How does the director deal with Maximus' call to adventure in Gladiator?
How does the director deal with Maximus' call to adventure in Gladiator?
Maximus' call to adventure begins with a scene of himself walking through what is the roman army's camp in Germania on his way to meet with the emperor. The first impression we are given is visually the long line of tents spanning for acres with many rows. This immediately helps us assess the size and organization of the army from which we already have knowledge from the first battle just previous. The weather here plays a key point- it is cloudy, dark and there is a light snow falling giving very much the sensation of it being cold. Although the snow is light and not thick it appears to give a certain "clean feeling" almost of purity symbolizing the destruction of the heathen hordes in previous scenes. As soon as we see Maximus we initially regard his clothing as minimal as he is simply wearing a short sleeve shirt and a kind of skirt. Already the director has told us it is cold by effective use of weather and lighting therefore we recognize Maximus is very much unconcerned with the cold and already we are given a tough guy image to contemplate.
Although this scene is short and last perhaps 30 seconds the director has crammed so many images and connotations for the viewer to pick up on about our hero. After we first see Maximus he then greets three men sitting together and as they stand to show respect, as Maximus is a general he ushers them to sit. The director has placed a new side to Maximus for us to see and that being compassion, he then taps one on the head and even though we have no dialogue he smiles and says something and walks on. This series of gestures although very short and in a space of 5-6 seconds are very effective in how the audience will decide to perceive Maximus. Again he walks on through the camp with all its background lightly touching a sheep as he goes and seeing a horse which he then seems to check over and begin to stroke. Not only has the director made Maximus out to be compassionate for his fellow comrades but he has also made it appear he has a compassion for animals. The scene ends with Maximus watching Commudus practicing sword techniques with a band of soldiers. The first indication we have of this is a clashing of swords, which seems to break the quite murmur that has been this scene so far. As we first see the situation we realize the men have no shirts on and that Commudus is in charge as he is in the center and is timing the whole sequence. This short piece is important for the audience to see Commudus as somebody who can fight and wield a sword with knowledge and that Maximus has noted it too. Yet as it is a controlled environment the director is suggesting a mild cowardly overtone for his character as there is no way he can be hurt, although in a battle which we have just seen Maximus there is every chance.
Maximus' call to adventure begins with a scene of himself walking through what is the roman army's camp in Germania on his way to meet with the emperor. The first impression we are given is visually the long line of tents spanning for acres with many rows. This immediately helps us assess the size and organization of the army from which we already have knowledge from the first battle just previous. The weather here plays a key point- it is cloudy, dark and there is a light snow falling giving very much the sensation of it being cold. Although the snow is light and not thick it appears to give a certain "clean feeling" almost of purity symbolizing the destruction of the heathen hordes in previous scenes. As soon as we see Maximus we initially regard his clothing as minimal as he is simply wearing a short sleeve shirt and a kind of skirt. Already the director has told us it is cold by effective use of weather and lighting therefore we recognize Maximus is very much unconcerned with the cold and already we are given a tough guy image to contemplate.
Although this scene is short and last perhaps 30 seconds the director has crammed so many images and connotations for the viewer to pick up on about our hero. After we first see Maximus he then greets three men sitting together and as they stand to show respect, as Maximus is a general he ushers them to sit. The director has placed a new side to Maximus for us to see and that being compassion, he then taps one on the head and even though we have no dialogue he smiles and says something and walks on. This series of gestures although very short and in a space of 5-6 seconds are very effective in how the audience will decide to perceive Maximus. Again he walks on through the camp with all its background lightly touching a sheep as he goes and seeing a horse which he then seems to check over and begin to stroke. Not only has the director made Maximus out to be compassionate for his fellow comrades but he has also made it appear he has a compassion for animals. The scene ends with Maximus watching Commudus practicing sword techniques with a band of soldiers. The first indication we have of this is a clashing of swords, which seems to break the quite murmur that has been this scene so far. As we first see the situation we realize the men have no shirts on and that Commudus is in charge as he is in the center and is timing the whole sequence. This short piece is important for the audience to see Commudus as somebody who can fight and wield a sword with knowledge and that Maximus has noted it too. Yet as it is a controlled environment the director is suggesting a mild cowardly overtone for his character as there is no way he can be hurt, although in a battle which we have just seen Maximus there is every chance.
