The initial wide shot helps set the scene and brings in comparisons of class by showing the well equipped guards against the gladiators who are wearing rags and this shows the lower class situation, which is obviously not good. One of the first few shots is a shot through the cage which is also reflected later in the scene through the net when the fighting takes place, this represents how the lower classes are stuck and caged into this lower part of society and want to but cannot break out of it. The point of view shot when the two main characters are in the box and the other two are fighting shows their lack in status and class as that is what they are destined for. The most prominent sign of the differences of class and status between the gladiators and the onlookers is when we have an over the shoulder shot from the onlookers which exaggerates their higher power and status in comparison to the low gladiators who casually watch whilst chatting in comparison to the brutal events taking place below this shows the gladiators to be the prorgaonists and the upper class to be the antagonists in this situation. The low angled wide shot we see numerous times throughout strongly represents the variations in class and status between all characters as the gladiators are lowest, the guards are middle and the upper class very much the highest.
The most effective editing in this scene is when the black character has the most of the screen showing his superiority but we still see the upper class in the background although not the focus they are still prominent and signifying his lack in class. The cuts from the box with the gladiators in to the upper class who are casually chatting shows a strong contrast in class the cutting speed slows down in the box which helps exaggerate the emotions of the lower class and then in the actual fighting scene the cutting speed increases with the tension.
The first we see of the characters is immediately added to with the sound of drums and low trombones that almost sounds like a funeral march which makes the audience aware that there is danger ahead and implies that the characters walking are the ones in trouble of danger and so lower class, the men are then ordered into a box like animals showing their lack of status which is juxtaposed with diagetic sound. The contrasts of the gladiators not speaking at all, the guards barking orders and the upper class speaking freely about things other than the fighting that is about to take place shows the differences in status as the gladiators are clearly so affected by what is about to take place and the upper class see this as nothing worth speaking about which is also represented as they are laughing when leading up to the fight as these people are fighting for their death and they show little recognition for this. The diagetic sound of the battle going on outside the box adds tension whilst also reminding us of their lack in class as this is what they are going to be doing also. The polite applause of the upper class juxtaposed with the climax of music contrasts the significance of the death to the lower class and the simple entertainment to the upper class. When the two main characters are fighting we hear frantic strings that shows the frantic terror of the fighters.
The dull and muted colour scheme that is present from the first shot shows the low class of the characters and the rags in comparison to the full outfits of the guards again suggest the low class of the gladiators and vulnerability. The higher class members are dressed in rich reds and purples which are usually associated with rich and royal people, this could be connected with Levi Strauss' Binary Opposites. The lower class characters being in the dark and the other higher class guards and upper class being in the light shows literally that the lower are in the dark of society. The lack of clothing when the gladiators remove their rags signifies their vulnerability although they are muscley they are very much being exploited to the onlookers of the higher class. The mise en scene of the upper class playing with their hair as they look down onto the lower class who are playing with life and death shows the contast in status. The black character although wearing little, is wearing white which symbolises purity and could possibly be linked to the fact he doesnt kill the other man, it is also possible the size of weapons represents phallic symbollism and a signification of lower class. The final part of the scene shows blood squirting onto the upper class which represents and increases our dislike for them.
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