What Are the Intended Effects of the Opening of Ridley Scott’s ‘Gladiator’ and How Effective Are They?

Ridley Scotts Gladiator was released in 2000 and won five Oscars (Academy A wards) including game hat Film, Best Visual Effects and Best Director. Scott divagate some well known actors such(prenominal)(prenominal) as Russel Crowe and Richard Harris. Some reports suggest it approach an amazing 145 million.The casting of Crowe as Maximus was signifi fagt because he is able to demo a truly well built, physic eithery strong, combat-hardened leader. The extension of Maximus occupations with the casting of Harris as the senescence emperor butterfly with his gaunt and tired looking for features.From the very eruptset of the film, the manager employs a sepia effect coupled with a dark, overcast virtually monochrome effect. These compound to give the impression of imminent catastrophe as well as transport that the events be set in the out-of-town past. The theatre film manager has even asked the production companies Universal and DreamWorks to soak up their logos sepi a to show continuity.The historical data provided helps the listening to place the film in a historical context. The use of of age(predicate) roman letters font for the text unless reinforces the context and genre. The schooling is factual, gives names and information of real people. It is clear that this is freeing a historical, save film hardly with a central theme close power, checker and maven mans fight for his freedom from the cleanup and slaughter.The first light beam is an fundamental terminal up, when you would norm entirelyy expect an extreme longsighted shot to see the perspective. The extreme penny-pinching up is focvictimization on the actors buy the farm floating through the grass. The s depressed placidness medicinal drug helps to begin the shot dream give cargon. The chief(prenominal) function seems take root because he is apoplexy the grass and he is wearing a wedding ring to show he is a family man. afterward the slow end up shot the dir ector shows the character alone on the field of force which makes the prior scene a definite dream. To essay that it was a dream the director jumps from a slow calm shot to a medium close up on the character in a much dark and gloomy shot. The characters outfit and wolf-skin shows that he is an important man. The cut to a robin redbreast (a bird usually seen in winter) with a dark background tells the audience that it is winter. After seeing the robin a broken smile fights its way on to his face, which shows he is not fair(a) a gory, unpitying fighter and that he does corroborate a gentle side.The extreme long shot is unattackable to set the scene of the battlefield, which is a dark and gloomy forest. The name of the localization Germania is roman print for Germany, by using the Roman language it helps to ready the fact that it is an old, Roman film. This shot is more dramatic because it contrasts hard with the previous dreamlike shot of the clear floating through a c alm cornfield.The slow medicinal drug ( slow) starts off the extreme long shot making the zephyr calm and gentle, it in like manner makes it ominous because the adagio music is playing in the battlefield shot. When the shot begins to zoom in the music becomes more lively and action jam-packed plainly as the army starts advent into view so you know that they be going to war. The music includes trumpets and a few drums which makes the shot more hawkish. The sharp change in atmosphere and music starts to build up the tension and antepast that a great deal of action is imminent.As the shot moves to Marcus Aurelius, the audience bottomland see that he is an important character. He is wearing gold along with a violet cape. The color cape shows he is royalty because to make the colour purple a tiny sea prick called a Murex Mollusc was required. This creature was very rare and large quantities were required to make a small amount of dye. Therefore, purple garments were highly p rized status symbols. Whilst zooming inward the television camera shot employ is a low angle which makes Marcus Aurelius seem very high on his horse. He is in like manner just watching the war not doing anything and he has got a stern looking bodyguard.The director emphasises General Maximus authority by using a medium close up as he walks along all of his army. Everyone is focused on him they move out of the way, bow down and are evermore calling him sir to show complete think of. The costume he wears defines his authority, he wears more armour than the rest of his army and he is also wearing wolf-skin.The director stresses Maximus authority and respect by making his word final, the director shows this in the following quote, The range is good this is the sentence where Maximus cuts off the other soldier, also is acceptable, then, agreed, Maximus speaks in a very low, quiet, considered tone of voice but the soldiers still listen with no doubtfulness which shows their respec t for him.In the pre-battle motivational mother tongue to his men, Maximus uses the type of language that his men can understand to encourage and motivate them. tether weeks from now I will be harvesting my crops. Think were you want to be and it will be so. Here he is making them think positive about the future and set a aim for themselves. He then jokes that if they find themselves all alone they are already in Elysium (Roman after living). But then he uses a phrase that seems quite out of character for a tough, brutal general of an aggressive, gallant Roman army, What we do in life echoes in eternity. This line instantly label out Maximus as having a sacred and sentimental aspect to his character.There are many differences amidst the Romans and the German Tribesmen, for slip when Maximus is giving his speech all of his troops are in formation softly listening and fully concentrating, by contrast the German Tribesmen are shouting and not giving any attention. The fighting fashion of the Romans is orderly, synchronised and they are in a perfect battle formation, the Tribesmen are in disorganised running around like a rabble. The Romans are equipped with matching armour and similar weapons whilst the Tribesmen have sentient being skins and rough individual weapons. The Romans appear to have a complete strategy and are disciplined, the Tribesmen just rely on their animate being strength, and even their appearance is barbaric. The director helps to establish the difference between the two sides by taking the shots of each side one after the other.Toward the end of the battle the director employs a technique that seems completely unexpected. As the battle is raging, there is loud martial music with lots of trumpets, drums and war cries. nonetheless as the battle is coming to a conclusion and the Roman army is on the verge of victory, the director switches to slow deed shots and an adagio score. Instead of seeing victorious Romans celebrating their victory and listening to triumphant music, the audience is left in a reasonably confused state.It is almost as if the director is trying to communicate the futility of the death and destruction. As the last of the Germans are being slaughtered and fires are raging in the background the further human sound is the sound of heartbreaking tired exhalation of breath, Even affinity splattered, exhausted Maximus triumphant cry, Roma victor and his soldiers cheers are almost lost in the adagio. Then in a scene that seals the futility of war, the camera focuses a tired, old, weary Emperor as he takes a boneheaded breath and closes his eyes in an chemical formula that reveals his sad resignation that another battle has been won.At first glance, I just thought Gladiator was simply going to be a blood and backbone film, But having watched it with greater attention, I turn over it is a truly great film. Ridley Scott has cautiously constructed an opening scene that brings out the futili ty of war and one mans struggle to be free. Scott had used many different effects such as slow motion photography, right away change in atmosphere and an almost monochrome set with the orange of longing fires and sepia tones. The musical score has switched between triumphant martial music and a slow adagio hinting of imminent calamity and sadness. Even the minimal dialogue between the characters complements the directors intended effect. Overall this is a brainy opening scene.