Ridley Scott On The Elements Of ALIEN

Ridley Scott discusses the combination of factors that led to the success of his film ALIEN.
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[@comradet0m]

"I think it turned out pretty well" he says, describing one of the greatest horror films ever made :)

[@timothy666]

@jazzx251 Oh how I absolutely agree with you. CGI is never as effective or relatable to an audience as practical effects...

[@krisj827]

I love how Ridley continues to talk about Alien. You can tell how much love he had for the film by how many interviews/documentaries he's done on it.

[@eggbertsmith]

As he's aging, his movies are getting worse. An Alien prequel filmed 10 or 15 years ago might have been great. But now? He's gone from having that indie-spirit and flying in the face of conformity (and re-writing the rules), to making movies for the masses. I love what he used to do, but I am not overly optimistic about how good the new Alien film can be with him directing it. How on earth is he going to fit Russell Crowe into the movie? That will be a huge dilemma for Sir Scott.

[@DylanPenev]

hey matthiasfsa Yes you're right. movies from the 80's were considerably scarier than today's bullshit. Alien (I know it came out 1979), The Thing, Aliens, etc. were great because they relied more on real in-camera effects than CGI. When CGI is not used properly it'll suck ass. CGI has to be used in the following way: never make it obvious it is CGI. Make it look super photorealstic. Conceil it, never reveil it.

[@balrog13571]

Well I think it was various reasons like the fact they used CGI in it and used more gore and less tension. CGI was just starting to become more popular back then so it looked pretty primitive and even now CGI doesn't have the same effect as the old ones did. They also seemed to rely on saying "f**k" in every sentence with no other way to sound inmtimidating without it. It's still an okay movie but I guess people don't like it because it lacked some of the tension and character of the last two.

[@mmtigan]

@balrog13571 No one calls Predator 2 "AvP" even though it has an Alien skull. I had high hopes for the concept of AvP each time a movie was supposed to come out, but then, AvP1 was bad, AvP2 was... not even worth describing. AvP should have been limited to games and comics. Regardless, any Predator presence in an Alien movie makes no sense.

[@TravelingTal]

Loved Alien3...As far as i'm concerned "Aliens" was very corney and totally took the invincible factor away from the alien itself, Thus making the movie into a cartoon.

[@matthiasfsa]

I hope the prequel have NO CG, because most movies nowadays are 100% CG and they just ruin everything. Terror movies are no longer scary. Back in the 80's movies made me shit my own pants. (Excuse my english)

[@gangrail]

@balrog13571 the avp thing should have stayed in the comics and video games where it belonged, not the big screen

[@simolui]

ennio morricone should work with this legendary director alien 1979 and the movie looks more modern every times i watch it!!!!

[@PhilipReeder]

I could just about listen to Ridley Scott speak about film-craft all day long.

[@Gnargonaut]

@Mcrlover2death This man is a master of cinema

[@Stratword_]

What an intelligent mind.

[@mohanicus]

was reading empire today and ridley is takin the helm for the next alien film out in 2011. its gonna centre around the space-jockey,s ship as a prequel to alien.

[@RDdaNINJA]

@balrog13571 I agree with you 100%, but AvP just wasnt done right, that`s the problem. If they had gotten a better director, and god forbid actors, then AvP-R would`ve been great.

[@oldirrtydoogz]

probably my favourite ever director. amazing at visuals, but always can inject deeper meanings, ideas and emotion into his work.

[@IndyCrewInNYC]

My favorite director, a true genius and a bona fide artist in every sense. If I have a son I'm naming him after Mr. scott. I'm very happy he's finally revisiting his sci-fi roots again. 8)

[@xevious2501]

I understand why theres so much gripe about CGI but i dont think most people understand the fact that its not so much the technology in and of itself but moreso the level of quality and Taste the director has in using it. CGI to a director is likened to an all wish giving genie out the bottle. your average bloke is gonna splurge wildly tastlessly and down out stupidly. The same has happened with Stereoscopic 3D, where as studios looking to make an extra buck is once again selling there soul.

[@balrog13571]

@VigonSaze Well I guess comics and videogames are okay, but as you said if there's any quality in the AvP story the films certainly lacked it. Some franchises should never get turned into movies. What are we going to make a Superman vs Alien or Batman vs Predator because there were comics of that? It's also that I never found any similarities. They come from two separate genres and it seemed weird that the Predator would be known as the Alien's enemy after it had only one movie prior to that.

[@balrog13571]

@korn7kid I'm aware of the comics. But linking a monster that speacializes in suspense and one in action is idiotic. Predator 2 hadn't even come out yet when they started and having an alien from one popcorn flick that still needed time to become as big a classic as it was take on a creature from two Oscar-winning movies was stupid. That's like having The Cloverfield Monster take on King Kong. Not to mention all the atmosphere, character, and story were sacrificed and the fight scenes sucked.

[@balrog13571]

Bringing Scott back has it's good points for two reasons: 1) The man isn't into CGI too much so the Aliens should look more REAL 2) It should finally stop this whole AvP thing. The two should never have fought in the first place. Alien should just be Alien. If they had any mention of Predators then the fans of AvP will jsut call this AvP 3 instead of an Alien prequel. The franchise deserves the return of a good Alien film, not another idiotic AvP film

[@REAPER3295]

@balrog13571 I agree and the AVP films were shit, i meanif i did them i would have done it on some other planet and had colonial marines in it atleast and the aliens were always the main focus of the AVP serise if anyone noticed...

[@TruenoandLevin86]

I dunno about you guys, but personally I trust Sir Ridley Scott. We got the ORIGINAL director returning to the franchise that started it all instead of some "fresh outta college" fool fucking up the series even more.

[@tannerkish616]

@TheVehicleDESTROYAH Wrong again. They've decided to treat it as it's own film. I've read the plot summary, it has to do with intellegent extra-terrestrials and their role in creating the human race.

[@drafe007]

i know what the true origin of the aliens. a weapons system created by a very advanced lifeform that turned on their creators.

[@gidgitvonlarue9972]

Alien movie is a MASTERPIECE of cinema. I saw it when it came out and I found it terrifying, tense and nail gribbing. I still do now. Everything about it is pure cinema perfection. I cannot fault it.

[@vortextraxpell5542]

Having separate teams for human ships and for aliens does 100% sense, you want two different universes coliding and adapting.

[@zanvander]

i personally like the AVP films. but it is good to see Just an Alien movie and just a Predator movie coming out.

[@sanjurosama]

Giger also worked on Prometheus. Ridley Scott has directed good movies without Giger's designs, whereas Alien movies are the only good movies with Giger designs.

[@Tsarbomb117]

@jazzx251 i agree. CGI takes away the scariness. the alien 1 alien scares the living shit out of me but i can watch AvP and og like: meh.

[@tannerkish616]

@TheVehicleDESTROYAH Wrong. Prometheus will have nothing to do with the Alien canon.

[@cazia9]

as opposed to s#!ting someone else's pants? hahaha...i agree with you though

[@juliusyeung0330]

so the alien is basicaly chtulhu lol

[@balrog13571]

An alternate ending to Resurrection had Ripley mention the army would come looking for them. They never explained why it was in ruin as you said. In fact they just made it worse by crashing the ship and blowing up half a continent! So much for saving the Earth! Instead we got two crossover movies that are prequels to this prequel that's a prequel to Alien and a sequel to Predator 2. It's confusing and that's why I just ignore the AvP movies. They do more harm than good.

[@chunkyfudgelover]

You say 3 is one of your faves? I thought the film was pretty alright myself until...just so you know, James Cameron (and a great deal others) thought that the killing off of Newt and Hicks was a 'slap in the face'! I don't know how people can get away with essentially raping a franchise in the name of 'creative freedom'. A related instance being a comic in which Wolverine of Xmen was drunk, but Wolverine cannot get drunk due to his healing factor! It's just wrong!

[@CaptainBaseball]

Alien 5 will come out in 2011 and is directed by Ridley Scott (The maker of Alien 1)

[@NightmareJohnnyAlice]

You seen Romulus?

[@directorKyleArpke14]

Ridley Scott is way cool!

[@TheCosmicFireStar]

This was around the time he was developing his Alien Prequel Project, strange looking back on this in hindsight seeing whats become with Prometheus, Alien Covenant and if whether or not they make any more prequels filling in the gap.

[@Fear_the_Nog]

@Visiondrugs1 "That is limited compared to what? Starwars 3 maybe" Star Wars 1 through 3, 300, The Matrix Trilogy, Avatar, etc. I can always tell CGI when it appears. I was referring strictly to the effects of Independence Day, which weren't crappy.

[@Fear_the_Nog]

@Visiondrugs1 lord of the rings had very limited CG. everything you see are actual sets and miniatures. CG was limited to large creatures like trolls, fell beasts and eagle, as well as other magical elements like the destruction of mordor and the flood at bruinen ford.

[@Simon_V_Clark]

@brazwen Thamks for your comment on Ripley ! Originally this Prequel was to follow on from Ridley Scotts original Alien and in 2 parts. I was hoping that the !st (Part) film of the 2 part film would obviousely be a new fresh cast for the film without her & prt 2 maybe with a twist to it ??As you may know that Ripley died in the 3rd Alien and was resurrected in the forth Alien Resurrection so with a messy horror franchise such as Alien anything is possible with a little imagination !! Yea ?

[@EatAchi]

@megasparky4 well ripley was great. really really great. sigourney weaver acted good and natural (not like the avp actors, but it's no comparison in any point), but i think she isn't nessecary. i don't even think about the 2nd prequel. just looking forward to the 1st, since the 2nd one comes out 2014 and if i think about a movie that long i'll probably go crazy ;)

[@agfagaevart]

I love Alien, but the best alien creature design IMO is, John Carpenter's The Thing, as it didn't look like a man in a suit at the end of the movie.

[@balrog13571]

@mmtigan I never said Predator 2 was an AvP movie, just one with a little one second reference. I can handle that as a "hey that's an Alien skull! Har har they must be referencing AvP" sort of reaction. That's like the E.T. doll in Gremlins since Spielburg produced that. My problem is the fans who see it as a serious message to demand a film for it. Predators made no references (as far as I could see or hear) and I hope the Alien prequel does he same. Otherwise those fans will demand another.

[@Simon_V_Clark]

I really wish that Ridley Scott could read some of the views of the general public.. I think its fantastic he has finally agreed to direct a genuine sequel to the original Alien, I have followed the franchise since early teen. Know there are 2 parts being a prequel, the 1st sounds great focusing on the 'Space jockey' & its origins some 30 years prior to Ripleys time, I can only hope that prt 2 of the prequel has a surprise cameo role including Ripley.. IT WILL FLOP WITHOUT HER !!!!

[@ChocoQuick-Quack]

A genius

[@marsakka]

@balrog13571 ya well in predator 2 they kind of opened a can of worms when they put a drone skull on the ship at the end of the movie

[@balrog13571]

@MrRugbyNZ Exatly. I like to think the Alien series ends with the second or third movie personally. It's not quite as satisfying for a clone of Ripley to survive at the end of it all instead of the real one. Either a happy ending with Newt and her surviving or a sad yet strong ending of her destroying the Aliens for good even if it kills her is much stronger to me. As for the prequel I'd normally say it would make no sense to have one and ruins the mystery, but with Scott it could work.

[@cldchristian]

Bringing Ridley Scott back for the prequel is a stroke of genius. I liked Alien Aliens alien4, Alien3 was ok. Alien versus Predator both of them didn't really work for me.

[@brazwen]

@megasparky4 How can this movies have a cameo role of Ripley, if it's before she was even born.

[@Fear_the_Nog]

@Visiondrugs1 also what made independence day great was also the exclusive use of miniatures and props.

[@isenstrider]

@ 1balboa2 Agreed. I dont find it dated either. Not in the slightest.

[@hardvideofail]

You are one of best directors in history.II like your movies a lot.I'm Waiting for Alien :). All Russia Waiting.

[@DylanPenev]

@balrog13571 Amen, brother, amen!

[@balrog13571]

@enerjon777 Yes we most certainly do.

[@Simon_V_Clark]

@gangrail Totally agree !!!!!

[@AntiFredification]

No mention of pineapples?

[@paulsalmon5928]

Brilliant director

[@RaikenXion]

@balrog13571 I gotta admit the AvP movies were a little silly purely done for the younger generations that got in2 both these movies. At the same time, If you've ever read the comics they actually merged the 2 franchises quite well in a fairly deep and Insightful way, and they even mentioned the Space Jockeys. I think there shud still b a AvP movie, but bring in a director that can really do sumthing with the story. But also keep the 2 seperate, so hav a AvP franchise, and the Alien franchise

[@Simon_V_Clark]

@brazwen To finish, The film has taken a completely new direction now being named 'Prometheus' and only having a small bearing on the story line about 'Alien' ... So to me it is not a prequel, sequel or really an additional assett/part of the Alien franchise !! I'm quite disappointed as is alot of my other friends and fans of Sigourney Weaver's Alien journey and we all feel Alien Quadrilogy is still without its end !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@VigonSaze]

@balrog13571 I'm sure that Aliens and Predators have always been together. I don't know exactly but there were 90's arcade games with them, and I'm sure there were books and comics with them both. Alien and Predator are two species that go great together, and even better with humans. Sadly the two AVP movies were terrible terrible terrible.

[@dvlarry]

Ridley's ALien prequel coming to a theater near you, hold on to your seatbelts! (2D or 3D , your choice at the theaters)

[@evangelinaras]

Mere chill - R