Gladiator: Critical film essay
Ridley Scott’s Gladiator is the critically acclaimed 2000 film starring Russell Crowe which won forty-eight awards, including a BAFTA for best film. Gladiator depicts the tale of Maximus Decimus Meridius and his struggle against the might of the Roman Empire and the vicious gladiatorial arenas. Throughout Scott’s masterpiece are a wide range of filmic techniques in the visual and auditory channels that collaborate in enunciating the overall narrative. The opening sequence is a prime example that uses Mise-en-scene, lighting, costume and film speed to enunciate the key scene.
The opening scene begins with some historical information that introduces the audience into the scene and sets up the narrative. Scott informs his audience on the vast scale of the Roman Empire, “One quarter of the world’s population lived and died under the Caesars.” The emphasis is on “and died” in order to set the scene for the incoming battle. The Universal and DreamWorks logos are in a sepia colour. This colour informs the audience that the film is set in the past due to it being used for old photographs and ink. The historical information is accompanied by calming, serene music which leads to the first view of the protagonist. Scott has made use of coloured lighting, incorporating gold (which is representative of the wealth the Roman Empire had) in many scenes throughout the film. The colour gold is an interesting choice because it represents peace and riches which could also be a reference to the Roman afterlife Elysium.
Scott has used Mise-en-scene in the first shot of the protagonist, brushing his hand in the corn field. Although the audience are only presented with an extreme close up shot of his hand; they learn about his character through Scott’s control of what appears in the frame. The audience sees a wedding ring on his hand and so learn that he is a family man. The critic John Gibbs also comments on Mise-en scene, “the contents of the frame and the way they are organised.”
The opening scene begins with some historical information that introduces the audience into the scene and sets up the narrative. Scott informs his audience on the vast scale of the Roman Empire, “One quarter of the world’s population lived and died under the Caesars.” The emphasis is on “and died” in order to set the scene for the incoming battle. The Universal and DreamWorks logos are in a sepia colour. This colour informs the audience that the film is set in the past due to it being used for old photographs and ink. The historical information is accompanied by calming, serene music which leads to the first view of the protagonist. Scott has made use of coloured lighting, incorporating gold (which is representative of the wealth the Roman Empire had) in many scenes throughout the film. The colour gold is an interesting choice because it represents peace and riches which could also be a reference to the Roman afterlife Elysium.
Scott has used Mise-en-scene in the first shot of the protagonist, brushing his hand in the corn field. Although the audience are only presented with an extreme close up shot of his hand; they learn about his character through Scott’s control of what appears in the frame. The audience sees a wedding ring on his hand and so learn that he is a family man. The critic John Gibbs also comments on Mise-en scene, “the contents of the frame and the way they are organised.”