That Gladiator, winner of five Academy Awards, has been given the Extended Special Edition treatment comes as no surprise. This three DVD box set was supervised by director Ridley Scott (Blade Runner) and recently released in China. True, this USD 100 million epic isn’t as majestic as, say, Ben Hur (1959), but it did revive the ‘swords and sandals’ genre, after a nigh on four decades' absence. Disc 1 offers the longest cut (164 minutes) in its original aspect ratio (2.39:1, anamorphic) with audio commentaries from male lead Russell Crowe and Scott. Disc 2 features a 3-hour documentary “Strength and Honor” that breaks down the various steps of the filmmaking process (from research/scriptwriting to costume and weaponry design, ending with an overview of the film’s impact around the world). By Disc 3, the viewer may have had about enough; this one contains featurettes on visual effects, deleted scenes, storyboards etc., etc. But the storyboard featuring Crowe battling a rhino is quite thrilling, as is the segment about the “resurrection” of Oliver Reed, who died during production. It seems the special effects team had to re-do several shots where his face was placed over a body double.
CAV Warner

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
May 2006 issue