Does Ridley Scott achieve the structure of an Epic in the film 'Gladiator'?

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Does Ridley Scott achieve the structure of an

Epic in the film ‘Gladiator’?

The blurb for Gladiator claims that Scott has brought the epic into the twenty first century, and in many ways he has, with a blend of the technology of today, in the superb graphic realism and the way of life in ancient Rome that lends itself so well to the epic status.

But is this a real epic with all the characteristics and parts that will make it a remembered film for many years to come, or just a good film that you see and forget?  In this essay I plan to investigate this, to show both my point of view, and the facts, that may, or may not make this an all time classic. To do this I will be outlining in detail certain parts of the film so as to analyse and compare with classic epics and their structure. My first section will be on the start battle in which Maximus leads his troops to victory.

My first point links it to the epic status as it starts right in the middle of things.  The film starts fast.  Ridley Scott doesn’t waste a second.  You are with Maximus getting the troops ready for battle.   This means that there is no introduction to Maximus and who he is, but the way it starts almost makes you think you know him.  He is the respected leader as the film follows him around the battlefield.  This links him again to the epic hero needing no introduction.

There is a muse at the very start of the film with Maximus walking through the fields; this is relating him to the basic essentials of life.  It makes a humble connection so that he is at one with the earth. Both of these are connections to the epic hero that Ridley Scott is trying to develop.  

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Ridley Scott uses wide shots of the battlefield to display the large scale of events in the film in which Maximus is of great magnitude.  This is another classic feature of the epic showing Maximus is in a hugely important situation.  Ridley Scott blends these wide shots in with close ups of peoples faces, that shows that Maximus is at a personal level with the ‘mob’ and that these are people that are more than willing to die for their country and General.  There are also some very good point of view shots, this is how Scott shows how ...

This is a preview of the whole essay