Aby Stringer 10H

Analyse the opening sequence and one other scene of the film ‘Gladiator’ looking closely at how character and era are established and developed

Staring Russell Crowe as Maximus, the film ‘Gladiator’ shows a General who became a slave, the slave who became a Gladiator and the Gladiator who defied an Emperor.  This blood thirsty epic film released in the year 2000 won 5 Oscars and focus’ on the power struggle of the Roman Empire.  This essay is analysing the opening scene and the final scene and analyses how the era and the characters develop.  Both the scenes are similar yet different in many ways.  

At the beginning of the film there is a golden smoke behind the writing for the introduction.  I think this it to symbolize rust, therefore showing that it is old.  Also gold is thought of as a rich and wealthy colour thus suggesting that the film may have something to do with wealth.  The music that is played is very calm yet mysterious.  I think that this is a good introduction because it suggests what the film may be like and lets the audience wonder what is going happen next.  The scene then changes to a view of a Maximus walking through a corn field, brushing the corn with his left-hand, which shows his wedding ring.  This is to symbolize that Maximus is both a farmer and a family man and cares very much for both.  Diegetic sounds of the corn moving, children laughing and the sound of peaceful winds can be heard in the background suggesting that Maximus was happy as a farmer.  Also the colour of the corn is bright and cheerful.  

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Maximus then appears on screen dressed in armour with fur round his neck.  The colours seem very dull and sad and Maximus looks miserable.  Whistling of cold winds can be heard and the music is still very calm.  Maximus watches as a robin flies away and smiles, signifying that he would like to have the freedom of the bird.  The music then changes and a forest battleground is visible.  As the music gets faster, horses rush past and the thousands of roman soldiers are shown.  The army looks powerful, organised and ready to win a battle.  The camera then zooms ...

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