New Replies (Page 629)
An interesting thought... I think it would have worked out well if Scott was able to make some prequels after Alien. From there, the world building in Scott's vision would have been easier to do. Right now they seem to have an ever-changing canon and world. Or, that's what we have seen so far. Having to build his world into the franchise that has three sequels with different directors that actually spans 200-some years is hard to do. It has been mentioned many-a-times on the forum that it is sort of silly that the company is still going after the Xeno when the black goo is in play now (I'm not so sure it is silly, but hey). Funnily enough, it doesn't seem that Ridley is really worried about that... He hasn't really referenced anything that far into the future yet (I think), so I have no clue what that is going to mean to the existing canon.
Let's not forget that Fox has some official canon (I think they established it around the time of Prometheus' release?? I'm not sure) with books and two video games included.
So yes, I think the prequel escapade would have done everyone some good (who knows how well they would have been received though) directly after Alien was made. From there, the franchise could have gone sort of the route it did (different directors, writers everytime and all that jazz.)
Welcome and great work!!
I love your angle regarding the Engineers fearing AI, and trying to engineer organic intelligent life-forms!!
I would guess then that the Engineers are going to feel even more validated in their aversion towards AI when they find out what David has done on Paradise!
I think that's exactly the conclusion people would have drawn had they left that scene in.
I would have kept nearly every one of those scenes in the movie. None of them were necessary, but they help flesh out the characters a bit more. That flare-down-the-hanger-bay scene really added to the sense of wonder and mystery about the city too.
it's interesting you say that, I noticed the reaction of the Engineer to David as one initially of admiration, he placed a hand on Davids head and almost smiled at him. I think the engineer was conflicted at that moment, seeing the potential that David represented, as a superior form of intelligence (the "god" the Engineers were trying to create), yet he also, like the other Engineers, realized the threat that David posed, as a machine with AI. So he had to destroy the thing he admired. I love the conflict that brews inside the characters of this story.
I also think that the huge ship seen in Covenent is basically one of the ships that "gave birth" to ships like the jugernaut. The jugernaut was, in sense, returning home to it's mother, when it returned to that planet. It gives new meaning to the phrase "mother ship" I suppose. I think David, when he explored the Engineers culture when he was on board the juggernaut, realized that they were trying to create their god (since he did not exist other wise), and so decided to adopt that purpose as his own, and become god himself.
In the script it is said that a lot of David's wilder drawings are just his sick fantasies, not reality. He even draws one of those sick Shaw mutilation drawings in one scene, and she is long gone by then. This does not look like one of those, so this may be something real.
Someone is scared of Engineers? WAT
I read it, I get what you are saying. David was trapped on the planet, sent out garbled messages in hopes of one day luring a passing ship, and when one turned up he could not help showing his excitement when he found he hit the jackpot!
All those things basically shoot holes in the idea that David orchestrated the shockwave and all the events the led them to paradise. Interesting 10 year plan theory though. I kind of wish they had gone that direction, with all the pieces coming together at the end of the movie for a big reveal.
Thank you naked lunch for the paintings link above. Amazing.
I found this about a week after you did joylitt...beautiful. Thank you for posting the link.
To answer your question in the topic opening Timmy the ultramorph:
"do you think they would be good in the movies."
I do feel the second image with the Engineer ship docked is pretty close to what was shown for a brief moment in Prometheus.
And in Alien: Covenant below as well.
Aliens for me too, but I love the clone Ripley character in Resurrection.
Very interesting ideas. I can see where you are coming from. In Prometheus the Engineer seems offended to see David. However it wouldn't seem very smart of them to create life more advanced than themselves. Even in Blade Runner humans were smart enough to give replicants a limited lifespan. I can see you would like to develop the AI storyline even further. Great first post :-)
Alienfan1980. I am relatively new here as well. Your ideas seem entirely plausible to me.
R Scott said something recently about the Engineer ships returning to this planet on a regular basis, so that may be the reason they were all gathered outside and seemed to be the Juggernaut welcoming committee, just before David splashed goo all over them. He also said they would return soon to find what David had done!
I Moon Girl After Resurrection, Riplry could have disappeared somehow and Call could have continued on- possibly linking up with the Blade Runner universe. I am not accounting for time lines though.
You're welcome Kethol, it really is scary amazing.
Prequels shmequels. I would like my Alien medium rare, with a little blood still dripping. Face Hugger eggs on the side, scrambled!
Aliens for me, but I think Alien: Resurrection has scarier parts. I still love the rambo attitude of Pvt. Vasquez and I loved Bill Paxton's character. Aliens gets me pumped!
On the other hand, I think if the prequels were released back then and fizzled at the box office, probably they would have brought back Ripley in the same way they want to do it now, and the challenge of bringing back the franchise to its previous glory probably would have produced much better versions of Aliens 3 and Alien Resurrection.
I think if the prequels were done in the 80's, there really wouldn't be any CGI. There may be some conflicting scenes, like the one where the Engineers in suits are running, but those don't have to look good. There are some stunning visuals in the control room that David started activating, so I think those would be left out along with some amazing environment CGI. I'm not worried about the environment CGI, since good sets and filming locations could help. I love the environments in Alien3, even though they aren't showed much. Aliens environments look good to, but they are kind of empty.
@Ingeniero - thanks for that Chinese link. I remember reading about quantum communication and cryptography years ago. Had no idea it was already in practice!
"it seems like prequels come out when people can't figure out how to move forward"
I agree with you one that.
I see Ridley Scott is getting his chance to do the prequels because once Fox moves forward after Alien: Resurrection, Ripley would most likely be dead along with the original stories. I feel like Fox is giving Ripley a chance to do his prequels because he always wanted to do them, because he's getting old, he shows that he likes the Alien story, and to just let him wrap up the Alien franchise story as we know it.
Once we move past Alien: Resurrection, I see no real return to the previous original four. There might be clues left in the future Alien franchise movies which would take place after Alien: Resurrection, but I'm not expecting much. Still, who knows what they come up with? Honestly though, I think the story of Ripley is over. If they keep dragging her into the franchise, then I think the franchise is over. I'm expecting something fresh with the future Alien sequels, which Fox recently announced they are going to make.
Very good post. It would be interesting to see what a prequel would have looked like in the early 90's. However, the special effects back then looked pretty ugly, even worse than in the 80's. The cgi in Prometheus doesn't bother me at all. It is beautifully done. Some people think the engineers are cgi but they are not. Thematically, those prequels would have been kinda problematic in my opinion. At that point, Dan O'Bannon was doing B movies like The Resurrected, so I'm not sure if he was at the top of his game.... Maybe if they had hired William Gibson to imagine a prequel instead of Alien 3.
I Moon Girl I would be fine with no prequels. TBH, it seems like prequels come out when people can't figure out how to move forward. I like AC, but I am also perfectly fine with leaving the SJ and how it all started to remain a mystery. This has been a pretty hot topic on this forum in the past.
You asked about it, so I explained what it was.
If you did not get the reason I mentioned it in my first post, no big deal.
dk I know what you mean. However there was only one queen unless Hudson was in the closet. lol
Thanks for the link. I think had Franco and Seth Rogen made this cartoon, it would have actually been funny!
I always thought it would be interesting to see the franchise carry on after Resurrection.
this forum definitely paints Aliens in a bad light since 3-4 very vocal haters talk down on it every chance they get but regardless of that small minority it's pretty much a fact among the general audience that aliens is a top 2 film in the franchise along with Alien
I don't hate Aliens. It's a fun movie. Not on par with Alien or Alien 3 assembly cut in my book, but OK. Alien Resurrection is just wacky. If I am in the right mood I can watch that one, but I have to say Aliens would be my pick, just because of all the cool hardware.
IRaptus I officially love Aliens- it was the first Alien movie I saw and it was on VHS. It was one of those unexpected "planets alligning moments" for me in 1987. I didn't even see Alien until I saw Aliens, A3 and AR first.
NinXeno426 could almost deliver a dissertation on Aliens- he likes it so much.
joylitt It seems so although I have heard the word "queen" may mean something different from the one in Aliens.
ali81 Not to sound like a skipping record, but that is a reason I think the movie should be shown with deleted scenes and trailers.
dk Yes, Aliens hate. Aliens is Covenant hardcore fans' favorite target. The queen gets a lot of hate. Which is ironic, because it seems Ridley Scott wants to bring her back.
Im Durp yes! There's some passion for Aliens! good
I can understand AR is not everyone's cup of tea(UK), cup of coffee (USA), or here in Australia we just pour em both in together.....
But where are the Aliens fans....not haters. Come on defend your film!
joylitt If you mean Aliens hate- this came up last winter and most I saw were ok with Aliens as long as it wasn't compared to Alien.
He will probably be a main character in the novel. He was probably sabotaged.
Im actually surprised by the lack of love for Aliens in this forum. Like you said dk, not much hate (except for the Queen) but there are few that come out guns blazing defending this film.
Aliens is the best gateway film into the franchise, or at least it was when I was a young fella. As the one-liner heavy, fullbore action, shoot em up film of the franchise I thought it would still be a hit among the younger members???
Please don't tell me AVP are the gateway films these day gaaah!
dk wow dk you haven't been reading all the posts then. They will show up, just wait an see.
