You've been in my life so long, I can't remember anything else.
November 24, 2015 1:12 PM Subscribe
It may just be Alien: Brown Edition but bits of it are very pretty.
posted by Artw at 1:24 PM on November 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Artw at 1:24 PM on November 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
And I don't care about the irritating aspects of Winona Ryder's character. Michael Wincott, Dan Hedaya, Brad Dourif, Ron Perlman, Gary Dourdan, Raymond Cruz, Leland Orser....Alien: Resurrection is like a perfect storm of "hey, it's that guy!" working actors. A bunch of faces you know from a ton of different movies, but don't know their names. Also, the underwater scene is damn cool. As is the mess hall fight scene.
posted by Existential Dread at 1:37 PM on November 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by Existential Dread at 1:37 PM on November 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
City of Lost Children... In Space!
posted by Artw at 1:38 PM on November 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by Artw at 1:38 PM on November 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
It's really The Poseidon Adventure in space with the cast of City of Lost Children.
posted by maxsparber at 1:39 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by maxsparber at 1:39 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
The Poseidon Adventure should have ended with a gigantic threshing machine.
posted by Artw at 1:41 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 1:41 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
I love Alien3. Tortured production process aside, it's a brutally sad, hopeless, film where Ripley's struggle comes to an end - at her own hands at least - after she's spent the last of her life surrounded by discarded thugs. Even the robot just wants to GTFO.
Also takes the cake for the single best utterance of the word 'fuck' on film.
posted by sektah at 1:45 PM on November 24, 2015 [14 favorites]
Also takes the cake for the single best utterance of the word 'fuck' on film.
posted by sektah at 1:45 PM on November 24, 2015 [14 favorites]
Alien3 is certainly better than Aliens, and understands the ideas at the heart of the franchise a hell of a lot better.
posted by shakespeherian at 1:57 PM on November 24, 2015 [9 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 1:57 PM on November 24, 2015 [9 favorites]
I rather like the "Workprint" version of 3 even if Fincher disowns it. I've never actually brought myself to watch Resurrection even though I own it as part of the quadrilogy blu-ray set.
posted by octothorpe at 1:59 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by octothorpe at 1:59 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Resurrection is totally the first draft of Firefly.
posted by Pope Guilty at 2:06 PM on November 24, 2015 [11 favorites]
posted by Pope Guilty at 2:06 PM on November 24, 2015 [11 favorites]
Resurrection, I think, is still way underrated. Joss Whedon is sad that his name is on the screenplay , because they hacked it up, as I understand it - but I still liked it. :) Well, except for the big Alien baby creature stuff at the very end. The Special Edition is mildly interesting, but I don't know that Jeunet's extra stuff has anything in common with things that Joss wanted or not.
posted by bitterkitten at 2:10 PM on November 24, 2015
posted by bitterkitten at 2:10 PM on November 24, 2015
Alien3 is certainly better than Aliens, and understands the ideas at the heart of the franchise a hell of a lot better.
Hrrm. It certainly sticks close to Alien, but it's disappointingly conservative compared with Aliens , which takes the ideas of the first one and goes someplace else with them.
posted by Artw at 2:11 PM on November 24, 2015 [6 favorites]
Hrrm. It certainly sticks close to Alien, but it's disappointingly conservative compared with Aliens , which takes the ideas of the first one and goes someplace else with them.
posted by Artw at 2:11 PM on November 24, 2015 [6 favorites]
We're gonna want cortex and Artw in here.
I love Alien 3. It's a love the finished theatrical film doesn't earn and doesn't deserve; the love I have for it is for the film it could have been: the film that is peeking out around some of the corners and rough moments; a film that built on the implacable, relentless horror of the Alien as we knew it. It is closer in feel to Alien than Aliens, and I don't see anything wrong with that - the Alien trilogy is a horror story, as much fun as the action/adventure of the 2nd film can be.
One of the touchpoints of the first two films is that the Alien is a horrible monster, but humans are pretty vile too - the Nostromo is sent to respond to the signal so that the corporation can access whatever is valuable from alien technology (and a spy is on board to ensure that happens); Burke fulfills a similar role in the 2nd film. So the 3rd film drops our hero into a planet full of the undesirable and cast-out, a collection of the worst of humanity, and yet they organize, they pool their resources, and they fight back and claim some kind of victory. It's bleak and yet hopeful, and the scene that always remains with me is the last prisoner - Morse - being led away, but looking back over the foundry with a big grin on his face.
And the casting - Sigourney, Charles Dance, Charles S. Dutton, Pete Postlewaite - is awesome.
posted by nubs at 2:12 PM on November 24, 2015 [18 favorites]
I love Alien 3. It's a love the finished theatrical film doesn't earn and doesn't deserve; the love I have for it is for the film it could have been: the film that is peeking out around some of the corners and rough moments; a film that built on the implacable, relentless horror of the Alien as we knew it. It is closer in feel to Alien than Aliens, and I don't see anything wrong with that - the Alien trilogy is a horror story, as much fun as the action/adventure of the 2nd film can be.
One of the touchpoints of the first two films is that the Alien is a horrible monster, but humans are pretty vile too - the Nostromo is sent to respond to the signal so that the corporation can access whatever is valuable from alien technology (and a spy is on board to ensure that happens); Burke fulfills a similar role in the 2nd film. So the 3rd film drops our hero into a planet full of the undesirable and cast-out, a collection of the worst of humanity, and yet they organize, they pool their resources, and they fight back and claim some kind of victory. It's bleak and yet hopeful, and the scene that always remains with me is the last prisoner - Morse - being led away, but looking back over the foundry with a big grin on his face.
And the casting - Sigourney, Charles Dance, Charles S. Dutton, Pete Postlewaite - is awesome.
posted by nubs at 2:12 PM on November 24, 2015 [18 favorites]
Aliens , which takes the ideas of the first one and goes someplace else with them.
That place is 'Every James Cameron Movie You Already Saw.'
posted by shakespeherian at 2:20 PM on November 24, 2015 [14 favorites]
That place is 'Every James Cameron Movie You Already Saw.'
posted by shakespeherian at 2:20 PM on November 24, 2015 [14 favorites]
Alien3 is certainly better than Aliens...
Ack, ack, no. First Aliens has 80s Michael Biehn at his 80s Michael Biehn-iest. Second, it's Sigourney's entry into the Women Can Kick Ass Too sweepstakes.
Third, I do not want to see what happened to major characters in 3. Bad writers, very bad writers.
posted by NorthernLite at 2:20 PM on November 24, 2015 [9 favorites]
That place is 'Every James Cameron Movie You Already Saw.'
Yeah, but the man knows his business.
posted by Pope Guilty at 2:21 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Yeah, but the man knows his business.
posted by Pope Guilty at 2:21 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Unfortunately, the first thing that happens in the movie is that you find out the extremely likable cast of the second movie all fell off the spaceship or something and will not be appearing, BUT HEY we've got a great new cast for you if you'll just step this way...! It's a difficult opening to warm up to.
The ending is fantastic, though--normally you put the hero in an impossible predicament, then bring on the deus-ex-machina and leave the door open for sequels. Alien3 has an ending that's got the courage of its convictions.
posted by Sing Or Swim at 2:22 PM on November 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
The ending is fantastic, though--normally you put the hero in an impossible predicament, then bring on the deus-ex-machina and leave the door open for sequels. Alien3 has an ending that's got the courage of its convictions.
posted by Sing Or Swim at 2:22 PM on November 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
I think I would have rather seen William Gibson's Alien 3, even with the weird-ass airborne xenomorph mutagen thing.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 2:22 PM on November 24, 2015
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 2:22 PM on November 24, 2015
As if that doesn't sound outlandish enough, Red's Alien 3 script also contained a zero-gravity sex scene, a Gremlins-like sequence where an alien gets its arm stuck in a waste-disposal unit, and a moment where the protagonist's mother, Mary, slaughters an alien with a chainsaw. Then there's a creature dubbed "The Alien Human Thing," and finally, the entire space station transforms into a 50-storey alien.Aliens meets Dead Alive, or perhaps Evil Dead 2?
posted by Existential Dread at 2:24 PM on November 24, 2015
Mainly, outside of wanting it to do the comics instead, I have a physics quibble that lead would still weight quite a lot even if molten and would therefore splat our dog alien friend like a bug.
posted by Artw at 2:24 PM on November 24, 2015
posted by Artw at 2:24 PM on November 24, 2015
My beef with Aliens is that all of the characters feel like movie characters, which is a terrible comedown from the lived-in reality of Alien where everyone seems like someone you've worked with or talked to at a gas station. Aliens has the Precocious Child, the Slimy Business Guy (in the dumb Futuristic! suit with the turned-up lapels), etc. I can't imagine any of them going home and having a life outside the margins of the film.
posted by shakespeherian at 2:26 PM on November 24, 2015 [10 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 2:26 PM on November 24, 2015 [10 favorites]
(Oops, I mispoke above, confused Alien/Aliens at one point, anyhow llke them both.)
posted by NorthernLite at 2:28 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by NorthernLite at 2:28 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
That place is 'Every James Cameron Movie You Already Saw.'
In 1986 that list consists of The Terminator and Piranha II.
posted by Artw at 2:28 PM on November 24, 2015 [12 favorites]
In 1986 that list consists of The Terminator and Piranha II.
posted by Artw at 2:28 PM on November 24, 2015 [12 favorites]
He also wrote Rambo II.
posted by shakespeherian at 2:30 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 2:30 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
a moment where the protagonist's mother, Mary, slaughters an alien with a chainsaw
Given the whole "acid for blood" thing that seems like a really bad idea.
posted by nubs at 2:31 PM on November 24, 2015
Given the whole "acid for blood" thing that seems like a really bad idea.
posted by nubs at 2:31 PM on November 24, 2015
My beef with Aliens is that all of the characters feel like movie characters, which is a terrible comedown from the lived-in reality of Alien where everyone seems like someone you've worked with or talked to at a gas station
This times a billion. Alien was a working class film. Aliens was much less so.
posted by poffin boffin at 2:32 PM on November 24, 2015 [8 favorites]
This times a billion. Alien was a working class film. Aliens was much less so.
posted by poffin boffin at 2:32 PM on November 24, 2015 [8 favorites]
But I know my opinions in these threads are highly suspect as I adore every single film in the A&P franchise regardless of absence or presence of excellence. they are all my angry slimy acid blooded childrens
posted by poffin boffin at 2:33 PM on November 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by poffin boffin at 2:33 PM on November 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
Fine, he also wrote Rambo II.
So Aliens is basically Sarah Connor and Rambo being chased around a steel mill by flying piranhas.
posted by Artw at 2:33 PM on November 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
So Aliens is basically Sarah Connor and Rambo being chased around a steel mill by flying piranhas.
posted by Artw at 2:33 PM on November 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
No, because that sounds interesting.
posted by shakespeherian at 2:35 PM on November 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 2:35 PM on November 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
The Terminator is their mate. The steel mill is actually a gigantic pool draining plant that is going to explode.
posted by Artw at 2:37 PM on November 24, 2015
posted by Artw at 2:37 PM on November 24, 2015
The Powerloader is pretty much straight out of Xenogenesis so I'll give you that one.
Weirdly if the marines were vampires and their space can was a van and the aliens were hillbillies you pretty much get Near Dark.
posted by Artw at 2:39 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Weirdly if the marines were vampires and their space can was a van and the aliens were hillbillies you pretty much get Near Dark.
posted by Artw at 2:39 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
i'm just going to casually mention once again that AvP is a very important film because it has a WoC protag who is neither sexualized nor subjected to sexual violence or the threat thereof ok bye
posted by poffin boffin at 2:42 PM on November 24, 2015 [29 favorites]
posted by poffin boffin at 2:42 PM on November 24, 2015 [29 favorites]
Anyway re: Alien3 I actually like the beginning more than a lot of the middle. I agree with the article that killing Newt & Hicks during the credits is such a monstrously bold fuck-you to audiences that I can't help but respect it. It gives the entire film an elegiac quality -- the arc of the trilogy is now solidly Ripley vs. Alien, not Ripley-as-standin-for-humanity, but Ripley herself. She's got nothing really to fight for in this one, especially after she figures out what's inside her, other than the ability to make her death occur on her own terms. There's a great beauty to that idea.
posted by shakespeherian at 2:44 PM on November 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 2:44 PM on November 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
tim let's watch predators again
posted by poffin boffin at 2:44 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by poffin boffin at 2:44 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
All of the Aliens film: if these things get to earth it will be a horrible disaster!
AVP1: Antarctic doesn't count!
AVP2: LOL, what?
posted by Artw at 2:45 PM on November 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
AVP1: Antarctic doesn't count!
AVP2: LOL, what?
posted by Artw at 2:45 PM on November 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
also liz if you are going to bring predators into this discussion I am just going to email you pictures of nostrils the rest of the day
posted by shakespeherian at 2:45 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 2:45 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Predators was a fun reuse of all the music cues from Predator.
posted by Artw at 2:47 PM on November 24, 2015
posted by Artw at 2:47 PM on November 24, 2015
Alien = haunted house
Aliens = rollercoaster
Alien^3 = spinny ride that leaves you disoriented and slightly nauseous.
(team rollercoaster, myself)
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 2:48 PM on November 24, 2015 [6 favorites]
Aliens = rollercoaster
Alien^3 = spinny ride that leaves you disoriented and slightly nauseous.
(team rollercoaster, myself)
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 2:48 PM on November 24, 2015 [6 favorites]
Alien gave us a terrifying, weird, unpredictable biology and lifeform. How do the aliens work? What will it do next? What does the fucking thing even look like?
James Cameron came along and was like 'Deep insight: what if they were like ants'
posted by shakespeherian at 2:52 PM on November 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
James Cameron came along and was like 'Deep insight: what if they were like ants'
posted by shakespeherian at 2:52 PM on November 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
Resurrection was so visually stunning and each of the Stock Characters™ were very entertaining within the limited sphere of characteristics they were allowed to display, but if it never existed, or I never saw it, I would not really miss it. I mean, I enjoyed watching it but it would never occur to me to seek it out deliberately for a rewatch.
posted by poffin boffin at 2:54 PM on November 24, 2015
posted by poffin boffin at 2:54 PM on November 24, 2015
Predators has the most videogame characterization of all time.
posted by Artw at 2:55 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Artw at 2:55 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
yes but have you let the love of adrien brody's majestic nostrils into your life
posted by poffin boffin at 2:58 PM on November 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by poffin boffin at 2:58 PM on November 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
I don't know if I've ever had a better time watching a film than the first time seeing Aliens at a campus screening at Penn State when I was stoned and drunk as hell and most of the rest of the audience was too. I felt like I was inside an early Heinlein novel.
posted by octothorpe at 3:01 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by octothorpe at 3:01 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Brody spent six months developing authentic Roman nostrils for Dragon Blade.
posted by Iridic at 3:03 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Iridic at 3:03 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
All of the Aliens film: if these things get to earth it will be a horrible disaster!
The AvP arcade game, which was based on the cancelled original AvP movie that ran on this premise, was superb.
posted by Pope Guilty at 3:08 PM on November 24, 2015
The AvP arcade game, which was based on the cancelled original AvP movie that ran on this premise, was superb.
posted by Pope Guilty at 3:08 PM on November 24, 2015
Some bits of Prometheus were very good and the production design was nice even if the whole thing was a mess.
posted by Artw at 3:12 PM on November 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Artw at 3:12 PM on November 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
Alien3 is certainly better than Aliens...
And that is my signal to leave.
posted by zardoz at 3:15 PM on November 24, 2015 [12 favorites]
And that is my signal to leave.
posted by zardoz at 3:15 PM on November 24, 2015 [12 favorites]
1, 3, 4a, 2, 4b is the correct order of preference. The trouble with Aliens is that it was a well-executed B movie where the monsters could have been anything; werewolves, graboids or Matrix-style AIs, anything that needs to eat a person to stay alive. It's just bad luck that it interrupted the flow from Alien to Alien3.
posted by Rat Spatula at 3:15 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Rat Spatula at 3:15 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
That place is 'Every James Cameron Movie You Already Saw.'
Am now envisioning Aliens: Titanic and wondering just how horribly awesome it could have been.
Jack: I don't know about you, but I intend to write a strongly worded letter to the White Star Line about all of this.
Rose: You better just start dealing with it, Jack! Listen to me! Jack, just deal with it, because we need you and I'm sick of your bullshit.
posted by nubs at 3:16 PM on November 24, 2015 [8 favorites]
Am now envisioning Aliens: Titanic and wondering just how horribly awesome it could have been.
Jack: I don't know about you, but I intend to write a strongly worded letter to the White Star Line about all of this.
Rose: You better just start dealing with it, Jack! Listen to me! Jack, just deal with it, because we need you and I'm sick of your bullshit.
posted by nubs at 3:16 PM on November 24, 2015 [8 favorites]
An Alien's heart is a bioelectric battery full of acid.
posted by Artw at 3:26 PM on November 24, 2015
posted by Artw at 3:26 PM on November 24, 2015
Alien was a working class film. Aliens was much less so.
Interesting you should say that. It's set on a mining colony, and they actually shot scenes that showed the colonists at work - although those scenes didn't make it into the movie. So the final version was Platoon set in a haunted house, but the script had the potential to be a lot more like Alien3: if the colony hadn't been wiped out, Ripley and the Marines would have been working with a bunch of locals trying to deal with an alien infestation in their home.
posted by Joe in Australia at 3:28 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Interesting you should say that. It's set on a mining colony, and they actually shot scenes that showed the colonists at work - although those scenes didn't make it into the movie. So the final version was Platoon set in a haunted house, but the script had the potential to be a lot more like Alien3: if the colony hadn't been wiped out, Ripley and the Marines would have been working with a bunch of locals trying to deal with an alien infestation in their home.
posted by Joe in Australia at 3:28 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Wow, some really weird framing of everyone's not-favorite movie in the franchise here, including in the FPP article:
Alien 3 was a violent and some would say disappointing contrast to James Cameron's triumphant, Reagan-era Aliens.
Ugh, how could he be more wrong? It's only "Reagan-era" in that Platoon, its most obvious inspiration, came out during the Reagan Administration. It's an evocation of the failure of America during the sixties and seventies in Vietnam that actual Reagan-era triumphalism tried to counter (largely unsuccessfully, despite the efforts of GOP apologists to give Reagan the bulk of the credit for ending the Cold War). Further:
Where Aliens formed the near-perfect chapter to Alien, reintroducing Sigourney Weaver's Ripley as an emotionally wounded survivor who faces down her inner demons, Alien 3 served as a mercilessly downbeat coda. The treasures that Ripley managed to snatch away from the loathsome aliens at the end of the 1986 sequel - a surrogate daughter in Newt, a faithful partner in Hicks - were eliminated during Alien 3's opening credits. Ripley the triumphant victor was recast as a lonely warrior at the end of her journey.
Ripley's "faithful partner" was pretty badly maimed, and Newt has her own PTSD to deal with. Those two, and half an android, are all that Ripley manages to rescue out of an entire platoon; hardly a "triumphant victor" so much as someone who again manages to barely escape by the skin of her teeth. I should be clear here that I like Alien3 pretty well--it's got some interesting ideas and a great cast--but Fincher did no one (including himself) any favors by discarding two characters who didn't fit into his schema in the most peremptory manner possible, and Lambie's disparagement of the second movie undercuts his own thesis.
posted by Halloween Jack at 3:51 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Alien 3 was a violent and some would say disappointing contrast to James Cameron's triumphant, Reagan-era Aliens.
Ugh, how could he be more wrong? It's only "Reagan-era" in that Platoon, its most obvious inspiration, came out during the Reagan Administration. It's an evocation of the failure of America during the sixties and seventies in Vietnam that actual Reagan-era triumphalism tried to counter (largely unsuccessfully, despite the efforts of GOP apologists to give Reagan the bulk of the credit for ending the Cold War). Further:
Where Aliens formed the near-perfect chapter to Alien, reintroducing Sigourney Weaver's Ripley as an emotionally wounded survivor who faces down her inner demons, Alien 3 served as a mercilessly downbeat coda. The treasures that Ripley managed to snatch away from the loathsome aliens at the end of the 1986 sequel - a surrogate daughter in Newt, a faithful partner in Hicks - were eliminated during Alien 3's opening credits. Ripley the triumphant victor was recast as a lonely warrior at the end of her journey.
Ripley's "faithful partner" was pretty badly maimed, and Newt has her own PTSD to deal with. Those two, and half an android, are all that Ripley manages to rescue out of an entire platoon; hardly a "triumphant victor" so much as someone who again manages to barely escape by the skin of her teeth. I should be clear here that I like Alien3 pretty well--it's got some interesting ideas and a great cast--but Fincher did no one (including himself) any favors by discarding two characters who didn't fit into his schema in the most peremptory manner possible, and Lambie's disparagement of the second movie undercuts his own thesis.
posted by Halloween Jack at 3:51 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Okay, folks, I've been working on a new outrageous opinion since the last Alien thread and I think you're gonna like what I've come up with: the best film in the Alien franchise is Steel Magnolias.
posted by No-sword at 3:57 PM on November 24, 2015 [18 favorites]
posted by No-sword at 3:57 PM on November 24, 2015 [18 favorites]
Was Deckard a replicant....or a xenomorph? WHO KNOWS
posted by Existential Dread at 4:12 PM on November 24, 2015
posted by Existential Dread at 4:12 PM on November 24, 2015
Some bits of Prometheus were very good and the production design was nice even if the whole thing was a mess.
Ridley Scott is more dependent on script quality than almost any director I can think of. If you give him a bad script, he will dutifully shoot a series of impressive set pieces strung together by warmed-over bollocks.
posted by murphy slaw at 4:13 PM on November 24, 2015 [19 favorites]
Ridley Scott is more dependent on script quality than almost any director I can think of. If you give him a bad script, he will dutifully shoot a series of impressive set pieces strung together by warmed-over bollocks.
posted by murphy slaw at 4:13 PM on November 24, 2015 [19 favorites]
Ugh, how could he be more wrong? It's only "Reagan-era" in that Platoon, its most obvious inspiration, came out during the Reagan Administration.
Aliens came out six months before Platoon.
posted by octothorpe at 4:19 PM on November 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
Aliens came out six months before Platoon.
posted by octothorpe at 4:19 PM on November 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
Wow, the edgy contrarianism in this thread is strong. Maybe you Alien3>Aliens folks should put your heads together and pitch an article to Slate.
posted by The Tensor at 4:21 PM on November 24, 2015 [9 favorites]
posted by The Tensor at 4:21 PM on November 24, 2015 [9 favorites]
Ridley Scott is more dependent on script quality than almost any director I can think of.
He really is. At this point I think he's so dedicated a visual thinker that he has no idea if the actual script is any good whatsoever.
posted by Artw at 4:22 PM on November 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
He really is. At this point I think he's so dedicated a visual thinker that he has no idea if the actual script is any good whatsoever.
posted by Artw at 4:22 PM on November 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
Wow, the edgy contrarianism in this thread is strong. Maybe you Alien3>Aliens folks should put your heads together and pitch an article to Slate.
MOLECULAR ACID BURN!
posted by Artw at 4:23 PM on November 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
MOLECULAR ACID BURN!
posted by Artw at 4:23 PM on November 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
(I admire its purity)
posted by Artw at 4:24 PM on November 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
posted by Artw at 4:24 PM on November 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
Metafilter: a series of impressive set pieces strung together by warmed-over bollocks.
posted by Bringer Tom at 4:26 PM on November 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by Bringer Tom at 4:26 PM on November 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
hardly a "triumphant victor" so much as someone who again manages to barely escape by the skin of her teeth
I think the Alien films need to be viewed as Ripley's story; they really aren't about anyone else. It is about how Ripley, who starts off in the first film as an officer on a ship who doesn't seem to command a lot of respect, who appears somewhat tentative and uncertain at times, faces off against horror and tragedy and survives and goes on to become something greater.
Her victory in the first film is just surviving. Ripley's victory in the second film is in returning to face her nightmare from the first one, and defeat it on it's "home turf" (I still think there's an amazing question in the Alien universe to explore in terms of where the Alien came from, and I think the Prometheus sequels might go there. But Prometheus was such a mess I'm worried). Her victory in the third film is about being enough of a badass to embrace her own destruction as a means of eliminating the aliens from the universe and putting them beyond the grasping hands of those who think they can use the aliens as a product or a weapon. She escapes in all three films by the skin of her teeth.
The aliens are a horror movie monster that takes everything from Ripley over the course of three movies, but she becomes big enough to take everything they throw at her and exit on her own terms.
posted by nubs at 4:26 PM on November 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
I think the Alien films need to be viewed as Ripley's story; they really aren't about anyone else. It is about how Ripley, who starts off in the first film as an officer on a ship who doesn't seem to command a lot of respect, who appears somewhat tentative and uncertain at times, faces off against horror and tragedy and survives and goes on to become something greater.
Her victory in the first film is just surviving. Ripley's victory in the second film is in returning to face her nightmare from the first one, and defeat it on it's "home turf" (I still think there's an amazing question in the Alien universe to explore in terms of where the Alien came from, and I think the Prometheus sequels might go there. But Prometheus was such a mess I'm worried). Her victory in the third film is about being enough of a badass to embrace her own destruction as a means of eliminating the aliens from the universe and putting them beyond the grasping hands of those who think they can use the aliens as a product or a weapon. She escapes in all three films by the skin of her teeth.
The aliens are a horror movie monster that takes everything from Ripley over the course of three movies, but she becomes big enough to take everything they throw at her and exit on her own terms.
posted by nubs at 4:26 PM on November 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
IT'S A FRANCHISE
posted by poffin boffin at 4:36 PM on November 24, 2015
posted by poffin boffin at 4:36 PM on November 24, 2015
Alien is a very 70s film, of the best of decade of very good films and is still my favourite film of all time (well the weeks it's not Bladerunner)
Aliens is a very 80s film, in a decade of not as good as the 70s films... but of its' genre / subtype / whatever it is an almost perfect example and remains a very very good film - may be not as high up as it as been but still in my top ten for sure.
Alien3 is a glorius failure that got so messed about it could not hope to rise any higher... a '90s' film may be? There were a lot of big dark films that decade. A the time it came out I was actually proper angry in my hatred for it... I've sinced mellowed (and the re-cut version that came later corrects a lot of its problems)
Resurection, fuck me this was just piss poor... I still hate it's shit colours (think 3 is bad, this unforgivable). I suppose it's weird 80s art school throwback vibe with sf horror bolted on was trying something, but the terrible terrible mr bloody thing makes me loath it. Was a real trail to get through on the Quadrillogy. 90s too but the fag end of the decade and it never really belonged
And every thing came afterwards... all garbage basically - franchise as wrestling pic or plain cash grab, so a lot of that in 00s cinema.
Still, eh perhaps Prometheus 2 will be a masterpiece!
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 4:38 PM on November 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
Aliens is a very 80s film, in a decade of not as good as the 70s films... but of its' genre / subtype / whatever it is an almost perfect example and remains a very very good film - may be not as high up as it as been but still in my top ten for sure.
Alien3 is a glorius failure that got so messed about it could not hope to rise any higher... a '90s' film may be? There were a lot of big dark films that decade. A the time it came out I was actually proper angry in my hatred for it... I've sinced mellowed (and the re-cut version that came later corrects a lot of its problems)
Resurection, fuck me this was just piss poor... I still hate it's shit colours (think 3 is bad, this unforgivable). I suppose it's weird 80s art school throwback vibe with sf horror bolted on was trying something, but the terrible terrible mr bloody thing makes me loath it. Was a real trail to get through on the Quadrillogy. 90s too but the fag end of the decade and it never really belonged
And every thing came afterwards... all garbage basically - franchise as wrestling pic or plain cash grab, so a lot of that in 00s cinema.
Still, eh perhaps Prometheus 2 will be a masterpiece!
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 4:38 PM on November 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
Oh yeah, I almost forgot.... I think we need to discuss the BONUS situation...
posted by valkane at 4:40 PM on November 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by valkane at 4:40 PM on November 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
Predators has the most videogame characterization of all time.
That was one of the few bright sparks of the later franchise(s)... because 'Criminal / Tough guy/gall from [COUNTRY] using [SIGNATURE WEAPON]' is characterization approaching the sublime.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 4:42 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
That was one of the few bright sparks of the later franchise(s)... because 'Criminal / Tough guy/gall from [COUNTRY] using [SIGNATURE WEAPON]' is characterization approaching the sublime.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 4:42 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Native American Knife Guy has evolved to Yakuza Katana Guy! Melee fight unlocked!
posted by Artw at 4:46 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 4:46 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
But it's a quadrilogy!
The fourth film was grown in a fucking lab.
posted by nubs at 4:47 PM on November 24, 2015 [6 favorites]
The fourth film was grown in a fucking lab.
posted by nubs at 4:47 PM on November 24, 2015 [6 favorites]
i'm just going to casually mention once again that AvP is a very important film because it has a WoC protag who is neither sexualized nor subjected to sexual violence or the threat thereof ok bye
Also nobody ever mentions that she's a woman or black, and everybody just immediately takes it for granted that she's a total badass because she was hired to be the Expedition Badass so why would there be any question?
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 4:55 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Also nobody ever mentions that she's a woman or black, and everybody just immediately takes it for granted that she's a total badass because she was hired to be the Expedition Badass so why would there be any question?
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 4:55 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Alien is the best of all of them, and you can't convince me otherwise. But they're all amazing. Maybe less so Resurrection.
posted by teponaztli at 4:56 PM on November 24, 2015
posted by teponaztli at 4:56 PM on November 24, 2015
But it's a quadrilogy!
The fourth film was grown in a fucking lab.
I'm leaning more towards the fourth being like Belial. 'Basket Case' isn't a great movie by most meters, but it has its place.
posted by mr. digits at 4:58 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
The fourth film was grown in a fucking lab.
I'm leaning more towards the fourth being like Belial. 'Basket Case' isn't a great movie by most meters, but it has its place.
posted by mr. digits at 4:58 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Alien --> Monster Movie About Pregnancy Fears
Aliens --> War Movie About Motherhood Fears
Alien3 --> Prison Movie About Wait, What Do You Mean I *Have* To Have Women In This Movie Because That Was The Whole Idea? Ugh, Fine, But Only One.
Alien Resurrection --> Disaster Movie About Messing Up A Script As Much As Humanly Possible
posted by kyrademon at 5:51 PM on November 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
Aliens --> War Movie About Motherhood Fears
Alien3 --> Prison Movie About Wait, What Do You Mean I *Have* To Have Women In This Movie Because That Was The Whole Idea? Ugh, Fine, But Only One.
Alien Resurrection --> Disaster Movie About Messing Up A Script As Much As Humanly Possible
posted by kyrademon at 5:51 PM on November 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
Just because Alien3 is structurally incapable of passing the Bechdel test* doesn't mean it can't fight from the feminist corner.
* Technically, there is a second female character, and if they were to converse, we can feel safe it wouldn't be about men...
posted by Rat Spatula at 5:59 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
* Technically, there is a second female character, and if they were to converse, we can feel safe it wouldn't be about men...
posted by Rat Spatula at 5:59 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
I'm mostly joking, at least in my comments on the movies after the first two.
posted by kyrademon at 6:02 PM on November 24, 2015
posted by kyrademon at 6:02 PM on November 24, 2015
ROU_Xenophobe and I don't argue...except about the Alien franchise. He loves Aliens, I loathe it. He watches it for fun, I can barely get through it and usually fall asleep or wander off to do something else if it's on after muttering "ugh". He does now, however, agree that Alien 3 is a pretty damn good movie, thanks to a rigorous program of browbeating and insistence that it has been scientifically proven to be so. I love 3, it's so beautiful and grimy and hopeless and that one tiny moment of light and human emotional contact gets slashed to bits. That's why Tywin Lannister turned into such an asshole.
1, 3, AvP, 4, AvP2.....................................................
..........................
oh, was there another one?
posted by biscotti at 6:04 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
1, 3, AvP, 4, AvP2.....................................................
..........................
oh, was there another one?
posted by biscotti at 6:04 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Is this Alien 3 being better than Aliens thing a joke
I mean are you guys just trying to make me feel stupid or is this serious
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 6:05 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
I mean are you guys just trying to make me feel stupid or is this serious
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 6:05 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
The Alien 3 fans mostly come out at night. Mostly.
posted by Dr. Zira at 6:07 PM on November 24, 2015 [23 favorites]
posted by Dr. Zira at 6:07 PM on November 24, 2015 [23 favorites]
I love Alien and Alien3 in ways that I do not love Aliens. I love Aliens in ways that I do not love Alien or Alien3. But after Alien:Resurrection and all that Predator nonsense, it is in no way the weakest of the franchise.
posted by eclectist at 6:07 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by eclectist at 6:07 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Aliens is cartoonish and buffoonish and mistakes 'heavily armed' for 'badass.' Alien Ripley is a hundred times more badass than Aliens Ripley. Slowly edge into your space suit, strap yourself in, and methodically try all the CO2 exhausts until you get the one that pisses off the monster that is waiting right there in the fucking room with you? Stone cold badass. Duct tape a grenade launcher to a flame thrower? That is not badass. That is violence as wish fulfillment.
posted by shakespeherian at 6:20 PM on November 24, 2015 [10 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 6:20 PM on November 24, 2015 [10 favorites]
I was also joking. Mostly.
I've been hunting for a decent Newt action figure for wee Rattletta, anybody got a guy for that?
posted by Rat Spatula at 6:25 PM on November 24, 2015
I've been hunting for a decent Newt action figure for wee Rattletta, anybody got a guy for that?
posted by Rat Spatula at 6:25 PM on November 24, 2015
Alien3 --> Prison Movie About Wait, What Do You Mean I *Have* To Have Women In This Movie Because That Was The Whole Idea? Ugh, Fine, But Only One.
Ok, I know you're joking, but I see a very legitimate reason for Ripley being the only female character in the film, because she is also the Alien.
posted by nubs at 7:19 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Ok, I know you're joking, but I see a very legitimate reason for Ripley being the only female character in the film, because she is also the Alien.
posted by nubs at 7:19 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Slowly edge into your space suit, strap yourself in, and methodically try all the CO2 exhausts until you get the one that pisses off the monster that is waiting right there in the fucking room with you? Stone cold badass.
None of which happens in Alien 3
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 7:41 PM on November 24, 2015
None of which happens in Alien 3
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 7:41 PM on November 24, 2015
AND she doesn't shoot the thing with a harpoon gun and cook its ass with the engines.
posted by Artw at 8:02 PM on November 24, 2015
posted by Artw at 8:02 PM on November 24, 2015
I think we can all agree that that final scene in Alien 3 would have been 1000% more badass if she'd fallen backwards into the pit of fire while wearing a power loader with grenade launchers taped to each of its arms and also she was shouting "See you in Hell, bitch! Because fire, get it?"
Then the android head is like "That's one hot mama."
posted by No-sword at 8:05 PM on November 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
Then the android head is like "That's one hot mama."
posted by No-sword at 8:05 PM on November 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
Micro changes in air density.
posted by Artw at 8:20 PM on November 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Artw at 8:20 PM on November 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
I like griping.
posted by valkane at 8:22 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by valkane at 8:22 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Then the android head is like "That's one hot mama."
Which android head?
Wait, imagine those two gross android heads arguing about movies
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 8:24 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Which android head?
Wait, imagine those two gross android heads arguing about movies
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 8:24 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Aliens came out six months before Platoon.
...huh. I could have sworn that I'd read somewhere that Cameron admitted to taking his inspiration from it. Maybe another Vietnam movie or a book?
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:29 PM on November 24, 2015
...huh. I could have sworn that I'd read somewhere that Cameron admitted to taking his inspiration from it. Maybe another Vietnam movie or a book?
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:29 PM on November 24, 2015
probably the deer hunter
posted by shakespeherian at 8:35 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 8:35 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
at the very least while she fell back into the pit she could've flipped the bird because come on Ripley have a sense of style about it I mean jeeeez
posted by Pope Guilty at 8:38 PM on November 24, 2015
posted by Pope Guilty at 8:38 PM on November 24, 2015
Now I know why humans cry.
posted by Artw at 8:46 PM on November 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by Artw at 8:46 PM on November 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
a series of impressive set pieces strung together by warmed-over bollocks
This sounds like my thanksgiving plans :/
posted by thetruthisjustalie at 8:51 PM on November 24, 2015
This sounds like my thanksgiving plans :/
posted by thetruthisjustalie at 8:51 PM on November 24, 2015
Alien Resurrection is the best of all the Alien movies. A standout among the stellar character actors, Philip Seymour Hoffman brought his sweaty intensity and bruising physicality to the role of hybrid human alien Ripley clone.
posted by benzenedream at 9:01 PM on November 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by benzenedream at 9:01 PM on November 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
no the queen chestbuster flips two birds with its wee little forearms hollywood my number is listed all you have to do is call
posted by No-sword at 10:15 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by No-sword at 10:15 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Alien: "I admire its purity. A survivor... unclouded by conscience, remorse, or delusions of morality."
Aliens: "Maybe it's like an anthive?"
Alien3: [nothing quoatable]
Alien Resurrection: "Kill me."
posted by furtive at 10:17 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Aliens: "Maybe it's like an anthive?"
Alien3: [nothing quoatable]
Alien Resurrection: "Kill me."
posted by furtive at 10:17 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Four birds, come on.
posted by Artw at 10:28 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 10:28 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
So there's this pattern some of my coworkers have seen, in which a small company acquires a larger one, takes over its management infrastructure, and just ... explodes it.
We call them Chestbursters.
Thank you, Alien.
posted by effugas at 10:28 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
We call them Chestbursters.
Thank you, Alien.
posted by effugas at 10:28 PM on November 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Alien3: [nothing quoatable]
This is Rumor Control. Here are the facts! Alien3 has exactly one quotable line!
posted by Artw at 10:29 PM on November 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
This is Rumor Control. Here are the facts! Alien3 has exactly one quotable line!
posted by Artw at 10:29 PM on November 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
Wait, imagine those two gross android heads arguing about movies
On a derelict spacecraft? While malevolent scientists watch from earth? In the not-too-distant future, somewhere in time and space?
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 10:46 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
On a derelict spacecraft? While malevolent scientists watch from earth? In the not-too-distant future, somewhere in time and space?
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 10:46 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
This is Rumor Control. Here are the facts! Alien3 has exactly one quotable line!
Actually, it has two -- "Lady, you don't want to know me. I'm a murderer and a rapist of women."
In our house this has turned into periodic announcements that we're verbists of objects, I think most commonly when speaking on behalf of the dogs. As in, "I'm a licker and a humpist of starfish."
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 11:00 PM on November 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
Actually, it has two -- "Lady, you don't want to know me. I'm a murderer and a rapist of women."
In our house this has turned into periodic announcements that we're verbists of objects, I think most commonly when speaking on behalf of the dogs. As in, "I'm a licker and a humpist of starfish."
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 11:00 PM on November 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
Alien Resurrection: "Kill me."
Where do they get their ideas?
My favourite part of predators was after the first action scene and the Israeli sniper asks what happened to the tough guy? Their party has a big Spetnatz guy, a yakuza samurai dude, Walton Goggins redneck murderer, a chap from a death squad and various others but it turns out she means Adrian Brody.
posted by biffa at 12:00 AM on November 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
Where do they get their ideas?
My favourite part of predators was after the first action scene and the Israeli sniper asks what happened to the tough guy? Their party has a big Spetnatz guy, a yakuza samurai dude, Walton Goggins redneck murderer, a chap from a death squad and various others but it turns out she means Adrian Brody.
posted by biffa at 12:00 AM on November 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
If the Alien franchise were siblings, Aliens would be a university student - fashionable as hell and a lot of fun to be around but a bit tiresome in large doses.
Alien 3 is the older sibling that had to make some sacrifices but has come through it a better person - sure they are a bit less fun, but when they say something it's usually worth listening.
Alien is the wunderkind that can do no wrong.
Resurrection is the crazy step sibling from eastern Europe from when your dad met a woman online in a post-divorce-mid-life-crisis-grasp-at-retreating-youth, and they keep trying to burn your house down.
AvP and Requiem are the children of your mum's sister who lives in Canada who are a bit younger than all your siblings but they're basically harmless.
Prometheus... is... like the revelation that your mum had a kid when she was 16 that she gave up for adoption. they've spent 10 years looking for their biological mother and only found her after her obituary was in the papers.
posted by trif at 4:38 AM on November 25, 2015 [6 favorites]
Alien 3 is the older sibling that had to make some sacrifices but has come through it a better person - sure they are a bit less fun, but when they say something it's usually worth listening.
Alien is the wunderkind that can do no wrong.
Resurrection is the crazy step sibling from eastern Europe from when your dad met a woman online in a post-divorce-mid-life-crisis-grasp-at-retreating-youth, and they keep trying to burn your house down.
AvP and Requiem are the children of your mum's sister who lives in Canada who are a bit younger than all your siblings but they're basically harmless.
Prometheus... is... like the revelation that your mum had a kid when she was 16 that she gave up for adoption. they've spent 10 years looking for their biological mother and only found her after her obituary was in the papers.
posted by trif at 4:38 AM on November 25, 2015 [6 favorites]
So we got this new tv this week, bigger than any we've had before and somehow after this thread, I ended up watching the Aliens blu-ray all the way through last night. It looked really good after figured out how to turn off the soap opera effect.
posted by octothorpe at 4:58 AM on November 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by octothorpe at 4:58 AM on November 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
Goddamn soap opera mode.
posted by Artw at 5:29 AM on November 25, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Artw at 5:29 AM on November 25, 2015 [3 favorites]
What Is the Soap Opera Effect (and How to Make It Go Away)
posted by Artw at 5:33 AM on November 25, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Artw at 5:33 AM on November 25, 2015 [3 favorites]
The problem I have with high def TVs is that it really draws my attention to the sets. It's harder to fool me when I see every little detail. Resurrection suffered from that in a way that the first 3 didn't
posted by trif at 6:17 AM on November 25, 2015
posted by trif at 6:17 AM on November 25, 2015
Weirdly if the marines were vampires
...you'd have another great movie.
posted by Gelatin at 6:22 AM on November 25, 2015 [2 favorites]
...you'd have another great movie.
posted by Gelatin at 6:22 AM on November 25, 2015 [2 favorites]
Can anyone name a female action star before Ripley in Aliens?
...
Then shut up.
posted by entropicamericana at 8:08 AM on November 25, 2015
...
Then shut up.
posted by entropicamericana at 8:08 AM on November 25, 2015
Pam Grier had a career, you know.
posted by kyrademon at 9:57 AM on November 25, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by kyrademon at 9:57 AM on November 25, 2015 [5 favorites]
Can anyone name a female action star before Ripley in Aliens?
Helen Holmes.
posted by maxsparber at 10:15 AM on November 25, 2015
Helen Holmes.
posted by maxsparber at 10:15 AM on November 25, 2015
Alien: "I admire its purity. A survivor... unclouded by conscience, remorse, or delusions of morality."
Aliens: "Maybe it's like an anthive?"
Alien3: [nothing quoatable]
Alien Resurrection: "Kill me."
Wait, wait, wait, I was so focussed on the attribution of "Kill Me" to 4 rather than 2 that I overlooked the reprehensibly poor choice of quote from 2. How did you come up with this as the best quote? I mean, I wouldn't say "I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure." was my personal favourite but I think its engendered some popularity.
Or you can give the same line to Hicks of course. Though if you prefer there's his cinematic reference "I like to keep this handy... for close encounters." Sticking with the Hicks as badass theme there's also "I wanna introduce you to a personal friend of mine. This is an M41A pulse rifle. Ten millimeter with over-and-under thirty millimeter pump action grenade launcher."
Ripley has a stack of quotable other lines, pick from "You don't see them fucking each other over for a goddamn percentage." "Get away from her, you bitch!" or her statement of intent "You started this. Show me everything. I can handle myself."
Otherwise you can pick from Hudson's best known line: "Game over, man. Game over!" but there's also my preferred "Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen!" and even "Is this gonna be a standup fight, sir, or another bughunt?"
Vasquez' "You always were an asshole, Gorman!" also sticks in my mind. Another personal favourite: Apone's "All right, sweethearts, what are you waiting for? Breakfast in bed? Another glorious day in the Corps! A day in the Marine Corps is like a day on the farm. Every meal's a banquet! Every paycheck a fortune! Every formation a parade! I LOVE the Corps!";
Even Newt's "Ripley, she doesn't have bad dreams because she's just a piece of plastic." would be better than that Anthive shit.
posted by biffa at 2:09 PM on November 25, 2015 [2 favorites]
Aliens: "Maybe it's like an anthive?"
Alien3: [nothing quoatable]
Alien Resurrection: "Kill me."
Wait, wait, wait, I was so focussed on the attribution of "Kill Me" to 4 rather than 2 that I overlooked the reprehensibly poor choice of quote from 2. How did you come up with this as the best quote? I mean, I wouldn't say "I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure." was my personal favourite but I think its engendered some popularity.
Or you can give the same line to Hicks of course. Though if you prefer there's his cinematic reference "I like to keep this handy... for close encounters." Sticking with the Hicks as badass theme there's also "I wanna introduce you to a personal friend of mine. This is an M41A pulse rifle. Ten millimeter with over-and-under thirty millimeter pump action grenade launcher."
Ripley has a stack of quotable other lines, pick from "You don't see them fucking each other over for a goddamn percentage." "Get away from her, you bitch!" or her statement of intent "You started this. Show me everything. I can handle myself."
Otherwise you can pick from Hudson's best known line: "Game over, man. Game over!" but there's also my preferred "Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen!" and even "Is this gonna be a standup fight, sir, or another bughunt?"
Vasquez' "You always were an asshole, Gorman!" also sticks in my mind. Another personal favourite: Apone's "All right, sweethearts, what are you waiting for? Breakfast in bed? Another glorious day in the Corps! A day in the Marine Corps is like a day on the farm. Every meal's a banquet! Every paycheck a fortune! Every formation a parade! I LOVE the Corps!";
Even Newt's "Ripley, she doesn't have bad dreams because she's just a piece of plastic." would be better than that Anthive shit.
posted by biffa at 2:09 PM on November 25, 2015 [2 favorites]
Guess she don't like the corn bread, either.
Marines, we are LEAVING!
What are we supposed to use, man, harsh language?
Maybe you haven't been keeping up on current events, but we just got our asses kicked, pal!
How do I get out of this chickenshit outfit?
We're on an express elevator to Hell and goin' down!
Aliens has never lacked quotable lines.
posted by nubs at 2:30 PM on November 25, 2015 [2 favorites]
Marines, we are LEAVING!
What are we supposed to use, man, harsh language?
Maybe you haven't been keeping up on current events, but we just got our asses kicked, pal!
How do I get out of this chickenshit outfit?
We're on an express elevator to Hell and goin' down!
Aliens has never lacked quotable lines.
posted by nubs at 2:30 PM on November 25, 2015 [2 favorites]
Can anyone name a female action star before Ripley in Aliens?
Terminator was two years previous, though I can't remember if Sarah Connor had much of an action role in that compared to the sequel.
posted by rifflesby at 7:50 PM on November 25, 2015
Terminator was two years previous, though I can't remember if Sarah Connor had much of an action role in that compared to the sequel.
posted by rifflesby at 7:50 PM on November 25, 2015
In the original Terminator Sarah spent most of her time being a damsel in distress, although she did crawl through Hell and a crushing machine at the end to lure the Terminator to its destruction and survive the movie.
Roughly the same was true of Ripley in the original Alien though. The late 80's seem to have been an era when the idea sprouted on multiple fronts of having badass kickass female heroines who were maybe graduating from being DiD in their previous stories.
posted by Bringer Tom at 8:24 PM on November 25, 2015
Roughly the same was true of Ripley in the original Alien though. The late 80's seem to have been an era when the idea sprouted on multiple fronts of having badass kickass female heroines who were maybe graduating from being DiD in their previous stories.
posted by Bringer Tom at 8:24 PM on November 25, 2015
The character arc in both cases is in the original, the sequels take the now badass characters forward further, though in Sarah Connor's case a lot of the toughening up happens off screen between the films, while for Ripley its just in the first film, though we do see more of the skills she already had in the second.
posted by biffa at 2:49 AM on November 26, 2015
posted by biffa at 2:49 AM on November 26, 2015
You still don't understand what you're dealing with, do you? A perfect quote. Its structural perfection is matched only by its aptness.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 5:51 AM on November 26, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 5:51 AM on November 26, 2015 [3 favorites]
Arcturian poontang.
posted by shakespeherian at 6:47 AM on November 26, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 6:47 AM on November 26, 2015 [2 favorites]
If you view Alien and Terminator as horror/slasher flicks, does that diminish their feminist bona fides since that just makes Ripley/Connor the Last Girl?
Also, Alien3 is most feminist Alien flick, because she gets an abortion even though a man tries to stop her.
posted by Rat Spatula at 7:23 AM on November 26, 2015 [2 favorites]
Also, Alien3 is most feminist Alien flick, because she gets an abortion even though a man tries to stop her.
posted by Rat Spatula at 7:23 AM on November 26, 2015 [2 favorites]
About a hostile takeover.
posted by nubs at 8:35 AM on November 26, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by nubs at 8:35 AM on November 26, 2015 [1 favorite]
You all forgot Assholes and Elbows
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 8:01 PM on November 27, 2015
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 8:01 PM on November 27, 2015
For your amusement, here's a link to William Gibson's work on a script for Aliens 3.
All that remained from his draft was the bar-code on the back of the prisoners necks.
posted by drinkmaildave at 8:39 PM on November 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
All that remained from his draft was the bar-code on the back of the prisoners necks.
posted by drinkmaildave at 8:39 PM on November 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
Man, I am no stranger to controversial opinions (Linda Hamilton is the second best Sarah Conner, for example), but while I can almost understand why folks might not like Aliens or Alien3 as much, I really cannot understand anyone saying AvP is better than Resurrection.
I mean, when AvP2 came out I thought it was an improvement, which says a lot for how dire I found AvP.
posted by Mezentian at 9:54 PM on November 27, 2015
I mean, when AvP2 came out I thought it was an improvement, which says a lot for how dire I found AvP.
posted by Mezentian at 9:54 PM on November 27, 2015
At least AvP2 was rated R.
posted by shakespeherian at 10:04 PM on November 27, 2015
posted by shakespeherian at 10:04 PM on November 27, 2015
I really cannot understand anyone saying AvP is better than Resurrection.
I'm very much in the "Resurrection is the absolute worst, even worse than AvP2 or Prometheus, and by a wide margin" camp.
For me, a lot of it is that Jeunet does a lot of "clever" things to satirize America -- the guards are always chewing gum, and Dan Hedaya staring googly-eyed and blinky at everything and being generally incomprehensibly stupid and saluting people he is blowing up and shit like that. And every time the camera passes one of those guards smacking their gum or whatever, it bounces me right out of the movie because it's so overt and stupid.
I get that opinions can vary about this. Biscotti really likes Resurrection because to her it's like someone added a dash of French art movie to her Alien movie. But for me, by the time they'd done this, they'd done three movies that were played very straight and shot and acted more or less naturalistically, so this breaking the fourth wall schtick really REALLY REALLY did not work for me. At all.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:58 AM on November 28, 2015 [2 favorites]
I'm very much in the "Resurrection is the absolute worst, even worse than AvP2 or Prometheus, and by a wide margin" camp.
For me, a lot of it is that Jeunet does a lot of "clever" things to satirize America -- the guards are always chewing gum, and Dan Hedaya staring googly-eyed and blinky at everything and being generally incomprehensibly stupid and saluting people he is blowing up and shit like that. And every time the camera passes one of those guards smacking their gum or whatever, it bounces me right out of the movie because it's so overt and stupid.
I get that opinions can vary about this. Biscotti really likes Resurrection because to her it's like someone added a dash of French art movie to her Alien movie. But for me, by the time they'd done this, they'd done three movies that were played very straight and shot and acted more or less naturalistically, so this breaking the fourth wall schtick really REALLY REALLY did not work for me. At all.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:58 AM on November 28, 2015 [2 favorites]
Interesting to note that The Fifth Element and Resurrection both came out 1997. A lot of tonal elements were similar, albeit darker in the Alien movie.
posted by Existential Dread at 9:29 PM on November 28, 2015
posted by Existential Dread at 9:29 PM on November 28, 2015
They both really want to be The Incal, I guess.
posted by Artw at 10:37 PM on November 28, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Artw at 10:37 PM on November 28, 2015 [2 favorites]
Interesting to note that The Fifth Element and Resurrection both came out 1997.
I was there.
I lived it.
How did I not know this?
posted by Mezentian at 5:00 AM on November 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
I was there.
I lived it.
How did I not know this?
posted by Mezentian at 5:00 AM on November 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
I watched and loved a lot of French action movies in the late 1990s and I am not forgiving anyone for Resurrection any time soon.
posted by gingerest at 11:52 PM on November 29, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by gingerest at 11:52 PM on November 29, 2015 [2 favorites]
Alien gave us a terrifying, weird, unpredictable biology and lifeform. How do the aliens work? What will it do next? What does the fucking thing even look like?
James Cameron came along and was like 'Deep insight: what if they were like ants'
Seconded.
No, wait, firsted, dangit!
Dang you, shakespeherian!! Dang you straight to heck!!
Interesting to note that The Fifth Element and Resurrection both came out 1997. A lot of tonal elements were similar, albeit darker in the Alien movie.
They both really want to be The Incal, I guess.
Yeah. The introduction to the Incal reprint is full of stuff like (paraphrasing), "I'm not going to say who ripped this off, but man oh man you guys, this got ripped off big time a whole bunch of times in a whole bunch of giant blockbuster movies!"
posted by Sys Rq at 3:12 PM on December 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
James Cameron came along and was like 'Deep insight: what if they were like ants'
Seconded.
No, wait, firsted, dangit!
Dang you, shakespeherian!! Dang you straight to heck!!
Interesting to note that The Fifth Element and Resurrection both came out 1997. A lot of tonal elements were similar, albeit darker in the Alien movie.
They both really want to be The Incal, I guess.
Yeah. The introduction to the Incal reprint is full of stuff like (paraphrasing), "I'm not going to say who ripped this off, but man oh man you guys, this got ripped off big time a whole bunch of times in a whole bunch of giant blockbuster movies!"
posted by Sys Rq at 3:12 PM on December 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
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