Ridley Scott isn’t holding back his thoughts about the state of the film industry, telling the audience during a talk at the British Film Institute on Sunday that most modern movies are “shit.”
“The quantity of movies that are made today, literally globally — millions. Not thousands, millions … and most of it is shit,” the Oscar-nominated filmmaker said in conversation with his son Luke Scott, according to Metro.
“I think a lot of films today are saved and made more expensive by digital effects, because what they haven’t got is a great thing on paper first,” he continued. “Get it on paper!”
Later on in the discussion, Metro reported that the “Gladiator” and “Alien” director was asked if he has a “comfort film” he likes to revisit. “Well, actually, right now, I’m finding mediocrity — we’re drowning in mediocrity,” Scott replied. “And so what I do — it’s a horrible thing — but I’ve started watching my own movies, and actually they’re pretty good! And also, they don’t age.”
Scott added that he rewatched his 2001 war film “Black Hawk Down” recently and thought, “How in the hell did I manage to do that?”
Of movies made by other people, Scott said: “I think occasionally a good one will happen, [and] it’s like a relief that there’s somebody out there who’s doing a good movie.”
Fortunately for Scott and his fans, the director — who released “Gladiator II” starring Paul Mescal last year — said retirement for him would be “impossible.” He confirmed that he has completed production on his next project, the post-apocalyptic sci-fi film “The Dog Stars” with Jacob Elordi, and has started writing a third “Gladiator.”
“He’s around and he technically is the Emperor of Rome” Scott said of Paul Mescal’s character, “and so I have a footprint about what I think it should be.”
But, he added: “I’m not going to tell you in case you steal it!”
