Gladiator
Ridley Scott ’s wide acclaimed steel - and - sandal epicGladiatorturned 20 year previous this past May . In addition to grossing about half a billion dollar internationally and rank # 42 on IMDB ’s Top 250 , the film won a total of fiveAcademy Awards , including Best Picture , Leading Actor , Best Costume Design , Best Sound , and Best Special / Visual Effects .
asterisk Russell Crowe , Joaquin Phoenix , Connie Nielsen , Oliver Reed , Derek Jacobi , Richard Harris , Djimon Hounsou , and more , the photographic film follows R.C. General Maximus ( Crowe ) as he sets out to avenge Emperor Commodus ( Phoenix ) follow the death of his family .
Casting Maximus
Although General Maximus is a fictional eccentric , he is a composite of several real - life historical Roman Catholic figures . Among them admit Commodus ' real - life orca Narcissus , hard worker revolter Spartacus , farmer - turn - authoritarian Cincinnatus , and General Marcus Nonius .
Mel Gibson , Antonio Banderas , andHugh Jackmanwere allconsideredfor the persona of Maximus . Gibsondeclinedthe character , claiming he was too old . Ridley Scott wanted a fresh - faced actor for the role anyway and cast Russell Crowe as a result .
Script & Ad-Libs
Upon being cast as Maximus , Russell Crowe took serious offense with the screenplay , even going so far as to call writer William Nicholson ’s dialogue garbage . Thescript underwent at least a dozen rewrite , many of which were done while film . In the ending , David Franzioni ’s original 130 - page hand wear picayune resemblance to the ruined moving picture .
Roman Colosseum Set
To renovate the size and scale leaf of the Roman Colosseum , roughly one - third of the epic landmark was build in Malta out of plywood and all of the plaster located on the island .
The structure was built 52 - feet mellow , with the residuum of the Colosseum create digitally via CGI . The unconscious process learn several months and a cost of rough $ 1 million to complete . For the large crew of spectators inside the arena , real people populate the bottom two pack of cards while the remaining thousands of onlookers are comprised of computer animation and some 400 cardboard cutout . ( germ )
Opening Battle Scene
The spectacular declamatory - scale leaf struggle tantrum that openGladiatorin the forest of Germania was take in rural Bourne Woods Surrey , England . The sequence took three week to complete .
WhenRidley Scottlearned that the Royal Forestry Commission had sanctioned the area for disforestation , the director convinced the Commission to allow him to complete the fight sequence . In gratitude , Scott quickly offered the Commission to use his picture show equipment and resources to burn down the forest . The Commission eagerly accepted . ( reference ) .
Oliver Reed’s Death
Famed British actor Oliver Reed pass away close to three weeks prior to the completion of principal photography onGladiator . His scenes as Proximo were unfinished , prompting major rescript to the script . For exercise , Maximus was originally position to conflict Proximo in the arena but was change due to Reed ’s untimely death .
Because Proximo was take for a central theatrical role , an insurance policy policy afforded Scott the option of reshooting Reed ’s scene with a different worker for free . However , Scott did not desire to excise Reed from the film , and the production was so exhausted by this prison term that Scott opted to rewrite the script and use a body - double to finish Reed ’s scenes .
Tiger Showdown
For the epic face-off between Maximus and Tigris the Gaul inside the Colosseum , five different tigerswere usedfor the scene . In Franzioni ’s original script , Maximus was to face off with a rhinoceros , which try out far too difficult to reach both practically and digitally .
During the cinematography of the sequence , Crowe was prompted to remain at least 15 foot aside from the tigers at all times . Just in case , a prepare veterinary equipped with tranquillizer darts remain off - screen .
Multiple Cameras & Frame Rates
Ridley Scott engage a number of filmmaking techniques while shootingGladiator . In addition to using multiple cameras to capture as much co-occurrent footage as potential , Scott and cinematographer John Mathieson shot the film atvarious chassis rates .
Scott and Mathieson often shoot at dissimilar skeleton rates while using a 45 - level camera shutter , which produce an animated stop - motion gist . The technique was also employed bySteven Spielbergfor several battle scenes inSaving Private Ryan .
Blurry Battle Effect
During the battle sequence in which Maximus and his men take on the Teutonic USA , the motion-picture show livestock becomes blurry midway through the clash . This was an unintended shot created in postproduction lead from the expiration of luminosity on location .
The initial battle sequence as filmed during the early eventide , but lost natural light when going overschedule . Rather than permissive waste prison term and money by reshooting the scene on another mean solar day , DP Mathieson finished the tantrum by filming at a vastly reduced flesh - rate . Mathieson subsequently duplicated all of the fall back frames in postproduction , creating a more or less blurry effect midway through the fight . ( Source )
Joaquin Phoenix’s Anxiety
Joaquin Phoenix wasso neural and anxiousto do a good job as Commodus inGladiatorthat he would often demand Russell Crowe physically abuse him before takes as a way to get him in the mood . When Crowe tell his champion Richard Harris about it , the veteran actor exhort Crowe to get Phoenix inebriated as a way to untie him up .
A few hour and several pint of Guinness later , Phoenix quelled his nerves . Still , for the scene in which Commodus murders his Padre , Phoenix was so keyed - up that he fainted after filming it .
Russell Crowe’s Injuries
Russell Crowe sufferedseveral injurieswhile filming the gladiatorial battle . The cicatrice on his face discover after the opening conflict was not bastard , but a real wound Crowe suffered after his horse abruptly backed him several tree diagram branches . The wounding demand stitches .
In addition , Crowe fall behind all belief in his right-hand index finger for more or less two years after bruise it in a swordfight . Crowe also tear his Achilles tendon , cracked a bone in his foot , break a coxa os , and rip multiple bicep tendons out of their socket .
NEXT : Russell Crowe ’s 10 Best Movies , allot To Rotten Tomatoes
