Topic: Prometheus: Ridley Scott's Alien Prequel

[Andy @ Allerton]

You didn't like it, why does it matter?

After having 3 weeks to digest Prometheus all that's stuck with me is Shaw's self abortion. Oh, and Fassbender's superb performance.

Giving Alien 3: Director's Cut a watch later, should be interesting.

It doesn't matter. But you said there were more memorable scenes in Sunshine that Prometheus. Which is fine. But I can't remember any that stood out for me.

[Andy @ Allerton]

**no spoilers, don't worry**

Just saw it on a giant fucking screen in IMAX 3D. Loved it. 

I'd been avoiding the spoilers in this thread, but had glimpsed enough at the start of posts here to prepare myself for a mediocre movie.  But it was far better than that. The visuals were stunning, a couple of performances were fantastic. Was it perfect? No. But it was a damn good movie. Can't wait for the next one!

I'm so sick of all the comic book & transformer-type movies that keeps getting thrown at us. Some are good, most are shit. It was great to see a more classic "serious" sci-fi film. Scott deserves praise for even trying -- and he very much succeeded IMO.

This is a great post for me mate.

As an ardent Science fiction fan of nearly 40 years now I too am pretty demoralised with all the crap that is passing itself off as Science Fiction these days. There is no real thought or intelligence in them. They are a standard fare of (usually) up their own arse characters suddenly facing a challenge from *somewhere* then teaming up, going through a few problems before kicking shit out of it and all 'learning' something (Before coming back in the next one in about the same state the left the last one).

There is no real thought processes, just a sad, tired format.

It's nice when you get the odd film that tries to be different, tries not to have all the answers and tries to shake things up. The best thing about Prometheus if it's as successful as I hope is that it gives the green light to the tens of thousands of fantastic stories out there that Hollywood have wimped out on. There are just so many incredible books out there that deserve to be on film.

But you have to be careful. You have to allow a good director to get his hands on it and TRY AND KEEP THESE STUPID SCREENWRITERS AWAY FROM THE STORY. These blokes are seriously terrible idiots. Look at "The Day the Earth Stood Still", "Adjustment Bureau", "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy", "I, Robot" and all the other great stories that were horribly butchered by clueless morons that hadn't got a clue. All of those films if done right and IF THEY HAD KEPT THE ORIGINAL SCRIPT would have been fantastic just turned into absolute crap.

I honestly don't understand the thought processes of "Take a great script. Get people in to do it. Get a screenwriter to take the great script and turn it into something that a five year old chipmunk could scrawl better with a crayon."

[sparkiemark73]

Unbelievable really isn't it. Prometheus 9/10??!!! Aliens is an immense film, Sci-Fi classic. Prometheus won't be joining it in the pantheon of greats.

Perhaps it was the tired, characterless squadron of army boys (oh yes, and throw in token butch army girl) that puts me off. I just don't care about these characters and neither did the writer. I wanted to, but it was weak. I'm asked to suspend disbelief, but when macho cliche is shoehorned in by the bucketload (without humour, tension or any signs of charisma) then I'm out. If you're going to 'go all macho about it' then Predator made a way better job of it by far.

The look and feel of Aliens from a visual side just doesn't compare to Alien, no style whatsoever. The only real cinematic moment in Aliens was when Newt stuck her hand up through the grate. I just think Cameron tried to make a 'Hollywood Blockbuster'... and it shows.

So Aliens is a 'sci-fi classic'? What's classic about it given what came before?

I'm so sick of all the comic book & transformer-type movies that keeps getting thrown at us. Some are good, most are shit. It was great to see a more classic "serious" sci-fi film. Scott deserves praise for even trying -- and he very much succeeded IMO.

Agree. I wanted to come out of Prometheus feeling like I'd seen a science fiction film, and I wasn't dissapointed.

This is a great post for me mate.

As an ardent Science fiction fan of nearly 40 years now I too am pretty demoralised with all the crap that is passing itself off as Science Fiction these days. There is no real thought or intelligence in them. They are a standard fare of (usually) up their own arse characters suddenly facing a challenge from *somewhere* then teaming up, going through a few problems before kicking shit out of it and all 'learning' something (Before coming back in the next one in about the same state the left the last one).

There is no real thought processes, just a sad, tired format.

It's nice when you get the odd film that tries to be different, tries not to have all the answers and tries to shake things up. The best thing about Prometheus if it's as successful as I hope is that it gives the green light to the tens of thousands of fantastic stories out there that Hollywood have wimped out on. There are just so many incredible books out there that deserve to be on film.

Absolutely spot on.

Reading 'The Algebraist' at the moment (and really enjoying it), about as Sci-Fi as it gets, couldn't imagine it on film though, just a bit too far out.   

[Redcap]

I don't think Aliens was a sci-fi classic. But it was an action classic. As good an action blockbuster as there's ever been.

Action classic>sci-fi flop.

[MOZ]

I think Aliens works because it plays on the Macho, Gung-ho, Military bravado at the start of the film and ultimately exposes the futility of it all by the end. The weapons, the training, the tactics etc all count for nothing in a strange, hostile environment against an unimaginably ruthless enemy.

[Incognito]

I for one enjoyed it but can easily admit that the connection towards Alien did spoil it somewhat for me.  As a standalone it is well made, has plotholes but that didn't really bother me while walking out of theater.

What spoiled it, and guess still does a bit, is that I was expecting a prequel.  While watching one really couldn't shake it out of ones head how it would align itself towards the story of the 1st movie because the elements where totally there.  Yet it never did....and probably wasn't meant to.

So the biggest problem most have with this movie is an all probability the misapprehension that it's a straight prequel.  It's not.


*There has been shaky reports of it getting a sequel so perhaps they'll connect the dots at a later date.  Hollywood does love it's franchises

[Incognito]

I don't think Aliens was a sci-fi classic. But it was an action classic. As good an action blockbuster as there's ever been.

Action classic>sci-fi flop.

I agree with IMDB assessment.

Alien (1979) Horror | Sci-Fi

Aliens (1986) Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Continuation of story but incomparable.  Apples and oranges.  Lucas and Alonso.

[soxfan]

*There has been shaky reports of it getting a sequel so perhaps they'll connect the dots at a later date.  Hollywood does love it's franchises

Oh, I'd bet there's a sequel coming. There were certainly hints in the movie, and it's made good money so the studio will gladly sign up for another one.

[Driver 8]

I honestly don't understand the thought processes of "Take a great script. Get people in to do it. Get a screenwriter to take the great script and turn it into something that a five year old chipmunk could scrawl better with a crayon."

It's not really screenwriters' fault (well, not always, and never entirely theirs) ; it's the studios. Writers have zero power in Hollywood; scripts can pass through a dozen writers before filming, even if only one or two get listed on the credits. Someone can write a cracking adaptation, then it goes to the higher ups, who send it back or pass it on to someone else for a rewrite, then they send the rewrite for a rewrite...too many cooks, fixing what's not broken, etc.

[Nicky English]

Perhaps it was the tired, characterless squadron of army boys (oh yes, and throw in token butch army girl) that puts me off. I just don't care about these characters and neither did the writer. I wanted to, but it was weak. I'm asked to suspend disbelief, but when macho cliche is shoehorned in by the bucketload (without humour, tension or any signs of charisma) then I'm out. If you're going to 'go all macho about it' then Predator made a way better job of it by far.

Aliens was an absolutely brilliant cold war allegory, which I think goes amiss sometimes, especially if you didn't grow up with it.

But like Andy said, it isn't a Sci Fi film, it's an action movie, and a fairly typical one of the US for the time. Except, for you know, the fact that the main character is a woman and she can actually act.

[Incognito]

Perhaps it was the tired, characterless squadron of army boys (oh yes, and throw in token butch army girl) that puts me off. I just don't care about these characters and neither did the writer. I wanted to, but it was weak. I'm asked to suspend disbelief, but when macho cliche is shoehorned in by the bucketload (without humour, tension or any signs of charisma) then I'm out. If you're going to 'go all macho about it' then Predator made a way better job of it by far.

Hmm, not sure I'd go watch the movie you wished on Aliens...watching in-dept psychology of characters front-left-center asking themselves why they got into that god-forsaken situation.  Making most a likable human being and throwing in background stories of them.  For me, it was enough to have a surfaced information about them, even if it was typecast.  The "all talk-no guts" whiner, the empathetic thinker, the macho's and the sergeant to name a few was all the information I needed to make that movie work.

Aliens was an absolutely brilliant cold war allegory, which I think goes amiss sometimes, especially if you didn't grow up with it.

But like Andy said, it isn't a Sci Fi film, it's an action movie, and a fairly typical one of the US for the time. Except, for you know, the fact that the main character is a woman and she can actually act.

Doesn't a movie that has either alien species in it, space travel or technology that doesn't exist automatically be classified as a Sci Fi ?

That said, and continuing from the answer above, you saw it miles away what kind of movie was coming.  And the Gung-Ho marines with limited idea or interest what was going to happen was spot on.  A roller-coaster ride with some fine individual performances to boot.  I can still watch it today without thinking of it as a waste of time.

My feeling is that those that didn't like Aliens are similar to the hipsters that don't like mainstream for the sake of it.

[Andy @ Allerton]

Hmm, not sure I'd go watch the movie you wished on Aliens...watching in-dept psychology of characters front-left-center asking themselves why they got into that god-forsaken situation.  Making most a likable human being and throwing in background stories of them.  For me, it was enough to have a surfaced information about them, even if it was typecast.  The "all talk-no guts" whiner, the empathetic thinker, the macho's and the sergeant to name a few was all the information I needed to make that movie work.

Doesn't a movie that has either alien species in it, space travel or technology that doesn't exist automatically be classified as a Sci Fi ?

That said, and continuing from the answer above, you saw it miles away what kind of movie was coming.  And the Gung-Ho marines with limited idea or interest what was going to happen was spot on.  A roller-coaster ride with some fine individual performances to boot.  I can still watch it today without thinking of it as a waste of time.

My feeling is that those that didn't like Aliens are similar to the hipsters that don't like mainstream for the sake of it.

Who said they didn't like it? But it does look very dated and cliched nowdays. Hasn't stood the test of time well - whereas with Terminator and Terminator 2 (For instance) they look as great today as they did when they were first made.

[Nicky English]

I remember AMC was showing the Quadrilogy last July, well, I happened to be in the clink that day with 3 older inmates who have seen the films before and 2 youngbloods who never have.

The young kids liked Ressurection the best. Because young people are morons who only care about pretty pictures.

Aliens is far superior in terms of boneheaded action movies to anything that came out in the last 5 years. Bill Paxton helps.


(Edit: I didn't mean to say 'you people', I meant to say 'young people'. Apologies to everyone 21 and older.)

[Incognito]

Who said they didn't like it? But it does look very dated and cliched nowdays. Hasn't stood the test of time well - whereas with Terminator and Terminator 2 (For instance) they look as great today as they did when they were first made.

Well, the quoted from sparkiemark73 wasn't really glowing with revere    Although I was speaking generally, not targeting views of posters on here.

That said, I cannot concur with it being outdated and cliched especially while comparing the latter ones you mention.  But then it is one of my favorite so I am a bit bias.  The other two are on that list also though   It could be quite interesting to talk about how movies date...for example I have fallen out of love with many just because of irritating soundtracks (the good old synthesizer ones come to mind).

And there is one point also.  It has to do with the "when you saw it" thingy.  I'd imagine I wouldn't be that interested or understand the hype if seeing Aliens for the first time just recently.  Not many movies can withstand that yet there is just no way for me to put myself in those shoes.  To my knowledge what's seen cannot be unseen.  Don't think anyone that sees Die Hard for the first time today will be THAT blown away.  Or even The Thing (John Carpenders).

[Incognito]

I remember AMC was showing the Quadrilogy last July, well, I happened to be in the clink that day with 3 older inmates who have seen the films before and 2 youngbloods who never have.

The young kids liked Ressurection the best. Because you people are morons who only care about pretty pictures.

Aliens is far superior in terms of boneheaded action movies to anything that came out in the last 5 years. Bill Paxton helps.

Hahaha, Paxton...had a tough time not seeing him as the whiny guy for a long time after that one

Ressurection, looked good and was quite enjoyable for 3/4 of the movie but then got fubar'd as soon as "the creature" was introduced 

[Thush]

Aliens was an absolutely brilliant cold war allegory, which I think goes amiss sometimes, especially if you didn't grow up with it.

Vietnam war, really.


An over-confident, technologically superior US fighting force gets its arse handed to it by the "locals" who use their environment over tools and manufactured weapons.


I would watch Aliens any time over Promethesus, which gets more ridiculous in my head every time I try to think about it.

[Nicky English]

Vietnam war, really.


An over-confident, technologically superior US fighting force gets its arse handed to it by the "locals" who use their environment over tools and manufactured weapons.


I would watch Aliens any time over Promethesus, which gets more ridiculous in my head every time I try to think about it.

True, as well.

We in Russia saw it differently though.

[Drinks Sangria]

I think suspension of disbelief comes as a given, no?

[soxfan]

I would watch Aliens any time over Promethesus, which gets more ridiculous in my head every time I try to think about it.

I greatly enjoyed both movies. And I think Prometheus will be seen more positively as time goes on. Fassbender's performance in particular will be regarded as a classic sci-fi role. He will be the new "Hal" (of 2001 fame) to this generation. He had some great lines in this movie.

[Andy @ Allerton]

Going to see it again tonight this time in 2D.

So far seen it on the opening night in 3D in the jazzy executive thingy in LiverpoolONE (Pretty merry), again the next day in 3D (Still merry, but slightly less so) - so seeing it tonight (Pretty unmerry - though I might get the missus to drop me off so I can have a bevvie or two) sounds pretty good.

Be nice to see if the people saying it's clearer in 2D are right.

Looking forward to it. Really loved this film. Was thinking about it quite a lot when on my holibobs - not many films make you think of anything after you've seen them usually.

[Rusty Oysterburger]

I agree with this, some things in Sunshine irked me but overall there's a lot more memorable scenes in Sunshine than in Prometheus/

They both start off asking some fairly intellectual questions about God etc. and there is a lot of incredible imagery and sets.  And then they both descend into quite stupid monster/slasher horror film bollocks in the last act without really backing up or expanding on anything established earlier on in the film.

[WTF?]

Don't know if this has been posted yet....

http://collider.com/ridley-scott-prometheus-deleted-scenes-interview/172202/

but there's a few bits and pieces about the blu ray release, extended scenes etc. plus a little bit about the Bladerunner sequel.

[Rusty Oysterburger]

Brometheus

http://www.funnyordie.com/slideshows/3852d8fa48/prometheus-2-brometheus-leaked-set-photos#slide1

[Andy @ Allerton]

Wow

3rd time of viewing. And wow. This film keeps giving. Science Fiction. At last

[IAmZlatan]

Huge, huge disappointment. Went in without seeing any of the previous Alien films and the hope that I would enjoy it as a stand alone film. The problem isn't that it leaves too many questions up for the viewers, but simply how poor a film it really is. Its already been thoroughly discussed by Rusty Oysterburger in particular, but it really is just a bad movie.

The script was just terrible. There were so many plotholes with little consequence to the main plot but detracted from the experience. For example, what happened to all the medics and other people on board the ship? Are we expected to just believe that




The only positives I could draw were Fassbender's performance and Rapace's infamous scene.

[elbow]

For example, what happened to all the medics and other people on board the ship? Are we expected to just believe that

I've seen it twice and really like this film.

[mart356]

The biggest problem was the cut scenes. In the link posted above, he states theres about 20-30 minutes of additional scenes. Putting those in would fill in some of the blanks and plotholes.

[Livo.85]

Prometheus Unbound: What The Movie Was Actually About (Don't know if it's been posted yet.)
http://cavalorn.livejournal.com/584135.html & click on the links in the link.
This was also helpful for me - http://whatculture.com/film/prometheus-6-answers-to-the-key-questions.php

[lionel_messias]

Prometheus Unbound: What The Movie Was Actually About (Don't know if it's been posted yet.)
http://cavalorn.livejournal.com/584135.html & click on the links in the link.
This was also helpful for me - http://whatculture.com/film/prometheus-6-answers-to-the-key-questions.php

Let me save you the trouble: It is about Jesus (apparently) and about 25 minutes (of exposition) too short.

[Spongebob Redpants]

Wow

3rd time of viewing. And wow. This film keeps giving. Science Fiction. At last

You got shares in 20th Century Fox ?

[Livo.85]

Let me save you the trouble: It is about Jesus (apparently) and about 25 minutes (of exposition) too short.

Did you click on the 2nd link? I also just realized the author is a LFC supporter!

[Nicky English]

Did you click on the 2nd link? I also just realized the author is a LFC supporter!

Aren't everyone?

Sorry, I just refuse to acknowledge people who aren't as humans.

[Andy @ Allerton]

You got shares in 20th Century Fox ?

I've got a monthly pass for Cineworld

[lionel_messias]

Did you click on the 2nd link? I also just realized the author is a LFC supporter!

I didn't but LFC supporters too: James Bond, Al Capone, Samuel L Jackson, Damien Lewis, (Hello to) Jason Isaacs and Mike Myers!

And probably the naked dude at the start of Prometheus who dissolves himself with black solvent, well he had spent too long looking at the LFC Summer transfer forum I reckon.

[ShatnersBassoon]

You have to allow a good director to get his hands on it and TRY AND KEEP THESE STUPID SCREENWRITERS AWAY FROM THE STORY. These blokes are seriously terrible idiots.
I honestly don't understand the thought processes of "Take a great script. Get people in to do it. Get a screenwriter to take the great script and turn it into something that a five year old chipmunk could scrawl better with a crayon."

99% of the time its the director or studio that fuck around with the script. they may bring in "script editors" or whatever to make changes but they are basically following strict instructions and cant take the blame. The scriptwriters aren't respected and trusted enough to let their work stand up on its own without a load of tinkering by people who arent writers.

Ive seen countless decent scripts that have turned into movies that bare the thinnest resemblance because directors want to "leave their stamp" or studios have a misguided thought that the changes will put more bums on seats. Robin Hood a prime example. An interesting script turned into a complete bore by ridley scott.

[Andy @ Allerton]

99% of the time its the director or studio that fuck around with the script. they may bring in "script editors" or whatever to make changes but they are basically following strict instructions and cant take the blame. The scriptwriters aren't respected and trusted enough to let their work stand up on its own without a load of tinkering by people who arent writers.

Ive seen countless decent scripts that have turned into movies that bare the thinnest resemblance because directors want to "leave their stamp" or studios have a misguided thought that the changes will put more bums on seats. Robin Hood a prime example. An interesting script turned into a complete bore by ridley scott.

I don't understand how they can spend millions of quid on a product and can't see that themselves.

Surely it's in everyone's interests to come out with the best film they can? In the cases where they are transferring a successful book (for instance) to the big screen then surely the key to that is that it's "A successful book" - or a popular one even - so WHY change the script at all? I can accept that a book won't fit into two hours and that cropping must occur just to fit it in - but why change the basic plot, story or characters?

[Alan_X]

Watched it last night and while a few of the set pieces were excellent and Fassbender gave a great performance, the whole thing was spoilt by paper thin characters and a poor script.

The 'space jockey' plot just didn't make any sense. I'll write in more detail later but it was confused sub von-Daniken nonsense. The crew were by-the-numbers, you could pretty much tell to the minute when they would meet their deaths (for no obvious reason) and the exposition speeches were laughable and gave away most of the plot: "..so your escape pod is self contained and can detach from the ship and includes a special automatic surgery machine..."

Fassbender was excellent but I still don't get his motivation.
Even basic things like the helmets. What was all that shite about leaving them on or taking them off? Like so many other things in the movie the characters behaved in a completely idiotic and meaningless way to suit the plot. And what the fuck were the helmets made of? They melted in one scene (so obviously plastic) and then later they shattered like glass if they got hit (perfect for a space suit...).

It as all too stupid and also... I fucking hate 3D. Two scenes maybe were worth it but for most of the film I took the glasses off. Do I need 3D to understand that the people who look bigger are near and the small people are far away?... Why are we meant to sit and watch some fantastic visuals while wearing sunglasses?...

I went hoping to be blown away but it was a huge disappointment. If I'd been on the end of a row I'd probably have walked out.

[owens_2k]

Watching most of the film without the glasses probably ruined it for you. Makes it all blurry.

[Alan_X]

Watching most of the film without the glasses probably ruined it for you. Makes it all blurry.

No - most of it made no difference and looked a lot better. In the magical sandstorm scene (magical because the powerful abrasive silica had no effect on the space suits or helmets of the crew) with the glasses off I didn't have loads of distracting shite flying across the 'front' of the screen and could actually see what was going on.

[Alan_X]

You didn't like it, why does it matter?

After having 3 weeks to digest Prometheus all that's stuck with me is Shaw's self abortion.

That's where it jumped the shark for me. Telegraphed early on and ridiculous in concept and execution. The design of the autodoc had no thought put into it at all. And err... it's in Vickers' escape pod but isn't set up female operations (whatever they are). It's a sonic screwdriver plot device that is there to provide the 'chest-burster' moment and skate over the cul-de-sac that the screenwriter has written himself into...