GLADIATOR (2000)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvTT29cavKo
Gladiator is a historical epic movie which stars Russel Crowe who is known for being a hero figure like in robin hood.
During the first scene there is a black screen with text fade-transitioning in to explain the basic plot of the movie. This scene quickly cuts to a close up-shot of a man’s hand running his fingers through a field of corn, and the man’s hand is in focus although the field is not.
This scene cuts directly to an establishing shot of a group of soldiers, some on horses, others travelling, which diverges from the almost gentle way the scenes were shot before. There all of a sudden is a lot more cutting, and much shorter camera shots than before, this is probably done to show that there is more action than before in this scene.
The opening logos are tinted yellow and gold. Gold is usually signified as a luxurious and grand colour as well as an uplifting and mystical colour. Gold is also closely linked to the roman days as Cesar who was the emperor at the time wore a gold crown and wore a lot of gold which also signified wealth.
The opening scene is mostly black with gold writing, which ties into the gold colour used in the logos. There is little else happening in this scene except for the occasional wisp of brown and yellow smoke across the screen, which could be so that the audience is fixed on what the text across the screen says as it explains part of the plot of the movie. It makes the colour gold stand out and therefore makes it clearer to read which could be because it is important and significant.
The next scene is of a man running his hand through a yellow/gold cornfield (Russel Crowe), continuing the gold theme. The man is also wearing a gold wedding band to signify that he is married. The colours appear very warm and sensual. At the bottom of the cornfield you can see a mother and son which could be the mans.
The following scene is a stark contrast to the preceding ones, as the colour has de-saturated and the scene has taken a blue tone.
The first music you hear, during the logos and the opening scene, is non-diegetic, which is very sensual and subtle, with an array of unusual instruments such as the flute. The music is reminiscent of ancient times in the way that the instruments are played almost mystically. This also gives you a vivid image of ancient rom. Intermingled with these instruments are female vocals which sound almost numinous with the rest of the soundtrack.
The scene afterwards introduces diegetic sound – horses neighing, hooves against the floor, people shouting indistinctly, the sound of wheels running across the ground and the jangling of metal reins. This is a direct contrast to the subtle, sensual music of the aforementioned scenes, which is an effective tool to make the audience jump to attention. This gives the audience a sense of authority of the main character and makes them realise a battle is immanent now.
