Cecil B. lives!

by Robert J. Hawkins | Nov 22, 2000

It has been a long time since Hollywood has unleashed a spectacle of Cecil B. DeMille proportions. And with good reason. In today`s economy, these things cost a Microsoft-sized fortune. There`s not enough box-office revenue on the planet to support a "cast of thousands," much less re-create entire Roman or Egyptian cities. Until recently.

In "Gladiator" (DreamWorks, R, VHS/rental, DVD/$22) director Ridley Scott and his producers have pulled it off. The movie`s scope and pageantry are every bit the equal of "Cleopatra" or "The Ten Commandments," to name a couple from an earlier era. And their gamble has paid off: "Gladiator" was a summertime smash, reaping more than $185 million at the box office. The performance of Russell Crowe as the Roman Gen. Maximus, forced into slavery and then the arena as a gladiator, was powerful enough to earn him permanent marquee status. He also got a few covers of People magazine, squiring rights to Meg Ryan and time to tour with his own rock band.

So, how was this whole thing pulled off - the movie spectacle, not the spectacle of Crowe and Ryan in deep public clutch at every opportunity? Computers. The filmmakers did not reconstruct the Roman Coliseum and populate it with thousands of cheering, bloodthirsty Roman riff-raff. Well, they did reconstruct it inside a computer. And then they filled the stands with computer-generated toga-toting Romans. And the beauty is, we didn`t even notice. The same neat trick was pulled off in the Mel Gibson epic "The Patriot," in which the battlefield was mostly populated by thousands of computer generated images all marching to very different drummers. (In that film, too, Colonial-era port city with dozens of square-riggers at anchor was also largely the figment of digital imaginations.)

I do wonder if the fact that Australian hunks headlined the two biggest blockbusters of the summer had anything to do with their box office bonanzas. Anyway, if you want a sense of where movies are headed - at least the giant spectacle movies - the "Gladiator" DVD offers some fascinating background documentation on what it took to make this movie. The director Scott is featured on a commentary track, providing insight into the creation of the film. There is a half-hour special on the making of the movie, a production diary by actor Spencer Treat Clark, a slide show of concept art and storyboards, production notes and lots of previously unseen footage. In all, the DVD offers more than four hours of content beyond the actual movie - and why is it that you don`t yet own a DVD player? And quite a movie it is.

Crow is Gen. Maximus, the prized warrior of Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris), and his preferred heir to the throne. But Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), son of Aurelius, has other ideas. He orders Maximus and his entire family put to death. Maximus ends up sold into slavery and eventually becomes a popular figure on the outlying gladiator circuit. As he rises through the ranks, Maximus has one goal in mind - a return to Rome, and the Big Show, where he might avenge the murder of his family and kill the new emperor Commodus.

ALSO THIS WEEK:

"X-Men" (Fox, PG-13, VHS/$23, DVD/$30) - Straight out of Stan Lee`s Marvel comic book series, Professor Xavier and his genetically mutated X-Men were clearly the people`s choice this past summer, pulling in $157 million in theaters. Perhaps, in an election year, the public appreciated a battle between clearly delineated forces of good and evil? Aligned with Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) are the mutant foot-soldiers like Cyclops (James Marsden), Jean (Famke Janssen) and Storm (Halle Berry), as well as Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and Rogue (Anna Paquin). They are locked in battle with the professor`s nemesis and former colleague, Magneto (Ian McKellen) and his evil brotherhood - Sabretooth (Tyler Mane), Mystique (Rebecca Romijin-Stamos) and Toad (Ray Park). While this sounds like the makings of a WWF grudge match, it is so much more, and the computer-generated effects are stunners.

"Chicken Run" (DreamWorks, G, VHS/$17, DVD/$20) - Eggs-traordinary fact: Principle photography on this movie took 20 months to complete. Twenty months. Do you know what it would cost for Mel Gibson or Harrison Ford to take 20 months to shoot a movie? That is a measure of the complex process required to make a clay animation film. (Also, an indication that the stars really were paid chicken feed for their work. Sorry.)

Here`s another tidbit: A full day`s worth of shooting on 28 separate sets, simultaneously, accomplishes 10 seconds of footage. What the audience is aware of, of course, is not the meticulous work that went into making this 89-minute feature film. Audiences are aware of the amusing characters, the funny story, the appealing visual design. With "Chicken Run," audiences were finally able to disconnect from the mechanics behind the story, a breakthrough not unlike that achieved for computer animation with "Toy Story."

"The Incredible Adventures of Wallace & Gromit" (Warner/BBC Video, VHS/$20) - Three original clay-animation tales from Nick Park and Aardman Animations, the man and studio that created "Chicken Run." These are the seminal productions that made "Chicken Run" possible: "The Wrong Trousers" and "A Close Shave" both won Oscars, while "A Grand Day Out" was nominated for a statue. This is an indispensable companion to "Chicken Run."

"Price of Glory" (New Line, R, VHS/rental, DVD/$25) - Arturo Ortega (Jimmy Smits) is raising his sons to be the champion boxers he never became, and nearly loses his family in the process. This gritty look behind the scenes at the demands of boxing on the human body and spirit also stars former Golden Gloves contender Jon Seda, Clifton Collins Jr., Maria Del Mar, Paul Rodriguez, Ron Perlman and World Welterweight boxing champ Carlos Palomino. The film was written by former New York Times sports columnist Phil Berger and directed by Carlos Avila.

"Our Lips Are Sealed" (Warner/Dualstar, VHS/$20) - Everyone`s favorite identical twins, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olson, continue to create their own direct-to-video dynasty. In this pre-teen adventure the twins end up in the FBI Witness Protection Program, eventually hiding out in Australia (where Aussie Cameron Crowe does not fit into the picture.)

"Cartoon Noir" (First Run, VHS/$25, DVD/$30) - This anthology of six animated short films from around the world goes far beyond your conventional concept of cartoons. They delve into the darker side of society in stories that are decidedly adult.

"Abductees," for example, takes five real-life tales of people who believe they were abducted by aliens and incorporates their own drawings into the film.

"Joy Street" follows one woman from suicidal despair to personal renewal.

"42 Up" (First Run, documentary, VHS/rental) - Director Michael Apted has been following the same 14 diverse English citizens around since 1964 when he served as a researcher on the original film "7 Up." He returns every seven years to mark their progress.

"The Carol Burnett Show: The Collector`s Edition" (Columbia House, 1-800-638-2922) - Mail-order series: Each volume features two uncut episodes. The first volume contains what TV Guide has declared as the second-funniest skit in television history, titled "Went with the Wind." It also features one of the seminal skits that evolved into the spin-off show, "Mama`s Family." The first volume is priced $4.95. Each subsequent volume is $19.95.

DVD UPDATE:

Count your blessings: "White Christmas" is coming to DVD this week. Paramount is releasing the Irving Berlin classic priced just under $30. The disc includes 15 minutes of reflection from Rosemary Clooney on working with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and Irving Berlin in the making of this holiday treat. It also contains behind-the scenes photos and film footage. Two from director John Hughes: "She`s Having a Baby" and "Planes Trains and Automobiles" (Paramount, $30 each). Kevin Bacon stars in the former as a single guy struggling through the transition from singlehood to fatherhood, and all the stuff in between. In "PT&A" Steve Martin and John Candy are two businessmen in a mishap-filled quest to make it home to Chicago for Thanksgiving.

Still has bite at 25: "Jaws" (Universal, PG, $27) - The Steven Spielberg classic is available for the first time on DVD in full-screen format. This 25th anniversary disc also contains interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, deleted scenes and outtakes and theatrical trailers - more than 75 minutes of bonus material.

Great escapes: MGM debuts John Carpenter`s campy cult classic, "Escape From New York," priced under $20). Set far in the future, Kurt Russell is the outlaw hero who must drop into the maximum-security prison formerly known as Manhattan and rescue the president`s daughter.

COMING ATTRACTIONS:

Dec. 19: Paul Newman and Linda Fiorentino in "Where the Money Is."

Dec. 19: Jennifer Lopez in "The Cell."

Dec. 19: Woody Allen and Tracey Ullman in the comic`s funniest movie in years, "Small Time Crooks."

Jan. 2, 2000: Richard Gere and Winona Ryder in romantic heartbreaker "Autumn in New York."

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