The news of Tony Scott’s death a couple of weeks ago came as a sad shock to film fans everywhere, especially those with fond memories of his ‘80s hit “Top Gun.” Hundreds of tributes releasing now will focus on his most successful films, especially “Top Gun,” as it is what launched Scott into an action-packed career. However, his best-known films are not quite as great as someone might expect.
After watching eleven of Scott’s sixteen features over and over again, I’ve found that his uneven directorial career had more than a few hidden gems and it is those that should be celebrated when looking back. It was just after Ridley had released a hell of a three movie line-up with “The Duellists,” “Alien,” and “Blade Runner,” that Tony Scott released his first feature, “The Hunger.”
A vampire film with David Bowie in the lead role isn’t quite what you might expect from the man, who’d later solidify himself as a pure action director, but this debut could easily be considered Scott’s best-directed work. The piece is visually stunning, from the opening scenes, though some might say it’s style over substance. It is through the explicit sensuality and tension-filled scenes that Scott’s true talent is showcased, especially those featuring the brilliant and gorgeous Catherine Deneueve.
Then came “Top Gun,” the film that led Tony Scott down a career path drastically different from what he had created with his debut. Those who consider this a masterful action piece must be suffering from terrible nostalgia which blocks out how boring of a movie it is. It’s a perfect time capsule of the ‘80s that shows off nice sunsets, Val Kilmer’s frosted tips, and quite a lot of homoerotic shower and volleyball scenes between Tom Cruise and other sweaty men, but I’d hesitate to call it a film that will take anyone’s breath away.
“This is the ’90s. You can’t just walk up and slap a guy, you have to say something cool first,” Bruce Willis says in Scott’s early ‘90s feature, “The Last Boy Scout.” This was his second film in the nineties, and it was the decade that really solidified Scott’s career as an action filmmaker. It’s an underrated buddy-cop style film that saved Willis’ career, and Shane Black’s “Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang” witty script full if one-liners, really brings out great performances from Willis and Damon Wayans.
Following “The Last Boy Scout” came yet another relatively popular Scott flick that was penned by none other than Quentin Tarantino. The wild romantic crime movie known as “True Romance” may have been a box office failure, but it won hearts of critics and audiences. Strong performances all-around, especially from supporting cast members like Oldman, Hopper, and Walken help the film plenty, but some messy writing, distinct similarities to “Badlands” and “Wild at Heart,” and an out-of-place score by Hans Zimmer, make it a flawed but enjoyable movie.
From there on out in Scott’s career, we’re treated to an obscene amount of Denzel Washington. “Crimson Tide” and “Enemy of the State” both turn out to be average action flicks, helped greatly by Gene Hackman’s presence. Ten years later, “Deja Vu” and “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3” try and turn up the heat, but end up just the same. Scott comes close to greatness with “Man on Fire,” especially with Washington and Dakota Fanning’s great performances, but the frenetic camera work and editing holds him back.
Not a single one of his films however – not even the boring train movie “Unstoppable” – is quite the disappointment that “Domino” is. With practically no redeemable qualities, “Domino” is the perfect example of how Tony Scott’s career sometimes borders on Michael Bay levels of boring and senseless action.
In addition to directing, Tony Scott worked as a producer for a number of television series and films since the late ‘90s. While some of his picks were just as average as many of his films, there are two projects that stand high above the rest.
Alongside Lisa Ellzey, Brad Grey, and Ben Waisbren, Scott served as executive producer for Andrew Dominik’s masterful “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford,” which starred Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck. It may not have done so well at the box office, but it’s a film I’m very glad that Tony Scott provided a hand in its creation.
There are few who will have noticed both Tony and Ridley Scott’s names in the credits for Michelle & Robert King’s impressive legal drama “The Good Wife,” but it’s easily the best television project they’ve ever supported. Most series on CBS tend to lack a certain quality, but “The Good Wife” features a strong cast, with strong female characters, along with writing that rivals Aaron Sorkin’s work on “The West Wing.”
Uneven as it may be, Tony Scott’s career left us with a few strong films. They may not seem like much in the shadow of his brother Ridley’s oeuvre, but movies like “The Hunger,” “True Romance,” “The Last Boy Scout,” and, despite my dislikes, even “Top Gun,” make him a director well-worth remembering in years to come.
–juan.barquin@fiusm.com
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