I would like to take a few minutes to remember the film director Tony Scott. Like most film fans, I first heard his name when the film "Top Gun" burst out of the Hollywood studio system in 1986. Following a few years making commercials, one caught the eyes of the production duo Bruckheimer & Simpson. The ad was for Saab cars with a Saab fighter jet, they offered him Top Gun, a small leap of vision, a giant leap of faith by the producers. Tony Scott did not let them down, he made the archetypal 1980's action movie, flash, brash, good looking stars, loud music, great filming. I loved it. I saw it once, in the cinema, I was thoroughly entertained. This was his style.
With his brother Ridley, they formed a production company Scott Free Productions. I heard a quote on the radio, Tony said Ridley was the arty one, Tony was the rock&roll one.
Tony's films and tv series were entertainment and I was entertained. I don't remember much about his first film The Hunger (who told Mr Bowie he could act?), but many of the others I do, Deja Vu, Crimson Tide, The Taking of Pelham 123, the tv series Numb3rs, I sat back and enjoyed them. Having said that, Enemy of the State, with Will Smith, made me think. This was the first time I became aware of the potential power of the state to use our dependency on information and communication technology, a message now widely seen.
Thank you Tony.
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