Analysis of an opening

The opening scene of Gladiator 

I am going to analysis the cinematography and sound in the first 12 minutes of the film Gladiator. I will be looking at the way the camera has be used in the scene for example slow motion, closes up. Also I will be listening to the sounds in this scene both diegetic and non-diegetic and how it effects the scene and the audience.  

The open of Gladiator starts of with an echo of violins with right away builds tensions and mystery. This makes the audience question what is going to happen in this first screen right away when the title is up.

After the echo stops the scene opens with a close up of a hand feeling wheat in a field and walking forward. The close up of the hand leaves the audience with a question of who is this person, why are we only seeing their hand and will they be important in the rest of the film. The sound of the wind and the hand touching the wheat recreates calm and peace.

This then cuts to a close up of a man wearing fur looking up at the sky. The sound still is cold wind with his breathing over the top. This shot of him looking up could present him looking for freedom. Also this shot answers the questions from the first shot, it reveals who's hand  we were following in the field. 

A medium close up shot of a robin on a tree and flying away up into the sky then back to the close up of the mans face following the robin with a smile could represent freedom and hope. Still with the sound of his breathing and the wind taking over the shot to show how cold the conditions are.

We carry on following this mans journey with a crane shot of where he is going and the location he is in. The echo of violins, guitars and drums start to recreate that tension from the title as we follow the crane to a wide out of the Roman army in the forest. 

The zoom from the romen army to this close up of an older man on his horse looking on at the army with a worried expression. The music fades with the wind taking over the sound of the scene. This man being singled out leaves the audiences again with the question who is this man and is he important to the story.

We go back to following the first mans journey with a dolly following him from behind walking with soldiers both sides of him. While we follow him we get close ups of soldiers faces looking at him and the reverse shot of him looking back. This shows the respect and importance of this man we are following. The sound on this shot is of the soldiers staying general to him which now gives us an understand that this man is very important and we are on his side because we have followed him and we are learning about him before anyone else. 

We still follow his journey but with a medium shot with a dolly to show the work of the men around him and gives more detail about what is going on.

Then it's a medium shot on a tripod when the man comes to a holt to talk to a solider. As they speak the sound of violins starts to come back to build up mystery. 

We then go to a medium close of them talking to a close up to show their expressions to what they are saying to each other. While they still are talking we have shot reverse shot which gives a better view of their faces. 

After that we have a wide shot on a tripod of what the army is looking at. The view is as if the audience is standing as one of the soldiers watching this horse come closer to the army.

The medium close up of what's on the horse then following the horse with a wide shot in the trees then back to the medium shot and medium close up shot of the soldiers view lets us know something to do with the horse or what's on it is important also just the sound of the wind echoing.

The close up of the Viking shouting at the Romans but still the shots are of the Romans views so it makes the audience feel like they are apart of the Romans and have a connection to them. Followed up by a close up of the generals face and fellow solider next to him to get there reaction of what they are seeing and what the Viking has shouted. 

The sound of the men shouting before you see them and then the men appear from forest. Then back to the Romans view of the Vikings getting ready to attack.

With the sound of the Vikings shouting at the Romans to a close up of the general putting some dirt on his hands make the audience think something is going to happen. It goings to a reverse shot of the man and then to his dog. We follow their journey into the forest. Still following this man makes the audience have a stronger connection because his the only one we have found things out about him. His life as a farmer, solider and now his dog and their bond.

When the battle starts the camera follow the arrows on firer to the Vikings and Romans fighting. 

In the battle there's a lot of hand held movement from the camera. This could be because the director wants the audience to feel like they are in the battle as a solider and wants us to feel the emotion behind the soldiers dying and fighting for their life's next to you. 

The slow motion of the general fighting and the echo of the swords and heavy breathing creates drama. 

The music of the violins fighting against the sound of the remaining Romans shouting because they have own then slowing dying down to peaceful harp does create freedom, peace and relief. 

The scene finishing of with the close up of the older mans face with a relief expression on his face helps the audience know he is thankful that the battle is over and that the Romans won.