2.5 hrs into Spartacus

The death of Jean Simmons + advertisements for the Spartacus show on some channel (Showtime? A&E?) got me to finally sit down to watch Spartacus....watching that movie (I am 2.5 hours into it, couldn't do it all in one night) I couldn't help but be amazed at Kirk Douglas's chin. I know Kubrick got pissed at Kirk during the movie and they hated each other afterwards but its entirely possible that Kubrick told the cameraman to focus on Kirk's chin the entire movie...that thing itself could bring down the Roman army.

Some thoughts while watching it:
- I wonder if Kirk Douglas gets royalties from every Gladiator movie ever made after Spartacus, but I guess he would have to cede credit to Ben Hur and on and on and on...
- Maximus (Gladiator) completely ripped off Spartacus
- Peter Ustinov was great...nice combo of funny and sleazy...wish there was more of him in the movie...another character Gladiator sort of ripped off
- I remember being amazed that Jean Simmons' breasts didn't peek out during the swimming in the pond scene. At one point the showed about a foot of cleavage without a hint of nipple. I was thoroughly amazed at the camera work.
- How the hell did they get all those people to walk through the dessert for all of those scenes...is that a huge stage? Did they really drag ten thousand people into the California dessert and then make them walk across it with goats?

I am 75% about finishing the movie...especially since Wikipedia ruined the ending for me.