"Gladiator," directed by Ridley Scott, with costumes designed by Janty Yates, tells the story of Maximus (Russell Crowe), a Roman general. As the great emperor Marcus Aurelius lays dying, Maximus is betrayed and his family is murdered by emperor's corrupt son Commodus. Maximus escapes, and returns to Rome as a gladiator, ultimately facing Commodus himself in the arena. A film of the 1960s, "The Fall of the Roman Empire," was set against this same historical backdrop.
The film takes place in various corners of the Roman Empire, and in Rome itself. As the film begins we see Roman soldiers and their Germanic barbarian enemies. Subsequently we meet characters ranging from imperial princesses and Roman senators to slaves. The costuming, for which Janty Yates won an Oscar, identifies characters by their social station, from finery to rags, while reminding us of the Roman setting.
The costuming in "Gladiator" follows long-standing Hollywood conventions in the sword-and-sandals genre. Some costumes, such as the battle gear of Roman soldiers and the togas of Roman senators, appear historically accurate. What may be called background costuming -- e.g., of ordinary Romans in crowd scenes -- appears broadly correct for classical antiquity.
Other costuming, however, such as the form-fitting armor of women gladiators, is essentially fantasy. Likewise, the costumes of the glamorous princess Lucilla might be described as in a classical revival style -- conveying the impression of flowing drapery that connotes "classical" to the viewer, but actually designed along the lines of contemporary evening dress. This is very characteristic of women's costuming in the sword-and-sandals genre.
The costuming in "Gladiator" should not be regarded as providing an accurate overall image of Roman costume c. AD 180. However, it is effective in conveying the image of Rome in its fall: finery and rags, in a world far rem
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