A Textual Analysis of the Opening Sequence of Gladiator
In this essay, I will explain the opening sequence of Gladiator in
detail. I will describe the effects it has on the audience, and look
at the way it makes them feel and the way in which events are
portrayed. I will look at in depth: The themes and atmosphere, the
camera techniques and how audience emotions are manipulated. At the
end, I will include a conclusion giving my opinion of how the
sequences used are effective for the audience.
The opening sequence to Gladiator has numerous purposes. It has to
inform the audience of many things, in such a short period of time.
The place and time (Germania, 180AD) needs to be established so that
the scene can be set quickly. The main character (Maximus,) has to be
identified, so that the audience knows which side they are on before
the battle starts. It is important that the audience can relate to a
certain character from the beginning, so that they can really begin to
experience events with the character and show emotions for them.
Narrative is used at the beginning to explain important details that
can help the audience to understand certain proceedings properly. For
example; 'a battle is about to commence.' It also introduces
particular themes, such as strength, freedom and loyalty.
For the first few scenes, I will look at and explain how the
atmosphere, themes and pieces of information are expressed. The film
starts with the logos for DreamWorks and Universal studios. The usual
vibrant colours are substituted for different shades of grey ...
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Caesar, or an ally of Caesar. This is reflected in the film because
Maximus is the leader of the Roman army.
I think that the sequence used is effective for the audience because a
variety of techniques are used. I think that setting the scene by
using blocks of writing is good, because the people who want to know
background information can find out. The music is effective, because
it can capture the audiences' attention before the film has even
started. All of the vital information is explained at the beginning
which I think is really important as well. The audience need to know
the time, place and characters within the first 10 minutes, otherwise
everything can become confusing. I consider the sequence used to be
highly effective and a great way to put across information to the
audience and to set the scene.
How do fiction storytellers reveal a character’s actions and or characteristics? Fiction storytellers use things like conflicts, diction, and imagery to add a better description to a book. Most of these examples also hook the reader to want to learn more. The mood of a story is also revealed when using this examples. In The Looking Glass Wars Beddor uses conflicts and challenges to inform the reader about Alyss’ characteristics.
First and perhaps most essential to any story is the plot. The plot is defined as,
Thank you Viola for your detailed comments about the HUAC committee activities that created a devastating situation for the film industry. The issue with communistic events indeed interfered with the lives of many and destroyed the careers of actors, especially those who firmly refused to cooperate with that committee. The film Spartacus is one of the most successful films in the history of Universal Studios not only in terms of box office appeal, but it also received six Oscar nominations and was accredited for breaking the Hollywood blacklist. This film was based on Howard Fast's novel, which narrates the story of professionals who refused to collaborate with HUAC committee officials.
While reflecting on all of the lessons learned during the first semester of seminary, I have come to the conclusion that the whole time has been an exercise in lectio divina. Never before have I read as many scholarly texts, spent so many hours meditating, praying, and pondering the words placed before me than in the past 3 months. Alas, II Kings 2 is the most challenging text with which I have had to grapple thus far. The idea of a prophet cursing children in the name of the Lord and then those same children, forty-two of them, being mauled by a she-bear required deep and intense prayer. Furthermore, after spending a considerable amount of time praying through II Kings, the text consumed my thoughts as I attempted to find God in the massacre of these precious, albeit mischievous, little ones. So the most beneficial aspect of lectio divina concerning 2 Kings is the reading component.
Homers first book was called the Iliad. This dynamic story tells of the struggles that happened in the Trojan War. Although it is fictional, this literary work gives us an insight of how the Greeks thought the world worked. Reading the first five books, there come an understanding of war and how the gobs played a leading role in all of it. This book glorified the Trojan War and follows a Greek warrior named Achilles.
My first point links it to the epic status as it starts right in the
The terms ‘civilized’ and ‘barbaric’, while being paradoxes in themselves, seem to go hand in hand and inseparable in all aspects of society, both in the current ‘developed’ world and its contemporary distant past. While one may easily laugh at the idiotic, yet violent simpleton of a caveman offspring in comedy cartoons, and similarly decline all backward practices of distant tribes of a faraway land, it cannot be denied that even the most advanced of our kind seem to embrace similar barbaric methods and means of entertainment in our everyday world. From violent movies filled with murders and gruesome scenes to bloody organized sports, the modern world still seeks entertainment in the form of violence and cruelty, not very different from that enjoyed by the ‘glorious’ world of Ancient Rome. Back then, people from all classes and age would look forward to weekend games. They would gather to see fighters, called gladiators, fight each other to the death in large arenas. This is one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the Roman Empire and one that has deep influence on the entire Roman society
In the intense chaos following a major figure’s assassination, one man’s words have the power to rally huge portions of the population to his cause. As is the case in Julius Caesar, when Brutus and his conspirators murder the titular character midway through the play. After the assassination, the conspirators attempt to persuade the populace to give them power, but Mark Antony manages to usurp their authority in his funeral speech for Julius Caesar. He accomplishes this feat through the use of several key persuasive devices and techniques, those being specific evidence, props, and appeals to self-interest. Readers will come to appreciate the masterful oratory skills that Antony presents in his speech, and they will come to recognize similar
The importance of a story is to have a purpose and meaning, through this, people are able to engage and learn with what is being told to them, it has to have a connection to the past, bringing it to the present and to involve both the body and mind senses. Through storytelling the audience should gain an understanding and have a sense of emotion touched and come alive, they should also be able to explore the possibilities within their culture and feel a deep connection to country.
Gladiator’s were men who became professional fighters specialising in fighting with weapons. Gladiator’s were known to fight in large purpose-built arenas for the public to view throughout the Roman Empire from 105 BCE to 404 CE (official contests).
see such a custom as cruel, it was in fact made less so than it
N.p., n.d. Web. The Web. The Web. 25 Apr. 2014. The 'Standard' of the 'Standard The "Life of a Gladiator.
In Ancient Greece tragic stories were the best form of entertainment. Because usually the fall of the tragic hero was relatable to the common people. One of the philosophers who developed the guidelines for tragic hero stories was Aristotle. He had five rules that you must follow in order to make a tragic hero story. The hero must be born of nobleness or have wisdom, the hero must have a fatal flaw, the hero must have a reversal of fortune because of his main error, anagnorisis, the hero must realize it’s his fault, and finally the hero must suffer a fate greater than what they deserved. Aristotle set these guidelines for many years to come.
Due to the film’s quality and interest it became an award winning film. The film had excellent sound effects such as the battle scenes. The image quality was also outstanding; it used many different angles to depict the actor to make you feel involved in the scenes. In the action scenes the most common viewpoint used was a close up shot which allows the audience to see and feel the intensity of the scene. The second viewpoint mostly used was a tracking shot due to the actors c...
The Iliad tells the story of the Trojan War, which lasted 10 years. The Grecians eventually won the war, but the outcome could have very easily shifted due to a quarrel between King Agamemnon and Achilles. Pride and anger is what the two men were fighting about. This story is a very good example of how those two simple emotions can lead to tragedy.