Let’s be honest, Ridley Scott is one of the most prolific directors of our generation, and the man has earned the right to have his own opinion about any number of subjects in Hollywood. He has tackled any number of genres and managed to create some of the most memorable movies of those genres, and aside from a few films that did not pan out so well (there is no such thing as a perfect director), the man’s reputation is a pretty well deserved. Which just makes it all the more depressing the hear him speak ill of the future of cinema, claiming right now “cinema mainly is pretty bad” and that he is “concerned” for its future, finishing the statement by saying “I want to keep doing cinema and I hope it doesn’t affect those of us who still keep making smart films. I’m hoping it doesn’t affect me.”
The interview in which he speaks of this room in doom is during a recent chat with Digital Spy, in which Scott also had the following to say about the times he had been asked by studios to make a superhero film:
“[I’ve been asked] several times, but I can’t believe in the thin, gossamer tight-rope of the non-reality of the situation of the superhero. I’ve done that kind of movie – Blade Runner really is a comic strip when you think about it, it’s a dark story told in an unreal world. You could almost put Batman or Superman in that world, that atmosphere, except I’d have a f**king good story, as opposed to no story!”
Now do not get me wrong, I love the big Hollywood blockbusters nowadays when they are done well, especially a good superhero flick, but I do see his point, as too many of them are rushed out the door, lacking any plot, and simply put out there because studio execs know audiences will flock to theaters to see their favorite characters up on the big screen regardless of the quality of the film. That’s why ‘Batman V Superman’ and ‘Suicide Squad’ did so well at the box-office despite the fact that they were atrocious films.
I just hope Ridley Scott is not lumping in quality super-hero flicks like ‘Winter Solider,’ Guardians of the Galaxy’ or even ‘Deadpool,’ as those at least were trying something different with the genre and pushing the boundaries a little. Feel free to share your own thoughts on the matter in the comments below!
Nick is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles, who belongs to the privileged few who enjoyed the ending to ‘Lost.’ For more of Nick’s thoughts and articles, follow him on Twitter.
