Post by awaddell on Sept 1, 2014 10:11:42 GMT
Facts
Gladiator (2000) Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama[/li]
Director: Ridley Scott (also directed/produced: Alien, Prometheus, Bladerunner, Black Hawk Down and American Gangster)
Protagonist: (main character - hero): Maximus played by Russell Crowe
Antagonist : Commodus played by Joaquin Phoenix
Setting: AD 180, Roman Empire and Europe
Awards: won 5 Oscars and nominated for a further 7, won 2 Golden Globes and 4 BAFTAS.
Characters
Plot Summary
1. Maximus (Russell Crowe) is a general in the roman army loved by Marcus Aurelius, the emperor. Marcus wants Maximus to become emperor after he dies as he thinks that his son Commodus is unfit to rule.
2. When he tells Commodus this, Commodus murders him. When Maximus refuses to believe that Marcus died of natural causes, Commodus orders that Maximus and his family should be executed.
3. However, Maximus escapes and returns home - too late to save his family. He collapses and is sold as a slave where his prowess as a gladiator gets noticed and eventually he fights his way through Africa to Rome, where he meets the emperor face to face.
The emperor spares his life, then challenges Maximus to a fight in the arena. Maximus accepts and the two engage in a bloody battle
4. Commodus finds out about the plot to help Maximus and the army outside Rome. He threatens to kill Lucius and wants a ‘pure blood’ heir to the throne from his sister.
5. The plot fails.Maximus kills the emperor, reinstates the Senate as the governors of Rome and dies to be with his family in the afterlife.
Themes
Retribution (revenge and comeuppance/ deserved fate)
Perseverance (persistence, struggle and endurance)
Virtue (honour, integrity and righteousness)
Structure and Atmosphere
Aim: To explore the dramatic structure of Gladiator in order to describe and explain the atmosphere in key parts of the story.
The Tragic Hero's Death
Music
Now We are Free
Sang and written by Lisa Gerrard. Composed by Hans Zimmer.
Lisa creates her own language with blends of Arabic and Latin:
Anol shalom
Anol sheh lay konnud de ne um {shaddai}
Flavum
Nom de leesh
Ham de nam um das
La um de
Flavne…
We de ze zu bu
We de sooo a ru
Un va-a pesh a lay
Un vi-I bee
Un da la pech ni sa
(Aaahh)
Un di-I lay na day
Un ma la pech a nay
Mee di nu ku
(Fast tempo, 4 times)
La la da pa da le na da na
Ve va da pa da le na la dumda
Anol shalom
Anol sheh ley kon-nud de ne um.
Flavum.
Flavum.
M-ai shondol-lee
Flavu… {Live on…}
Lof flesh lay
Nof ne
Nom de lis
Ham de num um dass
La um de
Flavne…
Flay
Shom de nomm
Ma-lun des
Dwondi.
Dwwoondi
Alas sharum du koos
Shaley koot-tum.
Loosely interpretated as...
Now We are Free
Healing to me
And freely to you from Sol Omnipotens
Yellow
Wings of Joy
Warmth of Day,
Sun of Dawn
O Sun of Yellow,
The Son of Righteousness,
Son of Morning Light,
Shine high and below!
Shine Aeonion!
Shine now, O Great I AM!
(Aaahh)
Shine now, O He Who Was!
Shine now, O Great to Come!
Now we are Free!
(Fast tempo, 4 times)
One the One now whom he was to be!
And the One by whom we now do all see
Healing to me;
Healing to you now freely from Sol:
Yellow
Yellow
For all the world too
Yellow
Live on
Rays below,
Come now,
Wings of Joy
Warmth of Day, Sun of Dawn;
The Sun of
Yellow,
Yellow,
Flame by Day
From Our Lord
Jesus,
Jesus,
True Sun of Liberty
Healing you free.
How is the central character presented to the audience in the opening?
The film's protagonist, Maximus, is presented as skilful , respected and humble in the opening. This is achieved through the director's effective use of media techniques.
To begin, Maximus is the first character that is presented to the audience. This conveys his great importance to the narrative and that he is the film's subject and protagonist. However before we are fully introduced to him on the battlefield where we see his face, we first of all witness him walking through a golden field, running his hands gently through the crops. This calming image accompanied with soft orchestral music helps to set Maximus up as a humble person who only wishes to return to his family and simple farm life. This idea is further illustrated when...