What Movie Lessons Can Be Learn From "Blade Runner"

Personally, I don't think Ridley Scott's made a decent movie since 1989. This was "Black Rain" (MAYBE "Thelma & Louise")

I think it has to do with accountability. I was watching a 3 hour documentary on the making of "Blade Runner" last night. Yes, THREE HOURS. And for movie makers I beg you to watch this thing. The thing was a trainwreck on all levels of production up to and past even today. Without giving too much away, people loved the script (written by Hampton Fancher from a book by Philip K. Dick and doctored by David Wbb Peoples). This looked like a brutal shoot. Everyone hated everyone. No one worked well with anyone else. They were covered in rain, dirt, smoke and debris. Oh, then they had to make a movie.

What I'm getting at is this...movies seem to work better when the director is a control freak and he has to answer to others. Ridley was new to the scene, even though he was a God amongst the English due to his success with "Alien" and the numerous commercials he'd done. Bring that ego into an American crew...uh...union American crew and you have just a fist fight waiting to happen. Story changed. Script changed. Harrison Ford hated everyone and the process to which he wasn't accustomed to. Basically, multiple takes with focus on details that seemingly didn't matter to actors. Meticulous design Nazi, Ridley just was pushing back when pushed. Now...he is surrounded by "yes" men. They know what he's capable of and there's no one to tell him his process is wrong. So now he has no process. Same with David Fincher. His movies suffered greatly after "Fight Club." The last when he had to answer to anyone. He's similar to Scott in that he is reportedly a task master. Except, now we all understand the genius and never question him. This is wrong. And unfortunate part of being successful and beloved by die hard fans.

I loved Ridley Scott. I love the style. That's what he was. A stylist. It's hard to label him as a storyteller, since his images outweigh any acting that's in front of it. But, MAN, guy accounts for every dust particle and smoke. And refuses to settle for less. Not so anymore. It's very clear these two don't have to listen to anyone anymore. And their movies suffer for it.

What I took from the documentary is that I should be more open to the struggle that it takes to make movies. That it doesn't have to be a smooth ride. And that I better have a good reason to explain to people why I do what I do. And hopefully others will share my vision. A disaster production doesn't mean the end of the world.