Ridley Scott: Hollywood is "drowning in mediocrity" (5 photos) (photo)

Ridley Scott, director of Alien, Gladiator, Blade Runner, and many other acclaimed films, criticized contemporary Hollywood cinema. Scott has begun rewatching his own films, saying the industry, he believes, is drowning in mediocrity.





Ridley Scott shared his impressions of the contemporary industry during a recent interview at the British Film Institute.

Scott noted that he watches a lot of contemporary films and TV series, in part to discover new talent. For example, it was on the show "Normal People" that he spotted actor Paul Mescal, who later played the lead role in "Gladiator 2."



However, it's harder for a director to do this now, as, in his opinion, the film industry has become oversaturated with mediocre work.

Now I find mediocrity; we're drowning in mediocrity. There are literally millions of movies being made these days, and most of them are crap. Somewhere between 80-60% are so-so, and the rest make up the remaining 40%. Of these 40%, about 25% are decent films, 10% are pretty good, and 5% are excellent.

The director admits his calculations may not be entirely accurate, but he compared the current situation to the 1940s: back then, according to Scott, 300 films were made a year, and 70% of them were similar. However, now the director sees that the industry doesn't prioritize the script, and special effects come to the rescue, even though they make films more expensive.

Against this backdrop, Scott has begun rewatching his own films, though he admits it's a "terrible thing to do."





The director noted that his films "don't age" because he focused on practical effects rather than digital ones.

I recently watched Black Hawk Down and wondered how the hell they managed to make it. But even now, every once in a while, a good film comes along, and it's a relief to me: someone is still making decent films.



In the conversation, Scott also noted that he had a difficult time filming "Alien" because the producers constantly shared their opinions on what the film should be. The director, however, was used to trusting his instincts and being the main man on set.

Furthermore, Scott was the sixth contender for the role of horror director, with Robert Altman ("3 Women," "Military Hospital") being one of the favorites.