Product: Gladiator [VHS] (2000)
Rating: 5.0
Epics Revisited
Back in the late 50's and early 60's Hollywood tended to churn out one major epic per year. Usually they were historically based pieces and often featured Charlton Heston in the starring role.To his credit Ridley Scott has taken the simplest of stories and, aided by modern technology, has produced a thundering good movie in the best tradition of Ben Hur.It is a long time since moviemakers visited this genre but it has been worth the wait.If the box office success is any guide then, quite clearly, the events portrayed in the movie have not lost their appeal. We may lay claim to civilization but find the prospect of recreational bloodletting just as appealing as 'the mob' which frequented the Circus Maximus.The serial killer is dead! Long live the gladiator!