the film, as part of Paramount's "Sapphire Series". Initial reviews of the Blu-ray Disc release criticized poor image quality, leading many to call for it to be remastered, as Sony did with The Fifth Element in 2007. A remastered version was later released in 2010. The DVD editions that have been released since the original two-disc version, include a film-only single-disc edition as well as a three-disc "extended edition" DVD which was released in August 2005. The extended edition DVD features approximately fifteen minutes of additional scenes, most of which appear in the previous release as deleted scenes. The original cut, which Scott still calls his director's cut, is also selectable via seamless branching (which is not included on the UK edition). The DVD is also notable for having a new commentary track featuring director Scott and star Crowe. The film is on the first disc, the second one has a three-hour documentary into the making of the film by DVD producer Charles de Lauzirika, and the third disc contains supplements. Discs one and two of the three-disc extended edition were also repackaged and sold as a two-disc "special edition" in the EU in 2005. The film was released on Ultra HD Blu-ray by Paramount Home Media Distribution on May 15, 2018. Thematic analysis Revenge A common theme found in Gladiator is that of revenge. Throughout the film, Maximus' character arc revolves around the theme of revenge toward Commodus for betraying him and arranging the deaths of his wife, his son, and the emperor. Writing in the chapter "Gladiator and Contemporary American Society" of her book Big Screen Rome, Monica S. Cyrino argues that Maximus' revenge arc is driven by the alienation of Roman politics. Cyrino opines that Maximus is introduced as being patriotic and one who "fights for an ideal Rome because, never having been to the city. he has remained undefiled by the reality that Rome is rightful conqueror and civilizing force over the world. Maximus is soon betrayed by Commodus and "when he finds his wife and son mur­dered, it marked the moment of his alienation from everything he once valued." The loss of his family and emperor mentally breaks Maximus, who initially refuses to fight with the other gladiators and eventually cuts out the legion tattoo on his arm. This further solidifies Maximus’ alienation from Rome. Cyrino, who noted that "Maximus' alienation from a degenerate Rome