Upon first sighting of the character Maximus, the director aims to inspire a feel of awe and honour and has portrayed him thus in order to create an unmistakeable contrast between the character of Maximus and Commodus, heir to the throne. Maximus is a general in the army of Rome and although he has yet to set eyes upon the city, he places full allegiance in the hands of his emperor, the dying figure of Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris). Later on we discover that he was dreaming about his home and family, whom he had not seen since the start of his campaign. This fact adds to his aura of loyalty and shows us that unlike most figures of power, he is not entertained by thoughts of personal wealth and power, but rather than that by a code of honour and loyalty and above all else, a love for his family, which the director has used to capture the audience’s emotion and create a love for Maximus. Seeing the robin makes him smile because it reminds him of home and possibly he sees it ironically; the robin leaving is the innocence leaving before the war, this also shows that he takes pleasure in the small things in life and is not just a general intent on winning, he is also a normal person with a sense of humanity. The audience will like this aspect of his character and it will bring them closer to the character.
In the next scene the director shows us how Maximus’ troops react to him. The director uses a low angle shot for this part of the sequence and this is a useful technique because it helps to emphasise that he is a figure to be revered and respected and that this is the way others see him. The camera moves along with Maximus and it is from this point of view that the audience is shown the way his troops think of him; as a friend rather than just a figure of authority. The use of this type of shot makes the audience feel that they are witnessing the event as a participant rather than someone with a detached outlook on the scene. The director has emphasised this by the fact that Maximus is walking among his men and greets certain individuals among them whom he has personal experience with, showing that he has shared in their trials.
Music plays a vast role in this sequence and there are three major types of music apparent; the use of a Spanish guitar, the lone voice of Lisa Gerrard and the energetic and fast paced music with a full accompaniment. The Spanish guitar is used when we first see Maximus and continues into the battle scene. It is very fast paced and energetic and helps to build up a feeling of expectance. It introduces a very Mediterranean feel to the movie and quickens the pace of the scene at the same time because it is almost a signal for the battle to start. From its slow trickle to the full on force of the orchestra, it provides an immense build up of energy and expectation, which is all spent as it returns to the slowed, blurred scene of the victory and the calming of hearts, taking the audience’s expectation with it, giving a sense of melancholy back.
During the battle scene, there is a full orchestra playing, giving a feeling of clashing and violence, as well as one of well-ordered chaos. The piece, composed by musician Hans Zimmer, was inspired by the Viennese Waltz and Gustav Holst’s, Mars: Bringer of War and both play a huge part in the sequence. The militaristic percussions, strings, and brass accents are some of the more typical elements of music found in Zimmer’s composition, and they combat desperately with what elements are left of the actual waltz, adding to the whole effect of battle and clashing.
A chief aspect in the more supernatural side of the movie was the lone voice of Lisa Gerrard, with her soothing voice adding a Middle-Eastern feel to the movie. Her touch compliments the elements of the Elysium fields during the dream sequence and that of Maximus’ family that Ridley Scott has incorporated into the film. The skill photography, time lapse, and slow motion effects, allow the audience to be transported into the fields of Elysium and experience at full of such a powerful voice at work.
Another key aspect to the sequence is the constant use of contrasts; they are used to show emphasis on certain events and to help us understand what is taking place in the scene. The first major contrast shown to us is that of the dream sequence in the wheat fields and the first image of the battlefield. The dream sequence is very calm and peaceful and has been shot under a yellow filter. There is the sound of a lone woman’s voice and of children playing. The wind has also been made audible but it is in the form of a warm breeze and the director conveys an overall sense of warmth in this scene. In direct contrast with this is the battlefield scene; set in the dark Germanic mountainside, with a howling wind in the background. The scene is now under a blue filter and is cold and hard in comparison to the original scene. Even the characters are in contrast in this part as in the former scene there is a caressing hand, running over the wheat crops, clad in normal clothing whereas in the latter, an armour clad warrior. Another example of contrast is between the organisation of the Roman army and the mass gathering that is the German Horde. The Roman army seems to be very command driven and restrained, in waiting for the actual battle whereas the Germans are a disorganised rabble, who can barely restrain themselves and will do whatever they want, once released they will just charge with no thought for the consequences. This is meant to reflect the difference between Rome and its enemies, portraying Rome as ‘The Light’ and its enemies as inferior. The constant use of contrast helps our understanding of how Rome was portrayed and show innocence compared to barbarity and order compared to disorder.
During the battle Ridley Scott has created a distinct lack of dialogue between the characters, and when there is speech, it is used to advance the scene. There is one monologue as Maximus communicates with them regiment before the battle and he tries to inspire his cavalry ending with, “What we do now echoes in eternity.” From then on, the whole scene becomes graphic and in a way this is more descriptive than it would have actually been with the use of dialogue.
The director uses heavily exaggerated sounds during the battle scene as this helps to add to the all-encompassing effect of war. The galloping of the horses’ hooves upon the battlefield is one of these examples and makes the enemy turn and notice it because it is so loud, and this shows the audience the sheer scale of the Roman army. Another sound that was heavily exaggerated was the constant firing of flaming arrows whistling through the air, seemingly ceaseless giving a feeling of lost hope for the German army and in a way for Rome’s humanity. Also, the exploding fireball is a sudden burst of energy into what seems a dull landscape, charging the battle with more tension and excitement and reviving the energy of the scene.
Another feature of the opening sequence is that it prepares us for future events in the film through symbolism. The dog that accompanies Maximus into the battle is symbolic of his loyalty to his family and emperor as dogs are widely known for their loyalty and this is noticeable in the fact that he dedicates his whole life to avenge the death of his family and emperor at any personal cost. The dialogue used by Maximus in this scene is also repeated later in the movie when he is a gladiator, and uses his skills to defeat his enemies. There is also the reoccurring event of him rubbing dirt on his hands before each battle, this is symbolic of his farming roots.
In conclusion I think that the director did very well building up excitement as the scenes were filed with tension and expectation and this in coupling with the astounding musical abilities of Hans Zimmer brought ‘Gladiator’ to what it is now. The film was so successful because it reflects a blood and glorious past, which we humans created and grew from, and how the grip of love reaches past all barriers to people. Overall I think that the director was very successful in the creation of this scene and the whole opening sequence entices us to want more.
David Fernandes 10 SR
English Media Cousework
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