Labyrinth – Ridley Scott Retrospective

28th March 2013

In celebration of the upcoming DVD release of Labyrinth out on DVD 1st April from Universal Pictures (UK), a miniseries produced by Ridley & Tony Scott, let’s take a look back at some of the amazing works that Sir Ridley Scott has created.

Born and raised in England, Scott is one of the foremost pioneers in the film industry. He was knighted in 2003 for substantial contribution to the British film industry and his box office successes have given him a reputation for epic blockbusters. While mainly working on films, he has dabbled in television as well, producing hit shows such as Numb3rs, the Good Wife and Pillars of the Earth. In his newest miniseries, Labyrinth, heroines Alice and Alaïs, separated by time, but united by a common purpose, must embark on a quest that will change their lives forever. Labyrinth is available on DVD on 1 April 2013 from Universal Pictures (UK).

Perhaps Sir Ridley Scott’s best known work, Alien is a 1979 sci-fi horror film about what happens when the crew of a commercial deep mining space ship lands on a distant planet and discovers a strange nest of eggs. Starring Sigourney Weaver as Ripley, Alien brought the public’s attention to the amazing work that Scott was creating. It has spawned multiple spin-offs and sequels and is widely regarded as one of his best works. It was nominated for various awards and won an Oscar in 1980 for Best Visual Effects.

The 1982 dystopian science fiction film Blade Runner added to Scott’s glowing reputation. It stars Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard, a special operative in the police force called a blade runner, who reluctantly agrees to track down and retire four replicants who have made their way to Earth. Directed by Scott, the film was originally a box office flop with mixed reviews but went on to be nominated and receive multiple awards. It has since then garnered a large and devoted cult following.

In Thelma and Louise (1991) Sir Ridley Scott leaves the science fiction genre behind. The film centres on two women, a waitress and a housewife, who shoot a rapist and go on the run in a ’66 Thunderbird. It was co-produced and directed by Ridley Scott and stars Geena Davis as Thelma Dickinson and Susan Sarandon as Louise Sawyer. The film was a critical success across the board and the ending scene has become one of the most iconic images in Hollywood.

Directed and produced by Sir Ridley Scott, Gladiator (2000) tells the epic story of a Roman general (Russell Crowe) who journeys back to Rome as a gladiator to seek revenge after his family is brutally murdered by the emperor’s corrupt son. It was one of the highest grossing films in 2000 and was called one of the best films of the year by Entertainment Weekly. The film won forty-eight awards, including Best Picture at the 73rd Academy Awards.

Again moving away from the sci-fi genre, Scott’s Black Hawk Down (2001) follows the lives of 123 US soldiers who go into Somalia to capture two top lieutenants of a renegade warlord. Based on the events of the Battle of Mogadishu, the film features an ensemble cast including Josh Hartnett, Eric Bana, Ewan McGregor, Orlando Bloom, Jeremy Piven and Sam Shephard. The box office hit won two academy awards, including Best Editing, Best Sound and was nominated 15 other times, giving Scott his third nomination for Best Director.

Scott’s Prometheus (2012) is a quasi-prequel to Scott’s box office hit, Alien, and marks his journey back into the science fiction genre. Starring Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace, Idris Elba and Logan Marshall-Green, the film centres on a team of explorers on the space ship Prometheus who are seeking the origin of humanity. They end up on a different world and discover a threat that could result in the end of the human race. It received overall good reviews and was a box office hit making it one of the highest grossing films of 2012.

Scott’s latest work, Labyrinth (2012), centres on two intelligent, determined women, modern-day Ph.D graduate Alice Tanner and 13th century Alaïs Pelletier, and the incredible adventure that intertwines their lives. Based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Kate Mosse, the series follows the parallel storylines of both women who must work to protect a 4,000 year old secret and prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. This two-part miniseries stars Jessica Brown Findlay, Vanessa Kirby, Sebastian Stan, Tom Felton and John Hurt.

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