GLADIATOR - numero 6

The Beginning

Yep, I STILL found myself getting emotional at the Dreamworks part.  Hearing "Progeny" in the background on that huge screen...again...brought out the intense feeling "Uh-oh, here we go again."

Favourite Scenes

Hmm, there were quite a few scenes where I just couldn't stop grinning, others when even now I was still getting excited, and others where I just plain cried. :-D

I couldn't stop grinning with the opening shot of Maximus on the battlefield *sigh* Sooo satisfying seeing his gorgeous face on screen on a huge scale too.  I grinned when he watched the robin.  When The Battle came on I had to resist the urge to hum along - my foot started to involuntary tap in time to the music.  I couldn't resist mouthing "Bloody Hell!" during several points in the battle, mainly at points of mass devastation involving lots of people...The bit where Maximus grabs hold of a Roman soldier, lets out a primeval roar while raising his sword, then realising it's one of his own men made me laugh out loud.  Maximus looked so scary, in an "I'm going to kill you!!" sorta way, and the poor Roman guy looked like he'd just had the fear of God instilled in him...haha.  I also loved it when Maximus and his cavalry were riding through the forest along to his shouts of "HOLD THE LINE!! STAY WITH ME!!" and then the triumphant "ROMAAAA VICTORRRRR!" before they rode through fire. *sigh*

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There were lots of little expressions and moments which I swooned at more than before.  Example - I loved the shot of Max's eyes when from atop of his horse Marcus Aurelius said, "So much for the glory of Rome," and Maximus looks up at him.

Am I the only one who laughs every time Commodus says, "Have I missed it, have I missed the battle?"  I always reply to that with a big "DUHHH"

In the "celebration scene" I heartily appreciated the small grin following the line, "A soldier has the advantage of being able to look his enemy in the eye, senator," and the cute expression away from camera as Commodus says, "I warned you, and now I shall save you".  It was a "God help me - get me away from all this political talk!" sort of look.

I also always laugh when MA says to Lucilla, "If only you had been born a man..."  If I was Lucilla I'd be like, "Oh, thanks a lot, dad!!"

For some reason, I find the sight of Marcus Aurelius hunched up over a piece of paper busily scribbling away, really, really funny.   He looks like a little hermit!  LOL  The way Maximus looks at him before trying a second time to get his attention with, "Caesar" is also rather amusing.   He looks at him as if he's secretly thinking, "What the Hell are you doing?!"

Did anyone else notice that when Max said, "5000 of my men are out there on the freezing mud..." his whole head was shaking!  Wow, he must have been mad.

I was getting teary eyed at Max's description of his home...*sigh* he did sound like a little boy.   It was cool that he quickly broke out of his reverie when MA said, "There is one more duty I ask of you before you return home" and then quickly stood to attention like a true soldier.

*ahem* Is it me or does this feel I'm just going through the whole film.  Heehee...oops, sorry.  Well this is a breakdown of my favourite scenes from viewing number six, so what do you expect? :-)

Love the way Max paces around outside MA's tent and his cautious look as he catches sight of Lucilla.  I like the way he says, "No, I'm tired from battle" cos it's said in such a way that shows Maximus is really not that good at lying his way out of situations!

Noooooo, I still find myself crying when Max is praying to his ancestors....*sniffle*  Oh, the way he kisses the figurine of his wife, so tender and gentle...ARGGH!  And don't you just love the way he strokes his beard when he says to Cicero, "We may not be able to go home after all." Heehee.

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Sorry Commodus fans, but I always crack up during the "Patricide" scene.  Firstly, he sounds a little lispy, so I always do impressions afterwards - e.g. "I th-earched the fayth-es of the God-th, for way-th to plea-the you!!"  And I cannot help but remember what my sister said to me the very first time I went to see Gladiator - she leaned over to me and said, "He sounds constipated!" to which we both couldn't stop laughing.  No offence, but sometimes it is a lil difficult to understand what's being said. :-)

When Quintus goes to wake Maximus, he viciously pulls a knife to his throat.  His expression after realising it's only Quintus, not some late-night maniacal assassin, is extremely amusing, coupled with a slight "oh it's only you" shake of his dagger.

Don't you just love the great WHOOSHing sound the curtain makes when Commodus appears from underneath it and says, "Lament with me brother".  Good effect, that.

I've taken a fond liking to Cicero - he is a cutie.  Love the way he says, "Sword."

Oh HECK I'm not even halfway through the film so I better get  to the main points.  Um...

The whole execution scene is just too cool.   The music, the tension, everything.  Love the way Max shouts, "Praetorian!".  Still exciting, even now.  And you can't help but think "Ride faster, dammit!" even though you know it all goes straight to Hell.

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There's something very touching about the image of Maximus sleeping beside the flower-topped graves of his wife and son - always gets to me every time.

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I absolutely adore the scene where they're having the Gladiator "trials" when Max adamantly refuses to fight Haken.   The music, reminiscent to Track 10, Strength and Honour on the soundtrack, works very well underneath.

The scene where he's painfully scratching off his SPQR tattoo is still as poignant as ever - all the expressions which play across Max's face is fantastic - sadness, deep thought, irony, pain, grief, concentration, determination, everything.

The way the camera wheels dizzyingly around Max and Juba after the first fight at Zucchabar is brilliant, and Lisa's voice conveys the peace after the storm, as well as Max's confusion.

In the scene where Commodus is addressing the senators, it sounds like he says, "Don't you see Gwacchus?"  Why do I always spot these things???

Ooooooh the second Zucchabar fight is just too cool!!!!  From the start where you can make out Maximus sharpening the blade of his sword, to when he stands, now fully outfitted in that strapping leather armour (hehehe) and stalks out of the 'cell' thingy to the acknowledgements of "Spaniard" - JUST like in the beginning of the film.  The fight is purposely brutal, quick, and merciless.  When he shouts disapprovingly, "ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!" I always secretly think "Er...yes actually, very!"  Then you just feel sorry for him as his attempts to make his point fail miserably, as great cheers of "SPANIARD! SPANIARD!" rise through the crowd after he's just  chucked one of his swords into the stands, threw the other one to the ground and spat in disgust onto the floor.  I love watching his reaction to "the mob" as he slows down and looks around in amazement.  He'd tried to teach them a lesson, but instead he got cheers of applause.  Was NOT what he was expecting!

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Love the way he paces around Proximo's quarters like a lion.  Also, Proximo's hyena makes for a good laugh.

Max looks smoulderingly sexy when he's sat on the rooftop talking to Juba.  Oh dear, I'm getting carried away again. *VBG*

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Makes me laugh when Cassius puts on that daft, stoopid ginger wig.

Still love the cell scene with Max and Lucius.   The look of surprise and amused curiosity when Lucius addresses him, the gentleness in his eyes as he is reminded of his own son, the way he cautiously retreats into the shadows, eyes darting around in every direction after the realisation that Commodus and Lucilla are now in the city...

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Barbarian Horde - the whole sequence still packs a punch, from the tense building up of the music underneath when Max puts on the helmet, to entering the arena, and again, the camera performing a 360 degree turn around them while the sounds of the crowds border on the deafening.  I always smile when Max is the only one who doesn't salute the emperor.  Even though I've already seen it five times before, I still found my heart rate hitting the roof.   Amazing.  And I just LOVE Max on that white horse - especially accompanied by that music - mind-blowing. "Single column!  Single column!!" *siggggh*

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Cell scene number 1 - I still go weak at the knees everytime Maximus says, "I knew your brother would send assassins, I didn't realise he would send his best," and as he walks the furthest he can go, the chains go <CLANK> as his arms tense behind him.  OOOOOOH!!!!   Love the various emotions played out here, heart skips a beat when Max growls, "DON'T LIE TO ME!!" and "Then have HIM kill Commodus!"  I also love the way Lucilla desperately tries to get through to him ("I knew a man once, a noble man...a man of principle...")  Very satisfying.

Is it Hagen or Haken?  Ummm...oh dear.   Let's just say Hagen - Max is not a moose!  Max-i-moose???  LOL!!!

Oooooh, I'm an absolute sucker for the expert sword twizzling on display before the tiger fight.  The look Maximus gives towards the Imperial Box is a classic, when Tigris salutes Commodus.  It's an "as if, you'd be lucky to even get dirt scraped off my boot!" look.  :-)

The pain, restraint, and raggedness of Max's voice as he says, "The time for honouring yourself will soon be at an end...highness," is heart-breaking.

I can't believe this is the first real time I've spotted just how many banners there are being waved around with a giant MAXIMUS on them, funny because you realise just how much attention you give to the main players when they're on screen.  And every time I see Max get molested by that women prostitute I grin broadly and think "Hmm, how did I get into the film???"  LOL - well wouldn't you?  (Be all over him, I mean, NOT be a prostitute) LOL

I nearly cried when he opened the bag with his figurines in...*sigh*

Second cell scene - arggggh!   Soooooo romantic! 

Still LOVE the busy bee scene and the am i not merciful scene.  Especially love the way Lucilla changes from her smile at Commodus' "He's a very clever little boy" to tears of anguish at "The little bee told him everything."

I HATE the whole escape attempt scene!   Okay I don't hate it...but it's horrible because you know how terribly hopeless it all is.  And as soon as you hear Maximus' "NOOOO!" as Cicero gets shot full of arrows, you have to really prepare yourself because you know now that the end is creeping ever nearer.

Final cell scene - I get butterflies as soon as I see the "rose" petals falling onto the ground.  My stomach starts positively turning when Commodus enters and you're just waiting for everything to get even worse than it already is for poor Max.  Love Max's slight grimace as Commodus gives his cheek a derogatory stroke.  I just bet Commodus would really love to indulge in a bit of S and M wouldn't he. I mean come on, Maximus chained up in a cell.  All he needs is a whip. LOL *ahem*  Annnnnnyway... :-)  Also love the humourless grin accompanied with, "All a man can do is smile back."   But when he gets stabbed I just can't handle it, I mean...NOOOOOOOOO!!  The music could not have gone any better I think.  I LURRRVE Track 14.

My fingers are aching now, how surprising.   So yes, I STILL cried at the end.  I was going to go on about all the music I spotted in the film that is definitely not on the CD.  But as I said, hands not coping any more so basically I'll summarize - main points were:

Extended theme at the beginning of The Battle, short menacing theme as Commodus approaches the battlefield on horseback, the whole of the "party" scene, some great music from the execution attempt, plus basically all the music up to when Max is found by the slaves.  All the music from the Zucchabar scenes (Except the first fight of course - Track 9), Lisa's voice when Max stands ready for the second Zucchabar fight, I love the way they bring in the opening theme of The Battle when Max leaves the arena after the Tigris fight and also when he's walking through the streets followed by Cicero...All the music used in the escape attempt scene, very like The Battle but different all the same, some music used when Lucilla asks her maid where Lucius is and she hurries to where he is with Commodus...and basically there's plenty more.

So we better be getting a second, extended CD because there is a lot of quality music I personally would like to have included!!   And I know I'm not the only one...*G*