Ridley Scott Has a Negative Review of Blade Runner on His Wall

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As a dedicated cinephile who has spent countless hours immersed in the captivating world of cinema, I can wholeheartedly empathize with Ridley Scott’s sentiments. The power of a critic’s pen is indeed formidable; it can either elevate or deflate an artist’s spirit. Pauline Kael’s scathing review of “Blade Runner” may have left a lasting impression on Scott, but the film’s enduring popularity and critical acclaim over the years serve as a testament to its timeless appeal.

Ridley Scott harbored a three-decade grudge against a critical review of his movie, “Blade Runner”. Notably, Scott was the director behind the 1982 science fiction masterpiece, where Harrison Ford played the main character. Unfortunately, Pauline Kael from The New Yorker found the dystopian story, an adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s 1968 novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”, unimpressive. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Scott discussed the impact this criticism had on him.

“Absolutely, Pauline Kael’s review of Blade Runner in The New Yorker left me utterly devastated. Four pages of criticism! I never even met her, yet her words have lingered for 30 years in my office as a constant reminder that the only critic whose opinion truly matters is you. Since then, I’ve shied away from reading reviews altogether. A positive one can inflate your ego and make you forget yourself, while a negative one can be so disheartening it’s paralyzing.

It appears that Kael’s negative view on Scott and Ford’s sci-fi collaboration in “Blade Runner” is quite uncommon, as evidenced by its high ratings even now. On Rotten Tomatoes, it boasts an impressive 89% score from 132 reviews. Furthermore, the film’s intricate and captivating relationship between Deckard (Ford) and Rachael (Sean Young) has left audiences spellbound, earning it an astounding 91% rating on the Popcornmeter.

Ridley Scott Still Hasn’t Captured an Oscar

How does the 86-year-old filmmaker, Ridley Scott, handle not receiving an Academy Award yet? In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he shared his thoughts:

“I’ve been bestowed with knighthood on two occasions, most recently becoming a Knight of the British Empire. This highest honor necessitated a visit to St. Paul’s Cathedral where I had the privilege of meeting Prince William and King Charles. In essence, my recognition is the freedom to continue pursuing my passions.

Over the past three decades, filmmaker Scott has been nominated for a total of four Academy Awards. He was first recognized for his work as Best Director on Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon’s team-up in “Thelma & Louise” (1991). Subsequently, he received two consecutive Best Director nominations, for “Gladiator” and “Black Hawk Down”, but didn’t win. In 2016, Scott earned his first nomination for Best Picture with “The Martian”, but it was the crime-thriller “Spotlight” that took home the award instead.

Currently, Scott is engaged in a promotional tour for his forthcoming sequel, titled “Gladiator II.” This new film has been praised by star Paul Mescal as one of Scott’s best works. Will the second installment of “Gladiator” (2000) generate enough hype during its cinema release to create some genuine Oscar discussions for the director? We won’t have to wait much longer, as “Gladiator II” is scheduled to hit theaters on November 22, perfect timing for Thanksgiving.

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2024-11-08 00:31