Finally, the last day of the film meme
Jun. 28th, 2011 07:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
redfiona99Sorry I've taken so long to get to this, but I have a lot to say on the topic.
Given that it has a running time of 2 and a half hours, there's only one shot in it that I really hate (discussed in the comments here -http://redfiona99.livejournal.com/234404.html), which I think is an extremely good total.
A lot of the reason I like it is, I think, that Gladiator does the basics very well indeed. There is a simple plot, well shot and acted.
I like Ridley Scott's direction. He tends towards very uncluttered images. There was an interview with him once, where he said that as a young boy, what he really wanted to do was film light and shadows and once you know that, a lot of his imagery makes a lot more sense. I like it because there's always a lot of negative space around the thing I'm supposed to be focussing on.
Given how much I complain about shaky cam, you'd think I'd hate the start of Gladiator. But I don't, because it's shaky cam used purposefully, not just to make something look cool.
The rest of it is filmed with such crispness, it's beautiful in parts.
I like the story that Scott deliberately made *his* Colosseum (see also, CGI done right) much bigger so that the effect of the glory that was Rome would be conveyed. It shows something like thought went into this.
On a previous post about Gladiator, someone did mention how historically inaccurate it is. I know I should care more about that, but I don't. I think I'm willing to give films a little leeway on these matters and the further ago the time period is, the greater the leeway. Unless it involves the words "Sparta", "freedom" and "that's not a phalanx". I am aware of my double-standards.
One of the other things I like about it, from the perspective of the story, is that all the character have their own motivation. It might only be crudely sketched, and, in a fair few cases it's 'get out of this alive' but everyone has something they want. Also, admittedly, every time I think of Commodus's motivation, all I get is 'How Soon Is Now' (Snake River Conspiracy version (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAl008wKLAQ) of it of all the variants) but this is not an entirely bad thing.
The casting is pretty neat too. I know people don't like Russell Crowe but he has a physicality to him that very few Hollywood actors have, which makes characters like Maximus or Jack Aubrey more realistic.
And Oliver Reed. There's lots of actors that I think could have pulled it off, but there's a certain glowering resonance that he achieved in the role that can't be matched.
I love that there's politics, about how the Empire ought to be ruled, both on a large-scale, and the smaller matter of whether people would prefer their government to do something about the drains or do they only want a hands off government.
I love the humour the characters have got. I can see why people say Maximus is dour, and he'd have every right to be, except that he's not. I grant it's very gallows humour, even at the beginning (the famous line 'If you find yourself alone, riding in the green fields with the sun on your face, do not be troubled. For you are in Elysium, and you're already dead!' is said with a laugh), which I find at least reasonably realistic. The only part where he does nothing but glower is the bit immediately after his family are slaughtered, once he's in Rome, he does laugh.
One of my favourite bits is after the "battle of Carthage", where Hagen decides that he must protect Maximus at all costs. Now, not only does he pretend to get poisoned, which is such a boy thing to do, but when he asks whether Maximus fought in Germany Maximus answers him honestly. And that matters, because it shows the kind of person Maximus is, he tells the truth because it was an honest question. It also turns out to be the right thing to do, because I think Hagen knew that Maximus had and would undoubtedly have reacted badly if Maximus had lied.
I <3 Maximus anyway, because he is so lovely. He's straight-forward and honest and true and he loves his family (see also bits that make me laugh 'To my son - I tell him I will see him again soon. To keep his heels down while riding his horse. To my wife... that is not your business.'). Apparently there's a take of the scene where he finds his family without the snot and retching, that they decided not to go with. I agree with them, because that scene needs that visceralness. It's another thing I like about the film, it's a film with snot, and blood and urine. It has to be to match a lead character who is a farmer general.
I believe in Maximus when he says all he wants is to go home. It's interesting to think what would have happened had Commodus just let him go home. I mean, I know he can't because he can't be sure who else Marcus Aurelius has told and he can't know for sure if Maximus would be happy to stay on his farm, mostly because Commodus knows he wouldn't because Commodus is an ambitious boy.
That's the thing about the plot, once it starts it can't stop. It has it's own forward momentum. Because Commodus can't let him live, and Maximus can't let the opportunity to avenge his family pass him by. But, and this is an important thing about Maximus too, he won't hurt an innocent boy just to get his revenge. And it's a vital thing for showing us he's a good man. IMDB pointed out that Maximus's last words are 'Lucius is safe.' If that doesn't tell you something about him.
I also love the bit with him and Lucius where Lucius goes 'I heard you can crush a man's skull with your hand' and Maximus's response is 'a man's, no, but maybe a boy's'. It's such a Dad/Uncle thing to do. And they say he has no sense of humour!
Of course, that leads up to the big scene where Maximus reveals himself. The first time I saw Gladiator, it was in the cinema with a bunch of friends, and it was so electrifying. Before it was a swords and saddles film, with that scene, Gladiator was an epic.
On a personal note, I like how the fight scenes were done. They look awesome without looking silly. There's also a certain brilliant irony in a film featuring a lead character yelling at a colluseum crowd about the way they get their entertainment through slaughter, when the film is spectacularly bloody.
Another thing is that they do, in a less in your face sort of way, the same thing that Rome did, these are Roman Romans, they worship Roman gods (even if they go unnamed) and keep slaves. About which - Cicero is played by one of my favourite 'you know, that guy's' Tommy Flanagan, so I approve of any film that pays him wages.
I like the ending, because Commodus isn't suddenly stupid, he knows for all his practising, and for all the damage that Maximus has taken, Maximus would still beat him, because Maximus is used to fighting for his life and he isn't. So he tries to even up the score.
Then there's the second to last shot where Maximus's body is carried away, by a soldier, a politician, a slave and a gladiator, which are all the things that Maximus was, which I like, as a sort of subtle symbolism. I also like the final scene of Juba burying the figures.
Of course, that's skipping over another of my favourite things about the film, which would be that it has a happy ending. A happy ending that makes me cry buckets every time I see it, but a happy ending nonetheless. Because everything does end as happily as it possibly could. Rome is saved, Lucius is safe, (Lucilla) does not have sleep with her brother and her son is safe and Maximus gets to go home finally. And that's the thing, it doesn't matter what you believe about the afterlife, he thinks he is, which is the important detail.
Of course, I've managed to skip how the film was clever enough to not show us anything but a shadow of Maximus's family, because doing otherwise would have slowed the film down and they got the idea across with the cameo. Also Lucilla, who, as Marcus Aurelius puts it, would make a far better emperor than any of the rest of them. And the score, which, for all it rips off Mars, Bringer of War, is ever so slightly fantastic.
In short, it's all the little things that combine to make Gladiator my favourite film.
Day 1 - Favourite Foreign Language Film
Day 2 - A film that is underrated
Day 3 - A Film That Brings Me Unadulterated Happiness
Day 4- A film cliché that you love
Day 5 - Favourite love story in a film
Day 6 - Favorite actor/actress
Day 7 - Most surprising plot twist/ending
Day 8 - Best Opening/Closing Credits
Day 9 - Best soundtrack/score to a film
Day 10 - Favourite classic film
Day 11 - Favourite black and white film
Day 12 - A film that permanently altered your point-of-view
Day 13 - A guilty pleasure...
Day 14 - A film that you used to love but now hate
Day 15 - Favorite film sequel
Day 16 - Favourite film character
Day 17 - Favourite quote
Day 18 - The best overall cast in a film
Day 19 - The most hilarious film you've seen
Day 20 - A Moving (Emotional) Scene
Day 21 - Favorite film from your favorite actor/actress
Day 22 - Favorite Academy Award acceptance speech
Day 23 - Character You Relate To The Most
Day 24 - The best page-to-screen film adaptation
Day 25 - Favourite film villain
Day 26 - Favourite film poster
Day 27 - A film you wish you'd seen in the cinema
Day 28 - Your favourite film from your favourite director
Day 29 - A piece of trivia from a favourite film
Given that it has a running time of 2 and a half hours, there's only one shot in it that I really hate (discussed in the comments here -http://redfiona99.livejournal.com/234404.html), which I think is an extremely good total.
A lot of the reason I like it is, I think, that Gladiator does the basics very well indeed. There is a simple plot, well shot and acted.
I like Ridley Scott's direction. He tends towards very uncluttered images. There was an interview with him once, where he said that as a young boy, what he really wanted to do was film light and shadows and once you know that, a lot of his imagery makes a lot more sense. I like it because there's always a lot of negative space around the thing I'm supposed to be focussing on.
Given how much I complain about shaky cam, you'd think I'd hate the start of Gladiator. But I don't, because it's shaky cam used purposefully, not just to make something look cool.
The rest of it is filmed with such crispness, it's beautiful in parts.
I like the story that Scott deliberately made *his* Colosseum (see also, CGI done right) much bigger so that the effect of the glory that was Rome would be conveyed. It shows something like thought went into this.
On a previous post about Gladiator, someone did mention how historically inaccurate it is. I know I should care more about that, but I don't. I think I'm willing to give films a little leeway on these matters and the further ago the time period is, the greater the leeway. Unless it involves the words "Sparta", "freedom" and "that's not a phalanx". I am aware of my double-standards.
One of the other things I like about it, from the perspective of the story, is that all the character have their own motivation. It might only be crudely sketched, and, in a fair few cases it's 'get out of this alive' but everyone has something they want. Also, admittedly, every time I think of Commodus's motivation, all I get is 'How Soon Is Now' (Snake River Conspiracy version (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAl008wKLAQ) of it of all the variants) but this is not an entirely bad thing.
The casting is pretty neat too. I know people don't like Russell Crowe but he has a physicality to him that very few Hollywood actors have, which makes characters like Maximus or Jack Aubrey more realistic.
And Oliver Reed. There's lots of actors that I think could have pulled it off, but there's a certain glowering resonance that he achieved in the role that can't be matched.
I love that there's politics, about how the Empire ought to be ruled, both on a large-scale, and the smaller matter of whether people would prefer their government to do something about the drains or do they only want a hands off government.
I love the humour the characters have got. I can see why people say Maximus is dour, and he'd have every right to be, except that he's not. I grant it's very gallows humour, even at the beginning (the famous line 'If you find yourself alone, riding in the green fields with the sun on your face, do not be troubled. For you are in Elysium, and you're already dead!' is said with a laugh), which I find at least reasonably realistic. The only part where he does nothing but glower is the bit immediately after his family are slaughtered, once he's in Rome, he does laugh.
One of my favourite bits is after the "battle of Carthage", where Hagen decides that he must protect Maximus at all costs. Now, not only does he pretend to get poisoned, which is such a boy thing to do, but when he asks whether Maximus fought in Germany Maximus answers him honestly. And that matters, because it shows the kind of person Maximus is, he tells the truth because it was an honest question. It also turns out to be the right thing to do, because I think Hagen knew that Maximus had and would undoubtedly have reacted badly if Maximus had lied.
I <3 Maximus anyway, because he is so lovely. He's straight-forward and honest and true and he loves his family (see also bits that make me laugh 'To my son - I tell him I will see him again soon. To keep his heels down while riding his horse. To my wife... that is not your business.'). Apparently there's a take of the scene where he finds his family without the snot and retching, that they decided not to go with. I agree with them, because that scene needs that visceralness. It's another thing I like about the film, it's a film with snot, and blood and urine. It has to be to match a lead character who is a farmer general.
I believe in Maximus when he says all he wants is to go home. It's interesting to think what would have happened had Commodus just let him go home. I mean, I know he can't because he can't be sure who else Marcus Aurelius has told and he can't know for sure if Maximus would be happy to stay on his farm, mostly because Commodus knows he wouldn't because Commodus is an ambitious boy.
That's the thing about the plot, once it starts it can't stop. It has it's own forward momentum. Because Commodus can't let him live, and Maximus can't let the opportunity to avenge his family pass him by. But, and this is an important thing about Maximus too, he won't hurt an innocent boy just to get his revenge. And it's a vital thing for showing us he's a good man. IMDB pointed out that Maximus's last words are 'Lucius is safe.' If that doesn't tell you something about him.
I also love the bit with him and Lucius where Lucius goes 'I heard you can crush a man's skull with your hand' and Maximus's response is 'a man's, no, but maybe a boy's'. It's such a Dad/Uncle thing to do. And they say he has no sense of humour!
Of course, that leads up to the big scene where Maximus reveals himself. The first time I saw Gladiator, it was in the cinema with a bunch of friends, and it was so electrifying. Before it was a swords and saddles film, with that scene, Gladiator was an epic.
On a personal note, I like how the fight scenes were done. They look awesome without looking silly. There's also a certain brilliant irony in a film featuring a lead character yelling at a colluseum crowd about the way they get their entertainment through slaughter, when the film is spectacularly bloody.
Another thing is that they do, in a less in your face sort of way, the same thing that Rome did, these are Roman Romans, they worship Roman gods (even if they go unnamed) and keep slaves. About which - Cicero is played by one of my favourite 'you know, that guy's' Tommy Flanagan, so I approve of any film that pays him wages.
I like the ending, because Commodus isn't suddenly stupid, he knows for all his practising, and for all the damage that Maximus has taken, Maximus would still beat him, because Maximus is used to fighting for his life and he isn't. So he tries to even up the score.
Then there's the second to last shot where Maximus's body is carried away, by a soldier, a politician, a slave and a gladiator, which are all the things that Maximus was, which I like, as a sort of subtle symbolism. I also like the final scene of Juba burying the figures.
Of course, that's skipping over another of my favourite things about the film, which would be that it has a happy ending. A happy ending that makes me cry buckets every time I see it, but a happy ending nonetheless. Because everything does end as happily as it possibly could. Rome is saved, Lucius is safe, (Lucilla) does not have sleep with her brother and her son is safe and Maximus gets to go home finally. And that's the thing, it doesn't matter what you believe about the afterlife, he thinks he is, which is the important detail.
Of course, I've managed to skip how the film was clever enough to not show us anything but a shadow of Maximus's family, because doing otherwise would have slowed the film down and they got the idea across with the cameo. Also Lucilla, who, as Marcus Aurelius puts it, would make a far better emperor than any of the rest of them. And the score, which, for all it rips off Mars, Bringer of War, is ever so slightly fantastic.
In short, it's all the little things that combine to make Gladiator my favourite film.
Day 1 - Favourite Foreign Language Film
Day 2 - A film that is underrated
Day 3 - A Film That Brings Me Unadulterated Happiness
Day 4- A film cliché that you love
Day 5 - Favourite love story in a film
Day 6 - Favorite actor/actress
Day 7 - Most surprising plot twist/ending
Day 8 - Best Opening/Closing Credits
Day 9 - Best soundtrack/score to a film
Day 10 - Favourite classic film
Day 11 - Favourite black and white film
Day 12 - A film that permanently altered your point-of-view
Day 13 - A guilty pleasure...
Day 14 - A film that you used to love but now hate
Day 15 - Favorite film sequel
Day 16 - Favourite film character
Day 17 - Favourite quote
Day 18 - The best overall cast in a film
Day 19 - The most hilarious film you've seen
Day 20 - A Moving (Emotional) Scene
Day 21 - Favorite film from your favorite actor/actress
Day 22 - Favorite Academy Award acceptance speech
Day 23 - Character You Relate To The Most
Day 24 - The best page-to-screen film adaptation
Day 25 - Favourite film villain
Day 26 - Favourite film poster
Day 27 - A film you wish you'd seen in the cinema
Day 28 - Your favourite film from your favourite director
Day 29 - A piece of trivia from a favourite film
