Ridley Scott on Napoleon and bum ache: ‘The truth is the director’s cut is the two-and-a-half-hour version’

Published

6 months ago

November 22, 2023

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Director Ridley Scott says the real director’s cut of his new film Napoleon is not the three-and-a-half-hour version that comes to Apple TV+ later this year, but the shorter cinema cut, which has an hour shaved off.

Scott tells Sky News: “I think that’s what the director’s cut is – the two and a half hour – that’s the truth of it. Because I learned early on, basically from all the films I’ve done, but also from early days as a commercial maker. Am I communicating and how tight can I be to communicate and say everything I want?”

And it turns out he employs a special technique to ascertain when enough is enough.

“I have something that’s called the bum ache factor – you’re sitting there going, ‘Oh God, there’s another hour!’ You got to be really sure that you’re running a three-and-a-half-hour movie that’s actually worthwhile, people get weary.

“When I’m cutting… you’re constantly watching out for ‘Where are we bending and why is it bending?’ Is it because I’m tired or is it because this story’s just going on too long?”

Clocking in at two hours and 38 minutes, the shorter version is far from swift, but there are lots of battles to fit in, including Waterloo, Toulon and Napoleon’s greatest victory, at Austerlitz in 1805.

Scott admits, “longer can be a disaster,” calling it “a natural fault” most directors “wrestle with”.

Regardless of length, just making the movie is an achievement. Stanley Kubrick, Charlie Chaplin, Steven Spielberg and Baz Luhrmann all saw their dreams to portray Napoleon on the silver screen shot down.

But Scott, as his reputation suggests, is not a man to be defeated. A notoriously forthright filmmaker, he’s also not averse to quizzing his interviewers as they attempt to question him.

Luckily, this reporter appeared to pass the test, correctly answering the question, “Which historic figure can claim the most films made about them?” (Jesus, in case you’re wondering).

Napoleon clocks in at second place, with 10,400 books written about him, one for every week since he died, according to Scott.

On tweaking history: ‘I don’t think it matters’

Of course, there has been a minor fuss about the film’s trifling historical inaccuracies (Napoleon watches Marie Antoinette’s execution and his troops fire upon the Pyramids – neither of which happened in real life), and a few sniffs about lead actor Joaquin Phoenix‘s US accent throughout.

Scott cares not a jot: “If he talked in an Italian accent, people would have criticised me. And if he talked in a French accent, they would have criticised the French. So, it’s best to just go back to what [Joaquin] was.

“If you’re engaged by him, be engaged by him. And I think and I’m fully engaged by anything Joaquin does so I never even question it… I don’t think it matters.”

Speaking Italian when he arrived in France from Corsica, Scott says Napoleon learnt French in just two months.

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But aside from the debate over how much artistic licence is too much, most UK and US reviews have been positive. The French reaction, however, has been less warm.

‘They look for anything that can find fault’

Scott says he’s far from surprised.

“I had a major premiere in France with a big room of a lot of important people. Their reaction was very, very, very enthusiastic. So, they’re going to look for anything that can find fault, but they always do, I’m used to it.”

Luckily, he’s of the opinion that “there’s only one critic that is worth anything, that’s yourself”.

And whether it’s his inner critic that keeps him working or not, he’s certainly not showing any signs of slowing down.

A prolific worker, South Shield’s born Scott started out in advertising, where he says he made two adverts per week in his heyday.

He was nearly 40 when he made his first feature film, and now at 85, has 28 under his belt, including Alien, Blade Runner and Thelma & Louise, all of which have made their mark on popular culture.

He’s also made numerous TV programmes, and now with his deal with Apple TV+ finished a pilot for them called Sinking Springs, about the drug problem in Philadelphia.

‘I feel alive when I’m directing’

Not to be held up by the US actor’s strike, he used the time away from shooting to edit the 90 minutes of Gladiator 2, starring Irish actor Paul Mescal, which was already in the can, and now the actors are back at work he’ll be wrapping it by Christmas.

As for his next film, he’s already cast it, written it, and set it up ready to go, as he says, “I’m always in prep – slightly ahead”.

So, at 85, what’s the secret to his impressive productivity?

“I love the energy of it. I feel I’m alive when I’m a shooting director… I just love the stress. You’ve got to embrace stress – if you don’t, don’t do the job.”

As for what gets him up in the morning, he says: “Drive is… You’re born with it or not…I have no criticism for anybody who just wants to take a holiday, holiday is not in my jurisdiction. I mean, three days’ holiday is fine. Then what?”

With Ridley Scott, the “then what” is the question always on his lips, and like the flawed military genius at the heart of his film, action is the answer to conquering the world.

Napoleon is in cinemas now, before streaming on Apple TV+

Entertainment

P Diddy: Stars react to video showing rapper attacking Cassie Ventura in hotel hallway

Published

10 hours ago

May 20, 2024

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P Diddy: Stars react to video showing rapper attacking Cassie Ventura in hotel hallway

Stars have hit out at rapper P Diddy following the release of CCTV footage showing him attacking singer Cassie Ventura in a hotel hallway in 2016.

Warning: This story includes images readers may find distressing

The video, which was obtained by CNN, was shot on 5 March eight years ago and shows the 54-year-old – whose real name is Sean Combs – shirtless and wearing just a white towel and brightly coloured socks, punching and kicking Ventura.

The R&B singer, whose legal name is Cassandra Ventura, was his protege and girlfriend at the time.

The footage also shows Combs shoving and dragging her across the floor, as well as throwing a glass vase in her direction.

It closely resembles the description of an incident at the now-closed InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles described in a lawsuit filed by Cassie last year.

Commenting on the video on X, formerly known as Twitter, actress Emily Ratajkowski, wrote: “Monster”.

Fellow rapper 50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, shared the video, writing sarcastically: “Now I’m sure Puffy didn’t do it, he is innocent this proves nothing! This is what his lawyers are gonna say, God help us all.”

Jackson also re-posted a screenshot of a statement shared by Combs in December last year, denying allegations against him and accusing those making them of “looking for a quick payday”.

50 Cent wrote: “The lie detector test has determined this was a lie…”

He also shared a statement from LA police which called the footage “extremely disturbing and difficult to watch,” but explained that it happened too long ago to be prosecuted.

California law has a one-year statute of limitations for assault.

The husband of Ventura, Alex Fine, shared a lengthy statement on Instagram titled “Letter to women and children,” calling out men who perpetrate violence against women.

‘Men who hurt women hate women’

He wrote: “Men who hit women aren’t men. Men who enable it and protect those people aren’t men…

“Hold the women in your life with the utmost regard. Men who hurt women hate women.”

The personal trainer also shared the number of a domestic abuse helpline, urging those who need help to call.

Meanwhile, lawyers representing Ventura branded Combs’s apology “pathetic,” after he shared a short video on social media on Sunday, saying he was “truly sorry,” and was “disgusted” by his own behaviour.

‘Disingenuous words’

Meredith Firetog, who is a partner at Wigdor LLP, said in a statement: “Combs’ most recent statement is more about himself than the many people he has hurt.

“When Cassie and multiple other women came forward, he denied everything and suggested that his victims were looking for a payday.

“That he was only compelled to ‘apologize’ once his repeated denials were proven false shows his pathetic desperation, and no one will be swayed by his disingenuous words.”

‘Leave god and mercy out of this’

US singer and reality star Aubrey O’Day, who previously worked with Combs, also hit out at Combs’s apology video, writing on X: “Diddy did not apologize to Cassie. He apologized to the world for seeing what he did… Leave god and mercy out of this, they aren’t present here, and you know it.”

It is the first time Combs has responded directly to allegations of physical and sexual violence levelled at him in recent months.

Multiple claims

In March, his homes in Los Angeles and Miami were raided by Homeland Security as part of an ongoing sex trafficking investigation by federal authorities in New York.

In April, Combs was named in a lawsuit that alleges his son sexually assaulted a woman working on a yacht chartered by his father.

Ventura, who began dating Combs a few years after meeting him in 2005, and split with him in 2019, sued him in November, alleging she was trafficked, raped, plied with drugs and beaten by Combs over a 10-year period.

The lawsuit claimed he forced her to have sex with male prostitutes while he filmed them. The case was settled the day after it was filed.

Combs has previously denied the allegations in the lawsuits and his lawyers have said he denies any wrongdoing.

Entertainment

Sienna Miller walks the Cannes red carpet with daughter Marlowe

Published

11 hours ago

May 20, 2024

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Sienna Miller walks the Cannes red carpet with daughter Marlowe

Sienna Miller has walked the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival with her daughter Marlowe Ottoline Layng Sturridge.

The 42-year-old actress, who was born in the US but brought up in the UK, has been promoting her new film Horizon: An American Saga, directed by Kevin Costner.

Miller – who will appear in this film and its next instalment – plays East Coast settler Frances Kittredge, who moves to the Horizon settlement with her husband and two children.

Miller wore a pale blue floor-length gown, while 12-year-old Marlowe wore a white dress with a large pale pink bow around the waist for her red carpet debut.

Miller gave birth to Marlowe, whose father is The Sandman star Tom Sturridge, 38, in 2012.

She had a second daughter earlier this year with The Crown actor Oli Green, who also attended the premiere.

Miller and Green, 27, met at a Halloween party thrown by a mutual friend and have since moved to London together.

Costner – who not only directs the film but also co-wrote and stars in it too – had plenty of family support on the red carpet.

The 69-year-old Hollywood star brought five of his seven children – Annie, 40, Cayden, 17, Grace, 13, Lily, 37, and Hayes, 15. The latter makes his screen acting debut in the movie.

Horizon: An American Saga spans four years of the Civil War, from 1861 to 1865, and is described by the studio behind it, Warner Bros, as an “ambitious cinematic adventure” telling the story of the United States of America “through the lens of families, friends and foes”.

Brace yourself for a three-hour epic – and more to come

The two-part western – of which this is the first chapter – received a 10-minute standing ovation when it premiered on Sunday.

Costner also says he has scripts ready for two further instalments in the story, which would extend the epic to four parts if commissioned.

The Yellowstone star, who first pitched a version of the movie back in 1988, has plenty at stake in the project, and personally financed around $100m for the film and its sequel.

He will be hoping to emulate the success of his 1990 directorial debut Dances With Wolves, which he also starred in and produced. The movie was a box office hit, winning multiple Oscars including best picture and best director.

Horizon: An American Saga runs for over three hours and will come to UK cinemas at the end of June.

It also features Avatar star Sam Worthington, Donnie Darko actress Jena Malone and Owen Wilson’s brother Luke Wilson.

Entertainment

GB News show with Rishi Sunak broke broadcasting rules, Ofcom finds

Published

14 hours ago

May 20, 2024

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GB News show with Rishi Sunak broke broadcasting rules, Ofcom finds

GB News could face punishment after a programme with Rishi Sunak broke broadcasting rules.

Regulator Ofcom said it was considering a “statutory sanction” after finding ‘People’s Forum: The Prime Minister’ breached impartiality guidelines.

GB News called it “an alarming development” that “strikes at the heart of democracy”.

The hour-long show, which aired on 12 February, saw members of the public put questions to the prime minister. However, it received 547 complaints.

Ofcom said in March that five other GB News programmes featuring politicians acting as presenters – including two hosted by Jacob Rees-Mogg – also broke impartiality rules.

The watchdog said the show featuring Mr Sunak was fine in principle, but “due weight” should have been given to an “appropriately wide range of significant views” other than the Tories’.

These should have happened during the programme itself or “in other clearly linked and timely programmes”.

It said Mr Sunak “had a mostly uncontested platform to promote the policies and performance of his Government in a period preceding a UK General Election”.

“We have therefore recorded a breach of rules 5.11 and 5.12 of the Broadcasting Code against GB News,” it added.

The channel was quick to hit back at the ruling and denied breaking the impartiality rules.

“The regulator’s threat to punish a news organisation with sanctions for enabling people to challenge their own prime minister strikes at the heart of democracy at a time when it could not be more vital,” it said.

“Our live programme gave an independently selected group of undecided voters the freedom to challenge the Prime Minister without interference,” added the channel.

It said neither producers nor the prime minister had seen the questions beforehand and Mr Sunak was kept “under constant pressure and covered a clearly diverse range of topics”.