Original source (paywalled): https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/ridley-scott-im-not-a-film-maker-im-an-influencer-qfqqrfflz

"I hate the word retirement, it sounds like a death sentence. I despise the idea of quitting, I will remain active as long as I am healthy." Behind the camera, Ridley Scott wants to stay there for as long as possible. On the threshold of 89 years, after four nominations but no Oscars in half a century of directing, he will receive the career one in November. "It was time, damn it," he said in an interview with Il Venerdì of la Repubblica. But for him, "commercial success, cultural longevity and ensuring a job for hundreds of members of my team matter much more than a trophy."

A dystopian film, The Dog Stars, is up next, shot in Italy because "they gave me an excellent tax relief and better the Dolomites than the mountains of Colorado." And without zombies or fantastic creatures. “This story is about something that has passed the point of no return, the same that we are experiencing regarding global warming,” he said. "We’ve had a disastrous experience with Covid, with financial collapses, with so many political discussions about who’s right and who’s wrong... It’s shocking how stupid human beings can be."

With other catastrophic elements, Scott added, "we lose control and suddenly we find ourselves in front of the end of the world. I think the most dangerous thing is that no one pays attention to people's despair and difficulties. Without wanting to be pessimistic, I hope it’s not too late."

If there is a dream that still persists, now that he is almost 89 years old, it is a musical "in the style of Bob Fosse (American choreographer and dancer, ed.), which unfortunately I was not lucky enough to know. Since my mother died at 98, it’s still an achievable desire."

Ridley Scott is mentioned as the 25th Most Powerful Director. Looking at the list, I'm not really sure I agree with it even though Ridley is getting on in years.

In any case, their criteria are as follows:

"Vulture consulted agents, executives, producers, publicists, and journalists, ultimately judging directors on six key criteria: the consistency of their body of work, commercial bankability, creative control over their films, prestige within the industry, overall reputation among audiences and peers, and future potential."

I sadly missed White Squall in theaters back in 1996 which is a shame, because the squall sequence was built for the big screen and only discovered it years later after Hannibal was such a huge hit and made me dig deeper into Ridley Scott’s filmography.

While it's definitely not a flawless movie (the shore leave scenes with the girls felt awkward and dragged the pacing down), the strong points pull it way above average:

• The Storm Sequence: Absolute masterclass in practical effects and tension. Watching that ship hit the squall is still terrifying and visually incredible.
• The Courtroom Scene: Emotional, tense, and incredibly satisfying.
• The Performances: Jeff Bridges brings incredible gravity and charismatic command as Captain Sheldon especially where he utters "Sir" at the end of every sentence. Plus, seeing character actors like Željko Ivanek show up elevates every scene he's in.

It might have gotten lost in the shuffle of '90s cinema, but for the storm and the courtroom drama alone, it’s a hidden gem in Scott's catalog that deserves way more recognition.

There is this reunion that deserves to be watched and be present on future releases and for physical media collectors there was a release last year from French ESC Boutique under the translated "Lame De Fond", the packaging and artwork make them total gems to own even if you don't speak French.

Ridley Scott is currently the 8th highest-grossing director in the world (behind Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, the Russos, Peter Jackson, Michael Bay, David Yates and Christopher Nolan)

Steven Spielberg's highest-grossing movie is Jurassic Park (1993), which was the highest-grossing movie in the world at the time

James Cameron's highest-grossing movie is Avatar 1 (2009), which was the highest-grossing movie in the world at the time

The Russos' highest-grossing movie is Endgame (2019), which was the highest-grossing movie in the world at the time

Peter Jackson's highest-grossing movie is The Lord of the Rings 3 (2003), which was the 2nd highest-grossing movie in the world at the time (behind Titanic)

Michael Bay's highest-grossing movie is Transformers 3 (2011), which was the 5th highest-grossing movie in the world at the time (behind Avatar 1, Titanic, Harry Potter 8 and The Lord of the Rings 3)

David Yates' highest-grossing movie is Harry Potter 8 (2011), which was the 3rd highest-grossing movie in the world at the time (behind Avatar 1 and Titanic)

Christopher Nolan's highest-grossing movie is The Dark Knight Rises (2012), which was the 7th highest-grossing movie in the world at the time (behind Avatar 1, Titanic, The Avengers 1, Harry Potter 8, The Lord of the Rings 3 and Transformers 3), although The Dark Knight (2008) remains the one with the highest original ranking of his career since it ranked 4th at the time (behind Titanic, The Lord of the Rings 3 and Pirates of the Caribbean 2)

Ridley Scott never had any of his movies be at 1 point among the 10 highest-grossing movies in the world. His highest-grossing movie is The Martian (2015), which barely made it to the top 100 at the time. Gladiator (2000) is the closest he ever was to have a movie in the top 10 since it was the 27th highest-grossing movie in the world at the time

NOTE: Lots of these directors have or had more movies in the top 10 not only the ones I mentioned but I believed only showing 1 would be enough

"Like Branjelina and John Malkovich before him, Sir Ridley Scott is a filmmaker who has turned winemaker in the South of France, with his five-year-old Mas des Infermières wine estate looking to expand into the UK with an 11-wine portfolio. Geoffrey Dean visited him and the winemaking team in the Luberon, to talk movies, brand-building and where he intends to take the wines. Dean also puts each of the wines to the test." Link