This screencap is from the scene where Commodus is talking to his father, trying to gain any kind of sympathy he can. Because of the lighting, we can only see half of his face, this also shows the darker side of him while he's plotting to kill Marcus. While we see him also completely level with the screen, so is the statue behind him, almost staring into his soul. We don't know exactly who the statue is, some might say it's Aristotle, because of the scene before this we do know how much he respects the person whoever it might be. And because of that, it builds this irony as we watch the thing he respects stare him down while he betrays the respect his father gave him. 
Thursday, October 28, 2021
Gladiator Screencap - Emma Sherwin
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I love this take, I didn’t even notice this! The statue also has a look of stern judgement, and has a beard much like his father’s. As such, it could possibly also be taken as his philosophical father looking on disapprovingly at Commodus’s temper tantrum and immorality, even when the real Marcus Aurelius is looking on pityingly outside the shot.
ReplyDeleteThe statue is supposed to represent Marcus Aurelius because it happens to look surprisingly similar to Richard Harris in that role. But it has been tentatively identified as Thrasymachus of Chalcedon, a Greek philosopher who taught in Athens at the same time as Socrates (late 5th century):
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Emma's interpretation of the lighting sounds spot-on. Commodus is literally in a dark place in this scene, just before the strangles his father. And yes, I also agree with Jayla that the "Marcus Aurelius" bust seems to look disapprovingly at Commodus.