“There was a dream that was Rome. We could only whisper it. Nothing more than a whisper and he would disappear, he was so fragile. » The film "Gladiator" was released in 2000. A thrilling action film, it was a huge success, winning five Academy Awards and grossing over $427 million. Sir Ridley Scott, who directed the film, already had many great films under his belt, such as "Alien", "Blade Runner" and "American Gangster". So it's no surprise that this film became one of the biggest grossers in cinema. year 2000. The staging used throughout the film is perhaps the origin of the genius that made this film as successful today as it was nine years ago. An example of this in the opening sequence is the music. At first calm and gentle, the music then progresses to give the impression that the seemingly peaceful atmosphere is about to change. The scene is simplistic but this only adds to the effect as it provides a contrast to what is about to happen. The film's main character, Maximus, walks through a field, running his hand through the tall grass. This could be seen as a representation of the Roman afterlife, or Elysium, implying that the character is now dead. There are many small, detailed examples of staging that may not be noticeable at first. One is the laughter of little children in the background and the other is the wedding ring on Maximus' finger. These may be representatives of Maximus' family who are murdered during the film. This again adds to the idea that the setting is Elysium. Another recurring theme is the use of the color gold. This signifier is only visible briefly in the opening sequence in the form of Maximus' golden wedding ring, but becomes more visible throughout the rest of...... middle of paper ......son of the two armies. While the Roman army is ordered and dressed respectively, the Barbarians appear, almost savage and do not even speak the same language. The use of a language barrier to further distance the two armies is another example of how Ridley Scott's direction creates intense atmospheres. This sequence greatly helps the viewer understand what is happening and what is about to happen. Overall, the use of mise-en-scène helped Ridley Scott create opening sequences that get you hooked into the film from the start. look. It combines settings and sounds, diegetic and non-diegetic, to produce and convey an atmosphere that is both suited to the film and extremely effective. The color gold acted as a signifier throughout and this also helped make "Gladiator" a film that will be remembered.