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In Reply to: Thank you, Tom posted by Victor Khomenko on June 3, 2000 at 07:28:29:
The History Channel and CSPAN books overview last two weeks have provided a number of insights and questions into the subject of the Romans and the purpose of the Colosseum (some new books last year on that in particular--re: the role of Colosseum in Roman life.) Basically the building was an architectural abbatoir. Questions raised included:1) a book surely available to filmmakers was a tome written by Italian woman, scholar of Roman history, delineating the astonishing cruelty and carnage--beyond anything even hinted at in the film. She reveals, with modern scholarship, an ecological and cultural side previously downplayed. Wildlife indigenous to Africa were destroyed at a rate that would make Greenpeace and Peta faint. Historians of the period of the film make mention of the number of elephants, tigers, lions, etc. etc. on a scale that had some fearing for continued existence of these species.
2) Check the date of the film's setting--and the pc (?) sellout of the cultural/religious war on Christians--entirely missing in the film. Doesn't even hint at the presence (incredible omission that can only be seen as purposely eliminating any religious overtones that might engender sympathy for that belief system.)
3) Comparison of opening sequence of Gladiator with Fall of the Roman Empire...stolen in entirety? Including camera setups, similar lenses, content, etc.
4) As has been already parsed on the thread...good scholarship was available...but Scott outdoes even Cecille B. DeMille on historical/armory/tactical flaws...Hollywood did it better years ago.
5) On the strictly visceral filmgoing, experiential level--history aside--the film stinks. Tiny groups of fighters; the "fair' fights seen in film are ridiculous and small scale. Thousands might be slaughtered in a day...defenseless. The contemporary scholars on the subject have brought up interesting points about what could be so compelling to the Romans of the time about watching thousands of absolutely defenseless Christians, etc. killed by animals in a single morning session? The blood lust was beyond contemporary comprehension--parallels to Nazi holocaust were discussed. The incredible system of hydraulics and pulleys, etc. that made that building an architectural marvel capable of full scale naval battles,etc. is ignored...given the ability of contemporary filmmakers to use even digital techniques to fake it makes the omission of these aspects even more puzzling.
6.) Special effects and sets? Average to poor--seen better recreations of Roman buildings in films from the silent era! The fight sequences? Generic and poorly shot. The pixillation effect is absolutely ineffective and derivative.
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Follow Ups
- Gladiator: Mistakes? Or pc content overwhelms history? - Cassius 05:56:29 06/08/00 (1)
- Re: Gladiator: Mistakes? Or pc content overwhelms history? - dave 12:38:24 06/20/00 (0)
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