The Emperor's Palace
Like the Roman Colosseum in Gladiator, the Palace of the Roman Emperor is both huge and menacing. The Palace appears to be constructed of marble, and other precious materials. It has long halls and numerous bed chambers. The camera angles, as the viewer is taken down long corridors, provide a feeling of immensity and sprawl. Like the Colosseum, this vast, colossal space also reflects the power and wealth of Rome. Its inhabitants, and in particular Commodus, provide the sense of menace. While other earlier films, such as Quo Vadis, attempted to show this great wealth and splendor, the overall effect still had the feel of a Hollywood set. The furniture looked too modern and the camera had to jump between scenes to try and show the many different rooms in the vast palace. By comparison, in Gladiator, the camera travels through the rooms, enhancing the feeling of a monumental expanse.
This shot shows statues in the background, that were made to appear as if they were solid marble, to convey a sense of wealth.
The exterior of the palace is similarly imposing. For example, we see Commodus on a grand marble balcony when he interrogates Lucilla for having betrayed him to Maximus. The city is in the background. While one might argue that we have seen sets similar to this in Quo Vadis, this elegant outdoor terrace feels and looks much more authentic, than similar scenes in Quo Vadis therefore making it an advancement. It is both a more luxurious, and more authentic, representation of Roman opulence than found in prior films.
