darthalexander
Hank Scorpio
I have a feeling I may end up getting banned soon.
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Post by darthalexander on Jul 29, 2012 17:32:42 GMT -5
 First of all, my apologies for the lateness of this post - I just got back from a small vacation. I wasn't sure which movie I was going to choose for my week - I originally was going to choose one of my all-time favorite Hitchcock films (Stranger From A Train) but I figured this would be much easier for people to get to see. Alien is a special film for me. My first encounter with it was an accidental viewing of about 3 minutes of footage when I was a small child at the drive-in. I happened to be at a big drive-in that had many movies going on at the same time. I happened to catch a glimpse of this inbetween a break in the movies I was seeing. What I saw as a kid scared the hell out of me. It was the ending, in the pod, and I was only able to watch 3 minutes of it before I freaked out and needed to be calmed down. Years later, I happened to get into horror films and this one always stuck out for me. I need to see it to prove something to myself. What that was I really don't remember since I was about 12 years old, but knowing me it was to prove to myself that I was some kind of badass that could watch horror films and not be bothered. Sounds stupid, but I was only 12, so what can I say? Horror films really didn't bother me so I rented this to be able to say that I had seen it. I rented it and a loved it immediately. It made me a sci-fi horror fan for life. I was a sci-fi fan because of Star Wars and I was a horror fan because of Friday the 13th. Combining these two genres into one film really hooked me in. I love genre mash-ups and that is mostly due to this movie. Sadly it's something that isn't often done well but I find sci-fi mixes with horror quite easily. I'll get more into this later (lack of time). |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2012 18:53:09 GMT -5
I watched this a couple of times beforehand but I took a s.f. course and the professor talked about the capitalist overtones of the film and, while it's certainly not the most important thing about the film, it was an interesting point. The workers out in space being used by a corporation, the Xenomorphs representing a dangerous substance that they didn't fully understand before dealing with, etc. Just another reading that the movie sustains.
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spec
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Post by spec on Jul 29, 2012 19:52:45 GMT -5
I watched this a couple of times beforehand but I took a s.f. course and the professor talked about the capitalist overtones of the film and, while it's certainly not the most important thing about the film, it was an interesting point. The workers out in space being used by a corporation, the Xenomorphs representing a dangerous substance that they didn't fully understand before dealing with, etc. Just another reading that the movie sustains. Interesting. The alien could be a parallel with the corporation too, it kills without remorse and the company remorselessly uses the workers and effectively sends them to their deaths. It's like what Ripley says to Burke in Aliens: "You know Burke I don't know which species is worse, you don't see them f***ing each other over for a percentage." Despite civilisation and technological advancement, we are still naught but mere beasts. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2012 19:59:34 GMT -5
I watched this a couple of times beforehand but I took a s.f. course and the professor talked about the capitalist overtones of the film and, while it's certainly not the most important thing about the film, it was an interesting point. The workers out in space being used by a corporation, the Xenomorphs representing a dangerous substance that they didn't fully understand before dealing with, etc. Just another reading that the movie sustains. Interesting. The alien could be a parallel with the corporation too, it kills without remorse and the company remorselessly uses the workers and effectively sends them to their deaths. It's like what Ripley says to Burke in Aliens: "You know Burke I don't know which species is worse, you don't see them f***ing each other over for a percentage." Despite civilisation and technological advancement, we are still naught but mere beasts. Right. Also, the idea that the Xenomorphs are a superior species because of their ability to survive and adapt, conquering whatever it comes across, which could be a critique on capitalism gone wrong. |
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King Ghidorah
El Dandy
On Probation for Charges of two counts of Saxual Music.
How Absurd
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Post by King Ghidorah on Jul 29, 2012 20:02:28 GMT -5
I saw this in the 6th and 11th grade and got 2 different vibes each time, it'll be nice to watch it again as an adult.
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Post by BoilerRoomBrawler on Jul 30, 2012 2:24:55 GMT -5
Lovecraft in space. Good stuff. I'll have to watch Allen again soon for a fresh perspective. If for no other reason than to wash the taste of Prometheus from my mouth.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2012 2:43:43 GMT -5
Original Trailer:
One of the few trailers that can give me an actual emotion. Most give you a story or tease you with events but this one gets you on the edge of your seat. Very tense.
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4real
Wade Wilson
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Post by 4real on Jul 30, 2012 11:05:54 GMT -5
I tried to watch this film a few times when I was a teenager and just couldn't get past the first half hour. I thought it was very dull. But finally watched it the whole way through about 2 years ago and loved it. One of the most intense movies I've ever seen.
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bob
Salacious Crumb
The "other" Bob. FOC COURSE!
started the Madness Wars, Proudly the #1 Nana Hater on FAN
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Post by bob on Jul 30, 2012 15:17:37 GMT -5
Original Trailer: One of the few trailers that can give me an actual emotion. Most give you a story or tease you with events but this one gets you on the edge of your seat. Very tense. That trailer is awesome! It manages to make people intrigued as to what is in the egg without having a word of dialogue in it. |
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MasonK565
El Dandy
Biggest Damian Wayne fan on FAN.
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Post by MasonK565 on Jul 30, 2012 15:20:35 GMT -5
I laugh at the cut where the Alien moves from Parker to Lambert. It is my favorite Alien motion in all movies.
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darthalexander
Hank Scorpio
I have a feeling I may end up getting banned soon.
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Post by darthalexander on Jul 30, 2012 15:45:17 GMT -5
Now that I have a bit more time, I'm going to get into some of the reasons I love this movie so much.
One of the first things I love about this is the overall bleak nature of it. The dark ship, the cold miserable alien planet, the dark "scary" alien ship they find, and the story itself. I enjoy sci-fi stories where things aren't always wonderful and cheery and bright. I like Star Trek, but I much prefer my sci-fi look "dirty".
I enjoy how horrible their situation is. Alone, far away from any possible help, clueless, and without any really decent weapons to confront the Alien. I love how the ship is so big, and space is so big, yet they are very small and very helpless.
I always enjoyed the mystery of where the alien ship came from and the questions it raises (Prometheus gives a clue, but not entirely).
The designs are just great. From the alien ship to the Alien itself, the Nostormo, the planet, etc - it had excellent design work.
The chest-burster scene is outstanding. I believe the actors weren't told of this before filming the scene and I'm glad. Their reactions were great. Even though by now most people know what's coming, I love how many still get queasy when the scene appears.
I enjoyed this a lot, Aliens as well (I even liked Prometheus), but this one remains my favorite out of them all.
Thank god Lucas had nothing to do with this.
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mizerable
Fry's dog Seymour
You're the lowest on the totem pole here, Alva. The lowest.
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Post by mizerable on Jul 30, 2012 16:25:49 GMT -5
I wasn't sure which movie I was going to choose for my week - I originally was going to choose one of my all-time favorite Hitchcock films (Stranger From A Train) but I figured this would be much easier for people to get to see. Do you mean "Strangers on a Train"? Anyways, Alien is definitely one of my favorite movies. The unfortunate thing about growing up in the 80's and 90's is that you know that Ripley is the main character, something the original movie didn't allude to that much when it came out, which sort of diminishes the feel you would have originally felt when you watched it, especially given how it really does seem like the alien would win. Still better than Aliens (although comparing them is apples and oranges) and the sequels that came later. The chest bursting scene is still one of the greatest scenes in cinematic history. |
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darthalexander
Hank Scorpio
I have a feeling I may end up getting banned soon.
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Post by darthalexander on Jul 30, 2012 16:57:40 GMT -5
Yep, I meant Stranger On A Train...oops. (I was half-dead from driving all over the place when I wrote that).
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Post by Seth Drakin of Monster Crap on Jul 30, 2012 18:28:54 GMT -5
Loved this film.
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Post by Mighty Attack Tribble on Jul 30, 2012 18:56:37 GMT -5
Anyways, Alien is definitely one of my favorite movies. The unfortunate thing about growing up in the 80's and 90's is that you know that Ripley is the main character, something the original movie didn't allude to that much when it came out, which sort of diminishes the feel you would have originally felt when you watched it, especially given how it really does seem like the alien would win. That was one of the great things about the film. On first viewing, knowing nothing of the franchise, I didn't know who (if anyone) would survive, and it made for a very tense watch. Once Ripley went into the air duct with the flame thrower I was sure she'd be next to die. |
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Post by BoilerRoomBrawler on Jul 30, 2012 18:57:23 GMT -5
I remember reading that the original ending involved the alien killing Ripley and then imitating her voice over the communicator. Dodged a bullet there...
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CaptainFall
Samurai Cop
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Post by CaptainFall on Jul 31, 2012 13:41:58 GMT -5
One of my favourites. I love the fact that you can sum it up in a sentence "There's a bunch of people on a spaceship who get killed one by one by an alien on board". I'm sold. It really is the blueprint for what a sci-fi horror should accomplish. It's all mood and atmosphere and it's nothing but tense the whole way through.
To me Aliens is the dumb younger brother. Aliens as a stand alone film works fine enough but put next to Alien, all the quiet intensity was ripped out for a typical 80s massive gun waving action film.
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The Line
Patti Mayonnaise
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Peanut Butter & JAAAAAMMMM!
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Post by The Line on Jul 31, 2012 14:49:45 GMT -5
don't think I've ever actually sat down and watched this one all the way through. Will remedy that sooner rather than later.
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bob
Salacious Crumb
The "other" Bob. FOC COURSE!
started the Madness Wars, Proudly the #1 Nana Hater on FAN
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Post by bob on Aug 1, 2012 17:00:15 GMT -5
I just finished Alien for the first time in a while. It gets better after each viewing. Simply perfect as it is, I too am glad George Lucas didn't have anything to do with this.  It's like Jaws only in space in many ways. |
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Post by Mr PONYMANIA Mr Jenzie on Aug 1, 2012 17:15:04 GMT -5
love this movie and watched it numerous time, along with the others in the series, since i have all four movies in 2disk dvd's
when i was on holiday in blackpool, when VCR's were coming out, the supermarket we went to always played a video containing stuff from upcoming video releases ..... one of which was ALIEN .....
i almost went to see ALIENS when it came out, there was a middle page spread in the paper, with ripley and the queen in the sulaco airlock .....
but the first one is great, a classic space horror movie
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