ITALY: DIRECTOR RIDLEY SCOTT RETURNS TO THE HOLLYWOOD EPIC FILM WITH ROMAN EMPIRE MOVIE "THE GLADIATOR"

Record ID: 389197

  • Title: ITALY: DIRECTOR RIDLEY SCOTT RETURNS TO THE HOLLYWOOD EPIC FILM WITH ROMAN EMPIRE MOVIE "THE GLADIATOR"
  • Date: 26th April 2000
  • Summary: ROME, ITALY (APRIL 26, 2000) (REUTERS TELEVISION -- ACCESS ALL) (SOUNDBITE) (English) RUSSELL CROWE 'MAXIMUS' SAYING: "(Executive producer) Walter Parkes and (Producer) Douglas Wick said to me when they first called was 'it's 185 AD, the director is Ridley Scott and you begin the movie as a Roman general' and that was actually enough to get me intrigued, you know. Playing
  • Embargoed: 11th May 2000 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ROME, ITALY AND VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Communications
  • Reuters ID: LVA2NSI3TWJGR2SS6G8ZUDMGZVPQ
  • Story Text: At the dawn of the new millennium, Hollywood has returned to the big-budget spectacular of the past.With bloody battles, treachery and stunning special effects, 'Gladiator' is one of the most eagerly anticipated films of the year, marking the triumphant return of the Roman epic.
    'Gladiator', one of the first big budget productions released this century, goes back two thousand years to tell the tale of revenge by a Roman general turned gladiator.
    Breath-taking effects, stalwart stars and thousands of extras combine to conjure up the glory of gory ancient Italy -- even if they had to go to Malta to film Rome and England to stage some of the most terrifyingly realistic battle scenes ever shot.
    Ancient Rome was rebuilt by 300 labourers over a 19 week period, including a slice of the Colosseum, whose audience of 2,000 extras was enhanced by computer graphics to replicate a crowd of 35,000.
    But Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen and veteran director Ridley Scott had a taste of the real thing on Wednesday (April 26) when they revisited the Coliseum, which stands as a testiment to Rome's longevity.
    Built in the first century by 20,000 slaves and prisoners, the grand arena became known as the gladiators' bloody circus.The crowd was hungry for brutality, with life or death decided by the Emperor's thumb.
    'Gladiator' never flinches from recreating Rome's ugly majesty in a sword-thrusting and testosterone-packed three hours.
    At a cost of 100 million dollars, 'Gladiator' has resuscitated the Roman epic after a hiatus of almost 40 years.
    'Ben Hur', screened in 1959, won 11 Oscars.'Spartacus', which came a year later, carved out an illustrious reputation for the director Stanley Kubrick.
    Then in 1963 came 'Cleopatra', starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton -- at the time the most expensive film ever produced.But its enormous losses at the box office shot fear through the industry.
    This time round, DreamWorks and Universal Pictures did it their way.The original script was overhauled to pivot around the gladiator Maximus, played by Crowe.
    The dying emperor, Marcus Aurelius, taken on by Richard Harris, wants his victorious general to assume power in Rome because he fears for its future with his son Commodus at the helm.Commodus, played by Phoenix, finds out, murders his father and orders the execution of Maximus, who escapes death but cannot save his wife and child.
    Forced into slavery and intent on revenge, Maximus trains as a gladiator under the instruction of Proximo, played as a parting shot by Oliver Reed.But it is not until Nielsen steps in as Commodus' sister, Lucilla, that Maximus has a chance of realising his plans.
    Scott -- director of 'Blade Runner', 'Alien' and 'Thelma and Louise' -- turned to an older generation of actors for their experience and charisma.
    New Zealand born Crowe, just nominated for his role in 'The Insider', was something of an unknown and had to shed nearly 50 pounds to become the formidable general and mighty gladiator.
    And it seems Crowe didn't just have to act brave.The crowds may have been digitally enhanced but no computer could add tigers to the Colosseum, so he had to step into the ring with four of them.
    The characters of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius and both his son Commodus and his daughter Lucilla are based on historical figures.Aurelius ruled the Roman empire from 161 to 180 after the death of Christ and was a distinguished Stoic philosopher.Commodus, who ruled from 180 to 192 was eventually murdered for being a mad tyrant.
    Nielsen and Phoenix went back to their characters pasts to research their roles.
    Scott knew from his cast that there would be plenty of carousing but he wasn't prepared for Oliver Reed's death on the job after a legendary drinking session.
    More changes had to be made when Reed died last May, three weeks short of the end of shooting.Scott had to patch together a final scene for Reed from the cutting room floor.
    Dedicated to Reed's memory, 'Gladiator' will be out on international release by early May, with a riveting tale of revenge.
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