Ridley Rant Still Applies

· Joanthan Poritsky

Two years ago, when it was announced that Ridley Scott would be directing an Alien prequel1 I posted a piece here titled [Ridley Scott to Return to Alien, Big Whoop](http://www.candlerblog.com/2009/07/31/ridley-scott-to- return-to-alien-big-whoop/). In light of this week’s news that he is now signed on to [direct a new Blade Runner film](http://www.deadline.com/2011/08/ridley-scott-ready-to-direct-new- version-of-seminal-sci-fi-film-blade-runner/) I figured it was worth revisiting that post. Here’s the key paragraph:

My point here is that the logic behind bringing him back to the film may be exciting because of who he is now, but I am not interested in the fact that he started this whole thing so long ago. Perhaps bringing a fresh face to the series would create an even better film. To wit, would anyone have preferred Leonard Nimoy or Nicholas Meyer to have directed this summer’s Star Trek? Even better, couldn’t the last three Star Wars films have been enhanced by a director other than George Lucas in the same manner that Irvin Kershner brought a fresh eye to Empire Strikes Back? I’m not saying these rules always hold true. For example, look where Richard Lester and Sidney J. Furie took Richard Donner’s Superman: The Movie (the dumps, we can fight about it in another post if you like). On the other hand, could anyone imagine Mr. Donner stepping back in to that series in 2006? The guy who made 16 Blocks?

I may as well say that about this new announcement. Our current obsession with nostalgia is good for these old properties but it’s odd that we consider an aged director part of the authenticity of a piece. I should add Francis Ford Coppola to this list. His newest films have been a revelation, but The Godfather: Part III showed that he clearly wasn’t that director any more.

I’m excited to see Scott’s Prometheus and can only hope that as the idea of a new Blade Runner gestates it will morph into something else. Does the world need another reboot?


  1. Which ended up turning into next summer’s Prometheus↩︎