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[Happosai]

Official Alien Movie Franchise / Universe Thread

This thread is dedicated to discussion regarding the Alien movie franchise, fanfiction , the Alien universe, and relative film theory. I'll give a brief description of each of the mentioned ideas below to give and idea of what is relative to discuss.

Alien movies: Discussion regarding the Alien movies such as Alien 1979, Aliens 1986, and/or Alien3 1992. Spin-off movies should be discussed as well (I call these spin-offs rather than sequels as it seems most productive effort to make sequel ceased after Alien3). The spin-offs include: Alien Resurrection, Prometheus, and Covenant. Discussion will range anything from convtroversies, production notes, your opinions or experiences watching the movies, and so on.

Fandom: Post regarding Alien fandom can be in regard to your own fanfiction, novels/audio books written about the films (inlcuding the official novels by Allen Dean Foster), artwork, collections, soundtrack, actor trivia, etc.

Alien Universe: Post relative to the Alien Universe are also acceptable. These include topics surround other movies which fit into the Alien Universe either by sharing similar writers/staff or pop culture that has references to the Alien Universe. Examples of movies that fall into the Alien Universe: Dark Star 1974, Blade Runner 1982, Predator 1987, Aliens vs. Predators, etc.

Relative Film Theory: Posts regarding this theme will be in regard to your perception or opinions on production or ideas the film crew of Alien had (or may have had otherwise unsaid...thus making them theory). The film theory may cross-over into Alien lore, cinematic notes, behind the scenes info, and rumors about production.

@mods: I checked to make sure an OT for this didn't already exist; however, feel free to change/adjust anything if necessary.

 

[Nymphae]

Harry Dean Stanton was the best space trucker ever

 

[Happosai]

Harry Dean Stanton was the best space trucker ever

The look I, I guess. His character was the second engineer. Harry Dean Stanton's Alien interview (he did originally tell casting that he hated sci-fi...doesn't seem to recant that much here)

ALIEN (1979): HARRY DEAN STANTON INTERVIEWED - Scraps from the loft

Quiet. Calm. Intense. Concerned. Experienced. Each word is a valid description of Harry Dean Stanton, starring as "Brett" in Ridley Scott's 'Alien'

scrapsfromtheloft.com

 

[Stilton Disco]

No love for the extended universe stuff OP?

The best Alien fiction outside the first 2 movies is from either comics, novels or Audiodramas.

 

[Birdo]

I mostly watch these films at night. Mostly.

 

[Happosai]

No love for the extended universe stuff OP?

The best Alien fiction outside the first 2 movies is from either comics, novels or Audiodramas.

Of course these are included in this thread. Also information you picked up from reading them. I have the first three Allen Dean Foster novels. Since Alien3 is another I enjoyed (which most hated); I've read this one, too (Morse was the only survivor at the end of Alien3):

Space Beast

Space Beast was a book written in 2183[3] by Robert Morse, the sole survivor of the Xenomorph incident at the Fiorina "Fury" 161 Class C Work Correctional Unit, about his experiences there. Due to its sensitive nature, the book was banned.[4] The book is a brief recounting of the events that...

avp.fandom.com

 

[Dabaus]

Have any of you read the alien engineers script? It was what Prometheus was originally supposed to be. Alot of the things and plot points that dont make sense in Prometheus are explained in this. Its really good.

 

[HE1NZ]

Aliens>Alien

 

[T8SC]

Harry Dean Stanton was the best space trucker ever

Right.

 

[MrTroubleMaker]

Alien>Aliens

 

[Happosai]

Have any of you read the alien engineers script? It was what Prometheus was originally supposed to be. Alot of the things and plot points that dont make sense in Prometheus are explained in this. Its really good.

I read it and it's sorta like seeing the script for Alien (1979) with one big difference. It worked on paper but it didn't work so well on film. If you read the final script for Alien (1979) there are some small things that were either cut from the film during editing or just not included altogether (like the dirty conversation Brett and Parker have at the beginning about a Men's Club they visited prior to working on the Nostromo). People would not have liked Alien that much either of Dan O'Bannon's original screenplay was used as the film. Why? The characters were unfinished, the names were weird, the dialogue was too common, and no android.

Alien script by Dan O'Bannon & Ronald Shusett

Alien script by Dan O'Bannon & Ronald Shusett

www.dailyscript.com

When 20th Century Fox bought the rights, the script was adapted for film by David Giler and Walter Hill. That script is what helped Ridley Scott draw up his infamous storyboard. You can see the difference.

Alien script by Walter Hill and David Giler

Alien script by Walter Hill and David Giler

www.dailyscript.com

With Prometheus, I never saw them make the huge pre-production effort that they made with Alien or the sequels. To me, it's not the worst film in the spin-off franchise (better than Alien Resurrection of Covenant) but it didn't reach it's audience the way it should have.

 

[mekes]

New directors cut for 2020

 

[slayerjman]

Alien/ Aliens are classics. The movies after that were average at best. The media tie ins tend to be pretty good though.
Anyone else notice that Prometheus seems to take a few elements from William Gibson's Alien 3 screenplay?

 

[Happosai]

This scene was lost for years until James Cameron unearthed it for the Alien Anthology release.
Burke gets his...

 

[Happosai]

Alien/ Aliens are classics. The movies after that were average at best. The media tie ins tend to be pretty good though.
Anyone else notice that Prometheus seems to take a few elements from William Gibson's Alien 3 screenplay?

The screenplay by Gibson was made into a novel last year. I feel that while Alien is by far the best (in my opinion) and Aliens is a great action sequel; Aliens3 the assembly cut was the proper way to end the series. It was an end both written and with how disastrous production was. However, Gibson's version would have made a better film had they worked with it. Not sure I can connect much with it and Prometheus.

 

[bigsnack]

Aliens is my favorite movie of all time! Do you guys think Disney will revisit the franchise? I can’t imagine anything incredible coming out at this point, but it might be with it if they wait for a really good script.

 

[Birdo]

There is a Youtube channel called Alien Theory that goes into great detail everything about the franchise. Here is one example:

 

[Shizumapower]

Love the Alien franchise.

This was ...ok.



Much like Terminator, wish they could get all back on track.

 

[Happosai]

There is a Youtube channel called Alien Theory that goes into great detail everything about the franchise. Here is one example:

I've been subscribed to this channel for quite some time. Yes, the scene is in the original Aliens script and in Allen Dean Foster's novel. James Cameron likely filmed it, but he lost as much as he recovered. I think without editing the original Aliens nearly ran 6-hours. A few other scenes that may have been cut that the YouTube page doesn't mention though:

-Constructing Hadley's Hope
-Aliens invade colonists in Hadley's Hope
-Drake and Vasquez' history together
-Extended scene of salvage crew finding Ripley in the Narcissus

Rumoured scenes which were scripted but not filmed:

-Space Marines group naked shower scene (none of the actors wanted to do it so they didn't film this one)
-Burke being cocooned (the actual process and a facehugger attaching to Burke)

*Note: The scene with Bishop was filmed according to some of the film crew. James Cameron may not remember cutting it due to the enormous amount of footage that was cut. However, the film itself is likely lost or destroyed according to other resources.

 

[Happosai]

Aliens is my favorite movie of all time! Do you guys think Disney will revisit the franchise? I can’t imagine anything incredible coming out at this point, but it might be with it if they wait for a really good script.

From my point of view and the same for many fans of the original Alien franchise -- the spin-off (Resurrection, Prometheus, Covenant) were very weak or overall lacking. Disney isn't known for having writer of director inspired filming. This is reflective on nearly every work they've tried to expand on of someone else's (excluding Pixar...they think like Disney). Disney likes to capitalize on trilogy making. They don't have the material, the talent, the reputation, or the creativity to do any justice for anything Alien related. I can picture them trying to produce an Alien -themed series for Disney + but beyond that...I think even they know that they don't have the capacity to do any better than 20th Century did with the spin-offs. I recommend anyone who doesn't own already: buy the Anthology blu-ray set! It's the best release and you won't be disappointed.

 

[slayerjman]

The screenplay by Gibson was made into a novel last year. I feel that while Alien is by far the best (in my opinion) and Aliens is a great action sequel; Aliens3 the assembly cut was the proper way to end the series. It was an end both written and with how disastrous production was. However, Gibson's version would have made a better film had they worked with it. Not sure I can connect much with it and Prometheus.

Yeah I can't help but think his screenplay would have made a better film. Also my mistake I meant Covenant not Prometheus especially

Spoiler

the part with the small facehuggers in the lab and how the WY woman basically has a full-grown Xeno grow out of her.

reminds me of the spores in Covenant and how the guy in the shower has practically the same thing happen to him.

 

[Happosai]

Yeah I can't help but think his screenplay would have made a better film. Also my mistake I meant Covenant not Prometheus especially

Spoiler

the part with the small facehuggers in the lab and how the WY woman basically has a full-grown Xeno grow out of her.

reminds me of the spores in Covenant and how the guy in the shower has practically the same thing happen to him.

There were about 10 scripts and/or screenplays for Alien3 that started flowing in from the late 80's until the time of production in the early 90's. One of the most famous unused scripts was that of Vincent Ward. Ward's has been considered for a Dark Horse comic for over a decade and has not yet moved as far as I can tell.

The Unrequited Vision : Alien3 : Concepts : Vincent Ward

Alien III (Vincent Ward) — transcript

The following is a transcript of Vincent Ward's script for "Alien III". Alien III Screenplay by John Fasano Story by Vincent Ward & John Fasano "But how will you die when your time comes, Narcissus, since you have no mother? Without a mother, one cannot love. Without a mother, one cannot die." -...

avp.fandom.com

 

[MetalAlien]

The first two movies are what made me want to make films myself. I used to watch them annually. Like twice a month...lol

 

[Happosai]

The first two movies are what made me want to make films myself. I used to watch them annually. Like twice a month...lol

I saw the movies in reverse. I'm 32 and I was in Kindergarten when 3 came out. I snagged a copy of Alien3 on VHS when I was 12 and that's where my Alien obsession began. I later was Aliens and was further impressed. I avoided Alien until I was about 14. At the time, I had a battered CBS/Fox VHS of Alien but let it gather dust. I remember one weekend in the late Winter with a lot of rain. I had nothing new to watch and popped Alien in. The fact that the VHS was pretty worn out made my first experience watching it all the better. Jerry Goldsmith's score was inaudible until about 40-minutes in. Needless to say, the film became my favorite that afternoon and I've been studying it since. By the way, R.I.P. Sir Ian Holm. The second monster in the movie Alien.

 

[Grand Theft Scratchy]

My buddy Razvedka is a big fan of the franchise. I think it was the leaked original script for Prometheus that we were talking about shortly after the movie released.

Anyway, I really like Alien and the sequel Aliens but for different reasons. Don't really care for Alien 3 but Prometheus was interesting. Remember the TED Talk?




I hated the fact that they killed Shaw in Alien: Covenant. I found it very unsettling but the whole movie went in a strange direction.

 

[Happosai]

My buddy Razvedka is a big fan of the franchise. I think it was the leaked original script for Prometheus that we were talking about shortly after the movie released.

Anyway, I really like Alien and the sequel Aliens but for different reasons. Don't really care for Alien 3 but Prometheus was interesting. Remember the TED Talk?




I hated the fact that they killed Shaw in Alien: Covenant. I found it very unsettling but the whole movie went in a strange direction.

Everything with Covenant kind of went somewhere odd.
If you want to see the movies uncut from a different angle, read the novels for the first two by Allen Dean Foster. He wrote them based on the original final drafts. The first chapter of Alien alone has a lump of scenes unfilmed and some which were filmed but deleted post-production.