Ridley Scott

Ridley Scott the master of science fiction horror cinema

Ridley Scott is an English filmmaker (film director and producer). Ridley Scott’s film are considered among the best not only in horror genre but also in science fiction, and historical genre. He is known to audience for film masterpieces like Alien (1979), Blade Runner (1982), Thelma and Louise (1991), Gladiator (2000), Black Hawk Down (2001), Matchstick Men (2003), Kingdom of Heaven (2005), American Gangster (2007), Robin Hood (2010) and Prometheus (2012).   

Ridley Scott was knightend, from Queen Elizabeth II on 8 July of 2003, he has been also nominated for three Academy Awards and two Golden Globe and two BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television).   

Early Life of Ridley Scott

Ridley Scott was born  in Northeastern England in the coastal town of South Shields on 30 November 1937, son of Elizabeth and Colonel Francis Percy Scott. Ridley Scotts father was officer of Royal Engineers and cause of his father’s duties the Scott family moved around. After Second World War the Scott family was return to their home town to North East England. Ridley Scott was enjoying watching films like Lawrence of Arabia, Citizen Cane and Seven samurai.

Ridley Scott's education and first film

Ridley Scott studied at Grangefield Grammar School also in West Hartepool College of Art then he studied at the Royal College of Art.     

The Boy and the Bicycle (1962)

Ridley Scott during his studies at the Royal College of Art shot his first black and white short film “The Boy and the Bicycle” which was shot on 16 mm film. The film is important and reflects a number of visual elements that would be Ridley Scott’s most used film techniques and and also his future film themes, images and patterns. Also, film features Scott’s younger brother Anthony David “Tonny” Scott a film director, too.  The short film “The Boy and the Bicycle” has been released as extra feature on the DVD of “The Duelists” - Ridley Scott’s first feature. After The Boy and bicycle Ridaley Scott did not direct for the next 15 years.

You can watch Ridley Scott’s  short film “The Boy and the Bicycle” on Youtube

Ridley Scott's first job

Ridley Scott after graduation started his career as a trainee set designer at BBC and he worked on the popular TV series “Z - Cars” and the science fiction series “Out of the Unknown”. Later he was assigned to create the set design for the second serial of “Doctor Who” and “The Daleks”.

The Ridley Scott Associates (RSA)

Ridley Scott in 1968, founded the film and commercial production company “Ridley Scott Associates”. During the 1970’s RSA produced a large number of commercials among them is the Hovis advert known also as “Bike Round” in 1973.

You can watch Ridley Scott’s  Hovis - TV Advert  “Bike Round” on Youtube

Ridley Scott's first feature - The Duelists (1977)

The Duelists is the first feature of Ridley Scott ands it’s a drama film with strong elements of historical epic adventure. The Duelists plot structure is based on the short story “The Duel” of Joseph Conrad. The Duelists film won the Best Debut Film award at Cannes Film Festival and open the horizons to Ridley Scott for a unique career in cinema.

The plot of Duelists is about the quarrel between two officer of Napoleonic French Army - Lieutenant Gabriel Feraurd (Harvey Keitel) - Liuetenant Armand d’Hubert (Keith Carradine). The quarrel started as a joke and turned into a deadly struggle  over a period of fifteen years. The plot structure of Duelists is developed during the Napoleonic Wars, Ridley Scott achieved to present to audience the authentic historical presentation of Napoleonic era.

The story plot of Duelists starts in 1800 in Strasbourg at the house of a local lady. Feraurd (Harvey Keitel) challanges d’ Hubert, d’ Hubert knocks Feraurd unconscious.

In 1801in Augsburg, Feraurd meets de’ Hubert and immediately challenge him to duel and he woods him very seriously.

In 1806 in Lubeck, Feraurd meets d’ Hubert, both of them have been promoted to captains, and Feraurd challange d’ Hubert to duel. The duel in Lubeck is fought on hourse - back and finally d’ Hubert wins. Feraurd is woundede on the forehead and he bleeds heavily into his eyes.

After, Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo, both Feraurd and d’ Hubert have been promoted to Brigadier - generals and Feraurd challenges d’Hubert to duel with pistols. Feraurd fires his pistols but he can not wound d’ Hubert. D’Hubert is at very close rank and can easily kill Feraurd but he does not shoot and according to duel tradition he owns the life of Feraurd.

The Duelists, film was shoot in France (Sarlat - at - Caneda in Dorlonge). Both fencing techniques and the Napoleonic uniforms were accurate and presented successfully the authentic picture of the Napoleonic era.

You can see Ridley Scott's "The Duelists" videos on youtube:     

Alien (1979)

The second film of Ridley Scott is “Alien” and it’s among the best and most significant science fiction  - horror films ever. The screenplay of “Alien” was written by Dan O Bannon

. The structure plot of Alien is about the struggle of a merchant spaceships crew against a deadly alien creature. Only a woman survives and actually Alien is a final girl film in space. Alien won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and numerous other Awards (Saturn Award, Hugo Award). On the other hand Alien was a huge commercial success in box office revenue.

Horror2112:Main Article Alien

You can see Ridley Scott's "Alien" videos on youtube: (you can click here)     

Blade Runner (1982)

Blade Runner is the second film of Ridley Scott. In my opinion Blade Runner is not just a film it’s a masterpiece of seventh art - cinema. Blade Runner is a science fiction film with significant elements of film noir directed by Ridley Scott and actually is a film adapted by the novel ”Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” by Philip K. Dick. The screenplay of Blade Runner was written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples, among the cast of Blade Runner are Harrison Ford, Rotger Hauer etc.

The plot structure of Blade Runner is developed at Los Angeles in the future year of 2012. The Tyrell Corporation has developed the technological means to create generally engineered organic robots known as replicants. Replicants are almost indistinguishable from humans. Replicants are not allowed to operate on Earth they are used only for heavy, unhealthy and dangerous works in space colonies. Replicants who escape and return back on Earth are illegal and they special police officers known as Blade Runners are after them to “retire” (science fiction slang for the world - kill) them.

The main character of the film is a Blade Runner. The retired police officer Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is assigned to find and ”retire” several replicants (Tyrell Corporation Nexus - 6 model) who have returned on Earth and they are looking to expand their life because the Nexus 6 models are programmed to life only four years.

Rick Deckard “retires” the majority of illegal replicants bu he fells in love with  a Rachael an experimental replicant who believes that she is human. Deckard and Rachael run away from Los Angeles.

Blade Runner is one of the most significant science fiction films it’s recognized by American Film Institute (the 6th in the list of Top Science Fiction Films of all times and 97th in the list of AFI’s 100 years, …, 100 Movies”.

You can see Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner" videos on youtube: (you can click here)     

Legend (1981)

Legend is the fourth film of Ridley Scott. Legend is a fantasy film with strong elements of Northern Mythology, fairy tales and Aesop's fables such as unicorns, goblins, demons even the Lord of Darkness, the story line of the film Legend is developed into a mythical forest. Legend was distributed by Universal Studios and among the cast of the film is Tom Cruise, Mia Sara, Tim Curry, David Bennan, Alice Playten, Billy Barty and Cork Hubbert etc. The screenplay of the Legend was written by William Hjostsberg.

You can see Ridley Scott's "Legend" videos on youtube: (you can click here)     

To be continued