Ridley Scott Thinks Current Cinema is Bad, Hates Superhero Movies

[Marter]

Ridley Scott Thinks Current Cinema is Bad, Hates Superhero Movies

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Ridley Scott is not a big fan of the current state of cinema.

Digital Spy [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/ridley+scott] - all the more disappointing.

"Cinema mainly is pretty bad," he said, noting that his future projects could be impacted by this perceieved lack of quality. "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."

What types of movies does he specifically dislike? Superhero movies - which, for the record, count for maybe 10 films a year. "Superhero movies are not my kind of thing - that's why I've never really done one. [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'd like you to remember A Good Year [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Good_Year] at this moment.

He'd go on to say Blade Runner is basically a superhero movie anyway, but better. "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!"

Scott's next movie, which better have a good story, is Alien: Covenant [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/alien+covenant]. It will be released on May 19, 2017.

Source: Digital Spy [http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/news/a817817/ridley-scott-turned-down-several-superhero-films-thinks-cinema-pretty-bad/].

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[RJ 17]

Something about this quote just tickled me:

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!"

And yeah...here's hoping he can give us something that we haven't seen since 1986: an Alien movie that's actually worth watching. To be fair, if I'm being perfectly honest, the reason I didn't like Prometheus is because it did a lot of things pretty well...but that just means the things that it did very wrong stuck out all the more, leaving me with a sense of "Come on, movie...you're better than this!" every time one such thing popped up.

 

[09philj]

A lot of superhero movies are fun, but few are truly brilliant cinema, and DC and WB seem to be endeavouring to bring the number of turkeys up as fast as possible. Part of the problem is that studios are highly risk averse. They are very unlikely to back anything that they might not make their money back on, so we get nothing except super hero movies and mid budget 15 rated horror movies. The thing is, blockbusters are actually a place where you have a lot of creative freedom, because as long as you have big stars, blinding special effects, a newsworthy budget, and are not a comedy, you can do whatever you want. Hence, Christopher Nolan has been permitted to make a series of art movies masquerading as action blockbusters and gotten clean away with it.

 

[Lane Denson]

He's not wrong. Superhero movies - while usually enjoyable - are the definition of "popcorn flicks." They're junk food for your brain. Enjoyable at the moment, but rarely worth remembering after the fact.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

Something about this quote just tickled me:

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!"

And yeah...here's hoping he can give us something that we haven't seen since 1986: an Alien movie that's actually worth watching. To be fair, if I'm being perfectly honest, the reason I didn't like Prometheus is because it did a lot of things pretty well...but that just means the things that it did very wrong stuck out all the more, leaving me with a sense of "Come on, movie...you're better than this!" every time one such thing popped up.

He has never read many comic books if that story is godawful or watched many movies

But yes I am getting tired of Superhero movies aswell.

I am just watching DC because Zack Snyder does action scenes better.

 

[Bedinsis]

I was expecting a lot more hostility to his disdain of superhero films in this thread.

But yeah, I can't stand them either. I've seen Spider-man(a mere "okay", maybe) The Dark Knight(the quote "good one", which I could not get into/see what the whole deal was about) and Age of Ultron(which I might hate more than it deserve since it was my intro to the juggernaut MCU, but I was really disappointed in the film).

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

A lot of superhero movies are fun, but few are truly brilliant cinema, and DC and WB seem to be endeavouring to bring the number of turkeys up as fast as possible. Part of the problem is that studios are highly risk averse. They are very unlikely to back anything that they might not make their money back on, so we get nothing except super hero movies and mid budget 15 rated horror movies. The thing is, blockbusters are actually a place where you have a lot of creative freedom, because as long as you have big stars, blinding special effects, a newsworthy budget, and are not a comedy, you can do whatever you want. Hence, Christopher Nolan has been permitted to make a series of art movies masquerading as action blockbusters and gotten clean away with it.

I wanna make an animated feature of a Sci Fi Space Opera that's like Gundam but with Space Jet Fighters instead of Robot Mecha.

And set to Star Wars-y Orhcestral music but taking a note from Fantasia where there is no dialoge, the music gives it dialoge.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

I was expecting a lot more hostility to his disdain of superhero films in this thread.

But yeah, I can't stand them either. I've seen Spider-man(a mere "okay", maybe) The Dark Knight(the quote "good one", which I could not get into/see what the whole deal was about) and Age of Ultron(which I might hate more than it deserve since it was my intro to the juggernaut MCU, but I was really disappointed in the film).

I have been following the MCU since the beginning with Iron Man and I was still dissipointed with Age of Ultron.

Age of Ultron annoyed me so much it killed my interest in the MCU, not even Spiderman now being in the MCU helps. Age of Ultron was just a setup movie for Captain America Civil War.

 

[Saelune]

My initial thought was "I bet he is being super pretentious" then I started reading it and thought "Ok, maybe he just doesnt like them" and then "Nope, he is being a pretentious ass".

To be clear, I do not think Marvel's movies are high-brow entertainment, but they do what they should well enough. They are adaptations of comic books, things that focus on action and pictures, who's most famous method of creativity was one guy drawing the pictures, then a different guy literally filling in the blanks.

I take issue with the idea that Scott seems to perpetuate that it is either/or. You can have highly intellectual films that really make you think AND Hulk smashing things.

(Then you have Tarantino, who appeals to both sides of that )

 

[90sgamer]

He's not wrong though. Super Hero movies have terrible plots, terrible characterization (tell me the motivation of any supporting character in Guardians of the Galaxy), and rely heavily on the spectacle on spotty GCI that already looks dated, and will be unwatchable in 10 years time. I like most of the superhero movies because they are usually a fun diversion; but, they are not good cinema because they do little to advance the art. Movies like this have always been well received, and will continue to be well received. They are good entertainment products.

 

[thepyrethatburns]

He's not wrong. Superhero movies - while usually enjoyable - are the definition of "popcorn flicks." They're junk food for your brain. Enjoyable at the moment, but rarely worth remembering after the fact.

Agreed. They're enjoyable enough and I've even bought a bunch on Blu-ray/DVD so I can watch them again. But the whole thing is beginning to get a little wearying not only because of the number but because of the whole Expanded Universe thing as well as the sheer amount of advertising for these movies.

 

[Godzillarich(aka tf2godz)]

Something about this quote just tickled me:

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!"

That quote seems a little too smug, looking down at the "untalented people" who make and/or loves superheroes. we haven't forgotten about Exodus: Gods And Kings, or Robin Hood, two of your more recent films. you don't have to like superheroes but I'm just saying you made far worse shit than any superhero movie I've seen recently.

 

[09philj]

I take issue with the idea that Scott seems to perpetuate that it is either/or. You can have highly intellectual films that really make you think AND Hulk smashing things.

(Then you have Tarantino, who appeals to both sides of that )

Reservoir Dogs is Tarantino's only good film. It all went downhill once he was allowed to do what he wanted.

 

[CaptainMarvelous]

I can't take superheroes seriously either. The whole concept is just silly

it's unfortunate how many of them are released when before we had action movies like Die Hard, Indiana Jones, True Lies, Terminator, Aliens, Mad Max, Leon, Speed, Lethal Weapon, The Rock, Hard Boiled, Rambo, Predator, Nikita, Bad Boys, etc.

To each their own bro but if silliness is your issue, do you not think quite a few of these should be relegated? I mean Mad Max is pretty damn silly. Speed is pretty damn silly. HARD BOILED has a dude throwing babies out a window to get rescued and sliding down a bannister while dual wielding pistols.

I mean... just saying...

 

[RJ 17]

Something about this quote just tickled me:

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!"

That quote seems a little too smug, looking down at the "untalented people" who make and/or loves superheroes. we haven't forgotten about Exodus: Gods And Kings, or Robin Hood, two of your more recent films. you don't have to like superheroes but I'm just saying you made far worse shit than any superhero movie I've seen recently.

Oh, I agree completely: it's arrogant as all hell for him to say that. In fact that might actually be why that quote tickles me so much.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

My initial thought was "I bet he is being super pretentious" then I started reading it and thought "Ok, maybe he just doesnt like them" and then "Nope, he is being a pretentious ass".

To be clear, I do not think Marvel's movies are high-brow entertainment, but they do what they should well enough. They are adaptations of comic books, things that focus on action and pictures, who's most famous method of creativity was one guy drawing the pictures, then a different guy literally filling in the blanks.

I take issue with the idea that Scott seems to perpetuate that it is either/or. You can have highly intellectual films that really make you think AND Hulk smashing things.

(Then you have Tarantino, who appeals to both sides of that )

Than again I am not that big of a fan of Tarantino's more "whackier" movies like Kill Bill, Bastards, and Django.

I prefer the more or less grounded in reality of the first 3 movies.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

Something about this quote just tickled me:

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!"

That quote seems a little too smug, looking down at the "untalented people" who make and/or loves superheroes. we haven't forgotten about Exodus: Gods And Kings, or Robin Hood, two of your more recent films. you don't have to like superheroes but I'm just saying you made far worse shit than any superhero movie I've seen recently.

Oh, I agree completely: it's arrogant as all hell for him to say that. In fact that might actually be why that quote tickles me so much.

.....But I liked Robin Hood 2010, the best scenes were the King characters:

 

[Fox12]

Well, he's not wrong.

If only he could produce something better.

 

[Saelune]

I take issue with the idea that Scott seems to perpetuate that it is either/or. You can have highly intellectual films that really make you think AND Hulk smashing things.

(Then you have Tarantino, who appeals to both sides of that )

Reservoir Dogs is Tarantino's only good film. It all went downhill once he was allowed to do what he wanted.

I hate that I cannot find a video of that part from American Dad, cause I want to use it alot.

Anyways I...Disagree.

My initial thought was "I bet he is being super pretentious" then I started reading it and thought "Ok, maybe he just doesnt like them" and then "Nope, he is being a pretentious ass".

To be clear, I do not think Marvel's movies are high-brow entertainment, but they do what they should well enough. They are adaptations of comic books, things that focus on action and pictures, who's most famous method of creativity was one guy drawing the pictures, then a different guy literally filling in the blanks.

I take issue with the idea that Scott seems to perpetuate that it is either/or. You can have highly intellectual films that really make you think AND Hulk smashing things.

(Then you have Tarantino, who appeals to both sides of that )

Than again I am not that big of a fan of Tarantino's more "whackier" movies like Kill Bill, Bastards, and Django.

I prefer the more or less grounded in reality of the first 3 movies.

I'd prefer a balance. I'd prefer a more Kill Bill film from him next, but his more realistic, (though still over the top) films are good and I'd be up for more. But really Tarantino can do no wrong by me currently (other than retire! D: )

My point of Tarantino though, is that you could remove the dialogue from many of his films and be left with a fun action flick, or you could remove the action and get a very thought-provoking film. But that he tends to do both together is alot of why he is so popular.