That Gladiator II rampaging rhino and barmy baboons….

As a film critic with a penchant for blockbusters and a soft spot for sequels that deliver, I must say that Gladiator II has left me thoroughly impressed. The combination of practical sets, visual effects, and good old-fashioned storytelling is a winning formula in my book.

Neil Corbould, a Special Effects Supervisor at Industrial Light & Magic who won an Oscar for “Gladiator,” has a rich history with director Ridley Scott. As they typically do when starting a new project, they brainstormed ways to explore the boundaries of cinema even more. The film’s most breathtaking action sequences featuring a raging rhino and mischievous monkeys were created using a mix of practical sets and enhanced by special and visual effects.

One scene they had been unable to realize in the past finally came to life, Corbould says. A huge, heavily armed gladiator mounted on a rhinoceros does battle with a group of men. “We learned a lot from the showmen of the ancient arena as we researched the first movie,” says producer Douglas Wick. “As we contemplated a sequel, we reached back 2000 years for guidance on how to top ourselves. They had great answers. Enter the rhino.”

In 2000, Scott had the idea to create a scene featuring a man against a rhino, but the risk level was too high with a real rhino, and CGI technology was too costly at that time. Despite never being filmed, the CGI test for this sequence made it onto the DVD release of Gladiator, earning a legendary status among fans of the movie.

According to Corbould, he uncovered some ancient sketches of the rhino battle scene. When he met up with Ridley to discuss the movie, he mentioned, “I’ve got something I’d like to share,” and produced them. To which Ridley replied, “Let’s make it happen this time.

Collaboration between Corbould and Prosthetics Designer Conor O’Sullivan led to the construction of an overly large mechanical rhinoceros. According to Corbould, “We crafted a mechanical rhino that could move its head, raise its nose in the air, and control its eyes and ears.” This creation was later improved with visual effects, allowing them to navigate the Colosseum as if it were a go-kart!

According to Scott, an artificial skin made from thick plastic and cut by an AI machine was used to create a lifelike replica of a rhino, complete with all its wrinkles. This synthetic skin was then placed over the frame, transforming it into the shape of the rhino. Scott later added the legs to the model. Although the process was challenging, he said, “it turned out great.

Scott urged the sound crew to create a genuinely fearsome and realistic sound for the rhino, noting its diverse range of noises which include grunting, growling, mooing, panting, squealing, screaming, and trumpeting. During that particular battle scene, he wanted all these sounds played at high volume so the actors could truly sense the might of the rhino.

Not only did the sound team give a voice to the rhino, but they also added vocalizations for various other animals such as baboons, elephants, camels, and bison. Collinge explains that they modified real animal sounds to emphasize their aggression and dominance. For the baboons, they blended chimpanzee calls with the cries of other creatures to produce a distinct and highly intimidating sound.

Instead of rampaging rhinos and unruly baboons, it was these particular animals that the director envisioned as the real-life gladiators in the movie “Gladiator II.” The film showcases an intense confrontation between men and baboons, one of its most memorable scenes. According to Wick, many of the images in the movie originated from Ridley’s mind. In a meeting discussing story problems, Ridley would often come up with creative solutions. He thinks in visual terms. They were trying to find a way to depict Lucius’ anger as his superpower in the arena. One sketch by Ridley showed Lucius engaged in a fierce battle with a baboon. In this scene, Lucius terrifies the beast by biting deeply into its arm and spitting out the hairy flesh. As a result, a new leader emerges in the fight.

Scott came up with the idea based on a video of a real-life baboon attack on tourists in a parking lot in South Africa. “It was absolute chaos,” Scott remembers. “Baboons are carnivores. They will attack people and they’re about 40 pounds of solid muscle. They can rip a person’s arm off.”

The director instructed the stunt supervisor, Nikki Berwick, to find actors of short stature, not exceeding 5 feet 5 inches tall. He planned for them to dress in black and apply mask makeup to resemble baboons, as he intended to depict a group of 12 hungry baboons and a band of new Roman residents in the arena, with the surviving men being trained as gladiators.

Since baboons move on all fours, Berwick, the film’s Stunt Coordinator, provided each actor with adjustable crutches to mimic a baboon’s walk. She enjoys collaborating with the director, who clearly communicates his expectations for the stunts. “Ridley knows exactly what he wants in action scenes,” says Berwick. “I appreciate that he actively participates in the planning of the action.

In this scenario, he obtained precisely what he aimed for. As Scott recounts, “We found ourselves in a fierce conflict between humans and apes,” he says. “Later, we turned the stunt performers into lifelike baboons using CGI. The chief baboon was modeled after one of the real baboons from the video. He had alopecia, no hair. It was clear how muscular they truly were. I exclaimed, ‘That’s my hero baboon.’

…….and that’s how Gladiator II got its rampaging rhino and barmy baboons!

2024-11-15 03:24

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