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Ridley Scott talks his 3D, 2-part Alien prequel

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Puddles said:
Aside from "fight terror with terror" and "some kind of shock and awe campaign", the writing in Avatar isn't even bad. It ranges from adequate to pretty good, depending on the scene. Same with the acting.
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So the writing isn't bad, it's just mediocre.

Puddles said:
Avatar is better than any Scott film aside from Blade Runner, Alien and possibly Gladiator.
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Thelma and Louise is better than Avatar.

*folds arms*
 
jett said:
Yeah...
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They're not works of arts, but they're both two very enjoyable films.
AVP is like a 1950s Sci-Fi film mixed with some touches of Lovecraft. The characters are likable, I like the setup of the mysterious pyramid, and the general plot.

AVP-R while having a mostly atrocious human cast (and I can see why people dislike it), had a lot of monster fighting, and was one of the most mean spirited mainstream American films I've seen in years. I still have no clue how that got away with an R rating.

I made my wife see it with me on Christmas morning. I told her (I'm Jewish) what better way to celebrate the birth of Jesus than with Aliens and Predators killing people (also it was a trade off for staying till Christmas morning at her parents and driving back the same day). :D

They're movies I can easily watch at anytime, though I admit to using FF during the second one, and enjoy myself.
 
Fuck, Ridley's in his early 70s already? He should just produce this and direct Forever War already. Now that would be a real legacy film.
 
yacobod said:
DC of Kingdom of Heaven says hi, but really Blade Runner, Alien, and KoH-DC are all better than anything JC has done, let alone avatar
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Kingdom of Heaven isn't even as good as True Lies. :lol

I really can't see myself ranking Alien over Aliens or Blade Runner over any of Cameron's top 3, but whatever. Opinions. Though even "opinions" is stretching it when you have people ranking Thelma and Louise or Hannibal over either of the Terminators, Aliens or Avatar. Those opinions are just factually incorrect.


Might as well weigh in on AvP: the first was largely an abomination that was almost salvaged by a few good scenes. But it wasn't scary in the slightest, the writing was an order of magnitude worse than Avatar, and the characters were terrible. The second one was completely horrible until about halfway through, when it unexpectedly became pretty awesome. I'll watch the second half of AvP:R any time. But goddamn does that first half suck.

Btw, the guy who wrote AvP:R is more of an overrated hack than a wunderkind. Even Will Federman is a better writer than that guy.
 
At this point both Cameron and Scott can piss off for all I care. I'm not gonna bother mentioning who I prefer over the other, Puddles might post a laughing emoticon in response..... :(

This unnecessary film needs to be on indefinite hold. And then they should build a time-machine back when Arnold wasn't a fat loser and make that I am Legend film with Ridley.
 
Puddles said:
The second one was completely horrible until about halfway through, when it unexpectedly became pretty awesome. I'll watch the second half of AvP:R any time. But goddamn does that first half suck.
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The first half has some decent stuff, mostly...fuck...all relating to the Aliens/Predators. The movie does start going crazy with the violence and just being so damn mean spirited around the middle of the movie. Then again the opening is a dad and a little kid getting facehugged and chestbursted.

I'll agree the first one isn't scary, but I just enjoyed it as a Sci-Fi movie about people exploring a mysterious location with Aliens and Predators.
 
EDIT: Uh..yeah so who's female lead in this film? Please don't say Carey Mulligan or Natalie Portman. Both amazing actresses who look like a bunch of little wimps too.
 
Yeah she was amazing in Never Let Me Go. If Shitty Fox ShitLight (how mature I am) pushed that film harder all the critics and bribe-receivers would be glowing about her performance right about now. And she'd be nominated by everyone too.

But she's so wrong for this franchise. As is Natalie Portman. Are these the only go-to young female actresses we got? Just get somebody older then. I'm not gonna say Jolie (oh God I said it!) since I'll get shot but pick somebody more mature looking. Hell, just give it to Cate Blanchett.
 
Discotheque said:
Yeah she was amazing in Never Let Me Go. If Shitty Fox ShitLight (how mature I am) pushed that film harder all the critics and bribe-receivers would be glowing about her performance right about now. And she'd be nominated by everyone too.

But she's so wrong for this franchise. As is Natalie Portman. Are these the only go-to young female actresses we got? Just get somebody older then. I'm not gonna say Jolie (oh God I said it!) since I'll get shot but pick somebody more mature looking. Hell, just give it to Cate Blanchett.
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Its seriously been one of my most anticipated releases the whole year. Aus is getting a limited release in March. How did you manage to see it?
 
Scullibundo said:
Its seriously been one of my most anticipated releases the whole year. Aus is getting a limited release in March. How did you manage to see it?
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Artsy theater in my city. And this is a minor Canadian city, I was amazed it even played here.
 
Discotheque said:
EDIT: Uh..yeah so who's female lead in this film? Please don't say Carey Mulligan or Natalie Portman. Both amazing actresses who look like a bunch of little wimps too.
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Noomi Rapace is the frontrunner, but no one has been officially cast yet.
 
Melchiah said:
The 3D is why I'm going to skip watching the movie at the cinema. The thing is, it doesn't help much watching them in good ol' style at home, when the films are shot with 3D in mind (ie. something coming at you, things pointing at the camera, etc.). =(
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You're describing the 50's and 80's 3D fads. Today's 3D isn't about gimmickry at all (unless you think that the way we see the world naturally is a gimmick).
 
Seems like a lot of misinformation is being spread. Also seems like this WON'T be two films?

Fox Twitter:

Fox said:
I don't know where to begin to correct what is being written about a certain Ridley Scott project...
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Moriarty from Hitfix on twitter:

Hitfix said:
@20thFoxCC You could start with "It's not two films," but no one would listen.
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Fox said:
@DrewAtHitFix It's not two films...can you hear me now?
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Hitfix said:
@20thFoxCC I believe you. I just see how determined people are to keep re-reporting that it's two films.
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Fox said:
@DrewAtHitFix I know, that was partially just in jest...and it's not called Paradise...answers soon.
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Hitfix said:
@20thFoxCC Nice. The things I know for sure are intriguing, and the misinformation is at a dull roar these days.
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Fox Twitter is maintained by Chris Petrikin, SVP of Corporate Communications.
 
Manos: The Hans of Fate said:
The first half has some decent stuff, mostly...fuck...all relating to the Aliens/Predators. The movie does start going crazy with the violence and just being so damn mean spirited around the middle of the movie. Then again the opening is a dad and a little kid getting facehugged and chestbursted.

I'll agree the first one isn't scary, but I just enjoyed it as a Sci-Fi movie about people exploring a mysterious location with Aliens and Predators.
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The very beginning of the film was okay, but it quickly went to shit with the human characters.

The humans also sucked in the first AvP. It's a big disappointment considering Alien, Aliens and Predator all had fantastic human characters.
 
Snaku said:
Fixed.

Like people give a rat's ass if it's two movies or not.
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Exactly. Tell me that there is no chance it will be PG13, and that Ridley's comments about his vision for the film as something really nasty and hard-edged are going to ring true and my worries will evaporate. Because otherwise all I can see is a watering down of Scott's vision - which is not what I want to see for his return to sci-fi.
 
Puddles said:
The very beginning of the film was okay, but it quickly went to shit with the human characters.
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Yeah, but man did all the crazy shit come out of nowhere. I mean the maternity ward scene. How did that get passed with an R!

Puddles said:
The humans also sucked in the first AvP. It's a big disappointment considering Alien, Aliens and Predator all had fantastic human characters.
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I wasn't expecting too much and didn't mind the cliches. They moved the story along and there wasn't too much dwelling on them, say like in AVPR.
 
Scullibundo said:
Exactly. Tell me that there is no chance it will be PG13, and that Ridley's comments about his vision for the film as something really nasty and hard-edged are going to ring true and my worries will evaporate. Because otherwise all I can see is a watering down of Scott's vision - which is not what I want to see for his return to sci-fi.
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If its only one movie, I think the chances of it being R are much stronger.
 
Dead said:
If its only one movie, I think the chances of it being R are much stronger.
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I don't. If anything the budget that Scott wants for ONE movie would have been more easily accepted if it were to cover two films.
 
Hey Scullibundo, some guy in the TF3 teaser thread wants to give you $200 million to direct a movie. You should see if he's serious! :lol
 
Manos: The Hans of Fate said:
Yeah, but man did all the crazy shit come out of nowhere. I mean the maternity ward scene. How did that get passed with an R!


I wasn't expecting too much and didn't mind the cliches. They moved the story along and there wasn't too much dwelling on them, say like in AVPR.
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I agree that the second half of AvP:R was fantastic. Everything in that hospital kicked ass. Once the action started going, it didn't let up. Too bad the exposition was so horrible.
 
Ehh, after Alien, the directors cut of Alien 3 is my next favorite. I loved Aliens when I was 10, but watching it now kinda makes me wince. It seems awfully cheesy now. I'm glad he's not going the Alien vs dudes 'n tough chicks with guns route. Something a little more sinister will be nice.
 
SirButterstick said:
Ehh, after Alien, the directors cut of Alien 3 is my next favorite. I loved Aliens when I was 10, but watching it now kinda makes me wince. It seems awfully cheesy now. I'm glad he's not going the Alien vs dudes 'n tough chicks with guns route. Something a little more sinister will be nice.
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True story: I fell asleep during Alien 3.

I should probably give it another shot someday.
 
SirButterstick said:
Ehh, after Alien, the directors cut of Alien 3 is my next favorite. I loved Aliens when I was 10, but watching it now kinda makes me wince. It seems awfully cheesy now. I'm glad he's not going the Alien vs dudes 'n tough chicks with guns route. Something a little more sinister will be nice.
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aliens is still awesome. it's not cheesy but i can understand if the whole space marines thing is getting worn out for you. a lot of games and movies have taken the concept to B grade and worse.
 
Neuromancer said:
That link is pretty German, can anyone give us the gist of it? I don't trust Google Translate.
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GoogleTranslate writes pretty much the same, from what i can tell with my lousy english.

Hollywood calls to HR Giger
New order for HR Giger from the Dream Factory: The Swiss artist, will design the figures for the new "Alien" film.
It is a 3D film, very likely there are even two," reveals HR Giger's wife Carmen Scheifele proud against "Glanz & Gloria". It is the 'Alien' prequel, that is the story before the' Alien 'I'
The Neo-Surrealist HR Giger, designed the figure of the alien for previous "Alien" films - 1980 he was honored with an Oscar. So now Hollywood calls again - more specifically, director Ridley Scott, with whom Giger already worked at the first part of "Alien".
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Snowman Prophet of Doom said:
Aliens is probably one of the best pure action films of all time, but it doens't have the fully-fleshed characters of Alien and is inferior for it.
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Except that Ripley undergoes the most characterisation in any of the films in Aliens.
 
Scullibundo said:
Except that Ripley undergoes the most characterisation in any of the films in Aliens.
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That's arguable, and I don't think it's all that well done in Aliens either. In Alien she goes from a space trucker to a bad ass, the only survivor of an unknown species attack. In Aliens she becomes more badass and a mother again. Hell, Alien3 is better even, she accepts death and does it sacrificing her life. But that doesn't make Aliens any less of a film. It's still great.
 
VistraNorrez said:
That's arguable, and I don't think it's all that well done in Aliens either. In Alien she goes from a space trucker to a bad ass, the only survivor of an unknown species attack. In Aliens she becomes more badass and a mother again. Hell, Alien3 is better even, she accepts death and does it sacrificing her life. But that doesn't make Aliens any less of a film. It's still great.
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Oh please. In Alien she goes from Space Trucker to Space Trucker who survives. She doesn't confront the Alien so much as it stows away and hunts her. She's pretty much the same character (not that there was much of a character before, outside of her being the only strict protocol-heavy enforcer) when she jettisons the Nostromo as when she woke up on the Nostromo.
 
Scullibundo said:
Except that Ripley undergoes the most characterisation in any of the films in Aliens.
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This is probably arguable, but I would say that overall, the characterization in Alien is superior; there may be more of it in Aliens, but what's done in Alien is a bit more subtle and well-crafted.
 
I can't agree on that. I think (obviously I invite you to prove me otherwise) that you're mistaking weak character development for subtlety.

Ripley goes from being the only by the books, no-nonsense crew member - isolated from the rest of the crew somewhat because of the fact, yet she doesn't change much if at all by the time she's in hypersleep on the lifeboat.

Say what you want about the supporting characters in Aliens, but the film does an outstanding job with Ripley.
 
Scullibundo said:
I can't agree on that. I think (obviously I invite you to prove me otherwise) that you're mistaking weak character development for subtlety.

Ripley goes from being the only by the books, no-nonsense crew member - isolated from the rest of the crew somewhat because of the fact, yet she doesn't change much if at all by the time she's in hypersleep on the lifeboat.

Say what you want about the supporting characters in Aliens, but the film does an outstanding job with Ripley.
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I don't know that "extent of change" is always a great metric for characterization; she stays generally the same person throughout the movie, but we get a lot of insight into who that person is based on the choices that she makes (such as going for the cat). Her behavior in Alien is more like a real person, whereas in Aliens, I would argue that she behaves more archetypally.

As I said, though, it's arguable either way. My point had more to do with overall characterization, though; even were I to concede the point that Ripley is more developed in Aliens, I would still argue that, by a rather wide margin, the supporting characters of Alien are far better developed/drawn than those of Aliens.
 
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