On Episode Two of the OTB Culture Club, brought to you by NOW TV, hugely talented singer Dermot Kennedy joined us to discuss his love for Gladiator.
Kennedy's voice is unmistakeable, and the 28-year-old's 2019 single 'Outnumbered' well and truly put him on the global map.
But what you not know about him is he's a bit of a film fan, and it's fair to say from his chat on OTB AM this morning with Ger and Eoin that he quite enjoys Ridley Scott's 2000 hit Gladiator.
"I watched Gladiator again recently and it's been my favourite movie forever. So when I was asked about it it was a gimme, my answer is always Gladiator.
"Although I watched it recently, and [for] some of the fight scenes I was like 'oh dear!' It looked old... but it's always been my favourite movie.
"It's Ridley Scott and he did Man on Fire too. Gladiator and Man on Fire to me are kind of similar in that something happens at the beginning and it's this guy's quest for justice and revenge.
"I think it's a really powerful thing to think... obviously he's betrayed by Commodus, and his wife and son are killed. That happens early on and then the movie is his quest to get revenge. I just think it's the coolest movie ever.
"It's set in Italy, and when they go to Rome... I think when you're in Rome you can almost feel like what it would have been like. The Pantheon is still there, the Colloseum is still there, you can almost imagine what it would have been like back then, just in terms of landscape and how epic it must have been.
"I love how it's treated with so much reverence. When they have had a few fights and eventually you get to go to Rome."
Dermot also tells us one famous line from Oliver Reed's character Proximo stuck with him - "We mortals are but shadows and dust. Shadows and dust Maximus!"
That dialogue ultimately led to a band name for Dermot before his solo career took off.
"And Proximo... I was in a band called 'Shadows and Dust' for four years, that's actually pretty relevant, I didn't even think of that! And that's where that came from.
"The way they go to Rome and it's this incredible... pinnacle of their lives. I think it's crazy."
Rome. A city of untold beauty and history. The home of so many myths and legends that have inspired songwriters for centuries. A perfect afternoon spent sitting sitting in the orange garden on the Aventine Hill was the inspiration for this song. Being able to look down at Rome... https://t.co/As7i54nOzU
— Dermot Kennedy (@DermotKennedy) March 25, 2020
Russell Crowe starred in many movied both before and since Gladiator in 2000, but Kennedy says it's an interesting thing that his career highlight in many people's eyes is now twenty years ago.
"It's in every artform. There's probably people who say Kendrick's thing is is 'To Pimp a Butterfly' and who knows, he'll probably have a bunch of classic albums.
"I'd say a lot of people might say that's his moment, and as actors you're pushing for that same thing. Joaquin Phoenix, his thing could be Joker and it could forever be his master work, I feel like that's probably [Gladiator] the one for Russell Crowe."
The music in the movie is quite extraordinary also, and for that reason alone you could argue worthy if a place in our OTB Culture Club.
"Hans Zimmer's [music] has been in everything. There must be times when he's in the studio and he's like 'how do I do this again?'
"Beautiful music, and that main sort of motif that comes back throughout Gladiator is how he always thinks of home, that's beautiful."
Dermot also spoke to us about his love of football, and how playing in the Leinster Senior League over the years gave him a focus and routine.
"It became something that was so important to me, just as part of my life and my week. Especially as music got busier, you put everything into music, you're constantly thinking about it and there's so much emotion involved.
"Football was this release when I needed it, it was this lovely sort of routine and it was very important in my life."
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