Your thoughts on the Prometheus Alien

You would be right young Padowan! *wink*

Hey Rick, I agree with you, the beasties in ALIENS were pretty scary. However, they did look and seem a little cock roach-ish to me. This is probably because of their sheer numbers, kind of like insects scattering when moving a kitchen appliance…Which also is sort of freaky. But I just don’t care for the way Cameron designed and illustrated his big Aliens. Some are ultra boney, while others are not. He changed their hands from six fingers and more human-looking (with the center two pair connected) to weird, three or four digit talons. My main point of contention is the scull, which would’ve been fine if they would have just finished the job by covering it with the translucent husk shape like in the original. I remember reading an article in the old special effects magazine called CINEFEX, where Cameron said they were planning to mimic the original design with the husk, but he preferred the way the under scull looked during the design process and just used that instead. I also read that the translucent skull casts were continually breaking during the design process. Any way you slice it, Cameron didn’t stick to the original, and in my opinion…superior visual design. That pissed me off! That freaky looking phallic head is the most unique feature on that HR Giger CREATURE. No wonder Cameron didn’t even bother to hire Giger for the show. He probably didn’t want to be artistically challenged by the Count Dracula looking Giger. I don’t mean to talk trash about one of my childhood heros, but I’ve heard that Cameron is a real megalomaniacal and pushy jerk on the set. GIVE US THE REAL ALIEN!!! ---Neurion

Hello all, good to see some really tantalising views up here on what direction 'Prometheus' will take concerning the creatures. I'll refrain from using the term 'Xenomorph' , as I hate it like some others here, but I may be in a minority. I say it may go the way of 'the egg before the chicken' in that I think Ridley Scott mentioned the back story emphasis may be on the eggs and the 'Facehuggers' themselves. We have to start from the birthing mechanism right? Look at some of Giger's early designs for the huggers - they're not as spidery, but boy are they more nightmarish! Like the Alien, the huggers have been done to death and too recognisable. I think much more Necronomicon-like cousins of these will bring a fresh terror and tip the scales back into more a adult and sexual Freudian horror than the last 'comicky' outings.

Amen Zeta, Instead of "Xenomorph," I prefer to refer to the Alien as "The Big Fellow" or "The Big Chap" as the ALIEN film crew did while making the film, more than 32 years ago. You know what? The film crew of the original "JAWS" movie referred to the large animatronic SPFX shark as "Bruce." I've always thought that funny.----So, you'd like to see some old-school Giger Facehuggers huh? I don't know...do ya think the world is ready for that?? I'm still trying to get those paintings outta my head. Those enormus slug-like things, equipped with tentacles, Testicles, and a huge scrotum sack. Not to mention the blowjobish nature of the tube being vividly shoved down the victims throat. Whew! But then again...it couldn't be any more shocking than a Lady GaGa Video. So I say MUSH ON! Good Call Zeta! --- I LOVE THIS SHITE!!! Finally...I'm able to chat with folks who know what the Frack I'm talkin' about when it comes to the AAAAAALIEN. Also...sorry about the length of my posts fellow "Nostromoites", I realize that they're longer than the "Big Fellows" cranium. But I'm just havin' so much fun. Almost as much fun as I had in the theatre when I was 12, watching Ripley change into her space shuttle suit. WOW!!! Well...come on, she wasn't Megan FOX...but I was 12. My dad was supposed to have taken me to see ROCKY II. Instead I wound watching a foul-mouthed "space girl" strip for a "Dick-headed" Monster. Man...my dad got his ass "chewed off" by mom when we got home. Sheee was pissed!Ahhh Good Times... Lucky Star OUT.

Hey Neurion, good to hear you're a kindred spirit there. Yes, indeed - this film - if it is doing so - should not shy away from Giger's extreme images. I mean, there has never, to my knowledge anyway, been an underground or mainstream film that has tackled the Necronomicon images full on. Look at 'Poltergeist 2' - that came close with the brilliant 'vomit creature' that crawled under the bed, but they made a mess of the 'Great Beast'. If the effects crew had taken some time out, then this would've been fantastic to look at. Same with Sil in 'Species' - a gorgeous, albeit jerky animatronic and cartoony CGI ruined what could've been a true Giger filmic spectacle. But now we may at long last see a mind-blowing depiction of how Biomechanoid phantasms should be depicted, hence the length (healthy I say) of time it's taking to make this film. I really think this is may be where the 'R' rating should come into play and not just for the sake of some splatter. I'm with you on the Ripley space-suit routine by the way Neurion - what with the protruding tongue and drool, that Alien MUST've been a male - or female what the hell, go for it sister, lol!!

I thought there was some interesting stuff designed for “Poltergeist II” as well. One of the problems was that Giger’s work clashed with imagery and atmosphere on the so called “Other Side.” The “Other Side” looked sort of like the Mutara Nebula from “The Wrath of Khan” or something. So Giger’s Great Beast and the human characters were just sort of floating around in this goofy Aurora Borealis looking place. It wasn’t scary, and had no continuity. That’s why ALIEN worked so well, there was a visual continuity to everything on the planetoid. The land, the sky, and everything in the derelict ship looked like it was right out of a Giger painting. The Alien forms themselves, looked very natural in that environment, and the humans looked fairly alien there. Once the crew brought the Alien aboard the Nostromo, “it” looked alien and out of place, and the humans looked comfortable in their surroundings again…except for one thing. From an extra-terrestrial perspective, it was the Alien’s privacy that was violated. Everything would’ve been fine except for those pesky little earthlings. Although, given it’s instincts, I’m sure Kane’s Facehugger was as relieved to sense his presence, as a hooker is pleased to spot a “John” with a hundred bucks stickin’ out of his pocket and a horny look on his face. I think when filmmakers are attempting to manifest Giger’s designs on film, they must create a proper visual setting, atmosphere, and mood that is conducive to conveying the strange qualities associated with the work. Thus far, Only Ridley Scott has done this successfully. Hopefully, he can do it again…without simply repeating himself. ~Neurion

Wow, there are some amazing thoughts and thesises being posted here! Great reads everyone, keep it up! It will be interesting to see how the facehugger and egg and overall Alien life cycle comes into play and how it is explained; if it is explained.

I think that will be the majority of this film, not so much an Alien stalking a bunch of helpless crew on a ship, but the exploration to discover its origin and in the process, they find themsleves in an unfortunate situation.

Now, I may be mistaken, but some may assume that the Alien "DNA" which is discovered, is that of the Alien itself. But what if it is that of the Space Jockey, and humans play a vital role in the possible creation of the Alien? It is a tad "out there" rto think so, but why not. It would be an interesting twist for sure.

What are your thoughts on the Alien's origin? Was it a military experiment for some Alien race? A tool made by the Space Jockeys? I'm curious to hear your takes on this.

Hey “Prometheus”, Get your liver eaten out lately? Just kiddin’, mine too…I guess I partied too much in the 90s...HAH! (I hope you got my mythological tomfoolery). Any ways…you know, I’m not sure if I’m happy with this whole genetic, DNA engineering, “building blocks of life”…Thing. I prefer the idea of the Alien…in all of it’s forms, as just a naturally evolving organism…like any other non-synthetic animals, bacteria, fungus or even mankind. I’ve always been fond of the idea that the first close encounter of the third kind with this organism was in the first ALIEN film with the crew of the Nostromo. Even though the Weyland-Yutani company did have a remote encounter of the second kind, prior to the Nostromo landing. I prefer the planetoid and involvement with the Alien being virgin territory for humans when Dallas and his “space cowboys” set down in the original flick. By retroactively writing Alien history, and injecting previous Alien experiences…the filmmakers are making the “Alien universe” smaller in a way that I don’t care for. Just like in ALIENS, when “Frost” cracks the joke about having sex with “Octurian poontang”…it diminishes the novelty and exclusive nature of human involvement with our favorite Alien nasties. It makes it seem like there’s human and extra-terrestrial interactions going on all over the galaxy. Of course that’s just my humble opinion. I like to imagine that the transmission/Warning was an aberration and a very rare or first time occurrence. ~Neurion

Hey “Prometheus”, Get your liver eaten out lately? Just kiddin’, mine too…I guess I partied too much in the 90s...HAH! (I hope you got my mythological tomfoolery). Any ways…you know, I’m not sure if I’m happy with this whole genetic, DNA engineering, “building blocks of life”…Thing. I prefer the idea of the Alien…in all of it’s forms, as just a naturally evolving organism…like any other non-synthetic animals, bacteria, fungus or even mankind. I’ve always been fond of the idea that the first close encounter of the third kind with this organism was in the first ALIEN film with the crew of the Nostromo. Even though the Weyland-Yutani company did have a remote encounter of the second kind, prior to the Nostromo landing. I prefer the planetoid and involvement with the Alien being virgin territory for humans when Dallas and his “space cowboys” set down in the original flick. By retroactively writing Alien history, and injecting previous Alien experiences…the filmmakers are making the “Alien universe” smaller in a way that I don’t care for. Just like in ALIENS, when “Frost” cracks the joke about having sex with “Octurian poontang”…it diminishes the novelty and exclusive nature of human involvement with our favorite Alien nasties. It makes it seem like there’s human and extra-terrestrial interactions going on all over the galaxy. Of course that’s just my humble opinion. I like to imagine that the transmission/Warning was an aberration and a very rare or first time occurrence. ~Neurion

Well put, haha. I like your take on it, I agree. But I would assume the events on the Nostromo were not the first encounter with the "ALIEN" itself. I wouldn't be surprised if Weyland Yutani had a previous encounter before that incident. But I do agree that the Alien universe is being squeezed a little too much. The mixing with the Predator franchise has done a fine job of this, and really destroys all that "ALIEN" set out to create. But, thankfully Prometheus will stay clear of that franchise and hopefully bring back the muystery and essence that is ALIEN.

Hey guys, interesting subject you have here. I was 7 years old when my parents take me to watch that cult movie named "Alien" (in my country translated "8th Passenger"...lol ) back in 1979. I was totally petrified and hypnotized but I wached it to the end without a blink, in past months after that I had one single dream over and over, a scene when alien popup in airduct on Dallas...whau!!! As I grow older and with all other Alien based movies my fear transform to curiosity what is that creature and how it came to be...well, first thing that came to me is, as you pointed is that first movie suggests some crucial things. First of all, it looks like that creature is some sort of "genestealer", it use genes from it's host to adapt itself what explane to me it's humanoid form, that thought lead me to believe that creature's humanoid form is not it's original form. Maybe their quick adaptation to environment and potential host species is "perfection" that Ash indicated. Secund, the derilict ship is obviously used as egg transportation vessel because nothing else significant was found inside except pilot and cargo, the purpose is not clear, maybe for warfare or extinction of some nasty species, maybe they were engineered by "Space Jokeys" or maybe they were natural species once in their natural environment with high capacity for adaptation that was degenerated over time and constant exploatation in various diferent worlds...will see. I hope that Redley Scott will put some light on this subject and ingeniously complete this circle of mistery...I sincerely believe that this will not be another war movie with swarming aliens and hard core GI-s... :)

alien was on cable tv last nite, I turned it off after the ship landed on the planet. my boyfriend was working late last nite and i vow not to watch the movie again alone.The last time i saw alien i had nightmares for 2weeks. I think it's a combination of many factors that makes alien tthe scariest sci-flick of all time. alone in space on a big minning ship in another distant planetary system where no one can here you scream plus fighting a horrrific alien with unkown weakness and origin plus a crazy renegade, back stabbing and deceptive andriod working agianst them makes this movie a classic. one o my all time favorites. I also have another favoriteand that's aliens. On that same note aliens is all time classic. A huge box office hit for the franchise in the 80's. It's a action sci-fi classic this movie was about the action, fighting, courage to face the unkown, revenge and survival of many humans on a distant planet. ripley played the hell out of that chararcter. yeah there was too many weak drone aliens but mama alien gave me what i wanted and everybody else who packed it in to the movie theater. that fight scene with ripley and the queen alien is a icon movie clip that is reconize all aroud the world.
Now as for the other sequels um draining. that all i'm going to say. they tried and was not successful in restoring it back to its glory.

When Ridley Scott describes “PROMETHEUS” as "a new, grand mythology and universe", but with "Alien's DNA", I’m filled with a lot of cinematic excitement…and dread. The potential for science fiction greatness and ground breaking story telling is pretty damn “cool.” However, the reverse is also very possible…if not probable. Hey, I don’t want to rain on anybody’s parade, but we’ve been getting’ our Alien-lovin’ asses kicked for about 20 years…with weak sequels. And Sir Ridley hasn’t exactly directed a real “Barn Burner” since “Gladiator”…11 years ago. MOMENTARY SEGUE …You know, I really enjoyed the small sci fi movie “Pitch Black”. As flawed as it may be, it kind of reminded me of “old school” ALIEN narrative. It was a “cool” little horror action flick, with pretty interesting characters and monsters. But, David Twohy decided to expand the fairly modest and personal film into a “new, grand mythology and universe”, so to speak, in the form of THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK…it butchered and under-minded a lot of the merits that Pitch Black had brought to bear. Riddick went from being a badass killer criminal with a change of heart, to being a prophesized savior of the universe foretold by the ancient “Furyan” prophesies. Give me a break! After enjoying a little bit of success, Twohy just couldn’t “keep it in his pants.” He had to go all George Lucas on us…with his characters. Darth Vader has to be Luke’s Pappy and bring balance to the UNIVERSE!!! And Boba Fett becomes the hinge pin to the whole clone thing. I’m just afraid that same thing is going to happen here with ALIEN/Prometheus. Even in the ALIEN series thus far, the Ripley character suffers from over development. If I watch the first and last Alien film back to back, to me the Ripley characters do not resemble each other in the slightest (cloning not withstanding). I’m fed up with excellent…or at least fun original films, being soiled by over-produced and self indulgent sequels…i.e. PIRATES 2,3 & 4 or Jurassic Park 2…all out for the buck. Just like Weyland Yutani…aka “THE COMPANY”. ~Neurion

Hey Neurion,
What do you think of this ending to Alien?

Ridley Scott is reportedly quoted as saying that originally he wanted a much darker ending. He planned on having the alien bite off Ripley’s head in the escape shuttle, sit in her chair, and then start speaking with her voice in a message to Earth. Apparently, 20th Century Fox wasn’t too pleased with such a dark ending.

Holy poo Batman! You Alien-lovin' folks have been busy! I just arrived back from the far away planet called Kan-sas where a reliable internet connection is apparently too much to ask for. Grrr. Anyway...great reading all the stuff.

Couple things quick...Neurion is right. We are SO teetering on a knife edge when it comes to getting a brilliant film worthy of Herr Scott or another in the brutally unsatifying stuff we've been subjected to since Alien '79.

Rick...have also read that comment about Ripley's head/Alien sending message...I always took that as a bit of dry tongue-in-cheek humor from Scott...but if not in jest then I thank the invisible sky fairy for not letting that blunder happen.

Until later!

Hey Rick, Yeah…I’ve heard that piece of trivia before. I wonder if it’s true. If it is, I think FOX probably made the right choice. Not necessarily because of the darkness of such an ending, but also the potential for an unintentional comical appearance to the scene, and the disastrous possibility of a humorous reaction. Although I sometimes respect films and filmmakers that have the “stones” to go against conventional wisdom and risk big money by going with the dark or disturbing denouement, I love the way ALIEN ends. However, I would’ve loved to have had them shoot that ending. It would make a great outtake. Few cinema storytellers would be able to pull that off. It would’ve however, severely changed the nature and dynamics of the Alien, whether it was speaking through mimicry or some form of cognitive and sentient thought. Also, could have tied in with Parker’s comments to Brett, “Whatta ya…some kinda parrot?” I think that it would’ve been overkill. With so much fear, suffering, and death in the picture…I think that the relieving ending was earned by Ripley, Jones, and the audience. This is coming from Neurion, who’s a big fan of “No Country for Old Men,” “Night of the Living Dead”, “The Thing” and many other flicks that have downer or just creepy endings. I don’t know…there’s just something about that first film that’s…well…”classy”. Jerry Goldsmith’s beautiful scoring combined with the soaring classical music in the movie’s last moments are a big part of how and why ALIEN is elevated from a B-horror film…to a unique new genre. Never to be reproduced or matched to this day. ~Neurion

hey guys! first post !! i have read some where that Ridley says the alien shape has been "overused" and something new will be done for the new movie, the "d.n.a." as he says will be present in the design, personally i think this will be great especially as Giger will be onboard as consultant. on a seperate issue does anyone know what Dallas whispers to himself in the airducts? this has bugged me for years!!! Thanks!!

It is common knowledge, that the Nostromo, was NOT!, the first Weyland Yutani ship to get an Alien on board. There was another company vessel that had one before!. And contrary to what you might think, Promethius was NOT the name of that first vessel, but I suspect it was the project name, that Weyland Yutani gave to the Alien, as a project for the bio-weapon. Alien 1, was all 'really' about which speices was higher up the evolutionary ladder, Alien?, or Human?. Aliens, was an experiement, to clearly prove one abouve the other!, in a safe place, away from earth. More to evaulate the threat to earth, that to evaluate the potential as a weapon. I would have written this story 1000 times better than they ever could have!, there is not enough sub-plot to warrent an entire film, you need a sideways step to it. If anyone would have listened to me?, I would certainly expose the plot to use the alien as a weapon in full in a prequel, the whole Nostromo, and Hadleys Hope thing laid bare, and then destroy the alien race, in an early planet shift, plunging LV426 into volcanic meltdown, and amoung other twists, make the space jockeys gentle saviors, trying to kill the necronome (the Aliens). And protect everyone, but who the fuck asks me!, everyone likes my ideas, and falls in love with them, everyone tells me "you should send these ideas off!", everyone goes nuts for my writing, a whole room held by my every word. Ridley Scott should ask me man!. This idea of corporate subdifuge to obtain a clear picture of the Alien plot, hasn't got enough meat on its bones to warrent an entire prequal movie, we;ve seen all this stuff already man, 30 years ago, it needs an entire twin story, like I have in mind, something totally fresh, to give it enough substance. This Alien prequel isn't nearly enough on its own!, we've seen all of that stuff before!, 30 years ago before, it needs something entirely new to add to it, something that would change the way people saw the Alien films after it forever, like 'my' idea for the prequel movie. But the important ones never listen!. They steal my ideas!, agian and again, put them into mass production, best selleing lines they've ever had, blah, blah, blah, but never really listen man. life SUCKS!.

It is common knowledge, that the Nostromo, was NOT!, the first Weyland Yutani ship to get an Alien on board. There was another company vessel that had one before!. And contrary to what you might think, Promethius was NOT the name of that first vessel, but I suspect it was the project name, that Weyland Yutani gave to the Alien, as a project for the bio-weapon. Alien 1, was all 'really' about which speices was higher up the evolutionary ladder, Alien?, or Human?. Aliens, was an experiement, to clearly prove one abouve the other!, in a safe place, away from earth. More to evaulate the threat to earth, that to evaluate the potential as a weapon. I would have written this story 1000 times better than they ever could have!, there is not enough sub-plot to warrent an entire film, you need a sideways step to it. If anyone would have listened to me?, I would certainly expose the plot to use the alien as a weapon in full in a prequel, the whole Nostromo, and Hadleys Hope thing laid bare, and then destroy the alien race, in an early planet shift, plunging LV426 into volcanic meltdown, and amoung other twists, make the space jockeys gentle saviors, trying to kill the necronome (the Aliens). And protect everyone, but who the fuck asks me!, everyone likes my ideas, and falls in love with them, everyone tells me "you should send these ideas off!", everyone goes nuts for my writing, a whole room held by my every word. Ridley Scott should ask me man!. This idea of corporate subdifuge to obtain a clear picture of the Alien plot, hasn't got enough meat on its bones to warrent an entire prequal movie, we;ve seen all this stuff already man, 30 years ago, it needs an entire twin story, like I have in mind, something totally fresh, to give it enough substance. This Alien prequel isn't nearly enough on its own!, we've seen all of that stuff before!, 30 years ago before, it needs something entirely new to add to it, something that would change the way people saw the Alien films after it forever, like 'my' idea for the prequel movie. But the important ones never listen!. They steal my ideas!, agian and again, put them into mass production, best selleing lines they've ever had, blah, blah, blah, but never really listen man. life SUCKS!.

Hi Sophie, I'm pretty sure that in the airduct scene, Dallas is thinking aloud...and says to himself, "Get a hold of yourself." I think you're right about the DNA thing. My guess is that the creature design(s) in PROMETHEUS will have Giger's style and a retro-ALIENesque appearance. Welcome to the wonderous world of Oooooooowhoooooohooooo...PROMETHEUS-MOVIE.COM. Or as I'm hoping the film will be...ALIEN: BIGGER, LONGER, AND UNCUT! ~Neurion