Ridley Scott was forty years old when he was given a movie to direct. It would only be his second feature film made but it would prove to be a pretty monumental one. Alien came out a year later in 1979 and remains one of the best films ever made.
Since then, Ridley Scott has gone on to become one of Hollywood’s most prolific and powerful directors. Not all of his movies have been masterpieces like Alien, but then again, several have (Blade Runner and Gladiator to name two).
Ridley is currently filming Prometheus which is another science fiction film that is somehow indirectly related to Alien. It is scheduled to be released in 2012.
I share this because that very young man pictured above was around the same age I am. He had spent a long time making television commercials that surely helped him as he graduated to making feature films. He had no idea the movie he was filming about people trapped on a spaceship being killed one by one by an alien would end up being considered one of the greatest movies ever made.
I still yearn to take a step up and “graduate” to something bigger and better. And I don’t mean bigger and better sales. I mean in terms of quality and skill. I am in no way putting myself on any kind of same level as the brilliant Ridley Scott. Yet I can compare, since he’s still first and foremost a storyteller. I’m still learning, still so far behind, still struggling and striving.
But the dream has been and always will be to grow and become better. And to one day create my Alien.
Your last sentence 'to grow and become better', that's the thing. Not to become mentally stationary, or to ever think we know it all and can stop trying, or being interested. I try to keep the idea of growing as an everyday part of life because I think its so very important.
And by the way, I didn't realise R S was such a 'late success' sort of, but its often the people who have takern the time to learn along the way that are the ones worth watching and listening to.
I agree! Thanks for the comment.
Someone else who started late (speaking of Ridley Scott) was Harrison Ford.