This might be kind-of a cheat, since Tony Scott directed several blockbusters, and a few others which have developed rabid cult followings. Still, he never received the accolades of his older brother, Ridley. Nearly all of his movies are hyper-kinetic and insanely-edited, applying visual gimmicks even where they arent necessarily warranted. He had a knack for turning a conversation between two characters into a full-blown action sequence, much to the consternation of film critics and movie snobs. But like him or not, Scott had a style all his own, and he obviously paved the way for the likes of Michael Bay. In fact, long-before everyone condemned Bay as the poster boy for the dumbing-down of American cinema, they were dishing the same dung about Tony Scott, beginning with Top Gun in 1986. Sure, most were testosterone-driven, amped-up epics, but he also managed to direct some great stuff, such as Crimson Tide, Domino, True Romance, Déjà Vu, Man on Fire and Unstoppable. Those movies are still loaded with Scotts usual cinematic fireworks, but theyre also fiercely character-driven (something Michael Bay forgot when copying all Scotts moves). Ridley Scott may get all the praise, but Tony left his own indelible mark on modern cinema as well. It's time more people acknowledge it. RIP.
D.M. Anderson works and lives in Portland Oregon. He is the author of two young adult novels (Killer Cows & Shaken) and a collection of dark tales (With the Wicked). He has also published several short stories which have appeared (or will appear) in various anthologies and magazines such as 69 Flavors of Paranoia, Night Terrors, Trembles, Encounters, Implosion, Strange Fucking Stories, Perpetual Motion Machine. He documents his adventures in the dark on on his movie site, Free Kittens Movie Guide
