Ridley Scott’s obsession

In the past, I have tried to identify patterns in portrayal of certain characters or objects, by renowned directors. May it be Hitchcock’s portrayal of mothers, or Farhan Akthar’s portrayal of father-son relationship, or Danny Boyle’s repeated use of shit, these master craftsmen do have some kind of obsession!

Well, I recently realized that Ridley Scott too, has an obsession. repeatedly in his films, he has featured strong conflicts between father and son that usually end with the son killing his father (Blade Runner and Gladiator) or witnessing the event (Kingdom of Heaven). In both Gladiator and Blade Runner (perhaps the two of his masterpieces), the son hugs the father seemingly as an expression of love but this embrace turns into the suffocation and death of the father.

Another common element in Ridley Scott films is the total absence of the mother’s character. Scott should not be misunderstood as an anti-feminist as many of his films have strong female characters (Thelma and Lousie, Gladiator, Aliens, G.I. Jane, Robin Hood). Whatever it is, Ridley Scott is and will remain one of the most stylist and smartest directors of our times.