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Until a few days ago, I didn't know the making of Gladiator was so chaotic. Almost anything that could go wrong, went wrong. Yet, the final product was a great movie, mainly because of the cast and crew's sheer faith in the film. A cinematic miracle.
That mistake is going to haunt me forever. Let’s get this comment some likes to bring it to the top. Yes. Casino Royale’s screenplay credits go to Neil Purvis, Robert Wade, and Paul Haggis.
I just saw Gladiator for the first time this week and now I understand why so many people love it and talk about it to this day, it is truly a timeless story!
There's a lot of true greats of acting in that movie, Russel Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Oliver Reed (a great character, look him up in interviews; sadly a massive alcoholic), Connie Nielsen, Richard Harris (of Dumbledore fame), Derek Jacobi (loved him in 5th Element amongst many other things), Djimon Hounsou, and so many more. From the sounds of the journey it went on to come to us they all made this film what it is. Was fun to notice that Omid Djalili had a part in the film, who I think is a really funny comedian. You can click on any of the cast in that film and go "I didn't know he was also in that" for many other loved or iconic films pretty much every time. I agree we need more movies like this, although not exactly like this. Don't want a sequel or a remake thanks.
we have and a lot of them are way better, rewatched it a few weeks ago and was bored out of my mind, its a great movie but its not some sort of pinacle at all
Ridley’s disdain for scripts has proven to be his weakness nowadays though, he’s begun choosing screenwriters at random, some awful, some decent, which is why his films are so hit and miss. So sure this was written on the fly, but by a GOOD production TEAM and writers. Napoleon and Gladiator II are some of the dull uninspired screenplays ive ever seen executed about such amazing subject-matter
Scott REALLY knows how to point a camera and manage a production but he has poor instincts on story and script selection. Not everyone is great at everything.
The thing about movies like Gladiator is that the majority of the people involved are excellent at their jobs, so that makes up for not having a great script. Like yeah maybe Crowe didn't "like" the speech, but he knows how to deliver it, Phoenix knows how to react, Scott knows how to film it, and Zimmer makes you feel it with the music. Nevermind cinematographer, editor, customers, etc. I don't know who did those but I'd say they were all probably above average talent as well.
Very good videos, but I personally cannot place them higher than the original, Every Frame A Painting. The main reason is simple: EFAP videos are/were only as long as they need to be. These videos are frequently 10 minutes long, which is the perfect length for the algorithm + it seems a standard that Danny has for his content. The only critique I have for CinemaStix's overall style, which I can't really critique too much. Just my preference for succinct storytelling.
I got the vhs of Gladiator when I was a 9 year old. I was probably too young to watch it, but it left such an impression on me and sparked my interest in Roman history which ultimately made me choose history as a minor when I went to university.
I love/hate Proximo’s angry “I said he touched me on the shoulder once” the phrasing is so awkward that it stands out given how well eloquent everyone is otherwise. But it also works for me because he’s talking about the most important moment in his life and Maximus laughs in his face over it which I think cut very deep with Proximo, making him immediately self conscious. And so, Proximo yells back; he’s the boss, how dare one of his gladiators talk to him like that, so he’s compelled to bite back. But he’s so rattled that all he can come up with is “I said he touched me in the shoulder once”, betraying his otherwise assertive disposition.
Charles Reed was perfect for that role and it's a shame he didn't make it to the end of filming because it would have made such an amazing Swan Song for a brilliant but complicated actor. I think he hits every line pitch perfect and brings a credibility few actors at the time could have matched.
@@blofeld39 This. It struck me as authentic, not awkward. One of those sort of brusque, impulsive outbursts that you see regularly in everyday life. Not necessarily eloquent or perfectly stated, but it gets the point across, the way most people actually regularly talk.
Beautiful work here. I actually teared up a bit, as I realized the actors and everyone was putting their SOUL into this work. Digging up the raw, real emotion, it looked like. And whatever this background music is was a good touch. Sometimes a "perfect storm" of chaos is required to bring the most beautiful, perfect circumstances for a masterpiece or to finally reach a level of success. It also lies in the moments of "flow state" which has been well documented by a European psychologist back in like the 1950's, it is a key ingredient in all of this. The "flow" of the fluidity within the confines described by Crowe here when he was discussing the budget. I just saw the second film in theatres, it was well done but I think it can't out do the first thematically. It can only build on it, which it did quite nicely (though with less overt spiritual depth)
Between this and Blade Runner, I’m wondering does Ridley Scott ever like a script? Oh, and a round of applause for the soundtrack. A great deal of our videos were made while I played Now We Are Free on loop for hours 😂😂😂
@@TheKingWhoWins I dont know man, I thought the script was cheesy and felt like fan fiction. And the editing is weird, I remember joiking the movie was 20 minutes too long and someone actually made a fan edit that cut 15 minutes of the film without removing any scenes.
Ingrid Bergman said she didn't know until the end who she was going off with the Paul Heinreid character or Humphrey Bogart character. Which was ideal for a woman divided by two lovers and two paths.
@@BillPeschel It wasn't just Ingrid. The writers [Epstein & Koch], the producer [Wallis] and the director [Curtiz] didn't know how it was going to end, either!
@@atlanteum The issue being they couldn't have Rick go off to a concentration camp, as he does in the play. This is a war movie; he HAS to survive. So what winds up being the lynchpin is the moral flexibility of Louis Renault.
@@BillPeschel Have you read Aljean Harmetz' incredible behind the scenes making-of, "Round Up the Usual Suspects?" It covers the moment the writers were together in a car [on Sunset, I believe] and the ending hit both of the at the same time! Wonderful!
There is a fine line between epic and cheesy at times. I always cringed at the strength and honour motto, but others love it. Crowe may have hated the husband to a murdered wife etc line, but it is easily the most powerful line in the film. Sometimes you need a little imagination to see a written line will work in context. That one definitely does. It’s his reveal, it’s the chilling moment for his adversary. It’s a man saying the truth to a tyrant without fear, revealing he has picked on someone his own size and it’s going to cost him.
Maximus is not just talking to the Emperor - Maximus is talking to the crowd and stating his case in front of Rome. The emperor knows who Maximus is - the crowd needs the exposition and the theatricality.
@@FloatingOnAZephyr the whole crowd is silent when the emperor asks his questions. So I assume at least some can hear the conversation. Also, this is a Roman general, used to giving speeches and probably a trained orator - his voice carries when he wants it to. (Yes, he'd probably have to shout louder in reality, but this is a similar conceit to a character walking in with a perfect rejoinder to an ongoing conversation from across the hall. The movie is showing us the acoustics worked out.)
I have seen gladiator countless times. I've also run to the soundtrack countless times. It's one of those ageless great stories we rarely get these days. I had no idea most of it was worked out on the fly. Massive respect for the cast and crew getting it all so perfect. Oh and Joaquin Phoenix is the man. Total beast.
If you are a fan of the movie I highly recommend to watch the behind the scenes. Is like a 30-60 min movie about the considerable struggles (main one, the script) to get the film done. Really entertaining.
I usually avoid movie essays like the plague but there's 2-3 channels I watch religiously with notifications on and yours is one of them. Always happy to see a new upload :)
crowe and scott are undoubtedly marvelous at their craft, but in this case i think they got too into their own heads. the scene really needed to be bookended with a thematic declaration and those words were perfect.
@@Thagomizer but of all the things to be direct about, if murdering my family isn’t one of them, when could I be direct? Would that seriously be something you only alluded to in person when confronted with the coward that did it? I certainly agree that being ‘on the nose’ in writing is usually bad, but I don’t think it’s a universal law; the most quoted line of the film, if not cinema, proves that.
1:17 can i say. i LOVE that you put that shot of commodo placing miniatures in a mini colosseum when talking about how it's script was mostly created on set? it's a brilliant move i love itttt
Hey Danny, I just wanted to tell you that I really really enjoy your videos. There's something about them - style, editing, narration - that I just love. One of the best is the Ocean's Eleven one and this was was quite good as well.
Gladiator is the closest thing we have to a golden era classic. It's no coincidence its a period Roman story. It's exquisitely executed, cheesey yet so well shot and acted it... Stands up.
One of my absolute all time faves and it thrills me to learn something new about it. Thank you. I always stop and watch as soon as I see the noti from your channel.
*Minor spoiler* @@LizardSpork man i tell you what, that scene with ravi where he is showing marcus aurelius gear and sword to hanno and there's writing on the wall that was written in english not latin, I was so disappointed and confused... because i believe ravi can speak or understand latin when he talked to hanno before that. Its minor yes but its blockbuster movie with ridley scott at the helm, why dont just go full latin at that point? it's a movie that take places in ancient rome anyway.
That and the need to inject certain types of actors rather than the best actors for that time period. Surprised they weren't waving rainbow flags around.
@@LizardSporkironically I think you just picked one of the better examples of dialogue in the film, and there isn’t much that’s positive here to comment on
I thankfully saw the Star Wars video as soon as it came out. When I tried to find it again and couldn't, I knew this was a channel who's videos I better watch ASAP.
I love when artists, creatives working together, with that common vision and respect create magic. It's epic and wonderful and I love playing in that arena.
Watching this the last two nights I had two thoughts : Ridley's best films are the ones he loses control of and Cinemastix really should dig into Gladiator. Loved seeing this pop up and learning Ridley didn't lose control, he never really had it. And I think you can feel the film is less a result of a manufactured production and more of fraught crafting. Learning the issues with script explains why the film has a fairytale quality to me, they had to rely on simple story telling and didn't bother explaining or rationalizing character decisions, characters just do things and we're left to infer from previous scenes as to why.
Indeed. Definitely some weird alchemy going on where Scott produces fantastic films when the whole project is a spiralling, on-the-fly mess but some real turds when he has much tighter control and better planning. The new Gladiator is awful and that's just bizarre. So much of it is lazy and cliched, it's hard to understand how it could come from someone like Scott. Perhaps when the films aren't properly planned, he is forced to delegate the things he isn't actually any good at and he's left in control of a much more narrow set of elements that he does well, like visual language, mood etc. He clearly can't write a good story or decent dialogue.
Gladiator was one of the first movies I saw that wasn’t PG or edited for television. The way it delivered depth where stupid action was expected contrasted with my expectations for A Knight’s Tale. They delivered opposite my expectations. Add to that the unexpected soundtrack choices. I’ve always wondered how different the experience of both films would be if you could swap the music (and still have it align with the action, plot, and dialogue). The choice they made in Gladiator to put feedback guitar in one of the matches has stuck with me as a songwriter and aspiring film composer ever since. I get chills just remembering it.
Yet A Knight's Tale is undeniably entertaining in it's light-hearted irreverence and successful because of it. I can only watch Gladiator between every few years since it's such a heavy film.
Before I watched the Gladiator in my adult life I only remembered parts of it, some of them wrong even. Watching it as an adult I was awestruck. Nearly every part of this movie is simply incredible. Including costume designs. This movie singlehandedly shaped the way so many people imagine ancient times and influenced probably every portrayal of these times moving forward. It's a beautiful project through and through and I wish that there was another movie in the last, at least, 10 years that made me feel even remotely as impressed as that one. I miss the movies that after make me sit in silence and reflect on them, why I liked them, how it influenced me and so on. I remembered this movie as mostly and action flick with some story (child mind) and I couldn't have been more wrong with my memories. It is more akin to a beautiful theater play.
I really recommend Master and Commander if you haven't seen it. It has Russell in the leading role as well. It's more than 20 years old but still holds up.
I haven’t seen Gladiator 2 and may not till it is for rent due to how well and complete Gladiator was. My only curiosity was Juba as that would have been an excellent spinoff. Gladiator (Crow) and Braveheart (Gibson) are truly timeless perfections.
wow. i had no idea. sometimes you take these films for granted, not realizing the love and fluidity it took to take a sh*t movie to the next level. thanks for the video!
Gladiator is the best movie ever made. It's been my favorite movie ever since I saw it in 2000 when I was 10 years old, with my stepdad screaming on the couch at Commudus and me sitting there in awe.
I may be wrong, but it seems to me that a production like this could put a lot of extra pressure on the edit and the editor to make it work. Edit: This is fascinating. I had no idea a movie with such a large budget could be made this way. I doubt an equally large budget today would ever allow for this kind of creativity without an executive getting in the way.
It does but the editing team loved the film, the editing room was literally next door to Hans Zimmer’s studio so they would go back and forth in each other’s rooms going “hey what if we tried this!” and apparently just had a blast making it all
I think the problem with modern movies is they think they can do this too much . They have multiple script writers and sometimes the script is still being written when filming starts . They also think the movie can be fixed in the edit , when the movie turns out to be a mess they call everyone back for reshoots . This makes the film expensive with no clear direction.
Just rewatched for the first time in a decade and that last scene with Juba had me crying for the first time in years. I’ve walked out 3 movies this year (also first time in years) and have become so despondent with the state of filmmaking I forgot cinema can me move me like that.
When I saw this movie in the cinema, when Maximus said the famous line about his vengeance the whole cinema started cheering. I've never experienced that before or since. Brilliant film
It's a very important point about the dialogue (6:30 to 7:05) - lines which may otherwise sound cheesy may come across as completely credible if delivered in the right tone and manner - Russell Crowe and Oliver Reed both delivered A+ performances.
I saw Gladiator with my best friend in theaters. He still jokingly laughs at me for crying during the open sequence as arrows flew through the forest. It is an amazing film.
So glad Crowe stuck with the _"Father to a murdered son"_ etc piece, as I personally find that to be one of the best in the movie! Granted, it was helped by the actors doing such a good job to sell it, but the line itself was powerful!
i love guessing which movie these videos are about just from the title in my notifs cause i thought we were going to be talking about 500 days of summer haha
I never knew any of this, even though I saw it 3 times at the cinema when it was first released and have watched it over and over on Blu Ray. Incredible!! Instead of the great classic that it is, it could have been a terrible movie. I think from what you’ve told us here, a lot of the praise for this film’s success comes from the editors. It’s almost like they’re a big part of creating this masterpiece from bits and pieces of random footage, shot from a nonexistent script. Amazing job!
8:09 you earn a line like this. In most movies this would sound cheesy, so I get why they hated it on the page. It sounds melodramatic. But they’ve built this dramatic tension for going on an hour and a half at this point. This is such a release that we don’t think it’s cheesy.
I would argue it is actually a testament to the talent of everyone involved that they were able to create a true classic under these conditions. If only Ridley Scott could leave it alone...
This feels like the answer to the line I think Djimon Hounsou’s character delivers, “You have a great name. You must kill it before it kills you.” It’s a strong character statement but it feels like that strong character statement is abandoned. Now I think I understand why. Thanks for the video!
I feel that Russel Crowe saved the movie in many ways. He kept throwing the pages in the trash saying "this not good enough". Unfortunately Russel wasn't there for Gladiator 2. Shows the level talent he has been in movies.
Certain films undergo a process of having to be made up on the spot and salvaged through editing but when it works, it's magic. Gladiator is a miracle in that regard.
The first time I watched Gladiator and Saving Private Ryan, they both stood out as the best movies I had ever seen. And 25 years later they are still up there.
fun fact about william nicholson: he's also a book writer, and if you read his books, particularly the "noble warriors" trilogy, you can see his influence in the final script, there's certainly some recurrent themes and aesthetics in his work
I've missed a lot of your recent videos, but i just so happened to be check on your channel today (while looking for your video about Baby Driver and Edgar Wright, since i finally got around to watching that movie), and noticed you just uploaded another banger video today! Great editing and fascinating storytelling as always! I'll need to check out your other recent videos now, too, :D
Wow...I hadn't heard that the Gladiator script was improvised to some extent. Of course it worked out brilliantly. But, I think one of the problems with a success such as this is that the filmmakers come to believe that they can replicate that serendipitous achievement, when, in fact, it was, in many ways, a happy accident that it worked. Obviously, there has to be some thread of coherence to begin with, so inspiration of structure that ultimately holds the whole thing together, and allows for the brilliant storytelling to unfold. But, I'd say, this kind of positive result is quite rare.
I think Casa Blanca had a similar script situation. They were constantly writing and revising as they went along. And the result was an amazing movie. That would also make for a good video subject.
You let me see movies, and creation, and from just a different, fuller, harder, less certain, somehow more human way. So I signed up for nebula. Thank you.
It is 3 writers plus countless other people with a unique view and unique ideas adding to the story. The power of an entire community forming amd telling a story. Writers workshops exist for this reason. Every great story needs input from multiple people.
Any movie with both Richard Harris, Oliver Reed and Sir Derek Jacobi was (is) bound to be great! A lot of talent brought to bear can spark dialogue into a virtual firestorm!!
The only thing that I personally would have seen different is that the figurines are buried SO shallow (I mean parts of the figurines are higher as the ground itself), even the first time watching that got me out of the moment. Could be just a me thing, though. The movie as a whole is fantastic and one of my favorites.
I’ve personally never loved Gladiator like everyone else. Movie just didn’t click with me at all, outside of its performances and Ridley Scott’s admirable direction. And part of the reason why is because the story seemed so barebones and like it purely existed to take Maximus from the one action sequence to the next. I wasn’t invested in his character or his arc, much less the supporting characters. It’s why I always had a fascination over what the film’s original script might have turned out to be. Ridley Scott, despite all his success and skills, has made some bad narrative choices over his career, so I really am curious to see what the original script would have turned out to be
I do disagree on one point: Gladiator is, actually, political, because one of the themes that gets repeatedly stressed is „Democracy versus Dictatorship“. Maximus is fighting for democracy, in the form of the old Roman Republic which he is trying to restore against Commodus, who wants to remain a dictatorial emperor. Maximus is willing to die and asks others to die for this idealistic goal. Now, historically, there is exactly zero reason for this theme to exist, both because this conflict never happened in the Roman Empire and because it imposes a completely ahistorical idea of the Roman Republic. However, this film notably was made during a time when people were being asked to kill and die „for democracy“, and from that point of view the theme makes sense. It absolutely can be seen as having a propaganda function, even if that isn’t super-overt.
Just a quick thought in the middle of the video. Maybe the fact that it is not coherent, that there was more than one writer, is the reason Maximus is so great as a leader. The man he plays as stoic godlike general for his men is slightly different from actual him, because it is literally a different writer who wrote the scenes for different Maximus.
"Gladiator" is an ancient revenge narrative. Scott knew his responsibility as director was simply to fill in the details of character and craft. Scott's "Blade Runner" also used the script as little more than a rough sketch for a movie. The awful narration in the original release was added at the insistence of the studio, which thought the "story" was more important than the characters and the spectacle, and Harrison Ford tried to sabotage it by reading it so badly that he hoped it couldn't be used -- a tactic that backfired. "Gladiator" is another variation on the antediluvian revenge formula that goes back to movies like "The Searchers" and "Mad Max"... and in literature and drama to before Ancient Rome itself.
I hear that Gladiator II is essentially a remake of the first film. But it's been 25 years. A lot of people who are going to see it haven't seen the original. Also, all the reviewers say that Denzel Washington's performance makes the movie and differentiates it from the original. The production values are typical Ridley Scott impeccable, and it is blowing up at the box office in any case. For those of us who saw the original back in the day, nothing can match the shock of seeing an epic set in the Ancient World for the first time in decades, and such a superb one at that. It's hard to believe an endlessly quotable film was improvised. I had a lump in my throat at the end, as I'm sure most people did. Gladiator led to an explosion of interest and productions set in Greece and Rome, but IMO it still remains the best of all of them after all this time.
Ridley Scott, for all his failures, is my favorite director of EPICS. Except for his "revisits" to the Alien series, I love all his movies-- even if I don't; I love that he tried. I think he's exciting. He's unafraid of any genre.
Somehow at the end the script is elegantly simple and strong! Unlike Gladiador II joke of a script, where by pure chance, deus ex machina a random captured fighter turns out to be Lucius etc, and most plot points copy from the original, just worse!
![Hunxho - Ball Forever [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/nki9ZTF9Uls/mqdefault.jpg)
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Can you do a video why the remake of Ben Hur is not as good as the 1950s one?
Until a few days ago, I didn't know the making of Gladiator was so chaotic. Almost anything that could go wrong, went wrong. Yet, the final product was a great movie, mainly because of the cast and crew's sheer faith in the film. A cinematic miracle.
Gladiator, World War Z, .....
The final product was a dour, downbeat, shallow, and overrated movie.
@@Thagomizerguess you're better than most moviegoers and a good portion of Italians. They love this movie.
@@Thagomizer One of the best movies ever
@@Thagomizer watched this movie for the first time yesterday i aint really like it niether
Sorry, but John Logan didn't write Casino Royale. He wrote Skyfall and Spectre
That mistake is going to haunt me forever. Let’s get this comment some likes to bring it to the top.
Yes. Casino Royale’s screenplay credits go to Neil Purvis, Robert Wade, and Paul Haggis.
@@CinemaStix
Let’s heap shame on cinemastix and never forget or forgive this massive oversight
@@CinemaStix We all make mistakes sometimes, it's human so don't worry. Please continue making your great videos!
@@ethanho3045 Absolutely right, Ethan. It is okay to make mistakes. Honestly, I am completely unbothered by it.
I just saw Gladiator for the first time this week and now I understand why so many people love it and talk about it to this day, it is truly a timeless story!
Eh, I've seen it twice and never been that impressed by it.
@@Mistwolfssyet here you are
@gustavselin1197 ya, I like listening to people talk about movies.
wait til you see the new one, its shit
@ trust me I watched enough reviews of that one, I rather spend my money on something else 😂
Russell Crowes performance made this movie what it is today, I wish we had movies like this today
Phoenix's performance made the movie just as much. They both deserve equal credit.
There's a lot of true greats of acting in that movie, Russel Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Oliver Reed (a great character, look him up in interviews; sadly a massive alcoholic), Connie Nielsen, Richard Harris (of Dumbledore fame), Derek Jacobi (loved him in 5th Element amongst many other things), Djimon Hounsou, and so many more. From the sounds of the journey it went on to come to us they all made this film what it is.
Was fun to notice that Omid Djalili had a part in the film, who I think is a really funny comedian. You can click on any of the cast in that film and go "I didn't know he was also in that" for many other loved or iconic films pretty much every time.
I agree we need more movies like this, although not exactly like this. Don't want a sequel or a remake thanks.
we have and a lot of them are way better, rewatched it a few weeks ago and was bored out of my mind, its a great movie but its not some sort of pinacle at all
Me 2. It's actually right now on tv .
I still like Russel Crowe.
I wish directors could make more movies like this in 2024 without blue screen
Funny cuz we just got Gladiator 2.
“ Are you not entertained”
Best movie one liner
I will give you one liner
but what about that roachshack dialogue when he gets puched up on in line in prison
@ I not that familiar with the movie.
I just love Crowe and that LINE. It’s way better then
I ll be back or The name is Bond, James Bond
@@marcsarfati3291
oh sorry...I was talking about watchmen
Drinker: We are not entertained.
@@marcsarfati3291I think Bond's is more iconic. But they're all great!
*7:48* "Am I not merciful?" Commodus asked calmly.
That's what the script said. As noted, shit.
lmaaaaoooooo
its giving harrydidyouputyernameonthegobletoffire
Ridley’s disdain for scripts has proven to be his weakness nowadays though, he’s begun choosing screenwriters at random, some awful, some decent, which is why his films are so hit and miss. So sure this was written on the fly, but by a GOOD production TEAM and writers. Napoleon and Gladiator II are some of the dull uninspired screenplays ive ever seen executed about such amazing subject-matter
Yep his success rate is like 50/50 which is pretty bad.
Didley hasn't hit anything since Kingdom of Heaven(2005)
Scott REALLY knows how to point a camera and manage a production but he has poor instincts on story and script selection. Not everyone is great at everything.
this is a great take
Gladiator 2 was actually pretty good.
The thing about movies like Gladiator is that the majority of the people involved are excellent at their jobs, so that makes up for not having a great script. Like yeah maybe Crowe didn't "like" the speech, but he knows how to deliver it, Phoenix knows how to react, Scott knows how to film it, and Zimmer makes you feel it with the music. Nevermind cinematographer, editor, customers, etc. I don't know who did those but I'd say they were all probably above average talent as well.
Best Movie commentary on RUclips, no competition, all your videos just keep getting better man!
50 videos in, you don’t know what it means to me to hear that. Thank you :)
this guy gets it.
@@CinemaStixIt’s true🫡
Agree. The only other one I put on the same level is Wolfcrow.
Very good videos, but I personally cannot place them higher than the original, Every Frame A Painting. The main reason is simple: EFAP videos are/were only as long as they need to be. These videos are frequently 10 minutes long, which is the perfect length for the algorithm + it seems a standard that Danny has for his content.
The only critique I have for CinemaStix's overall style, which I can't really critique too much. Just my preference for succinct storytelling.
I got the vhs of Gladiator when I was a 9 year old. I was probably too young to watch it, but it left such an impression on me and sparked my interest in Roman history which ultimately made me choose history as a minor when I went to university.
That’s what the Elizabeth movie did to me lol 😆
I love/hate Proximo’s angry “I said he touched me on the shoulder once” the phrasing is so awkward that it stands out given how well eloquent everyone is otherwise. But it also works for me because he’s talking about the most important moment in his life and Maximus laughs in his face over it which I think cut very deep with Proximo, making him immediately self conscious. And so, Proximo yells back; he’s the boss, how dare one of his gladiators talk to him like that, so he’s compelled to bite back. But he’s so rattled that all he can come up with is “I said he touched me in the shoulder once”, betraying his otherwise assertive disposition.
I think Reed sells every line he's given in the film. I never thought of it as being awkward.
@@blofeld39Agreed. It’s surprising to me that anyone would think that was an awkward delivery.
I never thought of it as awkward
Charles Reed was perfect for that role and it's a shame he didn't make it to the end of filming because it would have made such an amazing Swan Song for a brilliant but complicated actor.
I think he hits every line pitch perfect and brings a credibility few actors at the time could have matched.
@@blofeld39 This. It struck me as authentic, not awkward. One of those sort of brusque, impulsive outbursts that you see regularly in everyday life. Not necessarily eloquent or perfectly stated, but it gets the point across, the way most people actually regularly talk.
0:28 - *"Runner-up* to the *second* highest-grossing film"...? So... it was the *_third_* highest-grossing film?
Haha that is a rather strange thing to say
Beautiful work here. I actually teared up a bit, as I realized the actors and everyone was putting their SOUL into this work. Digging up the raw, real emotion, it looked like. And whatever this background music is was a good touch. Sometimes a "perfect storm" of chaos is required to bring the most beautiful, perfect circumstances for a masterpiece or to finally reach a level of success.
It also lies in the moments of "flow state" which has been well documented by a European psychologist back in like the 1950's, it is a key ingredient in all of this. The "flow" of the fluidity within the confines described by Crowe here when he was discussing the budget. I just saw the second film in theatres, it was well done but I think it can't out do the first thematically. It can only build on it, which it did quite nicely (though with less overt spiritual depth)
What about the line, "What we do in life, echoes in eternity." Was that in the script? It's one of my favorite movie lines ever.
Between this and Blade Runner, I’m wondering does Ridley Scott ever like a script? Oh, and a round of applause for the soundtrack. A great deal of our videos were made while I played Now We Are Free on loop for hours 😂😂😂
he only cares about visuals, thats why he keeps directing awful films like the alien prequels, blade runner 2049 and gladiator 2.
He didn't direct 2049. Also, that was a solid film.
@@TheKingWhoWins I dont know man, I thought the script was cheesy and felt like fan fiction. And the editing is weird, I remember joiking the movie was 20 minutes too long and someone actually made a fan edit that cut 15 minutes of the film without removing any scenes.
@@pass-the-juice Did you see Gladiator 2?
@@TheKingWhoWins that was Villeneuve and while he also is a visual guy, unlike scott and even snyder he has an idean from what he wants to tell
There was a dream that was gladiator. A dream so fragile you could only whisper it
Let us whisper together now.
If you will it, it will come.
Same thing with Casablanca. It's the most beloved movie of all time, and it was basically written on the fly as it was being filmed.
Ingrid Bergman said she didn't know until the end who she was going off with the Paul Heinreid character or Humphrey Bogart character. Which was ideal for a woman divided by two lovers and two paths.
@@BillPeschel It wasn't just Ingrid. The writers [Epstein & Koch], the producer [Wallis] and the director [Curtiz] didn't know how it was going to end, either!
@@atlanteum that's true and I should have framed it that way. It wasn't they didn't tell her; they didn't know either.
@@atlanteum The issue being they couldn't have Rick go off to a concentration camp, as he does in the play. This is a war movie; he HAS to survive. So what winds up being the lynchpin is the moral flexibility of Louis Renault.
@@BillPeschel Have you read Aljean Harmetz' incredible behind the scenes making-of, "Round Up the Usual Suspects?" It covers the moment the writers were together in a car [on Sunset, I believe] and the ending hit both of the at the same time! Wonderful!
There is a fine line between epic and cheesy at times. I always cringed at the strength and honour motto, but others love it. Crowe may have hated the husband to a murdered wife etc line, but it is easily the most powerful line in the film. Sometimes you need a little imagination to see a written line will work in context. That one definitely does. It’s his reveal, it’s the chilling moment for his adversary. It’s a man saying the truth to a tyrant without fear, revealing he has picked on someone his own size and it’s going to cost him.
Maximus is not just talking to the Emperor - Maximus is talking to the crowd and stating his case in front of Rome.
The emperor knows who Maximus is - the crowd needs the exposition and the theatricality.
@@jeronimo196 I'm not sure the crowd can hear him, but it's been a while since I watched it. The Praetorian Guard certain can though.
@@FloatingOnAZephyr the whole crowd is silent when the emperor asks his questions. So I assume at least some can hear the conversation.
Also, this is a Roman general, used to giving speeches and probably a trained orator - his voice carries when he wants it to.
(Yes, he'd probably have to shout louder in reality, but this is a similar conceit to a character walking in with a perfect rejoinder to an ongoing conversation from across the hall. The movie is showing us the acoustics worked out.)
I have seen gladiator countless times. I've also run to the soundtrack countless times. It's one of those ageless great stories we rarely get these days.
I had no idea most of it was worked out on the fly. Massive respect for the cast and crew getting it all so perfect.
Oh and Joaquin Phoenix is the man. Total beast.
If you are a fan of the movie I highly recommend to watch the behind the scenes. Is like a 30-60 min movie about the considerable struggles (main one, the script) to get the film done. Really entertaining.
I usually avoid movie essays like the plague but there's 2-3 channels I watch religiously with notifications on and yours is one of them. Always happy to see a new upload :)
I’d be curious to know the others.
Me too, what are the others?
MovieWise is my favorite. He’s great with wordplay and vocabulary. I’ve learned a lot about script structure from him.
@@CinemaStixscene it is good
Not to mention the copyright claim is sure to come 😢 so you gotta watch it fast before our Overlords bring down the hammer
I can't believe Maximus' line about vengeance was almost left out. It's THE iconic line of the movie.
Imagine hating it THAT much, as Russell Crowe did.
crowe and scott are undoubtedly marvelous at their craft, but in this case i think they got too into their own heads. the scene really needed to be bookended with a thematic declaration and those words were perfect.
I can see why he hated it. It's too on the nose.
@@Thagomizer but of all the things to be direct about, if murdering my family isn’t one of them, when could I be direct? Would that seriously be something you only alluded to in person when confronted with the coward that did it?
I certainly agree that being ‘on the nose’ in writing is usually bad, but I don’t think it’s a universal law; the most quoted line of the film, if not cinema, proves that.
Oh, I don't know. Personally I think, "Are you not entertained?" is a bit more widely recognized.
1:17 can i say. i LOVE that you put that shot of commodo placing miniatures in a mini colosseum when talking about how it's script was mostly created on set? it's a brilliant move i love itttt
I agree. 🫶
Hey Danny, I just wanted to tell you that I really really enjoy your videos. There's something about them - style, editing, narration - that I just love.
One of the best is the Ocean's Eleven one and this was was quite good as well.
Thank you so much! Words of kindness definitely don’t go under-appreciated :)
Gladiator is the closest thing we have to a golden era classic. It's no coincidence its a period Roman story.
It's exquisitely executed, cheesey yet so well shot and acted it... Stands up.
One of my absolute all time faves and it thrills me to learn something new about it.
Thank you. I always stop and watch as soon as I see the noti from your channel.
Just saw Gladiator 2 and the key issue that stood out to me was the dialogue!
its too "modern"
You know the script is grasping at straws when you hear "I'm not good at speeches..." then proceed to hear a speech for the 15th time.
*Minor spoiler*
@@LizardSpork man i tell you what, that scene with ravi where he is showing marcus aurelius gear and sword to hanno and there's writing on the wall that was written in english not latin, I was so disappointed and confused... because i believe ravi can speak or understand latin when he talked to hanno before that.
Its minor yes but its blockbuster movie with ridley scott at the helm, why dont just go full latin at that point? it's a movie that take places in ancient rome anyway.
That and the need to inject certain types of actors rather than the best actors for that time period. Surprised they weren't waving rainbow flags around.
@@LizardSporkironically I think you just picked one of the better examples of dialogue in the film, and there isn’t much that’s positive here to comment on
I thankfully saw the Star Wars video as soon as it came out. When I tried to find it again and couldn't, I knew this was a channel who's videos I better watch ASAP.
I was particularly sad about that one. That video had been living in my head for a year before I made it.
@@CinemaStix Why did it get taken down? And why is this one not taken down (yet) ?
Congrats to making it on Nebula! I’ll be watching you there!!
Yes!
And thanks. It was definitely a knock on the door I’d been waiting for.
I love when artists, creatives working together, with that common vision and respect create magic. It's epic and wonderful and I love playing in that arena.
Your takes are sublime. I could listen to them even on films I do not care about. Thank you.
I was so unaware of the level of improv and brilliant last minute additions this movie benefited from. I proof that creativity needs space to bloom.
Watching this the last two nights I had two thoughts : Ridley's best films are the ones he loses control of and Cinemastix really should dig into Gladiator.
Loved seeing this pop up and learning Ridley didn't lose control, he never really had it. And I think you can feel the film is less a result of a manufactured production and more of fraught crafting.
Learning the issues with script explains why the film has a fairytale quality to me, they had to rely on simple story telling and didn't bother explaining or rationalizing character decisions, characters just do things and we're left to infer from previous scenes as to why.
Indeed. Definitely some weird alchemy going on where Scott produces fantastic films when the whole project is a spiralling, on-the-fly mess but some real turds when he has much tighter control and better planning. The new Gladiator is awful and that's just bizarre. So much of it is lazy and cliched, it's hard to understand how it could come from someone like Scott. Perhaps when the films aren't properly planned, he is forced to delegate the things he isn't actually any good at and he's left in control of a much more narrow set of elements that he does well, like visual language, mood etc. He clearly can't write a good story or decent dialogue.
Gladiator was one of the first movies I saw that wasn’t PG or edited for television. The way it delivered depth where stupid action was expected contrasted with my expectations for A Knight’s Tale. They delivered opposite my expectations. Add to that the unexpected soundtrack choices. I’ve always wondered how different the experience of both films would be if you could swap the music (and still have it align with the action, plot, and dialogue).
The choice they made in Gladiator to put feedback guitar in one of the matches has stuck with me as a songwriter and aspiring film composer ever since. I get chills just remembering it.
Yet A Knight's Tale is undeniably entertaining in it's light-hearted irreverence and successful because of it. I can only watch Gladiator between every few years since it's such a heavy film.
@@cattysplat I owe A Knight’s Tale another go. The contemporary rock/pop threw my expectations too much to enjoy the movie as much the first try
Oh man I didn’t know that video got removed for copyright! That was one of my favourites of yours, I found it so insightful :(
Thank you Danny. I am so happy you are diving into Gladiator. I feel it is peek Ridley Scott.
Before I watched the Gladiator in my adult life I only remembered parts of it, some of them wrong even. Watching it as an adult I was awestruck. Nearly every part of this movie is simply incredible. Including costume designs. This movie singlehandedly shaped the way so many people imagine ancient times and influenced probably every portrayal of these times moving forward. It's a beautiful project through and through and I wish that there was another movie in the last, at least, 10 years that made me feel even remotely as impressed as that one. I miss the movies that after make me sit in silence and reflect on them, why I liked them, how it influenced me and so on. I remembered this movie as mostly and action flick with some story (child mind) and I couldn't have been more wrong with my memories. It is more akin to a beautiful theater play.
I really recommend Master and Commander if you haven't seen it. It has Russell in the leading role as well. It's more than 20 years old but still holds up.
@1:03 the guy in blue jeans/white shirt and camera on the left corner!!
😅 damn
I haven’t seen Gladiator 2 and may not till it is for rent due to how well and complete Gladiator was. My only curiosity was Juba as that would have been an excellent spinoff.
Gladiator (Crow) and Braveheart (Gibson) are truly timeless perfections.
As someone who also shares a deep love for films, great work man.
Thanks!
wow. i had no idea. sometimes you take these films for granted, not realizing the love and fluidity it took to take a sh*t movie to the next level. thanks for the video!
Gladiator is the best movie ever made. It's been my favorite movie ever since I saw it in 2000 when I was 10 years old, with my stepdad screaming on the couch at Commudus and me sitting there in awe.
I may be wrong, but it seems to me that a production like this could put a lot of extra pressure on the edit and the editor to make it work.
Edit: This is fascinating. I had no idea a movie with such a large budget could be made this way. I doubt an equally large budget today would ever allow for this kind of creativity without an executive getting in the way.
It does but the editing team loved the film, the editing room was literally next door to Hans Zimmer’s studio so they would go back and forth in each other’s rooms going “hey what if we tried this!” and apparently just had a blast making it all
I think the problem with modern movies is they think they can do this too much .
They have multiple script writers and sometimes the script is still being written when filming starts .
They also think the movie can be fixed in the edit , when the movie turns out to be a mess they call everyone back for reshoots . This makes the film expensive with no clear direction.
Just rewatched for the first time in a decade and that last scene with Juba had me crying for the first time in years. I’ve walked out 3 movies this year (also first time in years) and have become so despondent with the state of filmmaking I forgot cinema can me move me like that.
When I saw this movie in the cinema, when Maximus said the famous line about his vengeance the whole cinema started cheering. I've never experienced that before or since. Brilliant film
It's a very important point about the dialogue (6:30 to 7:05) - lines which may otherwise sound cheesy may come across as completely credible if delivered in the right tone and manner - Russell Crowe and Oliver Reed both delivered A+ performances.
I haven't seen this since it came out, I really didn't know it was that significant of a movie. I’ll have to rewatch it.
its sad how much of this seems to have been lost in Gladiator 2
Paul Mescal has no charisma.
Gladiator what?
I saw Gladiator with my best friend in theaters. He still jokingly laughs at me for crying during the open sequence as arrows flew through the forest. It is an amazing film.
Notification gang! Gotta watch it before it gets taken down!
Sadly this.
So glad Crowe stuck with the _"Father to a murdered son"_ etc piece, as I personally find that to be one of the best in the movie! Granted, it was helped by the actors doing such a good job to sell it, but the line itself was powerful!
i love guessing which movie these videos are about just from the title in my notifs cause i thought we were going to be talking about 500 days of summer haha
You produce really some great film perspectives. Fantastic work as always. Thanks, keep it up.
Dude "I didn't say I knew him, I said he touched me on the shoulder once" is a killer line
I never knew any of this, even though I saw it 3 times at the cinema when it was first released and have watched it over and over on Blu Ray. Incredible!! Instead of the great classic that it is, it could have been a terrible movie.
I think from what you’ve told us here, a lot of the praise for this film’s success comes from the editors. It’s almost like they’re a big part of creating this masterpiece from bits and pieces of random footage, shot from a nonexistent script. Amazing job!
Great essay. Proud supporter of Nebula, the best platform out there.
8:09 you earn a line like this. In most movies this would sound cheesy, so I get why they hated it on the page. It sounds melodramatic. But they’ve built this dramatic tension for going on an hour and a half at this point. This is such a release that we don’t think it’s cheesy.
The dialogue in this movie is SO excellent. It may be "hammy", but it sounds exactly like you imagine people from those times would speak.
THIS is Gladiator, the sequel is like that Cleopatra show on Netflix. They call something "history" when it's not reality.
Amazing, I knew that the film was not great in concept but the cast and the people behind it made it work specially the lead actors and the director.
It’s amazing what can happen when the actors really get into character and the director lets them play.
I would argue it is actually a testament to the talent of everyone involved that they were able to create a true classic under these conditions.
If only Ridley Scott could leave it alone...
It's a good thing they made Gladiator 2. It really needed a second film.
This feels like the answer to the line I think Djimon Hounsou’s character delivers, “You have a great name. You must kill it before it kills you.” It’s a strong character statement but it feels like that strong character statement is abandoned. Now I think I understand why. Thanks for the video!
I feel that Russel Crowe saved the movie in many ways. He kept throwing the pages in the trash saying "this not good enough". Unfortunately Russel wasn't there for Gladiator 2. Shows the level talent he has been in movies.
This was super interesting and informative. I never knew this aspect of cinema. Nice work!
Great video! On my way to the theater to see Gladiator II.
Certain films undergo a process of having to be made up on the spot and salvaged through editing but when it works, it's magic. Gladiator is a miracle in that regard.
The first time I watched Gladiator and Saving Private Ryan, they both stood out as the best movies I had ever seen. And 25 years later they are still up there.
it did teeter a fine line between greatness and Waterworld territory with some of the scenes, but they pulled it off well in Gladiator
Great run-down of this movie -- I had no idea about any of this! Great channel too, it seems.
Thank ya!
That moment where Crowe removes his helmet and delivers those lines is the most perfect moment in movie history.
fun fact about william nicholson: he's also a book writer, and if you read his books, particularly the "noble warriors" trilogy, you can see his influence in the final script, there's certainly some recurrent themes and aesthetics in his work
I've missed a lot of your recent videos, but i just so happened to be check on your channel today (while looking for your video about Baby Driver and Edgar Wright, since i finally got around to watching that movie), and noticed you just uploaded another banger video today! Great editing and fascinating storytelling as always! I'll need to check out your other recent videos now, too, :D
Wow...I hadn't heard that the Gladiator script was improvised to some extent. Of course it worked out brilliantly. But, I think one of the problems with a success such as this is that the filmmakers come to believe that they can replicate that serendipitous achievement, when, in fact, it was, in many ways, a happy accident that it worked. Obviously, there has to be some thread of coherence to begin with, so inspiration of structure that ultimately holds the whole thing together, and allows for the brilliant storytelling to unfold. But, I'd say, this kind of positive result is quite rare.
I think Casa Blanca had a similar script situation. They were constantly writing and revising as they went along. And the result was an amazing movie. That would also make for a good video subject.
You let me see movies, and creation, and from just a different, fuller, harder, less certain, somehow more human way. So I signed up for nebula. Thank you.
:)
It is 3 writers plus countless other people with a unique view and unique ideas adding to the story. The power of an entire community forming amd telling a story.
Writers workshops exist for this reason. Every great story needs input from multiple people.
Any movie with both Richard Harris, Oliver Reed and Sir Derek Jacobi was (is) bound to be great! A lot of talent brought to bear can spark dialogue into a virtual firestorm!!
Jacobi is not much of a screen actor imo.
I love that the people involved in movies will talk about them to give us insight on how they were made
The only thing that I personally would have seen different is that the figurines are buried SO shallow (I mean parts of the figurines are higher as the ground itself), even the first time watching that got me out of the moment. Could be just a me thing, though. The movie as a whole is fantastic and one of my favorites.
My thoughts exactly
I don't know exactly what it is, but the voice of the person narrating these videos has a certain captivating succulence to it. me like
I’ve personally never loved Gladiator like everyone else. Movie just didn’t click with me at all, outside of its performances and Ridley Scott’s admirable direction. And part of the reason why is because the story seemed so barebones and like it purely existed to take Maximus from the one action sequence to the next. I wasn’t invested in his character or his arc, much less the supporting characters. It’s why I always had a fascination over what the film’s original script might have turned out to be. Ridley Scott, despite all his success and skills, has made some bad narrative choices over his career, so I really am curious to see what the original script would have turned out to be
Gladiator is so good that not only did every Italian-American quote it my whole life, it was also the source of the best Sopranos memes.
I’m glad you’re on Nebula now, after all the copy right crap.
Which version of the movie did you use in editing? It looks gorgeous.
Great video. Looking forward to hearing about how it will be demonetized next week.
Hopefully it at least takes a little longer than that. Sigh.
I do disagree on one point: Gladiator is, actually, political, because one of the themes that gets repeatedly stressed is „Democracy versus Dictatorship“. Maximus is fighting for democracy, in the form of the old Roman Republic which he is trying to restore against Commodus, who wants to remain a dictatorial emperor.
Maximus is willing to die and asks others to die for this idealistic goal.
Now, historically, there is exactly zero reason for this theme to exist, both because this conflict never happened in the Roman Empire and because it imposes a completely ahistorical idea of the Roman Republic. However, this film notably was made during a time when people were being asked to kill and die „for democracy“, and from that point of view the theme makes sense. It absolutely can be seen as having a propaganda function, even if that isn’t super-overt.
This film looks and feels amazing years later. Now I begin to understand why.
Just a quick thought in the middle of the video. Maybe the fact that it is not coherent, that there was more than one writer, is the reason Maximus is so great as a leader. The man he plays as stoic godlike general for his men is slightly different from actual him, because it is literally a different writer who wrote the scenes for different Maximus.
"Gladiator" is an ancient revenge narrative. Scott knew his responsibility as director was simply to fill in the details of character and craft. Scott's "Blade Runner" also used the script as little more than a rough sketch for a movie. The awful narration in the original release was added at the insistence of the studio, which thought the "story" was more important than the characters and the spectacle, and Harrison Ford tried to sabotage it by reading it so badly that he hoped it couldn't be used -- a tactic that backfired. "Gladiator" is another variation on the antediluvian revenge formula that goes back to movies like "The Searchers" and "Mad Max"... and in literature and drama to before Ancient Rome itself.
Harrison Ford would learn that Movie Execs are basically a group of “Twin poop haired bosses” from Dilbert.
love you bro, you always drop such great videos, ben watching since 100K subs
Very appropriate video. I'm seeing from various sources that the sequel is not great.
I’ve been avoiding everything about it until I see it, but that’s unfortunate to hear.
I hear that Gladiator II is essentially a remake of the first film. But it's been 25 years. A lot of people who are going to see it haven't seen the original. Also, all the reviewers say that Denzel Washington's performance makes the movie and differentiates it from the original. The production values are typical Ridley Scott impeccable, and it is blowing up at the box office in any case.
For those of us who saw the original back in the day, nothing can match the shock of seeing an epic set in the Ancient World for the first time in decades, and such a superb one at that. It's hard to believe an endlessly quotable film was improvised.
I had a lump in my throat at the end, as I'm sure most people did. Gladiator led to an explosion of interest and productions set in Greece and Rome, but IMO it still remains the best of all of them after all this time.
I'll have to be sure to watch your vids right away to avoid RUclips'S BROKEN COPYRIGHT SYSTEM
Ridley Scott, for all his failures, is my favorite director of EPICS. Except for his "revisits" to the Alien series, I love all his movies-- even if I don't; I love that he tried. I think he's exciting. He's unafraid of any genre.
Somehow at the end the script is elegantly simple and strong! Unlike Gladiador II joke of a script, where by pure chance, deus ex machina a random captured fighter turns out to be Lucius etc, and most plot points copy from the original, just worse!
3:12 I forgot MF DOOM was in this
lol
Underrated comment
As a Gladiator fan, this video is HUGE.
Just watched this last night with the family. Amazing film.