SMART AND SCARY

in the United States on Friday.

“It’s (about) the origin of the species, and have we failed or have we not failed? And are we going to correct ourselves? Sounds highbrow, doesn’t it? But this thing will still scare the shit out of them,” he said of the movie.

The 79-year-old director offered his thoughts on his latest project and filmmaking in general ahead of becoming the 304th star to sink his handprints and footprints into cement at the TCL Chinese Theatre, a tradition for Hollywood’s creme de la creme.

Scott chose the occasion to rail against the California tax system, which he said was not encouraging filmmakers who have left over the years to return to Hollywood.

Nine projects, including Fox series and

were allocated US$37.6 million in tax breaks last year as part of an expanded scheme designed to attract studios back.

But Scott said it was “a pity” that California couldn’t stretch to the kind of rebates that have been successful back home in Britain.

Scott’s directing credits over a genre-straddling career spanning more than 50 years have included acclaimed works such as Globe winning

(2015).

The filmmaker said he considered the handprint honour “a Holy Grail”, recalling his first visit to the Chinese Theatre, which turned 90 yesterday.

“I used to walk up and down here. Hollywood Boulevard was perfumed, very clean and very pretty in those days.

“It’s getting better, but it did take a downturn. It’s climbing out of that right now, and it should.”

The director, who was also the brains behind in 1982 and is executive-producing the sequel, due for release on Oct 6, said

had a religious subtext, although he was agnostic.

Harrison Ford, who starred in the original and is in the sequel, introduced Scott in front of hundreds of wellwishers as stars Katherine Waterson, Danny McBride and Nathaniel Dean looked on.

“I come to praise Ridley, not to bury him,” Ford joked.

Scott poked fun at Ford, calling the actor “a flipping nightmare” to work with, before telling the crowd he was “still learning and still curious”.

“I don’t feel I’ve ever worked a day in my life. I think to me it’s one big holiday. I just adore it,” he said.