The Alien and Predator Discussion Thread

[UltramanGoji]

I’m glad I began to get interested in these films when everything was available easily on Blu-Ray. My first and (so far) only viewing of Alien 3 was the Assembly Cut.

[KaijuCanuck]

I have Aliens on blu ray and have been meaning to watch it, haven’t seen it years. Such an incredible movie, if I recall correctly.

Saw the first Alien for the first time not too long ago, and I did find it a little underwhelming. It was bigged up to me as like the scariest movie of all time, but it just came across as very standard and routine. In fairness though, I realize that the reason it felt that way but is also so revered is that it probably created that routine, so in actual fact it’s probably very revolutionary speaking relatively.

[Zarm]

I'm not sure that I would consider Alien 'scary' so much as 'intense'. I feel like that's its strength. It starts slowly and gradually and on one set of characters, and by the time you get to the end it's focused on someone else and it's so heart-pounding the intense, and you can't even really put your finger on the moment or a transition from one to the other because it's so gradual and seamless.

There's some scares in there- and unfortunately, one of the biggest ones is usually spoiled by cultural osmosis years before most modern audience members see the film- but really, it's the steadily-building tension and intensity of the climax that I think makes it so good. Everything looks good, everything looks very real (minus a few bits in the end sequence and an unfortunate head-switcheroo), the characters are very grounded and real, Jerry Goldsmith is on top form as always, and it's really just a masterwork of pacing.

I mean, you know that there are few stronger advocates of Aliens being the best film in the series on these boards than me. But even then, I consider it better by only a small margin, and both films stand head-and-shoulders above so many not only in the genre, but in the decade, and even in the film of cinema, period. There are so many strong point in Alien... and while I don't consider it a scary film or horror in the traditional genre, it's certainly a little more horrific than the average thriller. It lands somewhere in-between- but that thriller-like intensity is where it really excels, I think. Maybe giving it another shot in that vein, with slightly different expectations of what it is that you are watching it for, might help? Either way, I'd heartily recommend giving it another shot.

(I'm in the same boat, by the way. I recently got both films on Blu-ray, but haven't watched them since doing so.)

[eabaker]

This may seem odd, but I think when I was a kid/early teen, the scare factor of Alien was intensified by its only being available in pan and scan VHS editions. The movie's spaces were a little hard to make out, its action a little harder to decipher, everything had a kind of murky ambiguity about it.

To this day, though, I think the sequence with Dallas in the air ducts is one of the scariest in cinema history, and builds to perhaps my favorite jump scare of all time. The moment when the Alien lunges, with its almost immediate hard cut away from the action, never fails to unnerve me.

[Zarm]

To this day, though, I think the sequence with Dallas in the air ducts is one of the scariest in cinema history, and builds to perhaps my favorite jump scare of all time. The moment when the Alien lunges, with its almost immediate hard cut away from the action, never fails to unnerve me.

My wife hates watching that scene with me, because it's also one of her favorites. I can only ever see the Alien doing jazz hands, and make sure to say so every time.

[MechaGoji Bro7503]

I rewatched P2 last night, and man its still my favorite Pred film. I could've sworn it was pretty violent the last time I watched it, this time around it felt "tame" if that makes sense. I mean yeah there's several scenes with skinned bodies and even a sex scene, I just remembered there being more gore. Like I was surprised that with King Willie's death they never showed the actual decapitation. Or when Keyes died we don't get to see his body get sliced in half. I totally forgot that City Hunter even had a plasma caster, he only used it twice in the same scene.
Danny Glover was badass as Mike Harrison, and both Bill Paxton and Gary Busey were outstanding. Kevin Peter Hall once again brought such a unique movement for the City Hunter Predator.

See, for me this is one of those cases where the sequel is just as good as the original, especially since this one felt like its own story. The worldbuilding and lore were done masterfully, and this film was the last time a Predator truly felt terrifying; for me at least.

If only we got a true Predator 3 that built off of this one sooner in the nineties since this one clearly set up for more.

[KillCrites]

According to Mr H's source, the rumored Alien TV series from earlier this year is happening and has found a streaming service.

Hoping this continues to story set up by the end of Alien: Covenant personally.

[MechaGoji Bro7503]

A Alien tv show would be awesome. Apparently something like that has been trying to get created since 1980.

Also, on AVP Galaxy official concept art leftover from Blomkamp's A5 has revealed a Big Chap looking xenomorph with........ four arms.

[KillCrites]

New Alien game has been titled 'Alien: Blackout'.
https://www.avpgalaxy.net/2018/11/24/is ... lien-game/
And the current theory is that it'll be officially revealed at The Game Awards on Dec. 6th!

Spoiler:

[Zarm]

Not an Isolation sequel? Boooooo...

[KillCrites]

Not an Isolation sequel? Boooooo...

Isolation did just get a kind of continuation a few months ago in the comic Aliens: Resistance where Amanda teams up with Zula (character from another comic Aliens: Defiance) to expose Weyland-Yutani's bio-weapons program if you're into comics at all.

[Zarm]

Nice! I'd heard about it, but didn't realize it was out yet.

[KillCrites]

Nice! I'd heard about it, but didn't realize it was out yet.

Oh shit, it's not yet. My bad, I meant it was just announced a couple months ago.

[GodzillaFan1990's]

Only good thing to come out of the Alien franchise at this point are games, comics and such. The prequels were not needed. Not everything needs to be demystified. It ruined what made the xenomorphs so scary.

[ROMG4]

The core problem with the Alien prequels isn't the Special effects, the demystification, or even the fact Ridley Scott doesn't even want to actually work with the alien concept anymore

It's simply the fact Ridley Scott and the team somehow have lost the ablity to create characters that don't act as dumb as the protagionists in Friday the 13th or any other bad character series

Everything they did right with the original Alien they have completely failed at with Prometheus and Alien: Covenant. The characters do moronic things, they aren't compelling or interesting, the plots are under-developed

The only good character is the villain and that's because he gets the perk of "Prequel Palpatine". Because he's so much smarter than the rest of the cast you end up rooting for him more because everyone is just so bloody dumb

[Zarm]

The core problem with the Alien prequels isn't the Special effects, the demystification, or even the fact Ridley Scott doesn't even want to actually work with the alien concept anymore

It's simply the fact Ridley Scott and the team somehow have lost the ablity to create characters that don't act as dumb as the protagionists in Friday the 13th or any other bad character series

Everything they did right with the original Alien they have completely failed at with Prometheus and Alien: Covenant. The characters do moronic things, they aren't compelling or interesting, the plots are under-developed

The only good character is the villain and that's because he gets the perk of "Prequel Palpatine". Because he's so much smarter than the rest of the cast you end up rooting for him more because everyone is just so bloody dumb

You, sir, win. You win the internet. This is right on the money.

[GodzillaFan1990's]

I still just can't get over how Alien: Covenant's ending is literally something straight from a slasher film... (It's the Evil Twin Oh Mai God!).

To think THE Ridley Scott that brought us the original Alien did that. He actually really thought we were that dumb to not think that was David posing as Walter which everyone including myself saw coming miles away.

[MechaGoji Bro7503]

Finally a new Alien game! I've neen itching for one since..... well since Isolation.

Now...... where's mah proper Predator game?

[ROMG4]

I still just can't get over how Alien: Covenant's ending is literally something straight from a slasher film... (It's the Evil Twin Oh Mai God!).

To think THE Ridley Scott that brought us the original Alien did that. He actually really thought we were that dumb to not think that was David posing as Walter which everyone including myself saw coming miles away.

I don't think he intended it to be a shock for the audience

[KillCrites]

Unpopular opinion but I love the prequels and what they brought to the Alien universe, especially Covenant. Honestly, the only Alien movies I find BAD are Resurrection and the AVP duology.