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ironychan considers the links between Vikings and Queen Elizabeth II in this post about geneology and the Royal Family.
badmagic posts a poll of pirates vs. ninjas vs. monkeies, vs. robots vs. zombies. Winner so far? Pirates. (My co-worker's a die-hard ninja sympathizer.)
Ines lent me Gladiator, so I could finally get my Commodus/Maximus fix. Except not. Not even the most imaginative storytelling could get me to accept a C/M fic in the movie's storyline. Before the storyline, however, is another matter.
I watched all the extras, such as an hour-long documentary on gladiators or interview-snippets of Russel Crow. (Who is actually funny and charismatic, even though I can't get the "threw phone at hotel clerk" rumour out of my head.)
There was an extra on the music, which fully deserved its own extra, because it is amazing. (Plus, the composer's called Hans. Mr Zimmer*, I think.) The song they put during the credits is fantabulous and will always be acompanied in my head by the image of Josie signing along to it in first year, even though neither of us knew what the hell the lady was saying.
I particularly enjoyed the cut scenes. My faves were the two with Joaquin Phoenix.
In one scene, Commodus walks down to a cellar where all the stautes of his ancestors are kept. He stands in front of the bust of his father. "Father," he said, quietly, as if he's going to appologize or cry or both. The he looks down and sees his father's weapons laid out before the bust. He picks up the sword, looks at it, then slowly puts it to his father's bust!neck. Pause. Then he starts whacking at the bust!face with all the power of a rum-full pirate. HE stops mid-stroke, lays the sword down, and hugs his father's bust, breaking into tears, leaning back to look at the bust!face and stroke it. The next scene is where he's signing papers and tells his sister he's "terribly vexed".
The other scene shows two men tied to poles in front of soldiers holding long-bows. Commodus picks at the new general, saying that he should have told him that MAximus wasn't dead. They lied to him instead, saying the Germans did it. (Why is it always the Germans?) The two soldiers to be executed were the ones to bring Commodus the "Maximus apparently dead by Germans" version. Since "a general is always in charge, always in command"**, Commodus makes the general give the kill order. Before Commodus orders the general to do so, however, he does the craziest/stupidest/bravest thing ever. He walks up to the death-row boys and stands between them, laying a hand on their shoulders. He's still standing there when the general gives the order. The look he gives the camera when he lifts his head up, slightly blood-spattered, is crazy, creepy and somewhat sexy.
Then I rewatched my favorite scenes int he movie, which aren't so much "scenes" as itty-bitty moments.
1) Commodus trying to not shed a single tear when told, quite simply and brutally, that he will not be emperor.
2) The first time we hear the lines "You'll see them*** soon, but not yet." The look on Maximus' face when he repeats, "Not ye¨" a second time, defenses cracking and eyes tearing up for a split second, just breaks my heart.
3) One line, said twice with varying lung power: "Am I not merciful?"
4) The last conversatio between Commodus adn Maximus (i.e. the "let me stab you in the lungs, brother" scene), both because the interaction is amazing, and because Commodus actually kisses Maximu's neck after the embrace/stab.
5) With Commodus slain, Maximus sways and sees his villa's door, which is also the door to the land of the dead (metaphorically). His anme is called and we pan back to his face on the arena. At first, his eyes are still unfocused, then he struggles, blinks, and steals himself, trying to stay conscious and deliver his final message. I love that blink/refocus.
Rereading the quotes on imdb, I hesitantly declare this to be my favorite quote for its application**** in real life:
Maximus: I may die here in this cell or in the arena tomorrow. What possible difference can I make?
* "Mr Room"
** This is quite true in the case of Maximus.
*** Your dead family members, but not as zombies.
**** Not, y'know, literally. The sentiment.
metaquotes:ironychan considers the links between Vikings and Queen Elizabeth II in this post about geneology and the Royal Family. badmagic posts a poll of pirates vs. ninjas vs. monkeies, vs. robots vs. zombies. Winner so far? Pirates. (My co-worker's a die-hard ninja sympathizer.)Ines lent me Gladiator, so I could finally get my Commodus/Maximus fix. Except not. Not even the most imaginative storytelling could get me to accept a C/M fic in the movie's storyline. Before the storyline, however, is another matter.
I watched all the extras, such as an hour-long documentary on gladiators or interview-snippets of Russel Crow. (Who is actually funny and charismatic, even though I can't get the "threw phone at hotel clerk" rumour out of my head.)
There was an extra on the music, which fully deserved its own extra, because it is amazing. (Plus, the composer's called Hans. Mr Zimmer*, I think.) The song they put during the credits is fantabulous and will always be acompanied in my head by the image of Josie signing along to it in first year, even though neither of us knew what the hell the lady was saying.
I particularly enjoyed the cut scenes. My faves were the two with Joaquin Phoenix.
In one scene, Commodus walks down to a cellar where all the stautes of his ancestors are kept. He stands in front of the bust of his father. "Father," he said, quietly, as if he's going to appologize or cry or both. The he looks down and sees his father's weapons laid out before the bust. He picks up the sword, looks at it, then slowly puts it to his father's bust!neck. Pause. Then he starts whacking at the bust!face with all the power of a rum-full pirate. HE stops mid-stroke, lays the sword down, and hugs his father's bust, breaking into tears, leaning back to look at the bust!face and stroke it. The next scene is where he's signing papers and tells his sister he's "terribly vexed".
The other scene shows two men tied to poles in front of soldiers holding long-bows. Commodus picks at the new general, saying that he should have told him that MAximus wasn't dead. They lied to him instead, saying the Germans did it. (Why is it always the Germans?) The two soldiers to be executed were the ones to bring Commodus the "Maximus apparently dead by Germans" version. Since "a general is always in charge, always in command"**, Commodus makes the general give the kill order. Before Commodus orders the general to do so, however, he does the craziest/stupidest/bravest thing ever. He walks up to the death-row boys and stands between them, laying a hand on their shoulders. He's still standing there when the general gives the order. The look he gives the camera when he lifts his head up, slightly blood-spattered, is crazy, creepy and somewhat sexy.
Then I rewatched my favorite scenes int he movie, which aren't so much "scenes" as itty-bitty moments.
1) Commodus trying to not shed a single tear when told, quite simply and brutally, that he will not be emperor.
2) The first time we hear the lines "You'll see them*** soon, but not yet." The look on Maximus' face when he repeats, "Not ye¨" a second time, defenses cracking and eyes tearing up for a split second, just breaks my heart.
3) One line, said twice with varying lung power: "Am I not merciful?"
4) The last conversatio between Commodus adn Maximus (i.e. the "let me stab you in the lungs, brother" scene), both because the interaction is amazing, and because Commodus actually kisses Maximu's neck after the embrace/stab.
5) With Commodus slain, Maximus sways and sees his villa's door, which is also the door to the land of the dead (metaphorically). His anme is called and we pan back to his face on the arena. At first, his eyes are still unfocused, then he struggles, blinks, and steals himself, trying to stay conscious and deliver his final message. I love that blink/refocus.
Rereading the quotes on imdb, I hesitantly declare this to be my favorite quote for its application**** in real life:
Maximus: I may die here in this cell or in the arena tomorrow. What possible difference can I make?
* "Mr Room"
** This is quite true in the case of Maximus.
*** Your dead family members, but not as zombies.
**** Not, y'know, literally. The sentiment.
