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Oliver Reed: Scotts Gladiator
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Reed passed away prematurely, while filming Scott’s Gladiator in Malta. His role was completed by means of placing a CGI replica of Reed’s head onto a body double, comprised of various “jigsaw-like” pieces of filming that Reed had completed. Scott admits that it was his intention to provide Reed’s screen career with a fitting end by having had him utter the final line of the film. However, after much trial and error, Scott was forced to abandon the idea due to the lack of useable footage.
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Rounding out the international main cast are Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Derek Jacobi, Djimon Hounsou and Richard Harris. "Gladiator" was produced by Douglas Wick, David Franzoni and Branko Lustig, with Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald serving as executive producers. The screenplay was written by David Franzoni, John Logan and William Nicholson, from a story by Franzoni.
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One more thing to add about Oliver Reed in GLADIATOR, the man is in top form in the film. dying on camera performance. This is a man filled with life. Hungry for more, lusting for the bloody days of yore when the crowd cheered his name. a god in this film.
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A three-dimensional image of Reed's face was scanned into computers so it could smile and talk, then digitally grafted onto a body double. Reed died in Malta, where Gladiator was being filmed, on May 2, 1999, the result of a heart attack brought on by one last night of hard drinking, which included three bottles of downed rum and arm wrestling victories over five sailors.
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