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Weapons expert here the different between a mace and a flail is the flail has the chain the mace does not just wanted to answer that question for you lol
I was one of the Barbarians in the first battle. A lot of students from the local university including me were extras.. it was filmed in Bourne Woods in Surrey 🏴… The area was scheduled for deforestation so Ridley could go nuts .. A lot of the fires were real .. My only regret was I wasn’t chosen to be a Roman as they got 4 weeks extra work as more scenes & had to learn to march & behave as an Army Unit .. I met Russell , Ridley & Richard Harris .. Joaquin was not in the scenes we did … The making of this movie is a really good watch 😀👍
@ .. Yeah it was an experience… we were students in Surrey Institute of Art & Design .. applying for a movie gig .. The university was on board as thought it would be good experience.. We only found out at the fitting what it was for … You know we were actually allowed to take pics on the set as they knew it wasn’t like Star Wars .. we all know what Romans look like .. The conditions were not to show anyone till the movie release .. However by the 4th day of shooting someone had sold pics to a national paper & they shut that down .. I still managed to get 2 36 disposable Fuji cameras filled .. So have something to remind me … Yes if offered to be an extra .. do it .. 😀👍
@@noellumleysavile5063 i have watched more movies than you ever will lmao. And I don't think I'm the only one who thinks so since Russell won the Oscar that year, even though he should have won It also for A Beautiful Mind and The Insider. And at least he should have had a nomination for Master And Commander
Paul Mescal apparently doesn't really get enough good dialogue or enough to do emotion wise. Thats the early Irish reviews anyway. They said he looks the part, the fight scenes are a bit too plentiful but well done, and that Denzel steals the show.
Quick FYI: Commodus stabbed Maximus between his ribs into his lung, thus most likely creating a tension pneumothorax (air leaks into the chest cavity which compresses the lung and prevents it from expanding) as evidenced by Maximus' increased work of breathing. This coupled with the blood loss seen soaking the left side of his costume (and why he's protecting his left side) would cause his lungs to fill with air and press the structure of the chest cavity including his heart, making it unable to pump, and thus die. It is a medical emergency and the way in which Russell Crowe portrayed the breathlessness, the increased weakening from blood loss and oxygen, but the absolute resolve to avenge his family was incredible acting.
Fun fact: the battle scene at the beginning was filmed in the woods of my town. Farnham, England! I was a kid and remember seeing all these Roman soldiers coming out of cars and take cigarette breaks in town 😂👍🏻🇬🇧
@@scarecrowman7789 .. I was one of the Barbarians .. me & my Roman buddies used to keep our makeup on & head to the pub in Farnham .. I was a student at Surrey Institute of Art & Design.. name changed now .. I’m from Ireland but found everyone over there really kind & friendly… 🏴💚😀👍
The actor who played Proximo (the Gladiator trainer) was Oliver Reed. He was an extraordinary british actor, with a very interesting, fascinating and atypical life. He also was known for his alcoholism, having some scandals on TV and cinema as a consequence of this. During the filming of Gladiator in 1999, he sadly passed away. He had been sober for months, but one night (during a break from filming the movie) in an Irish pub in Malta (after a bet), he drank three bottles of Jamaican rum, eight bottles of German beer, numerous double whiskeys and challenged five young English sailors of the Royal Navy to arm-wrestling at The Pub bar (which after this incident was called Ollie's Last Pub). His bill, which was never paid, is preserved in a decorative frame in the bar.
That's so sad...just proves to everyone that recovery is the absolute hardest trial in an addicts life & unfortunately all it can take us 1 relapse of any drug to kill u. Most persons are under the assumption that if u relapse ur body can still tolerate the same amt of drug u could previously consume or take, but once u have been sober or clean & the toxins are out of ur body it is extremely dangerous to use what u did before & that kills many, many addicts. Way more common that folks realize. He basically died of alcohol poisoning & all because he had no one there to support him which is just fricken sad & pathetic of the a holes that pushed him! This just proves that addicts can't survive without support!!! Very tragic death!
@@jenloveshorrorOliver Reed didnt sober up for himself or his health, it was just a condition of his employment (Richard Harris also went off the sauce during the shoot). Basically, Ridley Scott knew he was going to have a tough enough time keeping Russell Crowe on good behavior, and didn’t want Reed and Harris (whose drinking stories were legendary) being a bad influence on him.
This movie changed my life in so many ways. I became a historian focused in Roman tactics because of this film. I continue to watch it at least once per year and it still holds up! Edit: The forest destruction was not CGI!!! I think the government of wherever they were filming had scheduled it to be cut down for construction purposes and Ridley Scott asked if he could do it for them in this way.
Your experience is why people should lighten up a bit on historical dramas not being historically accurate. Like science fiction inspires scientists to go into the field, so too does historical films. Films like Braveheart, despite being historically inaccurate, made me interested in learning about history when I was a kid and later went onto a fulfilling career in the history field.
Oliver Reed's final theatrical performance. He died in the middle of filming due to his heavy drinking which he had quit but few patrons dared him which led to him accepting the challenge and the rest as they say is history. The budget also increased due to incorporating CGI of Reeds face into a body double, then using stand-ins etc, from the back when it came to Proximo's death. Proximo was supposed to survive but due to Reeds death they changed the characters fate. I think Russell Crowe said he didn't have a good working relationship during the making of this film.
I love Jon’s commentary. He’s incredibly well versed in so many things, music, cinema, literature. He has an incredible amount of insight in his observations of film. I love it.
Probably the main historical thing to remember about actual gladiator fights is that they actually rarely featured people killing each other. Now there were situations where criminals sentenced to death were sent into the arena to die, but actual matchups between gladiators, slaves trained in combat, rarely ended in death. The simple reason is that they were monetary investments for their enslavers. If you just sent them into the arena to die after spending all of that money to purchase them, train them, and feed them, you are basically just throwing your fortune away, which has never really been a good way of doing business. Think of it like if you are the owner of an NFL team, and you spend millions on a QB, just to send him out there knowing someone is going to intentionally break his leg, that's not good business. Another historical element is that Rome itself should actually be much more colorful. The buildings and statues should be painted in almost every color of the rainbow, which we have archaeological evidence for. The reason we think Rome was just pure white marble is because the paint wore away over the centuries. Additionally, people in the 19th Century came to admire the white marble look, and would actually strip original paint off of statues because they thought it clashed with their perception of what the "Roman Look" was. Fun Fact: The Colosseum was so complex, it had retractable sun roofs for shade, actual food vendors like a modern sports arena, and a plumbing system that enabled them to flood the arena area so that they could have mini naval battles with actual trireme ships. Edit: Also, the Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down, in regards to Live or Die, evidence suggests that a Thumbs Down actually meant Live and a Thumbs Up actually meant Death. However, public perception has changed, so they switched it up for the film.
I started out in archaeology, transitioned into art school, and really love sociology, so when I first learned about the people removing the paint intentionally I almost cried at the idea of losing that history and connection with the people who made it.
So the story is VERY loosely based on historical events, but the best change was having Russell Crowe’s character name be changed from Narcissus, which was the real man’s name, to Maximus. Also Commodus was actually killed by being drowned in his bathtub, but it’s MUCH more satisfying to see him killed in the Colosseum.
Nice catch on The Planets. The Gustav Holst estate filed a suit against Hans Zimmer for the similarities between "The Battle" and "Mars, The Bringer of War." It was settled out of court.
I absolutely thought about The Planets (Mars) when I saw this twenty years ago. I also think about The Planets when I watch Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. At the very beginning, when the star destroyer is chasing down Leia’s ship, I get strong Mars vibes.
@@accolade8060 Yeah I heard that in Star Wars too, but the most obvious John Williams "inspiration" is Antonín Dvořák's New World symphony and the theme from Jaws - check it out if you haven't.
The Arabic man that sells the Gladiator to the old-timer is actually in the mummy with Brendan Fraser he's the one that was in charge of the prison and later got attacked by a Scarab inside of his body
"Master and Commander" is another excellent historical action-drama film Russell Crowe features in. It's one of the best history films in the modern era of film.
In his prime, Russell Crowe couldn’t make a bad film. An incredible actor. From L.A. Confidential, to A Beautiful Mind, to Master and Commander and Cinderella Man. Too many to list here.
@allenslayman4272 I think to honor Richard Harris, Jared Harris would be the only appropriate casting choice for a younger Marcus Aurelius. As for who should play Proximo, I honestly have no idea who could perfectly play a younger Oliver Reed.
21:35 this was the moment for me. The moment I realised how special jaoquin really is. The break in his voice, the range of complex emotions, an amazing scene executed by an amazing actor.
Relatable! I was a teenager in the late ‘80’s, he was in a movie called Parenthood, I think he was credited as Leaf back then. He didn’t have many lines but he stood out so much to me then, I knew he would do very well as an actor. His brother was equally compelling in his short existence.
You're absolutely right about The Planets. Hans Zimmer thought it would make absolute sense to use the theme of Mars the Bringer of War from Holst's piece as a nod to the Romans' worship of him. Normally I'm not a huge fan of that but it really does fit well here. (And it is credited to Holst in the score).
He also rips off Siegfried's Funeral March from Wagner's Ring (in a almost comical way, tbh, since the influence is obvious) in the "I will have my vengeance" speech in the arena. It's fine, though the planets riff is superior.
My dad introduced me to The Planets years ago. Mars is my absolute favorite of them all. I recognized it in The Avengers during some of the dramatic moments.
This is a great example of a basic concept executed perfectly. I think Scott’s inconsistent output over the last two decades is due to him complicating the foundations of his stories.
Before Oliver Reed's untimely death, Djmon WAS supposed to die in this movie. It was supposed to be Reed burying Maximus' figurines in his blood in the Colusium. But they changed the ending after Reed's death, so it's Djimon who does this.
@@jillfromatlanta427 You may be right, but I heard Djimon was always going to survive, but it was Oliver Reed who was going to close out the film originally as you stated.
It was a few years earlier, its a pity Hans Zimmer basically rehashed that great Gladiator score for it, as people pretty much always associate this score with Pirates of the Caribbean
I think they understood that. That's why the guy said the sound was just too great to not use it as a primary theme for another movie. Hence its use in Pirates.
Amazing movie. Great cast all around. And Phoenix plays his part to perfection. Really a force here. So many great scenes between Commodus, Lucilla, Maximus and Marcus Aurelius. The ending also leaves no man untouched. Maximus wading through the field towards his home on the other side - reunited with his family.
Hey Jon, and any Reel Rejects interested, if you want to know more about the emperor Marcus Aurelius you need to read the book “Meditations”. It is the translated works of Marcus Aurelius personal journal/diaries. It’s absolutely incredible insight to how a man that virtually ran the entire world thought. My favorite version is the translation by Gregory Hays. It’s so so good.
YO SAME and I didn’t even realize this movie is why. I had only ever seen him in this for a long time and his acting in this is disgustingly good. I wonder how he feels about that lol
My favorite anecdote re: this movie is that years later when Joaquin was up to play Johhny Cash in Walk the Line, Cash approved the casting due to this performance, specifically citing Commodus's line about how Maximus's wife and son died.
The opening of him touching the wheatgrass is actually from this movie and as you see, is really excellent cinematic foreshadowing in reality. This movie is a masterclass in cinema, it's so well filmed, scored, written, truly an epic in film history
It was a double for Russell wading through the wheat. They had already finished filming Crowe and he was not available to shoot that. Oddly the first time I saw Gladiator, I knew that was supposed to be Crowe but also knew it wasn't. That was later confirmed as true. FYI
"Are you not entertained!!" Oh man probably my favorite Ridley Scott movie and i'm a sucker when it comes to epic swords and sandals flicks. They just don't make movies like these anymore. Can't wait for the sequel!
I've been to the Colosseum in real life, and it is just as awe-inspiring as it in this movie. The sheer scale of it is amazing, and seeing it at night and going into the tunnels underneath was a memory I won't soon forget.
The gesture to spare a given gladiator's life is to hide your thumb inside your fist, forming a gesture known as pollice compresso, “compressed thumb” (or thumbs-down) that signified swords down (sheathed). And if death was desired, the thumb had to be up like a drawn sword. cut and paste as i couldn't remember the exact terminology.
Simultaneously hardcore & heartbreaking. Crowe's iconic role is truly triumphant with a stellar cast and Phoneix is one of cinema's most vile villains. Ridley Scott is basically our Stanley Kubrick (speaking of now you need to see SPARTACUS as well as BEN-HUR which are both kissing cousins to this epic filmic feast.
i never thought about if maximus got poisoned there at the end.. i always thought he just got punctured in his lung and therefore having problems breathing and internal bleeding.
Being stabbed in the armpit like that it is also very possible that he got cut in the brachial artery which would have you bleed out super fast. I never once considered poison either because of **where** he was stabbed and how life threatening that location could be.
@ he couldn’t have gotten stabbed in the armpit he got stabbed through cloth and he was wearing a white tank top. No sleeves, I don’t know what the Roman version of that was called, because theirs only went over one of your shoulders
My main memory of watching this at the cinema is from the opening sequence, realising they had 'stolen' one of the chants from Zulu to use for the enemy, as if a large number of cinemagoers wouldn't recognise such an iconic sound!
Marco Aurelio was played by the first Dumbledore yes (Richard Harris). Harris did the first two HP films, but later on died. Therefore, Michael Gambon continued playing Dumbledore in HP saga.
Ridley's plan was for Maximus (Russell) to view his dead wife and son from a distance. Russell insisted that his character must go kiss the feet of his wife. That Maximus would need to go to her and touch her. Ridley finally agreed. Russell also warned Ridley that the scene would be "full snot". 😂
48:05, the names of Maximus's horses Argento and Scatto translate into Silver and Trigger. Silver is the name of the Lone Ranger's horse. Trigger is the name of movie cowboy Roy Roger's horse. It was an inside joke from the director. BTW, in the new Gladiator coming out. It's revealed that Lucius is actually Maximus's biological son.
@@user-zp4ge3yp2o"My son is his early eight."Mine also"..soo..Maximus was one day in Spain with his wife,and the very next he is in Rome with Lucilla???Yeah ,right..I guess they forgot aboit that dialog when they were making Gladiator 2.
Gladiator is like experiencing both of your guys birthing, into extreme manhood. 😅 You are creating an amazing amount of valuable content. And you guys are good actors. You sound genuinely excited all the time together. It's like ALL THE TIME AND YOU HAVE TONS OF FUN. We thank you for your honest FUN content...AND the BIRTHING together with Gladiator.
Looks like they're literally re-telling the exact same story, at a lower standard, including a garbage soundtrack. No interest in the sequel, which is terrible given the absolute classic part 1.
It's interesting to think about, but I think the fact that Maximus was chained to the man who saved his life is the only reason the rest of the movie even happens. I think he was more or less planning to die, and didn't care what happened to him, but the fact that his savior was technically reliant on him in that first battle, Maximus felt obligated to fight. And that one fight for his life sparked JUST enough life in him that he began to move forward and decided not to die, similar to when someone committing suicide experiences a moment of regret after their leap. He had to fight to stay alive to protect the man who saved him, and in doing so remembered what it was like to cling to life. And thus, the rest of the movie occurs.
Both Commodus and Marcus Aureluis are historical figures in Roman history. They were actually father and son. Though the movie is fictional, both their characters mimic their actual "perceived" personalities. Marcus was considered the last of the "five good emperors" and Commodus was considered a narcissist and terrible ruler. He did fight gladiators. And yes, was rumored to seriously injure them before battle
The planets is amazing. It was composed a century ago but it sounds like a modern film score. Mars the Bringer of War was not only a reference for Hans Zimmer: it was also heavily used as an "inspiration" by John Williams in Star Wars.
My favorite scene of this movie has to be the opening battle. You get to see both how much of a machine the Roman Legion was and you get to see Germanic tribes who decided they'd rather die on their feet than live on their knees bowing to the Caesars
7:37 They filmed this all with practical effects. They found out that this forest was to be cleared, so they got permission to film and just complete it using the fire. Obviously, this was very controlled, for safety reasons. But the burning forests are actually burning forests.
This movie is an absolute classic. I've seen it a dozen times, the ending still gets me. Hell, you guys watching the end it got me AGAIN. A great addition to anyone's cinematic culture, I'm glad Aaron has now seen it.
1:04:51 When I first saw this movie, on opening day, it was completely silent in the theatre at this point. And then, out of nowhere someone yelled out loud 'mietje', translated from it means something like "P*ssy!!". The whole theatre was laughing their asses off.
A flail is a handle with a chain attached to a ball, often spiked ball, mace is a handle with a metal ball at the end and a morningstar is a handle with a ball with spikes at the end.
This movie is iconic for so many reasons. Well written, well shot, well directed, and all the actors did a phenomenal job! If you guys haven't seen it yet, you might also want to check out "Kingdom Of Heaven". Great reaction!
When I first started dating my future wife, I took her to see this in the theater, and turned her into a crying mess at the end. She still hasn't forgiven me. =)
My art history professor In 2013 invited the class to watch this movie on a Saturday morning and I remember being so wrecked I laid in bed the rest of the day, this movie is amazing
The hand in the wheat was actually never planned. Filming was almost finished, and Ridley Scott was struck by the way Russel Crowe's body double walked through the wheat field and he just thought "I need that in my movie"
This is my dad's favorite movie. He only saw half of it in theatres cuz he did the classic dad move of falling asleep in the air-conditioned theater during the "boring parts" (talking) in the middle.
That show was brilliant! All kinds of actors we know as “older,” were still awesome in their youth! I’m thinking of John Hurt, Brian Blessed, Sian Phillips, Ian Ogilvy, John Rhys-Davies and so many more.
Historical fiction by a mile. An adamant stoic, Meditations by Marcus Aurelias is one of the key works on the subject. This is the contents of the man's private journal: it is pure poetry. He never intended for them to be published and yet it is full of wisdom and prose. It's highly worth the read.
Composer of the planets. Gustav. Holst 1914 in 1970 The first movement to be written was Mars in mid-1914, followed by Venus and Jupiter in the latter part of the year, Saturn and Uranus in mid-1915, Neptune later in 1915 and Mercury in early 1916. Holst completed the orchestration during 1917.
At 3:24 yes that is a European robin. I visited Ireland a few years ago with a bird watcher, and he recognized it and told me it was indeed a robin but the ones in Europe are a little different. I believe this scene was filmed in the UK so that makes sense.
So, fun fact: When Joaquin Phoenix put his thumb up to save Maximus's life, in the real gladiators' Colosseum, the emperor would actually have to put the thumbs down in order to save someone’s life. The filmmaker didn’t want people to get confused, so he switched it to a thumbs-up instead.
Just one fact.Gladiator didn't use music from Pirats ,but it's vice versa.,because Gladiator was made 2000 and the first Pirats was made in 2003,so this had actually real original score.
44:00 2nd best bit in the film. He's down there playing a deadly sport and it means so little to the spectators that theyre just ignoring it and chatting amongst themselves. And despite the 1 v 5 or however many... Maximus noticednit and called them out on it like a disappointed drill instructor. Crowd almost had to learn the 5 D's of dodgeball.
classic film. It's crazy how many people hesitate to watch a film like this until a modern DEI slop sequel is announced to cannibalize the corpse of the original film's success
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No it can't and that is ok
Weapons expert here the different between a mace and a flail is the flail has the chain the mace does not just wanted to answer that question for you lol
I was one of the Barbarians in the first battle. A lot of students from the local university including me were extras..
it was filmed in Bourne Woods in Surrey 🏴… The area was scheduled for deforestation so Ridley could go nuts .. A lot of the fires were real .. My only regret was I wasn’t chosen to be a Roman as they got 4 weeks extra work as more scenes & had to learn to march & behave as an Army Unit .. I met Russell , Ridley & Richard Harris .. Joaquin was not in the scenes we did … The making of this movie is a really good watch 😀👍
@@donegalrediscovered3309 such a great experience man! How was like to be around with Ridley Richard and Russell
Very cool
this is so cool wth😭
How lucky you are, my friend... Long life to you and yours...
@ .. Yeah it was an experience… we were students in Surrey Institute of Art & Design .. applying for a movie gig .. The university was on board as thought it would be good experience.. We only found out at the fitting what it was for … You know we were actually allowed to take pics on the set as they knew it wasn’t like Star Wars .. we all know what Romans look like .. The conditions were not to show anyone till the movie release .. However by the 4th day of shooting someone had sold pics to a national paper & they shut that down .. I still managed to get 2 36 disposable Fuji cameras filled .. So have something to remind me … Yes if offered to be an extra .. do it .. 😀👍
The performance of Russell Crowe in Gladiator is literally one of the greatest acting performances i have ever seen
Don't forget Joaquin Phoenix. Dude played a menace in this movie.
@Ay3shizzle yes its a shame Joaquin didnt win an Oscar that year
I guess you haven't watched many movies then...
@@noellumleysavile5063 i have watched more movies than you ever will lmao. And I don't think I'm the only one who thinks so since Russell won the Oscar that year, even though he should have won It also for A Beautiful Mind and The Insider. And at least he should have had a nomination for Master And Commander
Paul Mescal apparently doesn't really get enough good dialogue or enough to do emotion wise. Thats the early Irish reviews anyway. They said he looks the part, the fight scenes are a bit too plentiful but well done, and that Denzel steals the show.
Quick FYI: Commodus stabbed Maximus between his ribs into his lung, thus most likely creating a tension pneumothorax (air leaks into the chest cavity which compresses the lung and prevents it from expanding) as evidenced by Maximus' increased work of breathing. This coupled with the blood loss seen soaking the left side of his costume (and why he's protecting his left side) would cause his lungs to fill with air and press the structure of the chest cavity including his heart, making it unable to pump, and thus die. It is a medical emergency and the way in which Russell Crowe portrayed the breathlessness, the increased weakening from blood loss and oxygen, but the absolute resolve to avenge his family was incredible acting.
Fun fact: the battle scene at the beginning was filmed in the woods of my town. Farnham, England! I was a kid and remember seeing all these Roman soldiers coming out of cars and take cigarette breaks in town 😂👍🏻🇬🇧
@@scarecrowman7789 .. I was one of the Barbarians .. me & my Roman buddies used to keep our makeup on & head to the pub in Farnham .. I was a student at Surrey Institute of Art & Design.. name changed now .. I’m from Ireland but found everyone over there really kind & friendly… 🏴💚😀👍
@ haha - that’s amazing!
The actor who played Proximo (the Gladiator trainer) was Oliver Reed. He was an extraordinary british actor, with a very interesting, fascinating and atypical life. He also was known for his alcoholism, having some scandals on TV and cinema as a consequence of this. During the filming of Gladiator in 1999, he sadly passed away. He had been sober for months, but one night (during a break from filming the movie) in an Irish pub in Malta (after a bet), he drank three bottles of Jamaican rum, eight bottles of German beer, numerous double whiskeys and challenged five young English sailors of the Royal Navy to arm-wrestling at The Pub bar (which after this incident was called Ollie's Last Pub). His bill, which was never paid, is preserved in a decorative frame in the bar.
That's so sad...just proves to everyone that recovery is the absolute hardest trial in an addicts life & unfortunately all it can take us 1 relapse of any drug to kill u. Most persons are under the assumption that if u relapse ur body can still tolerate the same amt of drug u could previously consume or take, but once u have been sober or clean & the toxins are out of ur body it is extremely dangerous to use what u did before & that kills many, many addicts. Way more common that folks realize. He basically died of alcohol poisoning & all because he had no one there to support him which is just fricken sad & pathetic of the a holes that pushed him! This just proves that addicts can't survive without support!!! Very tragic death!
Again, dude. Writing the same copy paste $hit on every Gladiator reaction 🤦🏻♂️. Write something else, man.
@@jenloveshorrorOliver Reed didnt sober up for himself or his health, it was just a condition of his employment (Richard Harris also went off the sauce during the shoot). Basically, Ridley Scott knew he was going to have a tough enough time keeping Russell Crowe on good behavior, and didn’t want Reed and Harris (whose drinking stories were legendary) being a bad influence on him.
FYI: gladiator came before pirates
Yup 3 years.
Every person always assumes Pirates came first and it drives me nuts!
They never said it didn't.
This movie changed my life in so many ways. I became a historian focused in Roman tactics because of this film. I continue to watch it at least once per year and it still holds up!
Edit: The forest destruction was not CGI!!! I think the government of wherever they were filming had scheduled it to be cut down for construction purposes and Ridley Scott asked if he could do it for them in this way.
Your experience is why people should lighten up a bit on historical dramas not being historically accurate. Like science fiction inspires scientists to go into the field, so too does historical films. Films like Braveheart, despite being historically inaccurate, made me interested in learning about history when I was a kid and later went onto a fulfilling career in the history field.
Oliver Reed's final theatrical performance. He died in the middle of filming due to his heavy drinking which he had quit but few patrons dared him which led to him accepting the challenge and the rest as they say is history. The budget also increased due to incorporating CGI of Reeds face into a body double, then using stand-ins etc, from the back when it came to Proximo's death. Proximo was supposed to survive but due to Reeds death they changed the characters fate. I think Russell Crowe said he didn't have a good working relationship during the making of this film.
Hey spaghetti boy! You are everywhere!
I love Jon’s commentary. He’s incredibly well versed in so many things, music, cinema, literature. He has an incredible amount of insight in his observations of film. I love it.
Probably the main historical thing to remember about actual gladiator fights is that they actually rarely featured people killing each other. Now there were situations where criminals sentenced to death were sent into the arena to die, but actual matchups between gladiators, slaves trained in combat, rarely ended in death. The simple reason is that they were monetary investments for their enslavers. If you just sent them into the arena to die after spending all of that money to purchase them, train them, and feed them, you are basically just throwing your fortune away, which has never really been a good way of doing business. Think of it like if you are the owner of an NFL team, and you spend millions on a QB, just to send him out there knowing someone is going to intentionally break his leg, that's not good business.
Another historical element is that Rome itself should actually be much more colorful. The buildings and statues should be painted in almost every color of the rainbow, which we have archaeological evidence for. The reason we think Rome was just pure white marble is because the paint wore away over the centuries. Additionally, people in the 19th Century came to admire the white marble look, and would actually strip original paint off of statues because they thought it clashed with their perception of what the "Roman Look" was.
Fun Fact: The Colosseum was so complex, it had retractable sun roofs for shade, actual food vendors like a modern sports arena, and a plumbing system that enabled them to flood the arena area so that they could have mini naval battles with actual trireme ships.
Edit: Also, the Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down, in regards to Live or Die, evidence suggests that a Thumbs Down actually meant Live and a Thumbs Up actually meant Death. However, public perception has changed, so they switched it up for the film.
That was awesome to read...thx for the info..
@ You’re welcome!
Plus the gladiator fights had refs plus a fight was over when a gladiator held up his pinky finger
You saved me a lot of typing. Pretty much what my comment was going to say.
I started out in archaeology, transitioned into art school, and really love sociology, so when I first learned about the people removing the paint intentionally I almost cried at the idea of losing that history and connection with the people who made it.
A classic. This is how you make an epic story. The hero and the villain feel equally important
So the story is VERY loosely based on historical events, but the best change was having Russell Crowe’s character name be changed from Narcissus, which was the real man’s name, to Maximus.
Also Commodus was actually killed by being drowned in his bathtub, but it’s MUCH more satisfying to see him killed in the Colosseum.
And Commodus was also waaaaaayyyy more insane in real life.
Nice catch on The Planets. The Gustav Holst estate filed a suit against Hans Zimmer for the similarities between "The Battle" and "Mars, The Bringer of War." It was settled out of court.
I absolutely thought about The Planets (Mars) when I saw this twenty years ago. I also think about The Planets when I watch Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. At the very beginning, when the star destroyer is chasing down Leia’s ship, I get strong Mars vibes.
@@accolade8060 Correct. John Williams also used The Planets for inspiration in Star Wars.
@@accolade8060 Yeah I heard that in Star Wars too, but the most obvious John Williams "inspiration" is Antonín Dvořák's New World symphony and the theme from Jaws - check it out if you haven't.
The Arabic man that sells the Gladiator to the old-timer is actually in the mummy with Brendan Fraser he's the one that was in charge of the prison and later got attacked by a Scarab inside of his body
That’s right, cool that you remembered that!
British comedian Omid Djalili ☺️🇬🇧
@@NigelShepherd-z7k not British, no
@@HarrisMcGovern yes hes british. we dont claim your racism you pathetic excuse of a human being
@@HarrisMcGovern Actually, he is. Google is your friend. He was born in Chelsea, London, United Kingdom making him Iranian-British.
"Master and Commander" is another excellent historical action-drama film Russell Crowe features in. It's one of the best history films in the modern era of film.
I second this recommendation! Absolutely fantastic film!
Yeah. Amazing movie.
Russel Crowe is a Legend. This performance was truly insane and is still one of my favourite movies of all time!🙏
Insane? 🤔
@archaicrule432 yes, as in his performance was insanely good. what's the problem?
@@SLAPERZZ1 some people like that need everything explained to them, lol
In his prime, Russell Crowe couldn’t make a bad film. An incredible actor. From L.A. Confidential, to A Beautiful Mind, to Master and Commander and Cinderella Man. Too many to list here.
@@k3n12ock na we don't lol just a really weird word to describe this performance that's all, I thought he meant something else
Who else agrees that Proximo deserves his own prequel?
Damn, that's a great idea and you could have younger Marcus Aurelius, wonder why nobody thought of that
@allenslayman4272 I think to honor Richard Harris, Jared Harris would be the only appropriate casting choice for a younger Marcus Aurelius. As for who should play Proximo, I honestly have no idea who could perfectly play a younger Oliver Reed.
@@shanerose7204 That would be a great idea
@@shanerose7204 Joseph Quinn would've been perfect to play a younger Oliver Reed/Proximo. However, he's in the new one as Emperor Geta.
@marcusmcgill4423 I was personally thinking along the lines of William Moseley, Harris Dickinson, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Tom Blyth, or Callum Turner
21:35 this was the moment for me. The moment I realised how special jaoquin really is. The break in his voice, the range of complex emotions, an amazing scene executed by an amazing actor.
Relatable! I was a teenager in the late ‘80’s, he was in a movie called Parenthood, I think he was credited as Leaf back then. He didn’t have many lines but he stood out so much to me then, I knew he would do very well as an actor. His brother was equally compelling in his short existence.
You're absolutely right about The Planets. Hans Zimmer thought it would make absolute sense to use the theme of Mars the Bringer of War from Holst's piece as a nod to the Romans' worship of him. Normally I'm not a huge fan of that but it really does fit well here. (And it is credited to Holst in the score).
He also rips off Siegfried's Funeral March from Wagner's Ring (in a almost comical way, tbh, since the influence is obvious) in the "I will have my vengeance" speech in the arena. It's fine, though the planets riff is superior.
My dad introduced me to The Planets years ago. Mars is my absolute favorite of them all. I recognized it in The Avengers during some of the dramatic moments.
@misandristmayhem Check out Jupiter for the Rugby Union World Cup theme too! (Criminally converted to 4/4 time 😔)
@@ARealityStorm, It's also effectively used in an episode of Space 1999.
Phoenix's Commodus is a gift to humanity. It goes so much deeper than any of the other characters.
FYI: The actor playing Maximus' son also played Roberto Benigni's son in the oscar winner Life is Beautiful.
He was in a ton of stuff around that age. He was also Bruce Willis son in Unbreakable
@@toooriginal3816no they said Maximus’ son, not Lucious.
@@ellehcimbelle oh dang you right lol my bad
That was that Holocaust movie right?
@@camward9293 Yes it came out in 1997.
Oliver Reed was a such a legend. RIP you old drunk.
This is a great example of a basic concept executed perfectly. I think Scott’s inconsistent output over the last two decades is due to him complicating the foundations of his stories.
I chuckled when he said Djimon Hounsou won't make it to the end when he is literally the final spoken lines of the movie :P
Before Oliver Reed's untimely death, Djmon WAS supposed to die in this movie. It was supposed to be Reed burying Maximus' figurines in his blood in the Colusium. But they changed the ending after Reed's death, so it's Djimon who does this.
@@jillfromatlanta427 You may be right, but I heard Djimon was always going to survive, but it was Oliver Reed who was going to close out the film originally as you stated.
This was years BEFORE Pirates of the Caribbean
It was a few years earlier, its a pity Hans Zimmer basically rehashed that great Gladiator score for it, as people pretty much always associate this score with Pirates of the Caribbean
I think they understood that. That's why the guy said the sound was just too great to not use it as a primary theme for another movie. Hence its use in Pirates.
Notice that Quintus took a promotion. Hes no longer in the army, but a Praetorian. The Emperors body guard.
One of Hans Zimmer’s all time best scores. It takes amazing scenes and makes them TRULY EPIC!!!
Amazing movie. Great cast all around. And Phoenix plays his part to perfection. Really a force here. So many great scenes between Commodus, Lucilla, Maximus and Marcus Aurelius. The ending also leaves no man untouched. Maximus wading through the field towards his home on the other side - reunited with his family.
Tommy Flanagan does have a Glasgow smile. He got attacked walking home from a gig in Glasgow when he was younger
Hey Jon, and any Reel Rejects interested, if you want to know more about the emperor Marcus Aurelius you need to read the book “Meditations”. It is the translated works of Marcus Aurelius personal journal/diaries. It’s absolutely incredible insight to how a man that virtually ran the entire world thought. My favorite version is the translation by Gregory Hays. It’s so so good.
Joaquin’s performance is so great that I still don’t trust any character he plays.
YO SAME and I didn’t even realize this movie is why. I had only ever seen him in this for a long time and his acting in this is disgustingly good. I wonder how he feels about that lol
Russell and Joaquin killed it as always
My favorite anecdote re: this movie is that years later when Joaquin was up to play Johhny Cash in Walk the Line, Cash approved the casting due to this performance, specifically citing Commodus's line about how Maximus's wife and son died.
The opening of him touching the wheatgrass is actually from this movie and as you see, is really excellent cinematic foreshadowing in reality. This movie is a masterclass in cinema, it's so well filmed, scored, written, truly an epic in film history
It was a double for Russell wading through the wheat. They had already finished filming Crowe and he was not available to shoot that. Oddly the first time I saw Gladiator, I knew that was supposed to be Crowe but also knew it wasn't. That was later confirmed as true. FYI
"Are you not entertained!!" Oh man probably my favorite Ridley Scott movie and i'm a sucker when it comes to epic swords and sandals flicks. They just don't make movies like these anymore. Can't wait for the sequel!
I've been to the Colosseum in real life, and it is just as awe-inspiring as it in this movie. The sheer scale of it is amazing, and seeing it at night and going into the tunnels underneath was a memory I won't soon forget.
Same here actually! Rome really is incredible
FYI: a thumb up was actually for death, but the director and producers thought it would be too confusing, so they changed it.
They have always had that take in Roman epic movies, always the thumbs down as it does look more negative.
The gesture to spare a given gladiator's life is to hide your thumb inside your fist, forming a gesture known as pollice compresso, “compressed thumb” (or thumbs-down) that signified swords down (sheathed). And if death was desired, the thumb had to be up like a drawn sword.
cut and paste as i couldn't remember the exact terminology.
Simultaneously hardcore & heartbreaking. Crowe's iconic role is truly triumphant with a stellar cast and Phoneix is one of cinema's most vile villains. Ridley Scott is basically our Stanley Kubrick (speaking of now you need to see SPARTACUS as well as BEN-HUR which are both kissing cousins to this epic filmic feast.
Won the oscar for :
best Picture, best Actor, costume, visual, sound.
It deserved for the score.I think it's better than in Crouching Tiger
i never thought about if maximus got poisoned there at the end.. i always thought he just got punctured in his lung and therefore having problems breathing and internal bleeding.
That’s exactly what I thought.
Being stabbed in the armpit like that it is also very possible that he got cut in the brachial artery which would have you bleed out super fast. I never once considered poison either because of **where** he was stabbed and how life threatening that location could be.
@ he couldn’t have gotten stabbed in the armpit he got stabbed through cloth and he was wearing a white tank top. No sleeves, I don’t know what the Roman version of that was called, because theirs only went over one of your shoulders
I had always figured a lung puncture as well will his breathing, poison is posible but I still think the lungs the most abundantly their
@@blacksheep_edge1412 He was stabbed between the ribs and his lungs were collapsing. You can hear his labored breathing. His lung was punctured.
I just finished watching this for the first time, and it lives up to the HYPE!!
That huge guy is a German body builder used to compete in Mr Olympia with Arnold Schwarzenegger and they're friends
Ralph Mouller i think was his name 🤨
Yup. One of the baddies in THE SCORPION KING and the main villain in BEST OF THE BEST 2.
My main memory of watching this at the cinema is from the opening sequence, realising they had 'stolen' one of the chants from Zulu to use for the enemy, as if a large number of cinemagoers wouldn't recognise such an iconic sound!
This movie was actually in theaters for a year when it was first released (53 weeks I believe)
John I'm so happy you know about "I,Claudius" but the fact you couldn't Derek Jacobi cracked me up🤣🤣🤣
I was like “I KNOW I know this guy’s name” lol - I’ve seen him in SO many things over the years 😭
Marco Aurelio was played by the first Dumbledore yes (Richard Harris). Harris did the first two HP films, but later on died. Therefore, Michael Gambon continued playing Dumbledore in HP saga.
Ridley's plan was for Maximus (Russell) to view his dead wife and son from a distance. Russell insisted that his character must go kiss the feet of his wife. That Maximus would need to go to her and touch her. Ridley finally agreed. Russell also warned Ridley that the scene would be "full snot". 😂
Yeah,that Maximis certainly wouldn't make another woman pregnant at the same time as he made his wife.
this was the movie that made me fall in love with joaquin phoenix
48:05, the names of Maximus's horses Argento and Scatto translate into Silver and Trigger. Silver is the name of the Lone Ranger's horse. Trigger is the name of movie cowboy Roy Roger's horse. It was an inside joke from the director.
BTW, in the new Gladiator coming out. It's revealed that Lucius is actually Maximus's biological son.
Nice catch on the names
Of course he is, that way they can justify calling it gladiator 2 and not just another film about gladiators. Marketing marketing!
@@user-zp4ge3yp2o"My son is his early eight."Mine also"..soo..Maximus was one day in Spain with his wife,and the very next he is in Rome with Lucilla???Yeah ,right..I guess they forgot aboit that dialog when they were making Gladiator 2.
5:42 Good ear, John. Think Zimmer purposefully referenced 'Mars, the bringer of war'.
Gotta love Jon! He looks like an extra on the set of Born on the 4th of July.
I always find it hard to believe that some people of my generation haven’t watched this film before. It’s crazy 😅
Gladiator is like experiencing both of your guys birthing, into extreme manhood. 😅
You are creating an amazing amount of valuable content. And you guys are good actors. You sound genuinely excited all the time together. It's like ALL THE TIME AND YOU HAVE TONS OF FUN. We thank you for your honest FUN content...AND the BIRTHING together with Gladiator.
Can Gladiator II live up to the first?!?
Nop
But I am okay with fun
That would be pretty dang cool if it did. XD
Looks like they're literally re-telling the exact same story, at a lower standard, including a garbage soundtrack. No interest in the sequel, which is terrible given the absolute classic part 1.
It has a HIGH BAR to clear
It's interesting to think about, but I think the fact that Maximus was chained to the man who saved his life is the only reason the rest of the movie even happens. I think he was more or less planning to die, and didn't care what happened to him, but the fact that his savior was technically reliant on him in that first battle, Maximus felt obligated to fight. And that one fight for his life sparked JUST enough life in him that he began to move forward and decided not to die, similar to when someone committing suicide experiences a moment of regret after their leap. He had to fight to stay alive to protect the man who saved him, and in doing so remembered what it was like to cling to life. And thus, the rest of the movie occurs.
"My mom still wants you..." When Lucius waved Maximus over to talk. I laughed out loud!!!
"Are you not into trains!" 😂 I love John so much!
I just have one thing to say: thank you for your enthusiastic and thorough way of showing love for my favorite movie ever. I love you guys ❤
One of my favs! Russell is great
1:10:39 -->
That's EXACTLY what happened!
He...finished...and fell right asleep! 🤣🤣🤣
Both Commodus and Marcus Aureluis are historical figures in Roman history. They were actually father and son. Though the movie is fictional, both their characters mimic their actual "perceived" personalities. Marcus was considered the last of the "five good emperors" and Commodus was considered a narcissist and terrible ruler. He did fight gladiators. And yes, was rumored to seriously injure them before battle
Every time I watch this movie I'm reminded of how it won Best Picture. Such a classic
Thank you John for telling me about "The Planets" by Gustav Holst. :) Its so cool to find old music you never heard of and are blown away
The planets is amazing. It was composed a century ago but it sounds like a modern film score. Mars the Bringer of War was not only a reference for Hans Zimmer: it was also heavily used as an "inspiration" by John Williams in Star Wars.
He was stabbed in the lung, so it would have impacted his breathing, a pretty dibelitating wound.
My favorite scene of this movie has to be the opening battle. You get to see both how much of a machine the Roman Legion was and you get to see Germanic tribes who decided they'd rather die on their feet than live on their knees bowing to the Caesars
Aaron saw you were getting trolled yesterday on your story. We all love you over here don't let them get to ya❤️
7:37 They filmed this all with practical effects. They found out that this forest was to be cleared, so they got permission to film and just complete it using the fire. Obviously, this was very controlled, for safety reasons. But the burning forests are actually burning forests.
Cinema simply does not get better than this.
This movie is an absolute classic. I've seen it a dozen times, the ending still gets me. Hell, you guys watching the end it got me AGAIN.
A great addition to anyone's cinematic culture, I'm glad Aaron has now seen it.
1:04:51 When I first saw this movie, on opening day, it was completely silent in the theatre at this point. And then, out of nowhere someone yelled out loud 'mietje', translated from it means something like "P*ssy!!". The whole theatre was laughing their asses off.
A flail is a handle with a chain attached to a ball, often spiked ball, mace is a handle with a metal ball at the end and a morningstar is a handle with a ball with spikes at the end.
This movie is iconic for so many reasons. Well written, well shot, well directed, and all the actors did a phenomenal job! If you guys haven't seen it yet, you might also want to check out "Kingdom Of Heaven". Great reaction!
We were given this gift of a movie that had the incredible Richard Harris and Oliver Reed in the cast. Nothing else really needs to be said.
When I first started dating my future wife, I took her to see this in the theater, and turned her into a crying mess at the end. She still hasn't forgiven me. =)
My art history professor In 2013 invited the class to watch this movie on a Saturday morning and I remember being so wrecked I laid in bed the rest of the day, this movie is amazing
Joaquin Phoenix was fantastic, period. This is not up for debate, LOL.
The hand in the wheat was actually never planned. Filming was almost finished, and Ridley Scott was struck by the way Russel Crowe's body double walked through the wheat field and he just thought "I need that in my movie"
This is my dad's favorite movie. He only saw half of it in theatres cuz he did the classic dad move of falling asleep in the air-conditioned theater during the "boring parts" (talking) in the middle.
Derek Jacobi who played Gracchus here also played Claudius in the miniseries I, Claudius which also starred a young Patrick Stewart (with hair!).
That show was brilliant! All kinds of actors we know as “older,” were still awesome in their youth! I’m thinking of John Hurt, Brian Blessed, Sian Phillips, Ian Ogilvy, John Rhys-Davies and so many more.
Historical fiction by a mile. An adamant stoic, Meditations by Marcus Aurelias is one of the key works on the subject. This is the contents of the man's private journal: it is pure poetry. He never intended for them to be published and yet it is full of wisdom and prose. It's highly worth the read.
I’m going to say the Hand through the Wheat fields is a signature shot From Gladiator.
Composer of the planets. Gustav. Holst 1914 in 1970
The first movement to be written was Mars in mid-1914, followed by Venus and Jupiter in the latter part of the year, Saturn and Uranus in mid-1915, Neptune later in 1915 and Mercury in early 1916. Holst completed the orchestration during 1917.
At 3:24 yes that is a European robin. I visited Ireland a few years ago with a bird watcher, and he recognized it and told me it was indeed a robin but the ones in Europe are a little different. I believe this scene was filmed in the UK so that makes sense.
Bro, the first movie is a classic from the early 2000s and i'm already looking forward to the second one.
Never clicked faster
So, fun fact: When Joaquin Phoenix put his thumb up to save Maximus's life, in the real gladiators' Colosseum, the emperor would actually have to put the thumbs down in order to save someone’s life. The filmmaker didn’t want people to get confused, so he switched it to a thumbs-up instead.
Would love to see you react to another Ridley Scott film, Kingdom of Heaven (the directors cut).
That's one of the most boring movies I've ever seen
Just one fact.Gladiator didn't use music from Pirats ,but it's vice versa.,because Gladiator was made 2000 and the first Pirats was made in 2003,so this had actually real original score.
Awesome intro big dawg. Excellent touch with the bell 🛎
One of the best films ever created. I’ll always remember watching this one with my father before he passed. Definitely a favorite
Audio seems out of sync?
44:00 "They are definitely not into trains", they havent been invented yet 😅😅😅😅
51:51 😂 the tank
44:00
2nd best bit in the film. He's down there playing a deadly sport and it means so little to the spectators that theyre just ignoring it and chatting amongst themselves. And despite the 1 v 5 or however many... Maximus noticednit and called them out on it like a disappointed drill instructor.
Crowd almost had to learn the 5 D's of dodgeball.
classic film. It's crazy how many people hesitate to watch a film like this until a modern DEI slop sequel is announced to cannibalize the corpse of the original film's success
my favorite part about the first fight is how many people were simply doing nothing and just talking having fun
45:59 me using a binocular to find where aswell😂😂😂😂
Fun Fact: Maximus' wife is married to Ridley Scott. She's in several of his films.
I watch the extended cut on blu-ray the other night with my family, plus this is a awesome epic movie of all time