Were you supposing that 'Caesar' refers to one person, i.e., Julius Caesar? After Caius Julius Caesar became dictator, it became a title of the Roman Emperors, including Marcus Aelius Aurelius Verus Caesar (the last of the 'good Emperors'), who died at 58 years old (not murdered, though). It was pronounced 'Kaiser', which is basically the same word. It's always amazing to see Derek Jacobi as Gracchus, the Senator. He came to the attention of many quite some years ago, playing the title role in the 1976 BBC 6-episode series, "I, Claudius". "I Claudius" is considered by many to be the best TV show ever made. Seriously. Best cast ever, with a lot of younger faces you might well recognize. You MUST watch I, Claudius, Ollie! There wouldn't be a 'Rome' if there hadn't been 'I, Claudius'. "It's like a football match!" Well, yes, in many ways. The Romans were as crazy for their games as any modern sports fans (including in the earlier era when it wasn't all about the blood-sport). They were Italians, it's best to remember, and they invented that venerable institution, sports riots, when the team/faction rivalries spread into the streets. Interestingly, this film was inspired by a relatively unknown book I read (for personal interest) in college decades ago, "Those About To Die", a popular-audience history book by Daniel P. Mannix about the Roman games. Highly readable and informative, even 65 years after publication. If you can find a copy. Meanwhile, look up Gaius Appuleius Diocles and be amazed. Possibly the best-paid sports figure in all of human history. Literally. And PLEASE watch "I, Claudius". You will not be sorry unless all you care about is spectacle-it's a 1970s BBC TV show, after all. But don't touch the figs (a joke you will come to appreciate).
Man this movie came out when I was 18 yrs old; remember going to the theater to see it. A work of art,when Ridley Scott was still at the top of his game(also where we all first saw crazy Joaquin Phoenix😂) Hope you enjoyed it Ollie, it's a great one.
Great movie. This movie has one of my favorite quotes "I don't pretend to be a man of the people but I do try to be a man for the people" by Gracchus. You know the actor who play Gracchus played Claudius the emperor that is mention in the movie in a great mini series I, Claudius. Other great Russell Crowe movies you should see is A Beautiful Mind, L.A. Confidential ,The Next Three Days. Other great period movies are Rob Roi 1995 with Liam Nissan and The Count of Monte Cristo 2002 (Also with the actor who plays the old emperor)
So glad you talked about the music and familiarity with it because you already listen to it... for me it is a beautiful testament to Hans Zimmer. He was alone tasked with coming up with the music. When it came time to work on that ending sequence, he said it needs something more, more than what he can give... he said it needs Lisa Gerrard. As an artist, that's the good stuff, when you can out loud say that this is beyond oneself AND still recommend who can do it justice. What a collaboration and in the end we have, in my opinion, the best end credits music ever put to film. I still get goosebumps. I think his Da Vinci Code theme is an easy 2nd placer ;)
It takes true professionalism and also humility to recognise that no matter how good you are, no one is ever completely perfect. It’s something sadly rare in the world for such talented people to not let their ego cloud their commitment to their craft
"Are you not entertained?" Fun Fact: After Maximus (Russell Crowe) shouts that line in the Zucchabar scene, you can see a crew member in jeans and a white t-shirt in the stands on the extreme left. What Script Fact: Joaquin Phoenix ad-libbed his "Am I not merciful?" scream. Connie Nielsen wasn't expecting it and her frightened reaction was genuine. Home Sweet Home Fact: Maximus' description of his home (specifically, how the kitchen is arranged and smells in the morning and at night) was ad-libbed. It's a description of Russell Crowe's own home in Australia. Heartbreaking Fact: Oliver Reed died three weeks before principal photography ended. Because Proximo was considered a key character, a clause in the movie's insurance contract would have allowed the filmmakers to re-shoot all of Reed's scenes with another actor at the insurer's expense, about $25 million. However, most of the actors and crew were exhausted from the punishing schedule, and Ridley Scott did not want to cut Reed from the movie. The script was rewritten, and a body double and CGI were used to give Reed's character a plausible resolution.
It just says: "In the original film script Proximo was supposed to live." I have not personally seen the script, so beyond that I don't know. Scripts rarely make it completely anyway. It goes from spects, to treatment, then multiple drafts, then onset improving, or entire scenes not being filmed, and finally film editing where entire scenes are cut or rearrange. When you are a writer in Hollywood, you have to prepare yourself for your vision not making it completely on the screen. Go with God and Be Safe from Evil. 😎 👍
and the name as a title persists, the title of Tzar in Russia is a shortened of Caesar and of course Kaiser in Germany. Fun Fact! the "c" is pronounced as a "k" in proper latin pronunciation.
@@MrBoyYankee I'm not sure who you think you are responding to, and in what way. The original commenter was not saying Marcus Aurelius wasn't real.... rather, that he wasn't the first Caesar, nor the origin of the term Caesar being applied to emperors. Marcus Aurelius did not "create" the empire, he simply inherited it and then expanded what he was given.
39:15 no matter how many times I watch this movie, and no matter how many reactors I’ve seen so this film - I will NEVER not tear up at that simple line - “who will help me carry him?”
I loved the first season, but was sorta non-plussed by the second season. It seemed like the characters' stories were already told, and it felt superfluous. Still good, and well-acted, but Season One was much better.
It's funny when you said "Lucius Malfoy". The old man Ceasar is Richard Harris, who played Dumbledore at the first 2 Harry Potter movies before he died.
Caesar is a title. Not Julius Caesar like you’re thinking. It’s basically like saying “emperor” or “king”. Also- fun fact… It’s also where Germans came up with the name Kaiser, which means emperor.
My name is Mizuno Yui, commander of the Armies of the South, General of the Tomato Legions and loyal servant to the true emperor, Koba Metal. Sister to Su and Moa. Dancer-second to none. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.
Loved the reaction to this classic, loved the commentary, the whole thing was a blast. 😄 The music is definitely unbeatable, that’s Hans Zimmer for you. ;)
Actuality Pirates sounds like Gladiator…look for the Hans Zimmer extra on the creation of the music; on You Tube. The sense of loss at the end is palpable; a great person was taken from the world. Only bearable because he had gone to a better place. Great react…keep’em coming!!!
The shot when his hand is in the grass was actually Russell's stunt double. I watched the making of Gladiator & it's amazing everything that went into it. I love Ridley Scott's movies. This one, Alien & Thelma & Louise in particular, also Prometheus.
30:40 : he is praying little statues representing his ancestors. Called "penates" in French. They were protecting home and family living there. The word stayed. In French, we say that we are going back to one's penates (going back home)
Rock star Nick Cave wrote a sequel script, back in the day. It involved the Roman gods retrieving Maximus from Elysium and sending him through time to win historical battles; Waterloo, the civil war, WWII, Wolf 359 (well...maybe not _that_ one 🤗), etc. It was gloriously wackadoo...too bad we'll never see it. 😢
Because you've watched and appreciated old, classic movies, I think you would enjoy "Spartacus" (1960) directed by Stanley Kubrick and starring an all star cast headed by Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, and Jean Simmons
@RolyPolyOllie Reactions -- "Caesar" (literally "King") was a family name in the old republic of Rome. Iulius was the first of the Caesar family to be appointed to the temporary crisis position, "Dictator of Rome". Iulius extended it beyond temporary, and he was killed for it by Senators who saw in him the end of the Republic. In this film, "Caesar" has moved from a family name to the name of a dynasty of autocrats. This "Caesar" was Marcus Aurelius. Here on RU-vid you can watch and hear readings from the surviving writings of Marcus Aurelius, whose thinking is generally understood to belong among the Stoic philosophers. "The twelve Caesars" Six of them were assassinated, two committed suicide-and five of them were elevated to the status of ""gods" Iulius (49 BCE -- March 44 BCE) Augustus (27 BCE-14 CE) Tiberius (14-37 CE) Caligula (37-41 CE) Claudius (41-54 CE) Nero (54-68 CE) Galba (68-69 CE) Otho (January-April 69 CE) Aulus Vitellius (July-December 69 CE) Vespasian (69-79 CE) Titus (79-81 CE) Domitian (81-96 CE) then... Nerva (96-98 CE) Trajan (98-117 CE) Hadrian (117-138 CE) Antoninus Pius (138-161 CE) >>>========> Marcus Aurelius (161-180 CE) =======> Commodus (177-192 CE)
Historians are actually unsure on whether thumbs up or thumbs down spared a gladiator. It also is possible that a closed fist spared him. Basically, we have to guess for what to do in movies.
Yes you can go into the colloseum and its amazing. Under the surface theres all these hallways where the slaves, animals etc.. woukd be moved through and the colloseum had the ability to be flooded so they could have ship battles. Must have been stunning in its day. Minus all the killing.
Caesar isn't a person... It's a title. It's interesting to note that when Maximus says to Commodus "The time for honoring yourself will soon be at an end, highness". Maximus is intentionally calling Commodus "highness" instead of Caesar as a way of saying he's not the true Emperor.
This movie is partially a remake of the 1964 movie THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. I’d love to see you react to that one too (plus other Roman epics made in that era, such as BEN-HUR and SPARTACUS)
This isn't "Caesar" as in Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar became "Dictator for Life" (dictator perpetuo) of the Roman Republic and was assassinated just a month or two later. His heir, his nephew Gaius Octavius (Octavian) inherited his name, estate, and his soldiers. He waged war and turned the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire, becoming in the process the first Roman rmperor. He took the name Caesar Augustus. Thereafter, all Roman emperors took the title Caesar. The emperor in this movie is Marcus Aurelius, the 16th emperor after Augustus. Marcus Aurelius, despite having a contemporary reputation and historical legacy as a scholar and philosopher, waged a ✨lot✨ of war against the Germanic tribes to Rome's north, greatly expanding Rome's frontiers.
the war music, which is also used in the first battle in the Colosseum, is sahall we say "highly reminiscent of MARS from THE PLANETS by Gustav Holst. give it a listen.
Caesar was originally one branch of the Julia gens. The Julii were patricians, one of the oldest and most noble Roman lineages. The Julii Caesares also had quite some proeminent members of the family Gaius Julius Caesar is the man who you are thinking about. He conquered war and won the civil war against Magnus Pompeii, Cicero and others. Afraid of the amount of power he was getting, and becoming a dictator (elected to be so by the Senate, although probably he didnt intend to step down like Sulla did 2 decades before), the Senate feared he wanted to become a new king of Rome. Notice that the Monarchy had been ended some 450 years before. So a conspiracy of proeminent figures assassinated Gaius Julius Caesar in the Senate. As he had adopted Gaius Turinus Octavius, a grandnephew, as heir (who then adopted the Caesar cognomen), Octavius and Caesar right arm Marcus Antonius started a new civil war to punish the conspirators. They succeeded. And afterwards, Octavius and Marcus Antonius got into a war with each other, to be heir to Julius Caesar spoils. Octavius emerged victorious, and amassed so much wealth and power, that several years the Senate appoint him every major office of the Republic. Thus while maintaing a façade of Republic, it was effectively a non hereditary monarchy. Gaius Turinus Octavius because Princepts Civitatis (first among citizens), and Emperor (commander of the armies) and Pontifex Maximus (high priest) and Princepts Senatus (first among senators). And he was renamed Augustus Caesar, the cognomem Caesar became used by all future emperors of Rome. The movie takes place some 240 years after Gaius Julius Caesar death. The Emperor (Caesar) is Aurelian. Notice that the monarchy was NOT hereditary by law. The new Emperor depended on approval by the ARMIES and SENATE. Having a lot of money and power could make the job easier, but it was no garantee, as the movie makes seem
great to see the younger dudes enjoy the classy flicks like this .. have a look at Kingdom of Heaven too (also Ridley Scott) ,must be the directors cut version though.. excellent
I have always liked this film for the storyline and the sound track. Both excellent. The year after this films release, Ridley Scot made Black Hawk Down, again with Hans Zimmer doing the soundtrack. Again another great work. But did you know, that during the filming of Gladiator, Oliver Reed, who played Proximo, actually died of a heart attack? The producers had to fill in his remaining yet to be filmed scenes, and had to rewrite the ending, as it was planned that after the deaths of Maximus and Commodus, Proximo would just ride off in to the sunset. Some people think that this film was based on real life events, but I do not thing it was. The dates do not seem to match up historically.
Speaking of elsyium (aka the afterlife/paradise) you should check out elysium (2013) not as amazing as district 9 but it's pretty good and barely anyone has reacted to it.
Julius Caesar was never an emperor, he was an Imperator, meaning, general in chief (generalissimo would be closer). Later, his successors turned the post into Emperor, higher than king and Caesar became an honorific denomination, later mutating in different languages such as Kaiser in Germanic languages and Csar in Slavic ones. Emperor is nothing but an "Overking" that rules several kingdoms and has kings as direct vassals. In the case of Rome or France, Emperor is just a fancy title to not actually say King... Here Marcus Aurelius has the titel of Caesar but is NOT Julius Caesar. (although in the movie Caesar, Richard Harris also played Caesar himself...) About acoustics, on the contrary, theatres and amphitheatres acoustics was very well studied and could allow anyone to hear as clear as day whereever they were seated. Go in Greece to Epidora, and hear the coin trick in the center while seated on the top most rows, you hear it as if you were close to it... Derek Jacobi who played Gracchus also played in the old show I Claudius. As for Rome show, it is technically a precursor to Game of Thrones with all the intrigues, violence, sex, and all. (nothing to do with the story), it was a big hit from HBO when it came out. Fun fact, the real Commodus was assassinated in his bath by his jousting partner who was paid by the Senate to put an end to his tyranny. Elyseum is the place where the brave go after death, the Greco-Roman Whallalah of sorts. As a matter of fact, the famous Paris avenue Les Champs Elysées directly comes from that denomination. In English it would be translasted as The Elyseum Avenue.
39:01 I would have popped out the field there to the right of his son and killed his son and wife again in the afterlife and then turned and smiled as I wait for his reaction lol
Extremely overrated movie. Drab color palette, incoherent fight cinematography, cliche story and at the center of it all, the laziness and hack Freudian pseudohistory of Ridley Scott. Just a pathetic mess of a film.
