Before Prometheus: 6 Essential Ridley Scott Films
Six films to help you understand and appreciate Ridley Scott...
Most of you will know this, but dont-call-me-Sir Ridley Scott is returning to the career-making universe of Alien this week with the worldwide release of Prometheus (our review HERE and heavy, spoilerific analysis HERE). It feels fitting at this point to have a retrospective on the cigar chomping auteur. In a legacy that spans 35 years, 20 directorial feature films and countless production credits, Scott has demonstrated a raw and animalistic fervor for filmmaking: and he shows no signs of slowing down! Growing up, kids around me always had a favorite football player, or Power Ranger, or superhero, or (in the more tragic case) Eastenders character. I on the other hand, had favorite directors. Whilst my friends would talk of Eric Cantona and Tommy Oliver (the white Power Ranger), Id gush about Spielberg, Hitchcock, and more notably, Ridley Scott. To answer your two questions: Yes, I was a very peculiar and often ostracized child. And yes, I was also the go to guy for film suggestions at sleepovers Scream with a chaser of The Shining or Carrie was an often-popular recommendation. Years before Gladiator became my favorite film of 2000 to 2005, id developed a deep respect and love for Ridley Scott. I first saw the masters hand, when I accidentally sat to watch Blade Runner on television. Switching on the channel I saw The Ladd Company logo, and had come to associate this with Police Academy, so I stayed and watched. But instead of being met by Robert Folks brassy upbeat theme tune, I heard the dirty synthetic electronica of Vangelis soundtrack. I found the dusty neo-noir aesthetic of a future L.A to be utterly engrossing. One month later, I outsmarted a young and tired babysitter and stayed up late watching T.V. Suddenly something mesmerizing came onto my screen. I sat in awe as a terrifying sci-fi film washed over me. I will never forget that moment when I witnessed the pure terror of the Nostromo crew as a small anemic creature burst from John Hurts chest. I had just discovered Alien. When I saw the directors name, I recognized it from Blade Runner. This guy, this Ridley Scott, was a legend in my eyesand even more so after seeing his other film, Legend. But anyway, this isnt about me, this is about the man of the moment. What follows are 6 films which I consider to be landmarks in Scotts career. For better or worse, these 6 celluloid outings work together as a collective to provide a complete representation of a cinematic icon.