There aren’t many filmmakers who have more than five decades of masterpieces to their credit, but… Ridley Scott belongs to that elite group. Ever since 1977 The duelists, Scott has continued to push the boundaries of cinema, venturing into almost every genre imaginable. His influence on science fiction is now almost taken for granted, but Scott’s work brings Alien And Blade Runner life-influenced generations of future storytellers. There is no one who makes historical epics quite like Scott, as evidenced by such masterpieces Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, Black Hawk Down, And The last duel. Scott has even shown a sense of humor with his outrageously dark comedies Match stick men And Thelma & Louise. How many directors can simultaneously entertain, captivate, terrify and educate their audiences like Scott?
While there are many filmmakers who originated during the “New Hollywood” era of cinema who are still working today, many of them have lost their relevance within mainstream film culture for quite some time. Brian De Palma or Dario Argento’s new movies don’t get as much buzz or attention as their past projects, and some movie fans may not even know they’re still working in the industry. However, Scott’s influence has not diminished in the slightest throughout his extensive career. He seems to be more active than ever before; he is currently working on the long awaited Napoleon biopic starring Joaquin Phoenix and the highly anticipated sequel to Gladiator. Even if his resume earned him a place among the all-time greats, Scott’s recent output proves he’s still the most exciting director working today.
The scale and ambition of productions
The modern cinematic ecosystem has made it difficult for original projects to come about. With so much focus on franchises and pre-existing properties, filmmakers looking to rack up a huge budget for something different often face roadblocks. However, Scott seemingly never succeeded in making production cheaper. Shortly after movie theaters around the world reopened in the wake of COVID-19 shutdowns, Scott released the two massive historical epics The last duel And House of Gucci within a month of each other.
The last duel was a period-accurate psychological thriller that showed the extent of the beauty of medieval France, and House of Gucci featured stunning recreations of some of the most wild and lavish fashion trends in history. Even for those not involved in the stories, Scott’s films were worth watching because of the incredible work of the production designers and set designers he employed.
Even Scott’s more divisive work will generally at least spark conversation. Many viewers were divided on his 2013 crime thriller the counselor, with a surreal, existentialist screenplay by author Cormac McCarthy. However, the film still has its defenders, including director Guillermo del Toro. He tweeted that it was “a meditation on the illusory nature of normality and the coming devastation.”
The incredible casts
Scott rarely hires anyone but the best talent. It’s not hard to see why, as many actors have received Oscar nominations for their performances in his work, including Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix (Gladiator), Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis (Thelma & Louise), Ruby Dee (American gangster), Christopher Plummer (All the money in the world), and Matt Damon (The Martian). It’s also been interesting to see how his relationship with certain stars has evolved over the years; Crowe has been given the chance to shine as heroes Robin Hoodbut he has also played more comedic roles, such as A good year.
Scott often shows actors a different side of their personality. Jared Leto’s ridiculous performance as Paolo Gucci in House of Gucci is unwieldy, but Scott showed his confidence by allowing Leto to commit to the absurdity. He even awarded Nicolas Cage one of the best roles of his career Match stick men during a period when his filmography was in critical decline. After production of The last duel, said Jodie Comer that she was impressed with Scott’s “attention to detail, whether it’s the characters in the story or the locations and set design.”
It can be challenging for actors to continue playing characters across multiple franchise installments, but Scott is improving his cast in his sequels. Michael Fassbender’s dynamic role as the android David in Prometheus got even more screen time in the sequel Alien: Covenant. Even if Anthony Hopkins had already embodied the role of Hannibal Lector in that of Jonathan Demme Silence of the lambsScott had him become an even more unleashed villain in its 2001 sequel Hannibal.
Its consistent quality level
Any filmmaker who has been in the industry as long as Scott has been bound to have the occasional dud, but Scott has remarkably few outright failures. His recent record is incredibly strong. The Martian received a Best Picture nomination and has become a modern classic among sci-fi fans, and The last duel received praise for its thoughtful analysis of gender roles in the Middle Ages. All the money in the world managed to be the definitive portrayal of the Getty scandal, even though it was the FX miniseries To trust broadcast shortly afterwards and covered the same events.
Scott’s films are often brazen in their fearless approach to current hot-button issues, even though other filmmakers could become overwhelmed at the prospect of participating in such divisive debates. His 2008 thriller Full of lies scrutinized surveillance, international terrorism, and the US military; similarly, 2007’s American gangster may have taken place in the Vietnam War, but Scott was able to thematically connect historical racism to current events.
Scott’s more divisive work has often stood the test of time, eventually winning over his detractors. Although not every Alien fan was impressed with Prometheus And Alien: Covenant, the two films serve as fascinating prequels at a time when franchise films are often terrified of taking risks. Likewise, those who were impressed with the initial release of Kingdom of heaven was perhaps more impressed with Scott’s vastly superior director’s cut.