At the start of Gladiator II, we name the 7 monumental films that paved the way for the action adventure

Monumental film - the term is rarely used these days because monumentality is always taken into account in relevant Hollywood blockbusters - even though a lot of it is now made on the computer. But these are without question the onesClassic of the monumental film, which should not be forgotten.

Now you have to say: The term monumental film is quite broad, and you can also include films likeLast SamuraidieThe Lord of the Rings-Movies count. However, we have placed our main focus primarily on the monumental film classics.

The classic monumental film actually no longer existed - until the exceptional directorSuddenly in the mid-noughtiesGladiatorbrought to the cinema. A masterpiece of a monumental film, after which nothing was the same again. Excellently staged, groundbreakingly told and with Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix in absolute top form - it's no wonder that this magnus opum won five of the coveted trophies at the 2001 Oscars. It tells the remarkable story of Maximus (Russell Crowe), a general of Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris), who was supposed to be his successor - until Aurelius suddenly dies, so that his son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) comes to power. He sentences Maximus to death because he fears him as a competitor, but Maximus is able to escape. After years he returns home and learns that Commodus had his family killed - and decides to take revenge.Available on Prime Video & Apple TV+ (both for a fee)

One of THE monumental films par excellence is William Wyler's classicBen Howfrom 1959, which is based on the novel of the same name by Lew Wallace. In it, Charlton Heston plays Prince Judah Ben-Hur, whose conflict with his former friend Messala (Stephen Boyd) has tragic consequences. The film cost $15 million at the time. An indie production already costs that much today, but back then this sum was unimaginably huge and powerfulBen HowAdjusted for inflation, it is still one of the most complex films of all time. But what can you say: the effort was worth it, after all it won eleven Oscars. Measured by thatBen Hownext toTitanicandThe Lord of the Rings – The Return of the Kingone of the most successful films of all time.Available on Sky

WithThe last emperorThe great Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci created an absolute masterpiece. In it he tells the crazy story of Emperor Puyi of China, who ascended the imperial throne when he was just 2 years old, but had to abdicate again just three years later - an absolutely crazy story. The film is also special because Bertolucci was allowed to film on location in the Forbidden City in Beijing - an honor that not many people get. The reward of it all: winning nine Oscars and four Golden Globes.The last emperoris an opulent cinematic masterpiece with a historical background that shows the audience the powerlessness of the individual in the waves of changing history. Wow!Available on Prime (paid)

In 1960, none other than Stanley Kubrick brought the story of Spartacus, the leader of the insurgents, to the cinemain the Third Slave War (73–71 BC) in ancient Rome, based on the novel of the same name by Howard Fast. The main actor was Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas, who also produced the monumental film. In addition to him, Peter Ustinov, Laurence Olivier and Tony Curtis were not only some of the biggest stars of the time in front of the camera, but also up to 10,000 extras, which led to production costs of 12 million US dollars. It managed to gross 14 million back then, making it one of the most successful films of the year. It's logical that the film also played a role at the Oscars and was able to take home four of the coveted trophies.Available on Sky

Another legendary monumental film is the one directed by David Lean in 1963Lawrence of Arabia. In it, British officer Thomas Edward Lawrence (Peter O'Toole) is sent to the Arabian Peninsula during World War I to defeat the Turks. To do this, he teams up with the Arabs, especially with Prince Feisal (Alec Guinness, which would certainly not have been possible today) and then decides to take the port city of Aqaba. When this coup succeeds, he becomes the admired local leader “El'awrence”, who from then on only wears Bedouin clothing. When he learned shortly afterwards that the British government had no intention of granting the Arabs their independence after the war, he decided to take Damascus together with the Arabs in order to prevent later British influence. An epochal masterpiece that won seven Oscars at the time.Available on Prime Video & Apple TV+ (both for a fee)

Have you never heard of, let alone seen, Joseph L. Mankiewicz? Really not? Then you probably don't know that this is the monumental film masterpieceCleopatradirected – which, by the way, came out the same year asLawrence of Arabia. Based on Carlo Maria Franzero's novel-like biographyCleopatraIt tells the story of the legendary and legendary Egyptian pharaoh Cleopatra VII - embodied by the great Elizabeth Taylor, who became one of THE Hollywood icons, not least thanks to this film. At the time, Taylor received a million dollars as a fee - which had never been paid to a film star before (because she also shared in the total revenue, she earned around seven million from the film). However, the production became incredibly expensive over the course of filming, the costs rose from the original two to 37 million dollars and almost led 20th Century Fox to ruin. Elizabeth Taylor and her future husband Richard Burton also met on the set, whose relationship was publicly followed like a hawk and was even a thorn in the side of the Pope.Available on Prime Video & Apple TV+ (both for a fee)

Another film that cost an incredible amount of money, namely $175 million. But no problem, becauseTroyended up grossing $497 million worldwide, although reviews at the time were lukewarm. He hasWolfgang Peter really gave everything to make this film happen. He even had the interior of Troy elaborately constructed from stone blocks, built a 150-meter-long city wall of Troy in Mexico and even had the Trojan horse recreated (14 meters high, 12 tons in weight). This effort alone deserves recognition. And also, Orlando Bloom, Eric Bana, Rose Byrne and Diane Kruger don't act as badly as they are sometimes made out to be. You can therefore watch the monumental-mythological war spectacle (again). It's worth it.Available on Sky