Ridley Scott has never been one to mince words during interviews and press engagements, and as he’s aged, his candor and frankness have only intensified. The year 2017 marked a significant milestone in Ridley Scott’s career, with the release of Alien: Covenant, the challenging production of All the Money in the World, and the highly-anticipated sequel to his 1982 sci-fi masterpiece, Blade Runner.
Scott’s reputation for remarkable speed in filmmaking reached an extraordinary zenith during the production of All the Money in the World. In just nine days, he orchestrated substantial reshoots with Christopher Plummer.
Ridley Scott Isn’t A Fan Of Long Films
During a 2017 conversation with Vulture, Ridley Scott raised his perplexity regarding the extended timelines often associated with filmmaking by others, firmly asserting that such prolonged durations were unnecessary. He highlighted his own approach, proudly sharing that he undertakes two film projects annually to maintain efficiency. An illustrative example was provided in the form of Alien: Covenant, a highly intricate production that was successfully completed within 73 days, a stark contrast to the conventional 130-day timeframe.
“They shouldn’t [take that long], that’s why I do two a year. We did Alien: Covenant, which is a very complicated film, in 73 days. That would normally be 130 days. What the fuck are you doing, you know?”
Remarkably, even at the age of 85, Scott managed to direct both The Last Duel and House of Gucci in 2021, with Napoleon and Gladiator 2 scheduled for release in close succession. It’s quite an impressive achievement for someone of his age. When discussing Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049, a film that received critical acclaim but fell short in terms of financial success, Scott remarked.
“I have to be careful what I say. I have to be careful what I say. It was f*cking way too long. F*ck me!”
He then asserts that he effectively crafted the screenplay for it, as Scott no longer feels compelled to filter his remarks in interviews, and this unfiltered honesty is truly remarkable.
Ridley Scott Had A Disagreement Over Blade Runner
Within the film’s narrative, Harrison Ford’s character, Rick Deckard, is tasked with tracking down replicants, or synthetic humans. Yet, in Scott’s interpretation of the story, the line blurs, and the hunter becomes one of the hunted – suggesting that Rick himself is a replicant. Conversely, Ford vehemently opposed this concept, as he firmly envisioned his character as a human.
Right before the premiere of Blade Runner 2049, Villeneuve informed CinemaBlend that the ongoing dispute between them regarding the human versus replicant debate was very much alive.
“Harrison and Ridley are still arguing about that. If you put them in the same room, they don’t agree. And they start to talk very loud when they do. it’s very funny…So I decided that the movie…Deckard in the movie, is unsure, as we are, of what his identity is. Because I love that. I love mystery.”
Where do your convictions lie in this debate? Are you, like Scott, inclined to believe that Rick was a replicant, or do you align with Ford’s perspective, seeing Rick as unequivocally human?
Blade Runner 2049 is available for streaming on Netflix.
Source: The Digital Flix
