STACK #245 March 2025

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RIDLEY SCOTT

At 87, Ridley Scott remains one of Hollywood’s legendary filmmakers. The visionary director has delivered countless classics over the decades, including Alien (1979), Blade Runner (1982), and Gladiator (2000). With his latest epic, Gladiator II , now upon us, let’s explore three of his signature trademarks. Epic scale From the sprawling dystopian cityscapes of Blade Runner to the war-torn battlefields of Napoleon , Ridley Scott excels at crafting epic spectacle. Using sweeping wide shots and meticulous attention to detail, he blends grandeur with realism, immersing audiences in breathtaking cinematic worlds. Themes of leadership and power From American Gangster (2007) and House of Gucci (2021) to G.I. Jane (1997) and All the Money in the World (2017), Scott’s films often portray ambitious figures, exploring their rises and falls within complex power dynamics, while unflinchingly examining the consequences of authority. Use of introductory info card to set context A recurring motif in Scott’s films is the use of introductory title cards. Whether brief or detailed, these cards set the scene, providing essential context for complex stories. Notable examples include Blade Runner , Gladiator , Kingdom of Heaven (2005), and The Martian (2015). Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II is out this month, but it could have been very different. After the original’s success, Paramount pushed for a sequel. Scott considered a new story far from Rome, while Russell Crowe wanted a fantasy plot to revive his character. Crowe enlisted Nick Cave to write the script, which involved Maximus waking up in the afterlife and travelling through time to Hell and back. Bonkers, right? FUN FACT A legacy sequel to Romy and Michele’s High School Reunio n has just been announced - something we didn’t exactly see coming! While we can’t say for sure if anyone was asking for it, a follow-up to the 1997 cult classic certainly wasn’t on our bingo card. Still, it makes sense. After all, Bill & Ted got a legacy sequel, and Happy Gilmore has one on the way, so why not Romy and Michele ? Especially with the movie’s enduring fanbase. Fun fact: there was actually a made-for-TV prequel, Romy and Michele: In the Beginning , released in 2005. But now, Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino are back for more of their signature dim-witted hilarity and we’re kind of down for it. IN DEVELOPMENT

letting your ambitions be smothered by what society expects of you. It was a truly life-changing experience, becoming a forever

MARCH

favourite of mine.

What’s one of your all-time favourite films, and why? Interstellar - one of Nolan’s greatest for a reason! The performances, cinematography, score, and screenwriting simply can’t be beaten. Seeing it recently in IMAX was a borderline religious experience, and it’s a film I think appeals to anyone’s interests. What’s one of your all-time favourite TV series, and why? As a lover of all things vampirism (and attempting to fill the NBC Hannibal -shaped hole in my heart), the current adaptation of Interview with the Vampire perfectly blends themes of romanticism, horror, found-family and loneliness specific to immortal beings, and it’s truly addictive. What have you been watching lately that you’d recommend? The Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End anime is arguably one of the most impressive series that I’ve been devouring - fans of fantasy and DnD-esque media will fall in love. I’ve been recommending it a tonne with Part 1 released recently.

’ s ROVING REPORTER

SHANNON MADDEN @ JB Rosny Park, TAS

What’s the best thing about working at JB? The best thing would have to be the dynamic, fast-paced environment where no two days are the same. The team culture is incredible, and there’s real passion for music, tech, and entertainment! What’s a movie you saw as a child that has left a lasting impression on you? Dead Poets Society kickstarted my love for poetry and Robin Williams, the importance of being vulnerable and creative, and not

QUIZ

Q7 Who portrayed Wyatt Earp’s father, Nicholas, in Lawrence Kasdan’s 1994 biopic Wyatt Earp ? Q8 “You’re a big man, but you’re in bad shape. With me it’s a full-time job. Now behave yourself” is a memorable quote from which classic British gangster movie? Q9 What was Quentin Tarantino’s contribution to the film True Romance ? Q10 Robert De Niro is to Marlon Brando as Ewan McGregor is to Alec Guinness. How exactly?

movie did James Dean have a small uncredited role? Q4 What was David (Kiefer Sutherland) and his teenage gang collectively known as in a 1987 movie? Q5 In which classic film does a drug baron outsmart a narcotics detective and escape on a subway train, waving at him as the train departs? Q6 Which British actor who appeared in The Great Escape (1963) was actually a prisoner of war himself during WWII?

Q1 Which movie had Sidney Poitier shackled to Tony Curtis? Q2 Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now was inspired by which Joseph Conrad novel? Q3 In which John Wayne

FEBRUARY 2025 (Issue 244) ANSWERS - A1. Joaquin Phoenix and his late sibling River Phoenix A2. Mel Gibson ( Braveheart ) A3. Cocker Spaniel A4. Steve McQueen A5. Saving Private Ryan A6. Forbidden Planet A7. The psychopath Max Cady in both versions of Cape Fear A8. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) A9. Alan Ladd A10. The Thing - the closing line delivered by MacReady (Kurt Russell)

MARCH 2025

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