Rewatchables Reference

• The third gladiator fight / first Colosseum battle – Maximus organizes the slaves using military tactics, then reveals himself: 'My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius...'
• The opening battle in Germania – 'At my signal, unleash hell'.
• Commodus killing his father – the 'dad bear hug'.
• The 'Are you not entertained?' speech.
• The fourth gladiator fight with the tigers.

• Joaquin Phoenix's performance as Commodus – described as the best movie villain of the last 20 years.
• The fight/action scenes – best sword-and-sandal fight scenes ever.
• 'It vexes me. I'm terribly vexed.'
• The incest subplot aged well in a post-Game of Thrones world.

• The movie could lose 12-15 minutes; some pacing is laborious.
• The Elysium/afterlife cutaway scenes feel like a crutch from the chaotic script-writing process.
• Oliver Reed's last scene looks noticeably fake due to death-related CGI.
• The 'save the Republic' political subplot doesn't fully land.

• Mel Gibson turned it down at 43, feeling too old – Bill thinks younger Gibson is the only other actor who could have done it.
• Hugh Jackman, Antonio Banderas, and Javier Bardem were also considered.
• Christopher Plummer was pushed by Crowe for Marcus Aurelius but Ridley Scott went with Richard Harris.
• Angelina Jolie discussed for Lucilla but rejected because she would overpower Commodus.

• Tommy Flanagan as Cicero – 'the guy from 'Gladiator' with the scar on his face,' also known as Chibs from Sons of Anarchy.
• Ralf Moeller as Hagen also discussed.

Oliver Reed as Proximo – 'cheered up a lot of the scenery,' described as 'the Dana White of Roman gladiator stuff'.

• Richard Harris as Marcus Aurelius – only in 2-3 scenes but absolutely great.
• Ralf Moeller as Hagen – won the category because 'we've never seen him again'.

• Russell Crowe – unanimous yes, peak of his career.
• Hans Zimmer – great call.
• Connie Nielsen – unquestionably yes.
• Touching wheat – goes 'pro' in this movie.

• Commodus should have killed Maximus immediately instead of ordering soldiers to ride him out.
• The geography makes no sense – Maximus rides from Germany to Spain as if it's a quick trip.

• Does 'Gladiator' qualify as a sports movie? Consensus: yes – training montages, halftime speeches, championship games.
• Did 'Gladiator' pave the way for Game of Thrones? Strong yes – Joffrey modeled on Commodus, incest, battle scenes.
• What WWE plot does this most resemble? Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Vince McMahon.

The hosts would be upset. They note 'Rome' came a couple years later and Benioff and Weiss likely watched 'Gladiator' before creating Game of Thrones.

Russell Crowe – three votes (Bill, Chris, Jason). Joaquin Phoenix gets Shea's vote as a contrarian pick.

• In real life, Marcus Aurelius was not murdered by Commodus – he died of the Antonine Plague in 180 AD.
• The real Commodus ruled for 12 years and was strangled in his bath by a wrestler named Narcissus.
• The real Lucilla was implicated in an assassination plot, exiled, then executed.
• Giannina Facio (Maximus's wife) married Ridley Scott in 2015.