mis-en-scene

After talking about Ridley Scott films, I had to go home and watch one. Of course I grabbed Gladiator out of my collection of DVDs and was once again mesmerized by this movie. For the few of you who haven't seen this movie, shame on you. It's a must and needs to be put on your "need to see movie" list.

Spoilers Alert! If you haven't seen this movie and might see it in the future, do not continue reading or watch the attached clip. I have warned you... Last chance. Okay here I go, The scene that I picked for my Mis-en-scene was the end of this movie. How can you forget this scene, everything about it was simply amazing. The music alone draws you in emotionally, as Maximus fades to and from Elysium. You become invested in the story whether you realize it or not.

What I chose to focus on is the lighting aspect of the scene. This is a certain detail that people don't realize, until it is talked about, how much it impacts a movie and sometimes we don't realize it's happening. Lighting can do many things depending upon the intensity, direction, colors. Which can evoke and influence the audience perception of a character, the theme, or mood. The Director of Photography for this film was John Mathieson and he did a phenomenal job. Because of the lighting aspect, the final scene of the movie stood out to me. The final fight between Maximus and Commodus, where Maximus will finally get his revenge for himself and his family.  Throughout this scene there is contrast in lighting. This pulls you through the changing settings of the scene. In the fight we see more of a natural lighting so we know it's still in the real world, but the scene changes. It shows a place Maximus knows, his home and here John Mathieson changes the lighting. It becomes more dark and mysterious because we don't know yet what this place is. As the scene continues on we start to understand that this is Maximus's Elysium or Heaven. The lighting is unnatural and more harsh but the feeling it gives off, once you realize what that place is, helps the scene to make sense. The interchanging light is used very wisely by the Director of Photography. This makes you feel the strength of what is keeping Maximus going, so he will be able to beat Commodus and be reunited with his family.