...Gladiator: The Movie Essay | Gladiator: The Movie Ridley Scott This student essay consists of approximately 3 pages of analysis of Gladiator. Print Word PDF This section contains 804 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) Gladiator: The Movie Summary: "What we do in life echoes in eternity." A famous tag line of the movie that Maximus (Russell Crowe) said to his men before they merge in the battlefield. Maximus is a powerful Roman general, loved by the people and the aging Emperor, Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris). A very highly intense action sequence directed by Ridley Scott. A film that won multiple awards including, best costume design, visual, pictures and sound effects. The "Gladiator." "What we do in life echoes in eternity." A famous tag line of the movie that Maximus (Russell Crowe) said to his men before they merge in the battlefield. Maximus is a powerful Roman general, loved by the people and the aging Emperor, Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris). Before his death, the Emperor chooses Maximus to be his inheritor over his own son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), and a power struggle leaves Maximus and his family condemned to death. The powerful general is unable to save his family, and his loss of will allows him to get captured and put into the savage games until he dies. The only desire that fuels him now is the chance to rise to the top so that he will be able to look into the eyes of the man who will feel his revenge. A very highly intense action...
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...Week 5 Essay David A. Micciche University of Phoenix For my report I decided to write about Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, which is an action, adventure, drama. This film was released in 2000 with Russell Crowe who is a method style actor, as the lead actor, Starring as Maximus. Maximus was the favorite general of Caesar Marcus Aurelius played by Richard Harris. After defeating the German Barbarians, general Maximus only dreamed of returning home to his wife and son to live a simply life tending to his crops, and leave behind his life as a respected general. After defeating the German barbarians, and with his health failing Caesar decides to appoint Maximus as the protector of Rome and wishes to pass all of his powers as Caesar to Maximus, on the condition that Maximus restores Rome to its former glory, then returning all power to the senate. Commodus, who is played by Joaquin Phoenix who is also a method actor, is a spoiled self indulged aristocrat that believed Caesar would name him as his successor. Commodus kills Caesar and takes the title of Caesar and orders his soldiers to kill Maximus and his family. Maximus escapes, wounded, only to return home to find that Commodus’ soldiers beat him there and slain his wife and son. He awakes to find himself captured to be sold as a slave to Proximo, played by the late Oliver Reed. Promimo is a Gladiator manager, and trains his slaves to fight as gladiators in arena settings, so that he can profit from their blood. Upon returning...
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...The Roman games and the value of life. The Roman games, or ludi, were held for the entertainment of the Roman people and played a significant role in ancient Roman culture. In the amphitheater, gladiators battled against wild beasts or engaged in combat with other gladiators. Such events were used to “elevate status” and to create “interaction between the ruler and the ruled”, highlighting the importance the Romans placed on rank and hierarchy. The ludi represented Rome’s dominance over its enemies but at what cost? It celebrated the fearlessness and power of the warriors and the state but also revealed their viciousness and disregard for the living. The act of killing, the crowd’s behavior, and even the arena itself all demonstrate how the Roman games devalue life, which is what this essay will explore. Human beings have an unusual fascination with violence but the idea of watching people die for sport is still shocking. The practice of watching deaths actually originates from the Christian ‘good death’, wherein friends and family gather to witness a loved one’s departure to a better place. “Death by public execution was an echo, even a mirror, of the Christian ‘good death’” in that it was a public event and was presided over by clergymen. However, the religious and solemn atmosphere cannot be found in a Roman arena. Le Bon suggests that in a crowd “a man descends several rungs in the ladder of civilization. Isolated, he may be a cultivated individual; in a crowd, he is...
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...What Was Life Like for a Gladiator? Introduction Gladiators were swordsmen that entertained audience members, in the era of the Roman Empire, with harsh and violent actions. Gladiators fought against other gladiators, animals, and criminals. In the battle, gladiators stayed fighting against each other and against animals until one of them stays alive. They fought at arena’s called Colosseum. Most of them were unschooled slaves. They were also set apart even at death. Professional gladiators were often free men who volunteered to participate in the events to gain popularity and escape the low social scale they measured by. In today's essay, we will talk about many things included in the name of a gladiator. History There was an argument about the gladiators origin when a greek philosopher believed that they were Etruscans’ that appeared as gladiators at the late 1st century BC, and a roman historian, Titus Livius, said that gladiators appeared in 310 BC. After a long time, after the game has ended, the 7th century AD writer Isidore of Seville informed that they were Etruscans’. In 216 BC, Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, a roman consul, was honored by his sons with three days by organizing matches for three days. These matches had twenty-two pairs of gladiators fighting between each other. The next recorded honor, held for the funeral of Publius Liciniu, also a roman consul, in 183 BC, was more extravagant...
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...EAST WEST UNIVERSITY MOVIE REVIEW OF “GLADIATOR” SUBMITTED TO: Nazia Manzoor Lecturer English SUBMITTED BY: Nusrat Jahan Nishi SUBJECT: ENG102 SECTION: 5 Date: 30/11/2011 History made History “Gladiator” Gladiator is a historical epic film directed by Ridley Scott, starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Ralf Möller, Oliver Reed, Djimon Hounsou, Derek Jacobi, Jorhn Shrapnel and Richard Harris. Released in the United States on May 5, 2000, Gladiator was a box office success, receiving positive reviews, and was credited with briefly reviving the historical epic. Channel 4 (UK TV) poll named it as the sixth greatest film of all time. The film was nominated for and won multiple awards, particularly five Academy Awards in the 73rd Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Actor (Russell Crowe), Best Visual Effects, Best Costume Design, Best Sound (Bob Beemer, Scott Millan and Ken Weston) Maximus is a powerful Roman general, loved by the people and the aging Emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Before his death, the Emperor chooses Maximus to be his heir over his own son, Commodus, and a power struggle leaves Maximus family condemned to death. The powerful general...
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...Dylan Dr. Lucas 26 April 2011 Classical Archaeology Gladiator Report Gladiator Basics Gladiators were mostly armed combatant whose primary occupation was to entertain audiences in the vast Roman Empire. These were mostly violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals from far off lands, and condemned criminals. Who were the gladiators? Some gladiators were volunteers who would risk their legal and social statuses and lives by being given an appearance in the gladiatorial arena. Any prizes awarded to gladiators could be kept and sold for money. Although gladiators fought only about 4-5 times a year they were well paid during training and for fights. However, the majority of gladiators prisoners of war and slaves who were not paid (Alchin). Many of these people were forced into becoming a gladiator and many of them were sentenced to execution by the sword in the arena or to fight until death as a gladiator. At the height of the gladiatorial games, free men began enrolling as new gladiators, most of them ex-soldiers. However, even a number of wealthy Romans volunteered. Some just for the glory and others to pay off their debts. The majority of gladiators were allowed to keep any prizes or gifts they had won or acquired during gladiatorial games. In turn, if someone became an incredibly successful gladiator, the profit gained could prove to be extremely high. No matter the gladiator’s country of origin, social status, or previous lifestyle, these...
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...Saludos, en esta ocasión en el foro, hablaré sobre una expresión artística, en este caso, una película titulada el gladiador, es una película histórica basada en los gladiadores. Un gladiador era un combatiente armado que entretenía el público en la Antigua Roma en confrontaciones violentas y mortales contra otros gladiadores, contra animales o contra condenados a muerte. Aunque algunos gladiadores combatían por voluntad propia, la mayoría eran esclavos o condenados, que eran entrenados en condiciones muy duras y estaban socialmente marginados y segregados. ¿Qué expresión artística es? Película, El Gladiador. ¿Quién la realizó? Director: Ridley Scott - Actores principales: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Richard Harris, Derek Jacobi, Djimon Hounsou y David Schofield. - Productores: David H. Franzoni, Branko Lustig y Douglas Wick - Guión: David H. Franzoni - Fotografía: John Mathieson - Música: Hans Zimmer y Lisa Gerrard ¿Cuándo se realizó? La película se rodó en tres escenarios principales entre enero y mayo de 1999. Salió al cine en el 2000. ¿Qué tema trata? La película está ambientada en la Roma Imperial, iniciando en el final de la vida del Emperador Marco Aurelio, con su victoria sobre los marcomanos cerca de Vindobona (año 180 d.C.); y muestra a continuación cómo su hijo, Cómodo, se convierte en el nuevo emperador, Cómodo supone el fin del Alto Imperio y la dinastía Flavia, comenzando la...
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...Everything you need to know about Gladiators A gladiator was a professional fighter who fought in arenas for entertainment. They specialised with weapons and fought in a arena with animals or other human beings. Most of the time a fight ended with a death. All the killing made gladiators have a very short life expectancy. The job of a gladiator was a very popular one. The Romans got the idea of Gladiators from Italy. Italy would organise gladiatorial like games. The Etruscans would make these game contests with fights to the death but it had a certain religious sigificance. The first gladiator contest was to ccommemorate the death of a father. The life of a Gladiator was strict and harsh mainly for new recruits. The new recruits were taken out of slavery or jail or sometimes were even prinsoners of war. They were forced into life as a gladitor and were sentenced to either be Executed or die as a Gladitor. They had no freedom as a gladitor and they had no choice....
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...Gladiators in Rome Gladiators were professional fighter who fought with specific weapons and fought before the public in large built arenas throughout the Roman Empire from 105 BCE to 404 CE (official contests). The fights were usually to the death, but gladiators had a short life expectancy. Majority of the fighters were slaves, former slaves or condemned prisoners. Roman gladiator games were an opportunity for Emperors and rich aristocrats show off their wealth to the populace, to commemorate military victories, celebrate birthdays or simply to distract the populace from the political and economic problems of the day. Spartacus was the most famous gladiator who led an uprising of gladiators and slaves from Capua in 73 BCE. He displayed great military leadership in defeating four Roman armies. When a friend died in battle, Spartacus arranged for three hundred Roman prisoners to fight gladiator contests in honor of his fallen comrade. Emperor Commodus was another famous gladiator. He was a professional as he made sure to draw a fantastic salary for his appearances. He fought in the arena and his most frequent participation was a slaughterer of wild animals on a protected platform using a bow. The gladiator games lasted for nearly a thousand years, reaching their peak between the 1st century BC and the 2nd century AD. The games finally came to an end during the 5th century after the adoption...
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...called gladiators. They were armed combatants that entertained viewers in the Roman Empire in violent fights with other gladiators and animals (“The Roman Gladiator”). However, fighting against animals was rare. Usually, squaring off against animals were uncommon for gladiators. These animals were reserved for “venatores” and “bestiarii.” These people were special warriors. The animals used in the arena ranged from deer to elephants (“10 Things”). Most gladiators were prisoners or war, slaves, or criminals....
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...Inserting my mouthgaurd sloth-like in my mouth while gazing at my enemy. He stares back while strapping on his black gloves probably thinking I am not fit to go against him. My coach put on my gladiator-like headgear and started blabbing about the kid named Kaden but I didn’t care, so I looked at the kid across the ring and judged him. He is skinnier than a twig, I thought, and to make it even worse, he looked thirteen but he was fifteen. I know I am going to win, just looking at the kid reassured me. My coach is still talking about Kaden and how great he is but I didn’t care, because it is probably like when parents lie about their kids and their greatness. My coach stops talking and I jump in the ring while kaden and I exchange death stares. We touch gloves, ding-ding-ding, I am waiting for him to throw...
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...Jessica Grice Gladiator With movies like the gladiator it’s hard to find out what is it based on fact or fiction. When doing research I found a lot of people say the answer to the question in complex of the events in the film. Truth: The beginning of the movie starts out with a bit of truth. Aurelius was a philosopher and man of peace and he did spend most of his life fighting Germans in one way or another (Ward, Heichelheim, and Yeo 347).Fiction: The depiction of Aurelius children is somewhat false. Aurelius, in the Gladiator, is presented as having only two children. Truth: Aurelius however did not choose to carry on this tradition of senatorial succession. Instead, when it came to succession instead of picking a senator to replace him he picked his son Commodu. Fiction: The movie shows Aurelius wanted to pass down his position to Maximus, who never historically existed. Fiction: In the Gladiator Aurelius, while talking to Maximus, voices his concerns about Commodus taking over the position of emperor. He calls his son an immoral man and says that he should never be allowed to rule Rome. Fiction: There is no historically fact that Aurelius thought this of Commodus: this is quite evident in his gesture of making Commodus his co emperor. Truth: when it came to succession instead of picking a senator to replace him he picked his son Commodus (Ward et al., 351). Truth: Commodus portrayal as a disturbed, immoral, hateful and unstable man. Fiction: In Gladiator Aurelius was...
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...Gladiator Julius Mitchell ENG 225 Prof. Jonathan Beller 13 March 2011 What would you do if you were engaged in a twelve year campaign; you have a wife and son who are waiting for you, but you are asked to be king and leader of your country? Would you refuse your king, and turn your back on your country, for the sake of two? Ridley Scott, director of Universal Pictures “Gladiator,” brought to life, writer David Franzoni’s epic tale of Maximus, an inspiring and powerful Roman General. After twelve years of fighting, Maximus longs for nothing more than the warm embrace of his family. Unfortunately, the king, Marcus Aurelius asked that he should be crowned king of Rome instead of his corrupt son Commodus. Maximus is caught in a power struggle, which leave him and his family condemned to death. This critical analysis of the motion picture “Gladiator,” will analyze the key elements of film, which embody the storytelling, acting, cinematography, editing, sound, style and directing, societal impact, genre, film criticism and analysis. The story of Maximus, once the most powerful, and respected, general, in Rome, reduced to a slave who fights for an opportunity to exact his vengeance for the brutal death of his family is written with three basic elements. It has character, desire, and conflict. The narrative structure of the film is organized in six stages. These stages are developed by the turning points in the plot. The stages are the initial setup, new...
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...& Roman Gladiators The similarities between the Hunger Games and the times of Roman Gladiators are hard to miss. The Hunger Games are that in itself a game. In both the Gladiator fights and the Hunger Games the fighters and tributes were taken by force and were left with no choice but to take part in the games. The games occur annually and it is set up by the Capitol to show the other 12 districts of Panem that the Capitol rules over them and they are in charge. It also serves as a reminder to the price of rebellion against the Capitol. The hunger games consist of twenty-four teenagers, a male and a female from each twelve districts and that range in ages of twelve to eighteen. They are put in an arena and have to battle each other in a gruesome battle until there is one survivor that will be declared the winner. The Roman Gladiator games are held multiple times throughout the year at festivals, funerals, and for mere entertainment. The games served a number of purposes in roman society like the education of roman values and even as a means of social control. These public 2 executions were gruesome reminders to citizens that if they betrayed their country, rebelled, or were convicted of serious crimes the punishment would be to serve in the gladiator games. In some sense the games helped keep order within the cities. In The Hunger Games every move the tributes made was being recorded and broadcasted to every citizen in Panem. The same way the gladiators fight surrounded...
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...is successful, they will all share in the spoils – they derive satisfaction in seeing this leader succeed and they know that they too will succeed. Gladiators have a mission for which they feel true passion. Call it a purpose, a drive, a calling; good leaders have a defining mission in life. This mission, above all other traits, separates managers from leaders. In Gladiator, Maximus lived for the mission of killing the evil Commodus and restoring Rome to the values that made her great. Gladiators create a vision. Having and communicating a clear picture of a future goal WILL lead to its achievement. Maximus helped his fellow gladiators believe that they could defeat their enemies and achieve freedom. Dare to believe. Gladiators lead from the front; they don’t dictate from the back. In the movie, both when Maximus was a general and a gladiator, he fought up front where the firestorm was heaviest. So does a good business leader. Working “in the trenches” shows that you aren’t afraid to get your hands dirty, breeding respect from all who follow. Gladiators know there is strength in teams. While the gladiator leader has the skills and ability to draw people together, they do not monopolize the spotlight. They draw from the strength of others, just as Maximus did in various victories realized in the coliseum. Gladiators are risk takers. They adapt to the situation and take risks in order to overcome the odds. Occasionally, a company needs to push outside the comfort...
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