Ridley Scott On The Elements Of ALIEN

[AntiFredification]

No mention of pineapples?

[lolgepwnt]

The Alien and Predator mythology is rather awesome.

And similar where they intersect.

But rather than humanise the Predator, they should make them the anti-hero. Which meant after the queen was killed in the first AvP, that chick should have had her spine ripped out.

[Seraphimal]

Aliens and The Thing are some of the coolest most horrific aliens never imagined. Predators, Na'Vi, Super 8, and Cloverfield can all go fuck themselves as far as I'm concerned. Get in a big fat gay pile and have a cheesy alien orgy.

[Seraphimal]

@Seraphimal *lol, I meant to say, "ever imagined". Hurr hur, I'm such a tard.

[simolui]

ennio morricone should work with this legendary director alien 1979 and the movie looks more modern every times i watch it!!!!

[wickerspin1119]

O what. Scott. Ya just gonna pretend like Legend never happened wontcha. Dick.

[vokshumana]

I think one of the main reasons for ``Alien`` success is the Scott`s decision to start not with professional studio designers, who will make anything you want, make it O. K., but to start with the guy who from an early age felt inner necessity to create monsters, and he made them terrific.

[psychoannalist1]

Yes, same Alien universe, the Space Jockey race is too amazing not to explore. Unless you want Cloverfield aliens.

[TheVehicleDESTROYAH]

Prometheus is on the way. Which is the alien pequel directed by Ridley Scott

[tannerkish616]

@TheVehicleDESTROYAH Wrong. Prometheus will have nothing to do with the Alien canon.

[TheVehicleDESTROYAH]

@tannerkish616 It takes place in the same universe as alien acccording to Scott and the cast. Which is good enough for me.

[tannerkish616]

@TheVehicleDESTROYAH Wrong again. They've decided to treat it as it's own film. I've read the plot summary, it has to do with intellegent extra-terrestrials and their role in creating the human race.

[krisj827]

I love how Ridley continues to talk about Alien. You can tell how much love he had for the film by how many interviews/documentaries he's done on it.

[xevious2501]

I understand why theres so much gripe about CGI but i dont think most people understand the fact that its not so much the technology in and of itself but moreso the level of quality and Taste the director has in using it. CGI to a director is likened to an all wish giving genie out the bottle. your average bloke is gonna splurge wildly tastlessly and down out stupidly. The same has happened with Stereoscopic 3D, where as studios looking to make an extra buck is once again selling there soul.

[jazzx251]

@xevious2501

CGI should adopt the "Crouching Tiger" rule.

Use it to remove the wires. Do everyhing else for real.

I argue that the "facehugger" done with CGI would instinctively not be as scary as a few pieces of old slimey chicken strung together, no matter how good the animators were. One looks completely natural, the other doesn't no matter how hard the animators try.

[Visiondrugs1]

@jazzx251 Like so many, You obviously have no idea how much Cgi is used in movies that you don't see or have a problem with. It greatly enhances many movies and make things possible that we wouldn't have dreamed of 20 years ago. Can it be bad? Yes. But so can a story, a director, an editor or a photographer. If just one of these (and many other elements of film) are "bad" then you'll have less of a film.

[jazzx251]

@Visiondrugs1

There was no CGI used in Alien. - the technology just didn't exist in 1979. (This was before Pacman!)

[Visiondrugs1]

@jazzx251 So what? It's a great movie but does it have the best special effects ever? no it doesn't. The point I am trying to make is that there is a lot of very good CG out there. CG makes it possible to make films that wouldn't have worked before. It's just ignorant saying that CG won't be able to do this and that no matter how good it gets. It's not just used in movies like transfomers and lord of the rings you know?

[snillocgrom]

@Visiondrugs1 lord of the rings had very limited CG. everything you see are actual sets and miniatures. CG was limited to large creatures like trolls, fell beasts and eagle, as well as other magical elements like the destruction of mordor and the flood at bruinen ford.

[snillocgrom]

@Visiondrugs1 also what made independence day great was also the exclusive use of miniatures and props.

[timothy666]

@jazzx251 Oh how I absolutely agree with you. CGI is never as effective or relatable to an audience as practical effects...

[ExtremeBogom]

@jazzx251

I completely agree about real Models over CGI.

It's just the fact that models are actually there; a physical presence, that the film team can all see and act with, as opposed to talking to / touching thin air which then has the thing super imposed into the screen. I can't stand it man. No matter how "good" the effects are, it's just computer graphics, like a video game. It's cheap, and gimmicky.

[jazzx251]

@ExtremeBogom

... which is why I just can't understand George Lucas.

You watch his practical team beating all the odds to get the original Star Wars out on time with all those groundbreaking effects. And he wants to dismiss all of that as if it never happened (by not allowing the release of the original films today) - instead opting for the unconvincing CGI updates.

He made history - and wants to completely wipe it out and replace with his new CGI-induced visions.

[pinkinacan]

(Alien1979) Ridley Scott + John Hurt + and a score by Jerry Goldsmith performed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra = the most horrific film made. The best film made. I still have Nightmares about being on the Nostromo. You can not copy this movie or chop it up (but they try). It's art. I'm a fan of the age where real movies were made. (the 26 thumbs down belong to Shia LaBeouf fans...may you live forever) P.S. you still have to see James Cameron's Aliens AND John Carpenter's the Thing.

[megasparky4]

I really wish that Ridley Scott could read some of the views of the general public.. I think its fantastic he has finally agreed to direct a genuine sequel to the original Alien, I have followed the franchise since early teen. Know there are 2 parts being a prequel, the 1st sounds great focusing on the 'Space jockey' & its origins some 30 years prior to Ripleys time, I can only hope that prt 2 of the prequel has a surprise cameo role including Ripley.. IT WILL FLOP WITHOUT HER !!!!

[EatAchi]

@megasparky4 well ripley was great. really really great. sigourney weaver acted good and natural (not like the avp actors, but it's no comparison in any point), but i think she isn't nessecary. i don't even think about the 2nd prequel. just looking forward to the 1st, since the 2nd one comes out 2014 and if i think about a movie that long i'll probably go crazy ;)

[brazwen]

@megasparky4 How can this movies have a cameo role of Ripley, if it's before she was even born.

[megasparky4]

@brazwen Thamks for your comment on Ripley ! Originally this Prequel was to follow on from Ridley Scotts original Alien and in 2 parts. I was hoping that the !st (Part) film of the 2 part film would obviousely be a new fresh cast for the film without her & prt 2 maybe with a twist to it ??As you may know that Ripley died in the 3rd Alien and was resurrected in the forth Alien Resurrection so with a messy horror franchise such as Alien anything is possible with a little imagination !! Yea ?

[megasparky4]

@brazwen

To finish, The film has taken a completely new direction now being named 'Prometheus' and only having a small bearing on the story line about 'Alien' ... So to me it is not a prequel, sequel or really an additional assett/part of the Alien franchise !! I'm quite disappointed as is alot of my other friends and fans of Sigourney Weaver's Alien journey and we all feel Alien Quadrilogy is still without its end !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[drafe007]

i know what the true origin of the aliens. a weapons system created by a very advanced lifeform that turned on their creators.

[juliusyeung0330]

so the alien is basicaly chtulhu lol

[Premium97]

New Story Line (PART 3) for James Cameron's AVP (ALIENS VS. PREDATORS - Home Worlds in 3D):

Part III: Bishop, A highly trained USMC Class III Human Flesh/Android learns of the Aliens Breeding grounds and reports that the planet is In-Habitable without the Atmosperic CO2 Suits as well as Advance (Military Class) Bio Armor Suits for Tactical Assaults...Within reach of a Fully Armed Drop Ship(Armada Class), Bishop descends upon the Planet's Atmosphere to secure a landing zone for the Nostromo...

[Premium97]

New Story Line (PART 2) for James Cameron's AVP (ALIENS VS. PREDATORS - Home Worlds in 3D):

PART II: The Predators are ready to launch a massive Invasion on the Aliens HomeWorld after learning of a Holographic projection of 3 raiding parties(3 Pods) sent down for the Hunt...They Never Heard Back...?? Due to the Aliens Atmospheric Pressure and Climate Conditions...the 3 Predators find themselves in for a surprise, a Breeding Ground Deep within the Earth's Core...Are these Predators ready for.??

[Premium97]

New Story for James Cameron's AVP (ALIENS VS. PREDATORS in 3D):

The Year is 2032: Weyland Corp's New technology advances on the Aliens HomeWorld, Satelite imagery picks up the Heat signatures of the several Alien Queens. Weyland Corp sends out the Nostromo Crew with an Advanced Bishop accompanied by Ripley to seek out and wipe out the Entire Colony. Not Only does Lt. Ripley and her crew encounter a massive breeding grounds...They Encounter The Predators...

[RoRoFab79]

I think the AvP movies would have worked if the setting had not been in the present, and that lame backstory of Aliens being on Earth since the dawn of time and Predators heralded as Gods by ancient peoples would not have ever seen fruition. Seeing the alien head in Predator 2 had my imagination running wild. It would have been more interesting to me to see some interaction between Ripley + Predator+ Alien.

[RoRoFab79]

@RoRoFab79 Love me some Sanaa Lathan, but Sigourney was the baddest bitch of them all. Sidenote: the Predalien idea i found good, but like the setting of the AvP films it would have needed to see a better light of day.

[TruenoandLevin86]

I dunno about you guys, but personally I trust Sir Ridley Scott. We got the ORIGINAL director returning to the franchise that started it all instead of some "fresh outta college" fool fucking up the series even more.

[agfagaevart]

I love Alien, but the best alien creature design IMO is, John Carpenter's The Thing, as it didn't look like a man in a suit at the end of the movie.

[s0undch4ser]

@agfa gevaert Wow an undistinguished mass of stuff over H.G. Giger's Xenomorph Alien .

[eggbertsmith]

As he's aging, his movies are getting worse. An Alien prequel filmed 10 or 15 years ago might have been great. But now? He's gone from having that indie-spirit and flying in the face of conformity (and re-writing the rules), to making movies for the masses. I love what he used to do, but I am not overly optimistic about how good the new Alien film can be with him directing it. How on earth is he going to fit Russell Crowe into the movie? That will be a huge dilemma for Sir Scott.

[MrLotus2035]

@eggbertsmith The space jockey will remove it's skeletal helmet to reveal Russell Crowe's warty head. The remainder of the movie will show the other cast members dodging cell phones and taking verbal abuse from the grumpy space jockey with an aussie accent.

[PREDAL1ENWARRIOR]

that 1 person who disliked this needs help.

[DANPWNS123]

@PREDAL1ENWARRIOR my guess its eggbertsmith

[dvlarry]

Ridley's ALien prequel coming to a theater near you, hold on to your seatbelts!

(2D or 3D , your choice at the theaters)

[kezadrone]

Your not wrong there mr Scott. I bet when they saw Gigers drawings they had a fit with exitment about how this movie was going to look on screen. Fuck. Wow.

[jimbo17437]

Este tio es un crak y digo crak porque de una pelicula que el hizo en los cines dio un poco de miedo, oy no tengo tanto miedo porque soy valiente y beo este tipo de cosas,ridley scott lo hizo bien siende el que se llabara el todo el merito.

[hardvideofail]

You are one of best directors in history.II like your movies a lot.I'm Waiting for Alien :).

All Russia Waiting.

[zanvander]

i personally like the AVP films. but it is good to see Just an Alien movie and just a Predator movie coming out.

[cldchristian]

Bringing Ridley Scott back for the prequel is a stroke of genius. I liked Alien Aliens alien4, Alien3 was ok. Alien versus Predator both of them didn't really work for me.

[citysims]

Loved Alien3...As far as i'm concerned "Aliens" was very corney and totally took the invincible factor away from the alien itself, Thus making the movie into a cartoon.

[ClaW177]

@citysims

Because most of the aliens were dumbed down because if they were as smart and self aware as the H.R Giger alien then they would have been killed very fast.

1 hive of giger aliens= Human rape.

[isenstrider]

@ 1balboa2

Agreed. I dont find it dated either. Not in the slightest.

[playfulpaul1985]

i watched the second aliens film (by james cameron ) b4 i watch the first alien film and even tho it looks slightly dated it is scary i kept thinkin the alien is gonna jump out of somewere lol brilliant

[1balboa2]

The first film dont look dated at all, thats what makes it so amazing. It could be make now and still look better than these new films. The second alien film looks really dated, the aliens look rubbery and it looks really cheap. 1 and 3 are my favs, although 20th century fox fucked up 3. 4 is total horse shit.

[Chunkyfudgelover]

You say 3 is one of your faves? I thought the film was pretty alright myself until...just so you know, James Cameron (and a great deal others) thought that the killing off of Newt and Hicks was a 'slap in the face'! I don't know how people can get away with essentially raping a franchise in the name of 'creative freedom'. A related instance being a comic in which Wolverine of Xmen was drunk, but Wolverine cannot get drunk due to his healing factor! It's just wrong!

[eggheadAKAspensley]

i was born in 1990 and saw the movie as a 7 year old. it was aboustly amazing. i have probly seen alien and aliens at least 30 times. its my favorite moves of all time.. original more so than the second. i was never old enough to experience aliens at the movie but now i will in 2011.. i just can fucking wait

[Libraloco73]

My favorite director, a true genius and a bona fide artist in every sense. If I have a son I'm naming him after Mr. scott. I'm very happy he's finally revisiting his sci-fi roots again. 8)

[HondurasHD]

The first time I saw Alien was back in 1982, 7 year old kid, one of the best movies I have ever seen. It is hard to recall great movies like this one these days.

[balrog13571]

Bringing Scott back has it's good points for two reasons:

1) The man isn't into CGI too much so the Aliens should look more REAL

2) It should finally stop this whole AvP thing. The two should never have fought in the first place. Alien should just be Alien. If they had any mention of Predators then the fans of AvP will jsut call this AvP 3 instead of an Alien prequel. The franchise deserves the return of a good Alien film, not another idiotic AvP film

[MrRugbyNZ]

@balrog13571 yeah there's that, but what about an alien 5? cause remember after the 4th ripley lands back on earth with that android and everytrhing is in ruin. they should make one to explain that you know? instead of avp

[balrog13571]

An alternate ending to Resurrection had Ripley mention the army would come looking for them. They never explained why it was in ruin as you said. In fact they just made it worse by crashing the ship and blowing up half a continent! So much for saving the Earth! Instead we got two crossover movies that are prequels to this prequel that's a prequel to Alien and a sequel to Predator 2. It's confusing and that's why I just ignore the AvP movies. They do more harm than good.

[MrRugbyNZ]

@balrog13571 i hated the avp movies. if they had to make it, it should have been in the future like Aliens. but i cant wait for the 2 prequels. Alien saga is my favorite horror. and the new predator looks sick

[balrog13571]

@MrRugbyNZ

Exatly. I like to think the Alien series ends with the second or third movie personally. It's not quite as satisfying for a clone of Ripley to survive at the end of it all instead of the real one. Either a happy ending with Newt and her surviving or a sad yet strong ending of her destroying the Aliens for good even if it kills her is much stronger to me. As for the prequel I'd normally say it would make no sense to have one and ruins the mystery, but with Scott it could work.

[MrRugbyNZ]

@balrog13571 yeah totally agree. the 4th alien was a bit over the top. but i did like how they were saying the aliens were getting smarter. i liked the 3rd. im still curious why people dont like it tho.

[balrog13571]

Well I think it was various reasons like the fact they used CGI in it and used more gore and less tension. CGI was just starting to become more popular back then so it looked pretty primitive and even now CGI doesn't have the same effect as the old ones did. They also seemed to rely on saying "f**k" in every sentence with no other way to sound inmtimidating without it. It's still an okay movie but I guess people don't like it because it lacked some of the tension and character of the last two.

[korn7kid]

@balrog13571 AvP happened because of the comic and the fact that the Predator race hunts every species in the universe to make themselves better hunters so of course they would hunt the alien creatures. the film makers of AvP could have done better but its still a story that had to be told. two of the best iconic movie monster have to face each other.

[balrog13571]

@korn7kid

I'm aware of the comics. But linking a monster that speacializes in suspense and one in action is idiotic. Predator 2 hadn't even come out yet when they started and having an alien from one popcorn flick that still needed time to become as big a classic as it was take on a creature from two Oscar-winning movies was stupid. That's like having The Cloverfield Monster take on King Kong. Not to mention all the atmosphere, character, and story were sacrificed and the fight scenes sucked.

[DylanPenev]

@balrog13571 Amen, brother, amen!

[VigonSaze]

@balrog13571

I'm sure that Aliens and Predators have always been together. I don't know exactly but there were 90's arcade games with them, and I'm sure there were books and comics with them both. Alien and Predator are two species that go great together, and even better with humans. Sadly the two AVP movies were terrible terrible terrible.

[balrog13571]

@VigonSaze

Well I guess comics and videogames are okay, but as you said if there's any quality in the AvP story the films certainly lacked it. Some franchises should never get turned into movies. What are we going to make a Superman vs Alien or Batman vs Predator because there were comics of that? It's also that I never found any similarities. They come from two separate genres and it seemed weird that the Predator would be known as the Alien's enemy after it had only one movie prior to that.

[RDdaNINJA]

@balrog13571 I agree with you 100%, but AvP just wasnt done right, that`s the problem. If they had gotten a better director, and god forbid actors, then AvP-R would`ve been great.

[gangrail]

@balrog13571 the avp thing should have stayed in the comics and video games where it belonged, not the big screen

[megasparky4]

@gangrail

Totally agree !!!!!

[mmtigan]

@balrog13571 No one calls Predator 2 "AvP" even though it has an Alien skull. I had high hopes for the concept of AvP each time a movie was supposed to come out, but then, AvP1 was bad, AvP2 was... not even worth describing. AvP should have been limited to games and comics. Regardless, any Predator presence in an Alien movie makes no sense.

[balrog13571]

@mmtigan

I never said Predator 2 was an AvP movie, just one with a little one second reference. I can handle that as a "hey that's an Alien skull! Har har they must be referencing AvP" sort of reaction. That's like the E.T. doll in Gremlins since Spielburg produced that. My problem is the fans who see it as a serious message to demand a film for it. Predators made no references (as far as I could see or hear) and I hope the Alien prequel does he same. Otherwise those fans will demand another.

[enerjon777]

@balrog13571 Exactly, we need another really good Alien movie.

[balrog13571]

@enerjon777

Yes we most certainly do.

[REAPER3295]

@balrog13571 I agree and the AVP films were shit, i meanif i did them i would have done it on some other planet and had colonial marines in it atleast and the aliens were always the main focus of the AVP serise if anyone noticed...

[RaikenXion]

@balrog13571 I gotta admit the AvP movies were a little silly purely done for the younger generations that got in2 both these movies. At the same time, If you've ever read the comics they actually merged the 2 franchises quite well in a fairly deep and Insightful way, and they even mentioned the Space Jockeys. I think there shud still b a AvP movie, but bring in a director that can really do sumthing with the story. But also keep the 2 seperate, so hav a AvP franchise, and the Alien franchise

[skullja1]

@balrog13571 well a lot of people dont know this but avp wasnt a movie until 2003. it started out where dark horse made the comics first and they are both owned by fox so they could do it if they wanted to. but it was actually a comic then kenner made toys and fans waited long to see a film so 2003 was the year everyone waited for

[marsakka]

@balrog13571 ya well in predator 2 they kind of opened a can of worms when they put a drone skull on the ship at the end of the movie

[Chester1004]

Ridley Scoot maked best horror movie ever.

Im so glad he will made another Alien movie that is prequel.

Not to mention all thx to H.R. Giger who maked Alien and Space Jockey.

[CaptainBaseball]

Alien 5 will come out in 2011 and is directed by Ridley Scott (The maker of Alien 1)

[tommynicks]

I'm so excited for it, so much they could do with the story especially ridley scott directing.

[ViciousAlienKlown]

@tommynicks its not so much all these possiblities of a story so much as getting the right story with the right pacing and characters. Something James Cameron did with Aliens but others have failed like AvP. Scott brings everything together to make an awesome movie.

[mkcsk8maniac]

Man.......i hope it gets the starwars budget....i think Ridley's worth it! i mean, come on....its the only way well see a really good creature....and not these empty head squealing puppets......i want to see it like my dad did when he was young....so i can stop his bragging! he and i watch black hawk down and imagine what aliens would of been like if Ridley Scott had made it!

[mohanicus]

was reading empire today and ridley is takin the helm for the next alien film out in 2011.

its gonna centre around the space-jockey,s ship as a prequel to alien.

[Khultan]

Strauss brothers are d.o.a.

[ElectronicaFan83]

I had to watch this to see if Ridley would do the new Alien prequel in the same way today. Depends on how Fox executives handle the production, Ridley still has that unique style to filmmaking. I agree with alot of the comments. CGI is not the way to go with the film. Maybe used sparingly for certain matte backgrounds but I would dearly love a new Alien movie with little CGI and a captivating story to recapture the franchise. Indiana Jones 4 was a prime example how CGI can ruin a film.

[matthiasfsa]

I hope the prequel have NO CG, because most movies nowadays are 100% CG and they just ruin everything. Terror movies are no longer scary. Back in the 80's movies made me shit my own pants.

(Excuse my english)

[cazia9]

as opposed to s#!ting someone else's pants? hahaha...i agree with you though

[DylanPenev]

hey matthiasfsa

Yes you're right. movies from the 80's were considerably scarier than today's bullshit. Alien (I know it came out 1979), The Thing, Aliens, etc. were great because they relied more on real in-camera effects than CGI.

When CGI is not used properly it'll suck ass.

CGI has to be used in the following way: never make it obvious it is CGI. Make it look super photorealstic. Conceil it, never reveil it.

[matthiasfsa]

My friend, I couldn't agree more. Too bad the hollywood leeches just won't listen to us.

Greetings from Argentina.

[JixMa]

Ridley Scott is so right, in my view, when he says that there weren't digital effects for him/them to rely on when making "Alien". They had to use their ingenuity and true filmmaking genius to pull off a truly tense, gripping and scary movie. And they did it! "Alien" holds up very well and is indeed a true classic. How many movies made recently can we give that accolade to?

[directorKyleArpke14]

Ridley Scott is way cool!

[Frye666]

My idol. Master of FILMMAKING not just scifi.

[yertsey]

Mine too, since Stanley Kubrick is dead now..

[Frye666]

Exactly. But it is good to know Kubrick is one of Ridley's idols as well.

[Mcrlover2death]

This guy is one of the masters of sci fi!

[Gnargonaut]

@Mcrlover2death

This man is a master of cinema