Quick LinksRidley Scott Doesn't Care About Historical Accuracy Ridley Scott Has Framed a Negative Review of 'Blade Runner'
Ridley Scott, the legendary English director behind Alien, Gladiator, Blade Runner, The Martian, and so, so many more, really doesn't care what you think about his movies... and we can't help but love him for it. As we get older, it becomes easier to stop caring about the opinions of others. In the case of Ridley Scott, "others" refers to critics, historians, and disgruntled audiences. It's a grouchy persona that the likes of Brian Cox can pull off charmingly. Scott does the same, but get on the wrong side of him, and he'll definitely let you know.
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Across his long career as a director, Ridley Scott has understandably made some blunders. Be it a bad movie like Prometheus, or glaring historical inaccuracies in the likes of Gladiator -- or Gladiator II, which is already being torn to shreds by historians, and it hasn't even been released yet. However, the director has owned many of his mistakes and couldn't care less when others try to flaunt them.
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Release Date November 22, 2024 Director Ridley Scott Cast Paul Mescal , Pedro Pascal , Denzel Washington , Connie Nielsen , Joseph Quinn , Fred Hechinger , Derek Jacobi , May Calamawy , Peter Mensah , Matt Lucas , Alexander Karim , Tim McInnerny , Lee Charles , Chidi Ajufo , Alfie Tempest , Riana Duce , Chi Lewis Parry , Paul Candelent , Hadrian Howard , Alexander Simkin , Mikhail Basmadjian , Matthew Charlery-Smith , Maxime Durand , Lior Raz Main Genre Adventure Writers David Scarpa , Peter Craig , David Franzoni Expand
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Over the last decade, audiences have become obsessed with authenticity and historical accuracy in cinema. YouTube is filled with thousands upon thousands of hours of experts breaking down scenes from movies and TV shows, rating how accurate they are. When historians are brought onto these shows, Ridley Scott is often in the firing line. Gladiator was heavily criticized for its inaccuracies involving the weaponry, battle tactics, and its depiction of Emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). But because Gladiator is such a timeless hit, none of these detract from the movie.
But, when Scott released Napoleon in 2023, the mixed reviews added fuel to the fire when the historians came knocking. Despite labeling itself as a "biopic," Napoleon was littered with inaccuracies, including his coronation, the Battle of Waterloo, and the execution of Marie Antoinette. What did Ridley Scott have to say about it all? "Get a life," was his response when TV Historian Dan Snow pointed out the aforementioned historical flaws (via The New Yorker).
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In a separate interview with The Times, Ridley Scott expanded upon his loathing for historical perfection in cinema. The director raised his most prominent point when dealing with historians. He said, "When I have issues with historians, I ask: 'Excuse me, mate, were you there? No? Well, shut the f*ck up then.'" The historian community had a field day with his comments, while movie fans defended his point, arguing that cinema is about emotion and entertainment, while documentaries deal with facts.
Ridley Scott Has Framed a Negative Review of 'Blade Runner' Close ✕ Remove Ads
It's not just historians who get the Ridley Scott treatment, as the lauded director couldn't care less about the opinions of critics. The dynamic between film critics and filmmakers has always been shaky and complex. On the one hand, both exist within the same industry and pursue their careers out of a love of movies. However, several filmmakers have criticized the notion of criticism (how the tables have turned), arguing that critics don't add anything to the movie-going experience but dissect and destroy the entertainment factor.
Ridley Scott's opinions on critics aren't as extreme as that, but the director has spent the last 30 years ignoring their opinions. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Scott said he stopped caring after reading Pauline Kael's New Yorker review of Blade Runner, in which she famously lambasted the sci-fi hit. "It was four pages of destruction. I never met her. I was so offended," he said. In response to the review, Scott framed the pages and turned it into a surprisingly poignant life lesson. He continued:
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"I framed those pages and they've been in my office for 30 years to remind me there's only one critic that counts and that's you."
Ridley Scott makes his internal criticism known to the public. Speaking to Deadline recently, Scott criticized the divisive Alien prequel, Prometheus, which he directed. Scott knows the prequel is far from the stellar entry in the franchise he once aimed for. "We were asleep at the wheel," Scott said. The director put some of the blame on his own shoulders. However, in true Ridley Scott fashion, he distanced himself from many of the movie's flaws. "I partly blame myself, except I was busy making other films. And so it was let go and it shouldn't have been," he justified.
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While Scott will occasionally criticize his past works, he has no problem laying praise on his own filmography. While promoting the upcoming Gladiator II, Scott couldn't help but pat himself on the back. Of course, any director should be proud of their latest movie, but Ridley Scott took the opportunity to praise many of his past works. "It's the best thing I've ever made," he said of Gladiator II. The director continued, saying he should know because he's "made a few good 'uns." Never change, Ridley Scott. Gladiator II releases in theaters on November 22, 2024.
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