Why Ridley Scott was so scared of ‘Airplane!’ while making ‘Gladiator’
When looking at the commercial success of films like Gladiator and Alien, it brings up an interesting question: how much do the directors of global box office hits think about the consumption of their work by the wider public? Are they thinking about how it will be received as they make it?
During the pre-production process for the likes of Star Wars and Jaws, this was most definitely the case. Lucas was mysteriously able to pre-empt the success of the franchise through his insistence on the studio’s use of Dolby surround sound, new digital technology and, more importantly, rights to the merchandising, characters and music. Was this because he knew it would be a hit? But perhaps it was this forward-thinking attention to detail towards the viewing experience of the audience and the potential for franchising that made it one of the greatest blockbuster films of all time. This begs the question: does the opinion of the audience influence the production of a blockbuster film?
An enduring and determined artistic vision is one of the necessary skills needed to control a project of this scale, a trait that Ridley Scot has in spades. After creating a body of work that speaks to global audiences and cinema lovers alike, Scott is celebrated for his ability to understand the wider movie-watching public and make the films that people want to see. When speaking about the creation of Gladiator, Scott perhaps inadvertently revealed how he is able to do this.
After being asked whether he was scared to begin production on Gladiator after the success of Stanley Kubrick’s Spartacus, Scott said, “No, the only film that I was worried about was Airplane! Remember the scene when Peter Graves asked the little boy if he liked ‘gladiator pictures’? (laughs) But seriously, no. I mean, you could never hope to duplicate Spartacus, or any great film for that matter. I saw Gladiator as a historical epic that was character-driven. All the characters in it have a great deal of humanity, especially Russell’s character, Maxiumus.”
This is interesting because while many directors would struggle to create whilst being compared to other great directors, this wasn’t something that perturbed Scott. Instead, his comment about the Airplane! scene in which a little boy is asked if he “likes Gladiator pictures” reveals that he is far more interested in what the audience thinks of his work, that he is more concerned about how he is seen by the people who watch his movies, rather than his colleagues and other people in the industry that also make movies.
This statement shows Scott to be a true entertainer, someone unconcerned with the validation of other creatives and those who are considered to be his competition. Instead, he aligns himself with the watchers, the people who enjoy his films and dedicate their time to briefly live within his constructed worlds. And this is what makes Scott a truly great commercial director – someone who prioritizes the enjoyment of the audience instead of his critics and competitors.
What truly matters isn’t creating a reputation or status for himself amongst other directors but being true to his vision and making what the people want to see.
