Other Winners: Best Actor: Russell
Crowe, Gladiator Best Actress: Julia Roberts, Erin Brockovich Best Supporting Actor: Benicio del Toro,
Traffic Best Supporting Actress: Marcia Gay Harden, Pollock Best Director: Steven Soderbergh, Traffic
Cast:
Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Richard
Harris, Derek Jacobi, Djimon Hounsou, David Schofield
Storyline:
In ancient Rome, a brave general is cheated out of his rightful legacy by
a jealous emperor, and after surviving various hardships, returns as a
crowd pleasing gladiator, intent upon revenge.
Did it
deserve to win:
Thumbs down! Way down! Gladiator is good for what it was
... a summer blockbuster, with great special effects, and the added bonus
of a worthy performance by its lead, Russell Crowe.
Erin
Brockovich was another one of those crowd pleasers, this time, with an
above average performance by Julia Roberts. Chocolat was one of
those art-house crowd pleasers, with a nice performance by Juliet Binoche.
For my
money, the real showdown was between Traffic, a sharp drama about the
lives of people from all walks of life who are involved in the drug trade,
or Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, if only because no other karate movie
has been so damned good!
Critique:
Released in May, 2000, Gladiator was intended to compete with the
summer blockbusters of that year. The fact that it was even
remembered around Oscar time seems proof of just how weak a year it was
for Hollywood films.
The movie
is good in a sense that its special effects re-create ancient Rome in such
detail that has never been seen before, however it was all computer
graphics, and while impressive, it pales to films like Ben Hur that
couldn't fake it as easily. On the other hand, Gladiator is
beautifully filmed, with some wonderful performances.
Russell
Crowe is easily one of the best actors to come out in the past while, and
after excellent performances in L.A. Confidential and The Insider, its a
shame that the Academy finally saw fit to recognize him with this piece of
fluff.
I didn't
hate Gladiator, I just resent the fact that a light weight story, that
offers very little in the line of innovation and originality, got the big
prize over much better films.
Behind
the Scenes: Gladiator
was nominated for twelve Oscars, and won five of them. While it
easily captured the Best Picture award, it failed to get the all-important
Best Director Oscar for Ridley Scott. That award went to Steven
Soderbergh, who performed an interesting feat that year, with two directing
nominations, for Erin Brockovich, and Traffic (for which he won).
Steven Soderberg is the first
director ever to be nominated twice in the same category. He
lost for Erin Brokovich, but won for Traffic.
Steve
Martin hosted the show for the first time, and that year the producers
were very concerned with time. They actually offered a television
set to the winners who kept their speech below thirty seconds.
Most
of the winners kept to the time as best as possible, with the exception of
the Best Actor and Actress. Theirs went on the longest, with Julia
even stating that she had a TV and would like to take advantage of the
moment.
Best Actor and
Best Actress was a teenagers dream. Two of the most popular
actors in film win the big awards!
Offbeat
pop singer Bjork was among the women who was expected to get a Best
Actress nomination that year for the quirky Dancer in the Dark. She
didn't make it, but one of her songs from the film did. Her
appearance at the ceremony won her the Wildrest Dress of the Year honors,
with a wrap around swan, complete with an egg shaped purse.
Bjork lives up
to her image.
The
epic makes its triumphant return to Academy favor!
Academy
Award winner, Russell Crowe as General Maximus Meridus.
Joaquin
Phoenix as Commodus, hails the conquering hero, as his father, played by
Richard Harri, looks on.
Richard
Harris, as the ailing Emperor Aurelius, plans to go against tradition, and
make his top general, the new emperor.
Maximus
has a thing for the emperor's daughter, Lucilla, played by Connie Nielsen.
When
Joaquin learns of the plot, he has his father killed, and has Maximus
arrested.
Russell
is sold into slavery, and trained to be a Roman gladiator.
Joaquin
assumes his not-so-rightful place on the throne.
Oliver
Reed as the gladiator producing, Proximus.
Crowe fights his way
to the top.
Djimon
Hounsou as Gracchus, forms a friendship with his fellow gladiator.
Russell
returns to his hometown to play the big time - the Colluseum!
Joaquin
relishes in the thrill of a staged battle.
The
hero remains masked, so as his enemy does not recognize him.
Tigers
become a factor in some of the games.
Once
again victorious in the ring, Russell prepares to kill his competitor.
Brother
and sister share a unique bond.
The
Christians are fed to the lions.
Joaquin
challenges Russell to a fight in the ring.
