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+--- Thread: Gladiators: Back from the Dead (/showthread.php?tid=16956)
Re: Gladiators: Back from the Dead - Gaius Julius Caesar - 06-08-2010
Quote:
The put Dan Shadrake in with a Tiger, apparently he kept calling 'here kitty kitty' which upset the animal trainer and made the tiger go all silly
Did he give it a belly rub, you know they like that......
Look's good, caught an advert this evening for it on Ch 4.
Re: Gladiators: Back from the Dead - Conal - 06-08-2010
Quote:They wanted British looking arena, you know, muddy looking sand and with lots of rain on kit that looks like it's been used in all weathers of Rome's backwater, not mirror-finish equipment in the amphitheatres of Rome & Capua on the Emperor's birthday in the hot Mediterranean sun.
I dont get this ... why would it be so shabby? Is there any evidence that a Bristish arena would have shoddy sand or that they would have unpolished equipment?
Re: Gladiators: Back from the Dead - chrisanson - 06-08-2010
The weather!
It takes its toll on equipment more than the mediterranean climate, that's why the production company had it raining in many of the shots.
It's also a province and not central Rome - so the brief called for a 'provincial look' we know some re-enactors like a mirror finish on their kit but it wasn't what was called for, the hi-speed camera certainly doesn't like it. The sand had to look like it had a bit of dung and blood in it... not bright sandpit sand (quite realistic considering the interesting layers that were excavated in London's Guildhall Yard dig).
British weather... you know, that thing that keeps our comedians in business along with our truly awful public transport :roll: :wink:
Re: Gladiators: Back from the Dead - Conal - 06-08-2010
I understand why a film brief would like this as they are in the main intersted in atmosphere over reality but if you are looking to represent something close to reality I don't buy the weather thing. Average annual rainfall in the Roman period was 50-60cm pa against now at 75-80cm pa. Temperatures were warmer too. The climate took a turn for around 400AD but was warm enough for vineyards in Northamptonshire before then.
I do not see why equipment that was not worn on a day to day basis, and a lot of which was likely to be bronze, could not be kept in order with very little maintenance so that the few times a year it came out ot looked spectacular. I cannot belive that any Editor would want rusty or verdegree ridden gladiators insulting his audience, many of whom might be military, with grubby battered equipment.
As to the sand what did the Guild hall dig pull up? Do you have usefull link?
Re: Gladiators: Back from the Dead - chrisanson - 06-08-2010
Quote:Average annual rainfall in the Roman period was 50-60cm pa against now at 75-80cm pa
hock: Ok, slightly scared now! :wink:
Quote:I do not see why equipment that was not worn on a day to day basis, and a lot of which was likely to be bronze, could not be kept in order with very little maintenance so that the few times a year it came out ot looked spectacular. I cannot belive that any Editor would want rusty or verdegree ridden gladiators insulting his audience
You'd have to ask the director and art department, we were just obeying orders. They said that the camera liked our kit, that's all there is to it
As for that sand strata, it was in conversation with Hedley Swain and Jenny Hall of the museum of London during the excavations, the phrase 'interesting layers of sand and organic matter, probably dung, silt and blood' came out in conversation - I haven't seen a report, but I guess the other guys may have a copy. :?
Re: Gladiators: Back from the Dead - Olaf - 06-08-2010
From the trailer and the pictures it looks like the director took a hint from "Spartacus Blood and Sand" to catch the attention of the History Channel crowd.
The Cupids dressed as Gladiators on the Mosaic from Bignor and the Murmillo from the Colchester relief dont look any more provincial then most depictions of Gladiators from all over the Imperium Romanum.
And yes, polishing bronze is a tedious job, but bronze does not suffer under bad weather nearly as much as iron.
Still anything that puts Gladiators in a popular spotlight without going the complete fantasy route is good news.
So I am looking forward to seeing this documentary.
Re: Gladiators: Back from the Dead - Viventius - 06-08-2010
Kurt Hunter-Mann, the site director, talking to CNN, today, 7am in the morning!
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europ ... =allsearch
PS - Just realised this is already on the other thread :lol:
Re: Gladiators: Back from the Dead - Viventius - 06-08-2010
The gladiators in the programme don't look scruffy. Love the rain being shown - it's raining here now, and that's what it's like in Britain.
Re: Gladiators: Back from the Dead - Viventius - 06-08-2010
York Archaeological Trust is throwing down the gauntlet to would-be archaeologists to see if they can solve a puzzle that has sparked debate about human remains unearthed in York almost a decade ago:
http://www.yorkarchaeology.co.uk/about/news.htm
Re: Gladiators: Back from the Dead - Medusa Gladiatrix - 06-08-2010
Quote:The documentary will also appear on National Geographic at some point, if that helps.
Does not help unfortunately. Would appreciate it if someone could record it for me.
Re: Gladiators: Back from the Dead - chrisanson - 06-09-2010
Quote:The gladiators in the programme don't look scruffy. Love the rain being shown - it's raining here now, and that's what it's like in Britain.
Cheers Viventius, irrespective of rainfall levels this IS a temperate zone and weather does take its toll, look at the textiles of Egypt compared to the tiny fragments that survive in Britain.
But as much as the data is appreciated the film makers did want to make a visual distinction and really emphasise the Britishness of the 'look' they asked us to scuzz things up a bit, metal had what the art dept called 'grub' rubbed into it and most scenes were filmed under sprinklers (or watering cans up a ladder... shhhhhhh :wink: )
Credit where credit's due, the guy doing the amazing leap (Retiarius) is a chap called Al Mariotti from Rome, a top bloke, we worked with him before.
Re: Gladiators: Back from the Dead - Conal - 06-10-2010
Quote:the film makers did want to make a visual distinction and really emphasise the Britishness of the 'look' they asked us to scuzz things up a bit, metal had what the art dept called 'grub' rubbed into it and most scenes were filmed under sprinklers (or watering cans up a ladder... shhhhhhh :wink: )
I appreciate that this was done for a film company and that I do not know what their remit was as far as depicting reality is concerned but as Olaf has pointed out there is no evidence (that I am aware of
) that there was a provincial look to gladiators in Britain. I must therefore summise that scuzz & grub is done for "Hollywood" reasons and not in the real interests of historical accuracy. I'm sure it will look great and be very entertaining, as intended, but this is RAT and I reserve the right to be pedantic!
Re: Gladiators: Back from the Dead - Gaius Julius Caesar - 06-10-2010
Quote:most scenes were filmed under sprinklers (or watering cans up a ladder... shhhhhhh )
OK, that's where the line should have been drawn in the sand(no pun intended, honest)!! :o
If the British weather was not giving it's usual rain, they should have left it well enough alone......imagine getting good weather, and then making the guys play under sprinklers..... :roll: :lol:
Re: Gladiators: Back from the Dead - chrisanson - 06-10-2010
Quote:but this is RAT and I reserve the right to be pedantic!
Nice one mate :lol: :lol: :lol:
As we say in Britannia: 'That's a T-shirt'
Re: Gladiators: Back from the Dead - Viventius - 06-11-2010
Just heard that the programme won't be on National Geographic for ages yet
