Soundtrack Review: Gladiator (2000)
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This is a review of the motion picture score for Gladiator by Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard.
Label: Decca U.S.
Release Date: April 25 2000
Price: $9.97
I know this may shatter my image of objectivity, but I have to say it: Gladiator was my first film score. I loved it when I first heard it, and I still love it today, but for different reasons. In my youth it was as “awesome action experience”, but now I appreciate the emotional affect this score produces in me. Zimmer’s main theme for Maximus is one of his best, a often-meditative, rising and falling motif that crafts a real sense of honor in its mostly restrained performances. Often we hear Zimmer’s main themes pounded away with bass-heavy grandeur, but outside of the triumphant statement in the action highlight “The Battle of Carthage” the most memorable statements are the most subdued, like the noble horn statement in “Honor Him”. No doubt the vocal work deserves just as much credit; Lisa Gerrard’s tones are a perfect fit, both in the drifting “Secrets” and the New age, ethereal climactic finale cues of “Elysium”, “Honor Him”, and “Now We Are Free”.
That’s not to say the action isn’t worth listening to though. The aforementioned cue as well as “The German Battlefront” may lack sonic depth but make up for that with relentless energy. They’re Zimmer at his brawny, brassy best, among his finest action works for the decade, along with the building, frantic nature of the guitar-dominated first half of “The Might of Rome”. Other highlights remain. The second half of “The Might of Rome” builds to a glorious choral climax, while the bass choir (inevitable, but well-applied here) for Commodus achieves a rapturous menace to close “Am I Not Merciful?” Best of all, Gladiator is enormously accessible; a first-time listener can pull just as much out of it as a long-time collector. While the dialogue-filled “More Music From Gladiator” may boast a few enjoyable new moments (ignore the misleading 3CD “bootlegs”), the commercial album is perfectly organized and well-rounded, a rarity for a Zimmer album. Probably Zimmer’s best since Crimson Tide, and maybe his best overall.
Original Album (61:38)
1. Progeny (2:13)
2. The Wheat (1:03)
3. The Battle (10:02)
4. Earth (3:01)
5. Sorrow (1:26)
6. To Zucchabar (3:16)
7. Patricide (4:08)
8. The Emporer is Dead (1:21)
9. The Might of Rome (5:18)
10. Strength and Honor (2:09)
11. Reunion (1:14)
12. Slaves to Rome (1:00)
13. Barbarian Horde (10:33)
14. Am I Not Merciful? (6:33)
15. Elysium (2:41)
16. Honor Him (1:19)
17. Now We Are Free (4:14)
More Music From Gladiator (55:56)
1. Duduk of the North (5:35)
2. Now We Are Free (Juba’s Mix) (4:39)
3. The Protector of Rome (1:28)
4. Homecoming (3:38)
5. The General Who Became a Slave (3:05)
6. The Slave Who Became a Gladiator (6:14)
7. Secrets (2:01)
8. Rome is the Light (2:46)
9. All That Remains (0:57)
10. Maximus (1:11)
11. Marrakesh Marketplace (0:44)
12. The Gladiator Waltz (8:27)
13. Figurines (1:03)
14. The Mob (2:24)
15. Busy Little Bee (3:50)
16. Death Smiles at Us All (2:32)
17. Not Yet (1:33)
18. Now We Are Free (Maximus Mix) (3:49)
Listen to Gladiator by Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard below:
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(7 votes, average: 9.00 out of 10)
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Hi James, glad you found it and liked it. Please find your way back again and if you have any suggestions and ideas on how to improve my blog, please let me know 
Not a Zimmer fan, but I love Broken Arrow (my first score), The Rock and of course this, his masterpiece. Nostalgia weighs heavy on all of these, but back then I knew immediately that these were something special and my opinion on that fact has never wavered (though Broken Arrow is very much a product of its time). This review is a testament to and a brilliant reminder of a score that will echo in eternity. One of “the” modern scores.
I just discovered your website and am really excited about it – I am one of very few people I know who love movies scores/soundtracks. I am a dancer, and what moves me to dance is music – I have discovered that there is almost nothing more that moves me than scores. I laughed when I read that Gladiator was your first movie score, becuase it was mine too; Gladiator is what started my love affair, the reason I know pay 50% of my attention to the music when watching a film for the first time. Gladiator is still one of my favorites, as well as The Holiday – I obviously have a thing for Hans Zimmer. My other favoties are Chronicles of Narnia and Pride & Prejudice. Anyway, back to Gladiator: when I worked at Starbucks they had a mixed CD that included “Now We Are Free” which is my favorite. I freaked out when I first heard it, unable to believe my ears! Almost everytime after that, whenever I heard it I would start to do some silly dances, and the customers would stare…it was hilarious. Anyway, I haven’t looked at all the soundtracks you’ve reviewed, so this question may become moot, but what is your opinion of Twilight? Carter Burwell did Conspiracy Theory as well, which I enjoy, but I thought Twilight left a little to be desired…
Jon Blough Reply:
April 21st, 2009 at 2:15 am
To be perfectly honest I didn’t bother listening to Twilight because I heard from multiple reliable sources that it was fairly…erm…average.
Of course, you could read Jorn’s review.
http://soundtrackgeek.com/2008/12/23/review-twilight-2008/
Jon Blough Reply:
April 21st, 2009 at 4:51 am
Also, I can second your “one of the few film score nuts I know” feeling, except I’m the only one. Not really a lonely number when the music’s so damn good.
If you’re a dancer, do you pick up on score usage, at, say, the Olympics. I remember last year End Creditouilles was used during a Chinese gymnast’s routine.
On another humorous side note, I also caught Cutthroat Island followed by Iron Man on the speakers during the track events last year. Actually, come to think of it, the quick athlete profile docs/interviews NBC does also makes good use of film scores on a regular basis, with Gladiator scoring the look at Pyrros Dimas (yes, I had to look the name up) after he won the gold being the most memorable. That one even got my dad raving, then again, at that time Gladiator did play a lot and was fairly easy to recognize.
I think I just had a case of the rambling. NBD
fine i have to admit i am a fanatic. my love affair with music started when i was at my friends house.he had a new wii game called, guess what “pirates of the caribbean”. the main theme stuck in my mind and wouldnt getout so i went online. i am a fan of epic scores gladiator transformers narnia pirates of the caribbean and eragon (bad film but good music)hans zimmer has something right
silver
Soundtrack Seek
Hi, I found your blog on this new directory of WordPress Blogs at blackhatbootcamp.com/listofwordpressblogs. I dont know how your blog came up, must have been a typo, i duno. Anyways, I just clicked it and here I am. Your blog looks good. Have a nice day. James.
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