Gladiator: The Making of the Ridley Scott Epic »

The official illustrated companion book to the winner of five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Russell Crowe), Costume Design, Sound, and Visual Effects.

Director Ridley Scott (Blade Runner, Thelma and Louise, Alien) brings the glorious battles of the ancient Roman arena back to the big screen. Set against the splendor and barbarity of the Roman Empire in AD 180, Gladiator tells an epic story of courage and revenge: The great Roman general Maximus (Russell Crowe) has been forced into exile and slavery by the jealous heir to the throne, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). Trained as a gladiator, Maximus returns to Rome, intent on avenging the murder of his family by Commodus, now emperor. The one power stronger than that of the emperor is the will of the people, and Maximus knows he can attain his revenge only by becoming the greatest hero in all the Empire. Russell Crowe heads up an international cast that includes Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielson, Oliver Reed, Derek Jacobi, Djimon Hounsou, and Richard Harris. Directed by Ridley Scott from a script by David Franzoni and John Logan, Gladiator is produced by Franzoni, Douglas Wick, and Branko Lustig, with Walter F. Parkes serving as executive producer.

This is the official full-color companion book, featuring excerpts from the screenplay, historical sidebars and illustrations, details on period costumes and epic set designs, behind-the-scenes photographs from the location filming, and interviews with the screenwriters, actors, and director.

Children's Literature

Throughout Europe, the legacy of the ancient Romans is evident. They built wherever they traveled, creating roads, coliseums, aqueducts, and much more. Many producers and directors of films have been fascinated by the history of the Romans and many movies have been made, but Ridley Scott's approach was to focus on the characters and issues of the time. Loaded with photographs from the film, storyboards and drawings from the set designs, film lovers and artists will enjoy the visual aspects of the book. The sword fights, 500-pound speeding chariots, and uncooperative tigers were but a few of the challenges Ridley faced. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither were the sets. The supreme production challenge was in building the Roman Colosseum, an amphitheater that was built in 70 A.D. especially for blood sports. The original structure was an engineering feat, supported by arches and columns, and lavishly decorated. Although smaller in scale, the set design is artistically rendered and includes the retractable awning that covered the Colosseum on hot days, and the underground elevators that lifted the animals to the arena. Much research went into designing weapons, vehicles, and clothing. Filmmakers reveal their decision-making process and planning. At the end, the story of the movie is given in a synopsis, making the reader feel as though the movie had been viewed. 2000, Newmarket Press. Ages All. Reviewer: Laura Hummel