Ridley Scott: "Gladiator" Story Boards, Sketches and Inspirations

                             

         

Artists have long been influenced/inspired by the works of other artists (creative types) and their respective works. Composer/Arranger Isaac Hayes developed his popular version of the Bacharach/David song “Walk on by” while viewing Sergio Leone’s landmark film “Once Upon A Time in the West.”  His interpretation is in perfect coordination with the film’s prologue scenes imagery when paired with them. The Peace Movement’s anthem like; “Imagine,” was for many years credited to John Lennon alone. It was actually taken literally and tonally from the writings and thoughts of his wife, Yoko Ono. Van Gogh’s inspired copies of Millett, Delacroix and Doré became famous in their own rights. Picasso reproduced Velasquez and Delacroix to stunning and respected results in his time.  Director Ridley Scott is no exception to this artistic norm. His masterpiece of a film; the contemporary classic, “Gladiator” is directly inspired from his imaginings of the Orientalist masterpiece “Pollice Verso” (A Turned Thumb) by the great Jean-Léon Gérôme. The muses be damned.

“Pollice Verso” by Jean-Léon Gérôme

"That image spoke to me of the Roman Empire in all its glory and wickedness. I knew right then and there I was hooked."

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Ridley Scott

Scott’s career in film originally saw him as art director on various projects. His ever present artistic eye has served him well on his own films as diverse in content and tone as Alien, Gladiator, Thelma & Louise and most recently Raised by Wolves.  His sets, camera compositions, lighting and angles, costumes and props have a realistic believability as well as an imaginative aesthetic. His films visions and narratives benefit and are enhanced by these efforts. He also often lends his own hand to his films concept art and story-boarding. Among his most interesting are those for “Gladiator.”  What follows is a portfolio of some of the intricate and precise drawings done for that triumphant film.

Another major aspect of “Gladiator” is the illustrious score by Hans Zimmer. I have enjoyed elements of it for many years. It remains one of Zimmer’s most memorable works. I have included portions below.

                                                           Music From the Film

“A good score should have a point of view all of its own. It should transcend all that has gone before, stand on its own two feet and still serve the movie. A great soundtrack is all about communicating with the audience, but we all try to bring something extra to the movie that is not entirely evident on screen.”

                                                                                                                Hans  Zimmer

“Gladiator” has stood the test of time up to and into this point after it’s theatrical release. I believe it to be among our collective contemporary classics. It is a true cultural landmark that works well on many levels (evidenced by eleven Oscars wins) in ways that few films do. It is of special note; particularly in this digital age where films and film makers seem to have lost their way and ironically creative originality.

 

Ridley Scott's Original "BLADE RUNNER"

Elegant within it’s cyber punk, dystopian madness “Blade Runner” stands momentously as a cinematic mild stone, a classic that continues to delight, bewilder, beguile and intrigue. You’re right; I am a fan. Former art director Ridley Scott set out to create something marvelous. He achieved just that as he eclipsed his himself and his magnificent crew’s original daring visions. Together they discovered (created) that rare wonder; a masterpiece of cinema and in that including of all of art and creativity.

The film as a whole is purely a visual splendor. Every performance to note from Harrison Ford to Sean Young to Rutger Hauer to Edward James Olmos to Daryl Hannah and M. Emmet Walsh is pitch perfect, nuanced and individually unique. The score is rich, enchanting, futuristic and reflective of an earlier form; the film noir. This atmospheric, dark, foggy acid rain refracting look is hypnotic and equally contributing to the film’s narrative. Former Police Officer/Blade Runner Rick Deckard must hunt down and “retire a group of super sophisticated, self-aware renegade androids (Replicants) and “retire” them.

The inspiration and basis of the film is the Phillip K. Dick Sci-Fi novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” It is a well-executed and provocative work that bears almost no resemblance to Scott’s film. I am guessing that it was Scott’s intention to do so.   

The film was not originally a huge hit. It was far too radical, distinctive and for all general purposes dark for that. How many times does the general public adapt and gravitate to the new and daring? It is an even rarer thing and in many ways a compliment to go unnoticed and unheralded at first encounter. I saw it at least four times in 1982 the summer of it’s release. Imagine too; that the lead, Harrison Ford was not a star in his own right at the time. He had appeared in “Star Wars” in 1977 a few years before but it was “Blade Runner” that established his remarkable and unique super stardom along with years of long and continuing acting successes.  

The iconic Poster (Left) features Deckard and Rachel above the aerial view of the fabled acid rain drenched city of the then future (2019) Los Angelos. Original versions of the poster retail for as much as $2,000.

Much of the visuals and themes of “Blade Runner” are influenced by the look of Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis.” It is a fitting homage of sorts to Lang’s film. It is also truly in the same vein of the H.G. Wells book “The Shape of Things to Come.” 

The film has gone through a number of rereleases and subsequent director’s cuts. It is the original 1982 release with the matter of fact and often nuanced voice over by Deckard (Harrison Ford) that was the most striking and entertaining incarnation that I most completely enjoyed. The eloquent and somewhat world weary voice added the right touch with the “film noir” over tones and feel of the production.

 As of date the seminal “Blade Runner” is without equal or legitimate successor. The film does create many questions in plot and purpose. One major question concerns who and what Deccard himself might actually be. The original cut of the movie alluded to in several instances and tone to the possibility of the Deckard character being himself a replicant. The final director’s cut of the film (2007) attempts to clear up the discrepancies. A dream sequence featuring a startled and running unicorn is held by Deckard in his sleep. The dream along with a strategically placed origami unicorn by the Gaff character late in the film serves as an explanation of sorts. The inference is that Gaff is privy to Deckard’s programmed and implanted dreams. This can be interpreted as a true explanation or the subject for more confusion; the debate continues.The mostly unsuccessful and lackluster sequel “Blade Runner 2049” attempts to expand, to enhance and explain other elements of the original film; the attempt was futile. In my imagination there was no need for a sequel or expansion and it falls far short of the original. Many, many films need no sequel and the attempt to extend their narratives are hackneyed, lackluster attempts at best but well the subjects for further debate. 

VIDEO

 Animation Depicting Events Between Original Film and "Blade Runner 2049"

Another superb outing for director Scott was the “1984” titled commercial for the Apple PC that aired during the 1984 Super bowl. The commercial is a response to the George Orwell novel. It is considered by many aficionados and experts to be one of the greatest commercials of stated history.  See it here as originally and nationally viewed in January of said year.  

Until and if ever eclipsed Scott remains the pre-eminent and unchallenged champion of the cyber punk, the fantastic world of film experimentation and it’s successful execution!