Gladiator (2000)
Coming Out at 4 May 2000 in theaters.
Action, Adventure, Drama
Gladiator is epic historical action drama film directed by Ridley Scott and written by David Franzoni, John Logan, and William Nicholson. The film was co-produced and released by DreamWorks Pictures and Universal Pictures. It stars Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Ralf Möller, Oliver Reed (in his final role), Djimon Hounsou, Derek Jacobi, John Shrapnel and Richard Harris. Crowe portrays Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius, who is betrayed when Commodus, the ambitious son of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, murders his father and seizes the throne. Reduced to slavery, Maximus becomes a gladiator and rises through the ranks of the arena to avenge the murders of his family and his emperor.
Inspired by Daniel P. Mannix’s 1958 book Those About to Die (formerly titled The Way of the Gladiator), the film’s script, initially written by Franzoni, was acquired by DreamWorks and Ridley Scott signed on to direct the film. Principal photography began in January 1999, before the script was completed, and wrapped up in May of that year, with the scenes of Ancient Rome shot over a period of nineteen weeks in Fort Ricasoli, Malta. The film’s computer-generated imagery effects were created by British post-production company The Mill, who also created a digital body double for the remaining scenes involving Reed’s character Proximo due to Reed dying of a heart attack during production.
Gladiator premiered in Los Angeles on May 1, 2000, and was released theatrically in the United States on May 5 and in the United Kingdom on May 11. The film received generally favorable reviews from critics, with praise for the acting (particularly Crowe’s and Phoenix’s performances), Scott’s direction, visuals, screenplay, action sequences, musical score and the production values. It was a box office success, grossing $187.7 million in the United States and grossed $457 million worldwide, making it the second highest-grossing film of 2000. The film won multiple awards, including five Academy Awards at the 73rd Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Actor for Crowe, Best Costume Design, Best Sound and Best Visual Effects. It also received four BAFTA Awards at the 54th British Academy Film Awards for Best Film, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design and Best Editing. Since its release, Gladiator has also been credited with reinventing the swords ‘n’ sandals genre and rekindling interest in entertainment centered around ancient Greek and ancient Roman culture.
Director: Ridley Scott
Writers: David Franzoni, David Franzoni, John Logan, William Nicholson
Stars: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Richard Harris, Derek Jacobi, Djimon Hounsou
Cast:
| Russell Crowe | … | Maximus |
| Joaquin Phoenix | … | Commodus |
| Connie Nielsen | … | Lucilla |
| Oliver Reed | … | Proximo |
| Richard Harris | … | Marcus Aurelius |
| Derek Jacobi | … | Gracchus |
| Djimon Hounsou | … | Juba |
| David Schofield | … | Falco |
| John Shrapnel | … | Gaius |
| Tomas Arana | … | Quintus |
| Ralf Moeller | … | Hagen |
| Spencer Treat Clark | … | Lucius |
| David Hemmings | … | Cassius |
| Tommy Flanagan | … | Cicero |
| Sven-Ole Thorsen | … | Tigris |
| Omid Djalili | … | Slave Trader |
| Nicholas McGaughey | … | Praetorian Officer |
| Chris Kell | … | Scribe |
| Tony Curran | … | Assassin #1 |
| Mark Lewis | … | Assassin #2 |
| John Quinn | … | Valerius |
| Alun Raglan | … | Praetorian Guard #1 |
| David Bailie | … | Engineer |
| Chick Allan | … | German Leader |
| David J. Nicholls | … | Giant Man |
| Al Ashton | … | Rome Trainer #1 |
| Billy Dowd | … | Narrator |
| Ray Calleja | … | Lucius’ Attendant |
| Giannina Facio | … | Maximus’ Wife |
| Giorgio Cantarini | … | Maximus’ Son |
| Allan Corduner | … | Trainer 1 |
| Michael Mellinger | … | Trainer 2 |
| Said Amel | … | Proximo’s Man |
| Adam Levy | … | Officer 1 |
| Gilly Gilchrist | … | Officer 2 |
| Paul Bateman | … | Germanic Swordsman |
| Nick Beardshaw | … | Roman Dignitary |
| Michael Dickins | … | Germanic Soldier |
| Malcolm Ellul | … | Centurion |
| James Fiddy | … | Roman Soldier |
| Peter Francis-Wemyss | … | Barbarian Chieftain |
| Ruth Frendo | … | Roman Girl – scene with Maximus |
| Kjeld Gogosha-Clark | … | CGI Motion Capture Gladiator |
| Earl Hundt | … | City of Rome |
| Mehdi Kashani | … | Roman Soldier |
| Tom Kay | … | Roman Soldier |
| Phil Lowes | … | Rider |
| Nic Main | … | Roman Soldier |
| Ray Mangion | … | Centurion |
| Antonio Meitin | … | Battlefield Medic |
| João Costa Menezes | … | Roman Soldier |
| Mike Mitchell | … | Fighter |
| Arnold Montey | … | Roman Soldier |
| Antone Pagán | … | Fighter |
| Norman Campbell Rees | … | Sedan Chair Carrier |
| Neil Roche | … | Roman Soldier |
| Paul Sacks | … | Catapult Commander Shouts ‘Loose’ |
| Steve Saunders | … | German Barbarian |
| Christopher Say | … | Roman Soldier |
| Christian Simpson | … | Chief Catapult Operator |
| Brian Smyj | … | Coliseum Gladiator |
| Richard Stride | … | Swordsman |
| Tony Tomlinson | … | Extra |
| Michael Yale | … | Citizen of Rome |
Sources: imdb & wikipedia
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