This is an interesting screen shot from Gladiator. It is in the beginning of the movie, when the audience is introduced to Russell Crowe's character. This movie uses many medium and close up shots like this one. Here we see Maximus taking up the majority of the shot, with two lines of soldiers that create an angle behind him. Almost all of the soldiers are looking at him, which puts the attention on Maximus and tells the audience that his character is respected by his men, which is very important to the plot. Although he is facing the audience, Maximus also is showing his back to all the soldiers which shows trust. The colors used in this shot are very dull, which compares to later gladiatorial scenes where brighter colors are used. The color scheme of this scene reminds me of different parts of the movie, for example, the aerial shots of Rome also uses these soft grays, and the shot where Maximus returns home after his family has been murdered and runs his hand through a field of wheat.
On the subject of color, Maximus is wearing the lightest color in the scene. Maybe this also foretells of the cleansing and purifying light he will eventually bring to Rome?
ReplyDeleteWow, you are right, for Maximus to expose his back to all these soldiers does express that he trusts them. One could also say that they have his back, i.e., unconditionally support him.
ReplyDeleteThis is very different from the two scenes where Maximus intentionally turns his back on Commodus in a show of contempt. There, he basically signals, I'm so little afraid of you I don't mind exposing my back to you.