeira

Crew for The Fall of the Roman Empire

Anthony Mann - Director
Samuel Bronston - Producer
Ben Barzman - Screenwriter
Basilio Franchina - Screenwriter
Philip Yordan - Screenwriter
Robert Krasker - Cinematographer
Dimitri Tiomkin - Composer (Music Score)
Robert Lawrence - Editor
John J. Moore - Production Designer / Set Designer
Veniero Colasanti - Costume Designer / Production Designer / Set Designer
Gloria Mussetta - Costume Designer
Mario Van Riel - Makeup
Alex C. Weldon - Special Effects
Will Durant - Consultant/advisor

Awards for The Fall of the Roman Empire

Best Original Score (nom) Dimitri Tiomkin 1964 Academy
Best Original Score (win) Dimitri Tiomkin 1964 Golden Globe

Feature Details

Title: The Fall of the Roman Empire
Feature Release Date: 1964
Genre: Drama
Rating: Not Rated
Color: Color
Runtime: 182 Minutes
Chapters: 31
Picture: Letterboxed
Ratio: 2.35:1
Playback Format: CLV

IMDB Info...

Technical Details

LD Release Date: 5 Feb 1997
Catalog Number: ID3683PF
UPC: 014381368369
Publisher: Image Entertainment

Diameter: 12"
Sides: 4
Cover: Jacket
Sound Analog Right: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spoken Language: English
Country: USA
Video Format: NTSC

Model: ID3683PF
Shipping Weight: 2 lbs
0 in Stock

Mega-Rare Remastered, Dolby Digital AC-3, Widescreen, LaserDisc Movie

Near-Mint LaserDiscs and Jacket with a split and a compressed corner

Sophia Loren and Stephen Boyd in...

The Fall of the Roman Empire

( Catalog Number ID3683PF )
(2.35:1) (4 Sides) (CLV) (NTSC)

LaserDisc Special Features

Best Version on LaserDisc
Includes the Overture and Intermission
See Many More Rare Dolby Digital AC-3 LaserDiscs at DaDon's...

The Fall of the Roman Empire
1964 - 182 min. - Color
Genre: Drama
Not Rated
Country: USA

LaserDisc Movie Storyline:
The success of Anthony Mann's wide-screen epic El Cid (1961) led to this even grander undertaking, one of Hollywood's periodic infatuations with the decadence of Imperial Rome. After murdering his father, Emperor Marcus Aurelius Commodus drifts into a life of wanton depravity as the Gothic hordes gather at the Empire's borders. THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE is a Hollywood spectacular in the grand tradition, but Mann manages to elicit some terrific performances amongst the mob scenes. According to the trailer, the film contains "Not just 3 or 4, but ALL of the known emotions!"

LaserDisc Movie Review:
Though Fall of the Roman Empire is now infamous as the epic which destroyed the cinematic "empire" of producer Samuel Bronston, the film is actually an above-average historical drama, attempting to make sense of the political intrigues which resulted in the dissolution of the Glory That Was Rome. The film begins with wise, diplomatic emperor Marcus Aurelius (Alec Guinness) calling together the various representatives of the many nations within the Empire as a means of securing peace and prosperity for all involved. When Marcus intimates that he intends to turn over his crown to adopted son Livius (Stephen Boyd) rather than the logical successor Commodus (Christopher Plummer), he is poisoned by one of Commodus' cronies. Marcus' daughter Lucilla (Sophia Loren) tries to get Livius to claim the throne, but he wants no part of it; thus, the fate of the empire is in the incompetent hands of the preening Commodus. Despite efforts by cooler heads to save Rome from ruin, Commodus vainly declares himself a god and kills anyone who poses a threat to him. When he learns that Lucilla actually has a stronger claim to the throne than he does, Commodus condemns her to be burned at the stake. Only then does Livius intervene, slaying Commodus and promising to try to pick up the pieces of the disintegrating empire. Attempting to find a common ground between history buffs and action fans, Fall of the Roman Empire has come to be regarded as a classic. Alas, audiences in 1964 had grown weary of epics (especially after the highly touted but disappointing Cleopatra), and failed to turn out in sufficient enough numbers to justify Fall's exorbitant cost. Virtually wiped out, Samuel Bronston would not be able to return to filmmaking until 1971, and then only on a much smaller and more pinchpenny scale. --- Hal Erickson

This film does not depict the fall of the Roman Empire, only the beginning of it. And it takes three hours to do it. Like Gladiator more than three decades later, it distorts second century Roman history, making Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Sir Alec Guinness) a victim of murder instead of plague. And like Gladiator, it distorts events surrounding the death of Aurelius' son and successor, Commodus (Christopher Plummer). In real life, Commodus was strangled while taking a bath. Finally, like Gladiator, it depicts the empire as infinitely big, infinitely powerful, and infinitely magnificent. The sets and action sequences of The Fall are impressive: There are endless parades of soldiers, a beautifully reconstructed Roman Forum, and a spectacular fight between racing charioteers. Unlike the chariot race, however, most of the film plods along at a tortoise pace, first under the gloomy winter skies of the Danube region, then in the treacherous shadows of the Forum. Plummer carries the film as the loony Commodus. He knows how to sneer, defy, lurk, double-cross, and turn thumbs down on the hapless. And though we don't get to see him die in a bathtub, we do see him wield Commodus' famous sword in a fight to the death against good guy Livius (Stephen Boyd) while the latter's beloved, Lucilla (Sophia Loren), is about to be burned at the stake. Guinness is somber and wise as the aging Aurelius, showing no hint of the emperor's Christian-hating side as he attempts to prepare Rome for its future. Boyd, who also drives a lickety-split chariot in Ben-Hur, plays the altruistic Livius as noble and selfless --- and humorless. Performing ably in supporting roles are old pros such as James Mason, Mel Ferrer, Omar Sharif, Anthony Quayle, Finlay Currie, and John Ireland. Dimitri Tiomkin won a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination for the fine musical score. --- Mike Cummings

Thanks for Visiting DaDon's !

Reviews, Articles, Newsletter and Information for Movies on LaserDisc LD Laser Disc, LazerDisc.

Cast for The Fall of the Roman Empire

Alec Guinness - Marcus Aurelius
Sophia Loren - Lucilla
Stephen Boyd - Livius
James Mason - Timonides
Christopher Plummer - Commodius
Anthony Quayle - Verulus
Omar Sharif - Sohamus
John Ireland - Ballomar
Mel Ferrer - Cleander
Eric Porter - Julianus
Douglas Wilmer - Niger
Peter Damon - Claudius
Andrew Keir - Polybius
George Murcell - Victorinus
Lena von Martens - Helva
Gabriella Licudi - Tauna
Rafael Calvo - Lentulus
Norman Wooland - Virgilanus
Michael Gwynn - Cornelius
Guy Rolfe - Marius
Finlay Currie - Senator
Virgilio Teixeira

Crew for The Fall of the Roman Empire

Anthony Mann - Director
Samuel Bronston - Producer
Ben Barzman - Screenwriter
Basilio Franchina - Screenwriter
Philip Yordan - Screenwriter
Robert Krasker - Cinematographer
Dimitri Tiomkin - Composer (Music Score)
Robert Lawrence - Editor
John J. Moore - Production Designer / Set Designer
Veniero Colasanti - Costume Designer / Production Designer / Set Designer
Gloria Mussetta - Costume Designer
Mario Van Riel - Makeup
Alex C. Weldon - Special Effects
Will Durant - Consultant/advisor

Awards for The Fall of the Roman Empire

Best Original Score (nom) Dimitri Tiomkin 1964 Academy
Best Original Score (win) Dimitri Tiomkin 1964 Golden Globe

Feature Details

Technical Details

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The Fall of the Roman Empire LaserDisc, Rare LaserDiscs AC-3 Dolby Digital Laser Disc

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