Spartacus @ 60: An Online Conference

Marking the 60th anniversary of the release of Spartacus, and following on from successful conferences on seminal Stanley Kubrick films, 2001:A Space Odyssey and Eyes Wide Shut, Bangor University is hosting a virtual conference to discuss Spartacus. The event takes place on 21st December 2020, 9-6.30 p.m. UK Time.

Conference organiser Nathan Abrams, Professor of Film, describes the Conference as a place where a global community of fans, scholars and practitioners can come together to consider the making and impact of this crucial film.

He explains: “Spartacus has left an indelible mark on our popular culture and has been much mimicked as well as parodied. But its exact position with Stanley Kubrick’s oeuvre has been misunderstood with some critics and academics excluding it from his canon.

“Consequently, it has not been subjected to the same scrutiny from a wide variety of disciplines and methodological perspectives as his other films.”

Co-organiser Dr James Fenwick Senior Lecturer in Media, Sheffield Hallam University, added: “The cultural legacy of Spartacus endures through the way it continues to inspire film, television and other media. This is the only conference of its kind, exploring this key film, anywhere in the world. Please join us.”

At the conference, scholars and fans from diverse disciplinary backgrounds will explore Spartacus, discuss its impact and consider its position within Kubrick’s oeuvre and the wider visual and socio-political culture.

Topics include the film’s origins, influences, production, aesthetics, themes, representations, publicity, reception, afterlife, legacy, and where the film sits in Kubrick’s and Douglas’ wider body of work.

The conference is hosted by the Centre for Film, Television and Screen Studies at Bangor University. It is free to attend, and participants can register here: https://shu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwkf-2grT0sGtBwpzFVbzCKtfKiQyz00l_v