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Variety: The 20 Best Sword-and-Sandal Films
Posted on 7/20/26 at 10:15 am
Posted on 7/20/26 at 10:15 am
quote:
It’s been decades since cinemagoers have been treated to a high quality sword-and-sandal film, so leave it to the great Christopher Nolan to reinvigorate the dying genre with his thrilling take on Homer’s classic “The Odyssey.”
quote:
1. Ben-Hur (1959)
With all due respect to DeMille, Nolan and Kubrick, the no. 1 spot on the list is reserved for William Wyler’s fictional tale of Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston, never better), an aristocratic Jewish prince who’s wrongly imprisoned by the Romans, sold into slavery where he becomes a champion charioteer, and then later witnesses the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Wyler employed 10,000 extras and used 2,500 horses and 200 camels for the mammoth production, whose nine-minute chariot-racing sequence ranks among the greatest sequences in the history of cinema. “Ben-Hur” is recognized as one of the finest films ever made, and took home a record 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor.
quote:
2. The Ten Commandments (1956)
3. The Odyssey (2026)
4. Spartacus (1960)
5. The Prince of Egypt (1998)
6. Gladiator (2000)
Expertly directed by Scott, the film is carried to great heights by the acting brilliance of Crowe and Phoenix, who make perfect foils.
7. William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar (1953)
8. Quo Vadis (1951)
quote:
20. Troy (2004)
Christopher Nolan was all set to replace Wolfgang Petersen as director of this adaptation of Homer’s “Iliad,” from a screenplay by David Benioff, but when Petersen’s “Batman vs. Superman” project blew up, Petersen went back to “Troy” and Warner Bros. offered Nolan “Batman Begins” as consolation. Anyway, Benioff’s screenplay completely bastardizes Homer’s tale, even killing off Agamemnon (!), though the Achilles/Hector showdown is thrilling and the casting is pretty spot-on, including Brad Pitt as Achilles, Eric Bana as Hector, Sean Bean as Odysseus and Bryan Cox as Agamemnon. At least it planted the seed for Benioff and Bean’s reunion on “Game of Thrones.”
rest of the list
This post was edited on 7/20/26 at 10:18 am
14
Posted on 7/20/26 at 10:17 am to RLDSC FAN
Odyssey too high. Gladiator too low. Should have included Lawrence of Arabia imo. ETA: the Prince of Egypt being mentioned is a joke
This post was edited on 7/20/26 at 10:18 am
Posted on 7/20/26 at 10:25 am to RLDSC FAN
I nominate The Arena for a couple of reasons.
Posted on 7/20/26 at 10:28 am to RLDSC FAN
Odyssey at #3 .... horseshite!
and ahead of Spartacus .... double horseshite!
and ahead of Spartacus .... double horseshite!
Posted on 7/20/26 at 10:30 am to RLDSC FAN
quote:
Benioff’s screenplay completely bastardizes Homer’s tale, even killing off Agamemnon (!)
I don't recall Agamemnon getting killed off in this movie.
Posted on 7/20/26 at 10:30 am to Don Quixote
quote:
Odyssey at #3 .... horseshite!
and ahead of Spartacus .... double horseshite!
and ahead of Gladiator. Triple equine excrement.
Posted on 7/20/26 at 10:33 am to RLDSC FAN
Some of those aren't sword and sandal movies.
This post was edited on 7/20/26 at 10:57 am
Posted on 7/20/26 at 10:55 am to BugAC
quote:
I don't recall Agamemnon getting killed off in this movie.
Rose Byrne’s character Breseis stabs him during the sacking of Troy instead of his wife killing him when he gets home.
I think the author meant Menelaus though. That death made no sense. Allowing Paris to live and escape with Helen was an abomination.
This post was edited on 7/20/26 at 12:30 pm
Posted on 7/20/26 at 11:22 am to RLDSC FAN
idk if i would consider the Prince of Egypt or the Ten Commandments sword and sandal movies.
Posted on 7/20/26 at 11:24 am to RLDSC FAN
quote:
Anyway, Benioff’s screenplay completely bastardizes Homer’s tale
Also Variety:
This post was edited on 7/20/26 at 11:28 am
Posted on 7/20/26 at 11:31 am to RLDSC FAN
Caligula and 300 unironically landing on any Best Of list is bad news. Troy is garbage. I like Richard Lester, but Forum is one of his least funny movies.
Anthony Mann's The Fall of the Roman Empire would be in my top 5. Same with his El Cid, which I think qualifies based on what else is included in this list. Richard Fleischer's Barabbas is better than most of the list.
If Julius Caesar counts, so should CBD's 1934 Cleopatra, which is fantastic and Claudette Colbert holy shite.
I would imagine this board loves Immortals, given the presence of its man crush, and it probably is a better inclusion than several of these.
Also, isn't omitting Clash of the Titans pretty strange?
Anthony Mann's The Fall of the Roman Empire would be in my top 5. Same with his El Cid, which I think qualifies based on what else is included in this list. Richard Fleischer's Barabbas is better than most of the list.
If Julius Caesar counts, so should CBD's 1934 Cleopatra, which is fantastic and Claudette Colbert holy shite.
I would imagine this board loves Immortals, given the presence of its man crush, and it probably is a better inclusion than several of these.
Also, isn't omitting Clash of the Titans pretty strange?
Posted on 7/20/26 at 11:45 am to ell_13
Lawrence of Arabia would be the number one film on this list
It's a better movie than Ben Hur
It's a better movie than Ben Hur
Posted on 7/20/26 at 11:45 am to RLDSC FAN
Odyssey is too high. Awesome movie but there are films below it which are all timers.
Over time I think it would settle in at a 7-10ish place on lists like these.
That troy thing is interesting though. I had no idea.
Over time I think it would settle in at a 7-10ish place on lists like these.
That troy thing is interesting though. I had no idea.
This post was edited on 7/20/26 at 11:47 am
Posted on 7/20/26 at 12:11 pm to RLDSC FAN
No Conan on the list. Joke.
Posted on 7/20/26 at 12:38 pm to Jay Are
quote:
300 unironically landing on any Best Of list is bad news.
quote:
Troy is garbage.
I love Troy and think it's awesome, but won't argue that it's an overly good movie though.
#1 on the list, and it's not even on their list, should The Beastmaster though. It's the GOAT. I made an appreciation thread six years ago because I love it so much. It was a staple for an 80s kid. (And Tanya Roberts, TYFYS)
This post was edited on 7/20/26 at 12:53 pm
Posted on 7/20/26 at 12:43 pm to SammyTiger
quote:
idk if i would consider the Prince of Egypt or the Ten Commandments sword and sandal movies.
I think the sandals part is the qualifier here. The Prince of Egypt is a great movie. I expected Conan the Barbarian to be ranked higher. I wasn't expecting Caligula on there.
ETA: Why is Highlander not on this list?
This post was edited on 7/20/26 at 12:48 pm
Posted on 7/20/26 at 12:47 pm to Jay Are
quote:
Troy is garbage
Every take you have is shite. Troy is great
Posted on 7/20/26 at 12:51 pm to CocomoLSU
quote:
I love Troy, but won't argue that it's an overly good movie though.
I love Troy just for the Achilles vs. Hector battle scene. Achilles is just ruthless and kills him with no mercy.
Posted on 7/20/26 at 12:51 pm to Proximo
I've never understood the Troy hate. everyone i know enjoyed it
Posted on 7/20/26 at 1:15 pm to ell_13
quote:
Should have included Lawrence of Arabia imo
Lawerence of Arabia was set in 1917. It's more guns and camels than swords and sandals.
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