This still is either from when Caesar first comes to Egypt, or from when Antony returns from Greece. Either way, this picture gives off the vibe that Cleopatra is superior to whoever is below her. It's a very regal shot, and she looks powerful here. This shot is a close-up, but also between a low angle and an eye-level shot. The sun or light coming off of her crown give the impression of maybe like the divinity of her, like the light of the gods is shining down on her. She looks a little bit disdainful, which would make a lot of sense in the context of the scene, whether it is Caesar coming in like he owns the place, or Antony coming back after marrying the sister of his enemy.
Your reading captures the basic importance of the scene, the close-up shot, the lighting and the angle. I can't blame you for not quite knowing which of the two scenes it is that show Cleopatra in full regalia (holding crook and flail and wearing a red headdress that may be inspired by the red crown of Lower Egypt). The brilliant, golden lighting of this scene, however, is almost a give-away that it must be the scene with Caesar.
ReplyDeleteThe scene where Antony returns to Egypt in order to ask Cleopatra for her support / Egyptian wheat even though he has just made peace with Octavian and married his sister, Octavia, is much darker, and Cleopatra wears a cold, blue vest decorated with five-pointed silver stars:
http://movie-screencaps.com/cleopatra-1963/106/
This scene is much lighter because the event is a happy one. Cleopatra presides in her throne room while Caesar acknowledges her as the sole ruler of Egypt and, in the course of the event, even bends down on one knee before her, supported by a pillow.
I don't know whether I would call her facial expression disdainful, though. The scene is accompanied by meditative, religious Egyptian music, befitting a ceremony of this importance, and she seems very calm and introspective, preparing herself for the high point of the ceremony, Caesar's / Rome's acknowledgment of her sole rule.