The Use of Close-Ups in Gladiator
The emotions that drive Gladiator are emphasized by close-ups in order to connect the characters to the audience by displaying their emotions. Close-ups are used so frequently in the film because they provide an intimate frame that focuses on the emotions of the actors' facial expressions. Additionally, Gladiator goes beyond simply conveying emotions and presents shots that give insight into each character's personality. The resulting effect is an intensified emotional connection between the audience and the characters, especially Maximus as the main character.
Maximus provides one of the strongest examples of an emotional presentation in the first scenes of the movie during a battle between the Roman Legions the barbarian tribes of Germania. While a battle to establish the role of the lead character, General Maximus, as a strong and heroic man is nothing new, a battle showing the hero laugh and fear is unique to Gladiator. The shot (below left) shows Maximus in the heat of battle and yet laughing because he mistook a fellow soldier as the enemy and almost stabbed him. This moment shows Maximus' relief while also displaying his ability find humor in the chaotic and grave setting. The other close-up (below right) shows the sudden fear on his face as he is attacked from behind. This glimpse of what Maximus is feeling exposes him as vulnerable. The close-up illustrates that the strongest leader feels fear and is still able to overcome it and continue fighting. Such an emotional exposure resonates in the audience and connects them to Maximus in the very first scenes. The placement of theses shots within the first ten minutes of the film is an intentional means of identifying personality traits in Maximus that make him an understandable human being rather than a larger-than-life hero. The personality associations follow the viewer in their understanding of Maximus throughout the entire film and solidify the emotional connection felt.
Close-ups are used to reveal emotions in more than just Maximus and the other main characters. Before the first gladiator fight of the movie, the men stand in line awaiting the fight. One man, as shown in a shot (below left), is visibly terrified. The close-up of the man's terror conveys the horror of the arena even before the first fight. Emotional ties of fear to the fight directly contrast previous 'toga' movies. In the 1960 film Spartacus, which involves similar plot of gladiator revolt, there are close-ups to the rebel slaves before their final stand against the legions of Rome. The shot (below right) illustrates lack of any emotion on the faces of rebel soldiers before the battle. In both movies the men shown know they will likely die. However, Gladiator conveys significantly more emotion by showing the fear in the men. The men in Spartacus lack any sign of confidence, fear, worry, or bravery. This contributes to what makes Gladiator such a revolutionary film in its ability to make the spectator feel what the characters are experiencing.
Gladiator
Spartacus
The emotional barriers breached by Gladiator are still most evident in the expressions of Maximus. Another example of his emotions is when he prevails as a gladiator and finally stands before Commodus again in the Colosseum. The close-up (below left) depicts Maximus after he removes his helmet to reveal himself but before he announces "I will have my vengeance." The emotion building within the force of his glare is of anger that then erupts into hatred towards Commodus. Thus, exposure of feelings again illustrates how Gladiator achieves remarkably emotional moments compared to previous films. For example, in the 1959 Ben-Hur, there is a similar scene where Judah must declare that he will stand for his people against his former friend Messala by saying "I am against you." This statement parallels to that of Maximus just as the shots just before the lines parallel as well. However, Judah's close-up (below right) has little indication of emotion in his features and lacks the pain, anger, betrayal, and hatred conveyed by Maximus. Judah merely furrows his brow slightly while Maximus' head is angled in a glare, his brow is furrowed, and his mouth is almost in a snarl. The result is that Gladiator more effectively draws the audience in on an emotional level when they can see it plainly on Maximus' face.
Gladiator
Ben-Hur
Apart from Maximus, he main antagonist of the film, Emperor Commodus, is also subject to close-ups that define his emotions and are placed in such a way that they reveal his character. The scene where Commodus tells Lucilla that her son sleeps well because he is loved opens with a close-up of him leaning over the sleeping boy's figure. This shot shows the face of Commodus emerging from the shadows in a near threatening motion to gaze upon the boy with a look of distaste. The darkness over him in the close-up foreshadows his evil intentions later in the movie when he threatens to kill the boy. His close proximity to the boy's face is communicated by using a close-up from the boy's perspective. Additionally, it compels a sense of danger within the viewer as the emperor creeps into the shot. Every visual cue adds to the visceral reaction from the evil that his presence generates. Therefore, Commodus is presented similarly to Maximus in the shot above as both men are gazing with ill-intentions. However, Commodus is shown in the midst of wicked scheming and does not openly state his intentions. Instead, his sinister nature is conveyed by his expression in the inappropriate setting of his nephew's bedside. The eeriness of the close-up connects the audience to his evil character and confirms a negative association with his face. The connection draws off the viewer's emotions to make them see Commodus with hate and suspicion. Thus, Gladiator forges emotional connections even between audience and villain.
