Napoleon Behind The Scenes — *Photo from Bleeding Cool*

From Gal Balaban

With Napoleon in multiplexes, we look back at some of the greatest scenes we recall from Ridley Scott's career that has spanned around half a decade.

WARNING: This article contains spoilers for the Ridley Scott films Alien, Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise, Gladiator, American Gangster, Prometheus, The Martian, Alien: Covenant, and The Last Duel.

The Chest Burst - Alien

The first big violent scene of the franchise, this scene made waves in science fiction and horror culture as a small Xenomorph bursts out of John Hurt's belly during a meal on the Nostromo. The rest of the crew reacts in horror, including Sigourney Weaver's Ripley, who becomes the film's hero. John Hurt later reprised his role in Mel Brooks' Spaceballs seven years later to parody the scene.

Tears in the Rain - Blade Runner

After a long chase with Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), the film's antagonist, Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer), gives a poetic monologue about the impending mortality of the replicants as they face a short lifespan, and how their memories are lost just like that. It's a beautiful and quotable speech that redeemed Roy in the eyes of some viewers and put him up there on many best-ever movie villain lists.

Going Out on a High - Thelma & Louise

In the iconic ending of this feminist classic, which landed Ridley Scott a Directing nomination as well as Best Actress nominations for Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis, the titular characters have been on the run from the authorities the entire movie after killing a rapist outside a bar. They're finally cornered by the authorities on a cliff, and the film ends on a freeze frame as they drive off the cliff, a shot that's synonymous with the film when it comes to cultural impact.

Are You Not Entertained? - Gladiator

Maximus Meridius is one of Scott's most iconic characters, especially when he throws his sword at the crowds, begging for their enthusiasm and asking, "Is this not what you came for?" The audience reacts with cheers for the Best Picture's protagonist. Russell Crowe also won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as the character.

The Standoff - American Gangster

Before he was an A-lister and leading man, Idris Elba was famous for playing Tango, a rival gangster who taunts Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) on the streets of New York City. "What are you gonna do? Shoot me?" may have been a poor choice of words, and anyone who knows how the scene plays out is aware of it.

Alien Birth - Prometheus

In one of the Alien franchise's most disturbing scenes, Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) uses an automated surgery aboard the Prometheus to remove an alien offspring that's been growing in her chest. The graphic visuals that make this scene equally fun and hard to look at garnered an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects.

Rescuing Mark Watney - The Martian

In the climax of this Best Picture nominee with an all-star cast, Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is finally launched into space after months of being stranded alone on Mars and having to plant potatoes using his own feces as dirt. But complications with his ship's trajectory force him to launch himself out of the spaceship, and I could feel my heart racing as commander Melissa Lewis (Jessica Chastain) tethers herself off the Hermes to save her fellow crew member.

The Truth About David - Alien: Covenant

In a shocking twist in this Prometheus sequel, it's revealed in a flashback that after the events of that film, David killed the Engineers, and his good friend Shaw in a vow to destroy humanity and their creators, believing that their destructive nature was harmful to the universe. The twist shocked viewers and established David as the main antagonist of the 2017 sequel.

The Duel - The Last Duel

The different perspectives shown throughout this 2021 medieval epic finally culminate as Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) challenges Jacques le Gris (Adam Driver) to a duel to the death after accusing him of raping his wife, the lady Marguerite (played wonderfully by Jodie Comer). Ultimately though, the film frames it that in this intense fight that was the documented court-sanctioned duel in France and in the world, the two men may have both been fighting for nothing more than their own pride.

Napoleon is now playing in theaters.

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