Product: Gladiator [VHS] (2000)
Rating: 4.0
'Gladiator' wins again
"Gladiator," conqueror of the Oscars, returns for another ovation Aug. 23 in an "extended edition" three-disc set.Star Russell Crowe makes his debut as a DVD commentator, looking back at the globe-trotting production with his pal and director Ridley Scott. Their talk is spirited and informative, light on the Roman history and heavy on production anecdotes. The men seem to be having a great time, especially when busting on co-star "Joaq" Phoenix, a nervous Nellie during filming.Crowe rides Scott about his late-in-the-game decision to have the hero killed off: "It's cost us hundreds of millions of dollars. Great idea, mate! We could have been on 'Gladiator 10' by now."Scott points out some of the new scenes, which add 17 minutes to the film. "People who have enjoyed this movie in its short form, they're going to like the hell out of this."The new-to-DVD extras sprawl across discs 2 and 3. Among the best is a new documentary that, unbelievably, rarely drags over its three-hour running time. A must-see chapter is "The Heat of the Battle," about staging the warfare. It captures director Scott making battlefield decisions: "I need something really brutal. Chop his f---ing head off."A 25-minute segment covers the curious tale of Oliver Reed, who died three weeks before the end of production. The visual effects team shows how their digital resurrection of the actor averted $26 million in reshoots. Reed talks about the film on-set, looking hardy and engaged.Widescreen visuals on a DreamWorks test disc were first-rate, as they were on the first DVD, released in 2000. The aspect ratio is 2.35:1. Alas, the generous audio options on the original disc, such as DTS ES, have been reduced to a Dolby Digital 5.1 track.