Ridley Scott counters Dan Snow’s ‘Napoleon’ criticism: “Get a life”
The legendary British filmmaker Ridley Scott will soon return to the big screen with his historical war drama Napoleon. The movie will star Joaquin Phoenix in the titular lead role.
Although most cinephiles are full of excitement as we approach the movie’s opening date, November 22nd, one historian has noted some small inaccuracies.
In a new interview with The New Yorker, Scott was asked about television presenter and historian Dan Snow having criticised his new movie. The famous historian reportedly mentioned some of his issues in a recent TikTok post.
Snow claimed that “Napoleon didn’t shoot at the pyramids”, as depicted in the trailer, and he said that Marie Antoinette “famously had very cropped hair for the execution, and, hey, Napoleon wasn’t there.” In the trailer, she was depicted with long, frizzy hair.
Scott’s response was short and sweet: “Get a life.”
Scott’s leading man, Joaquin Phoenix, mentioned the movie’s historical accuracy in a previous interview with Empire. “If you want to really understand Napoleon, then you should probably do your own studying and reading,” he said. “Because if you see this film, it’s this experience told through Ridley’s eyes.”
Despite Phoenix’s candid disclaimer, Scott has maintained a casual curiosity in French history for many years and, with his production team, carried out extensive research prior to filming.
Elsewhere in his conversation with The New Yorker, Scott discussed his track record at the Academy Awards. “You know, I haven’t gotten an Oscar yet,” he pointed out. “And, if I ever get one, I’ll say, ‘About feckin’ time!'”
Watch Dan Snow’s critique and the trailer for Napoleon below.
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