Topic: The Movie Thread

@FullbringIchigo 'Eccentric' is probably a better word - but bonkers/crackers/a pork pie short of a ploughman's all fit.
He could be I suppose, but I suspect he's always been like it.

Speaking of 2001, this is extremely interesting. I've never read the book, but have leaned the way Kubrick (apparently) puts it here.

SPOILERS, obviously
https://io9.gizmodo.com/this-may-be-stanley-kubrick-himself-e...

@RogerRoger I loved.Lois and Clark, it was one of my favorite shows growing up. I remember a few years ago Netflix had all the seasons to stream and I just binged on them. I really liked the actor they had for Luthor it was just a shame that they had a disput over his contracted and he left after the first season.

I even liked the nod that CWs Supergirl gave the show by casting Dean Cain as Kara's "earth" father.

@KALofKRYPTON I love Superman 2. Its amazing when Superman turns up outside the window.

"General Zod would you care to step outside?"

Amazing.

Recently Ive watched a few films. Alien in HD, Rocky 4, Sherlock Gnomes and Creed.

Alien in HD is fantastic. Its funny seeing the tech Scott thought would be in the future. All blinking lights and cigarettes.

@themcnoisy I watched Alien about two years ago for the first time, after playing Alien Isolation, and I coudn't see what all the fuss was about. All I could think of was Red Dwarf when the alien made its dramatic entrance. There just seemed to be a complete lack of tension and it came across as boring. Maybe I wasn't in the right frame of mind, would it benefit a second viewing?

@crippyd I'd give Alien another go. I saw Aliens first as a kid, so by the time I actually saw Alien - I was expecting to be 'wowed' in some way. It wasn't until I sat and tried it again in my early teens (by which time I was really in to horror films) that I really appreciated Alien. I've always felt the genuine tensions were always between the crew - they really give off a very real work clique vibe.

@themcnoisy Classic! There's one shot in the Donner Cut that is one of my favourites - when the Kryptonians storm The White House and General Zod starts using an M16 for lolz. haha

Alien is one of the greatest movies of all time in my opinion. Yes its slow as they introduce us to the characters, the world etc. It does take a long time to get to the point of a 'fully grown' Alien. I don't know if its lost its impact now but when I first saw it, there wasn't the internet to ruin what the final Alien looked like and iconic scenes weren't spoiled. The tension built for me but then I watched it when it was the only Alien movie. The tech wasn't that out-of-date either and the special effects still looked impressive - it is nearly 40yrs old now and an incredibly influential movie. That though could also work against it too if you are coming to it now for the first time...

The reason Aliens was more Action orientated was because Cameron couldn't improve or outdo the shock, horror or mystery (his-words) of the first so he made it an Action, roller-coaster ride.

@KALofKRYPTON I'll give it another go at some point.
@BAMozzy I'm not sure if my expectations were set on the high side or I was thinking it might be a different kind of film, IDK, or that I'm too heavily influenced by more modern blockbuster style films, it just didn't hit my buttons. Its not like I've not experienced 'old' stuff before (I was 2 or 3 when this was released), so I'm quite used to the older stuff.

@crippyd You did say you'd played Isolation first. That is a markedly different atmosphere and far more tense experience than watching Alien that could easily have coloured your expectations of the film.

@KALofKRYPTON Yeah, I played the game first and that was what prompted me to watch the film to see where the inspiration came from.

@crippyd I was referring more to the fact that being so inspirational and copied, parodied etc, that you lose that 'tension' and build up because its so expected or known about. That 'edge' it had that really set it apart from anything else is common-place now. The only other Sci-fi that looked 'lived in' and with more working class characters was Star Wars but this was far more 'adult'. These aren't Military personnel - they are the equivalent of the crew of a shipping tanker whose job it is to transport resources from one place to the next. Not saying there is anything wrong with that profession but they are 'everyday' people doing an 'everyday' job - not highly trained military with an array of weaponry or end up answering a distress signal and coming across a life-form they had no records of and billions of miles away from help.

This was groundbreaking and as I said, incredibly influential - so much so that it has been copied and parodied many times. As you said, the first thing you thought of was Red Dwarf but back in 79, there was no Red Dwarf or Parody to lessen that tension or impact, there were no copy cats who did this to desensitize you. Its perhaps akin to going back and playing Goldeneye and wondering why it was so highly regarded because 3D FPS has been done better now, better camera's, better aiming, better movement, better visuals but at the time I remember being amazed at how good the characters were, how life-like they were to the actors etc. Movies are different I know but the point is, that some don't have the impact because what set them apart then, is not unique now

Alien is an elegantly-designed and almost perfect little movie from beginning to end. And, yeah, easily one of the most influential and iconic horror/science fiction films of all time. In terms of the script, pacing, effects, direction, sound design, set design, etc. it established the standards to beat all around.

It's a masterpiece. One of those films we'll be pointing to in 100 years as one of, if not the preeminent example of its genre.

@BAMozzy You make some excellent points and I think I missed your meaning a little from your previous post, sorry about that. I think that a second viewing with a little adjustment of my own attitude (?) towards it. I agree with you that the main plot beats for that film are so well known that I think it did lose the impact and also I don't think the effects (while groundbreaking at the time) have held up particularly well to the ravages of time.
Maybe, as @KALofKRYPTON said, that being fresh off Isolation that has also had a detrimental effect to my enjoyment of the film as I think I was expecting a similar atmosphere even though they are completely different mediums.

@crippyd There are some similarities between this film and Alien Isolation BUT you also have to remember that the game puts you very much at the centre of that terror. If you can apply that to the situation we find the crew in - after of course the long build up that is setting up the characters etc, you can understand why the 'fear' was there. Games though have obviously gone beyond that now as it literally puts us in that situation where movies can't so it may seem less 'intense', less threatening as a result.

There is also the difference that the game puts you in that situation quite 'early' and the threat is prolonged over many hours where as 3/4's of the film seemingly has no threat. Even after the famous seen with John Hurt, there seems little threat and they actually go strolling around to try and catch it. Its not until Brett (Harry Dean Stanton) meets his 'demise', that we actually see the Alien in full - although if you look closely when you see all the chains swinging as he enters that area, you will see it - but if you didn't know what the Alien had grown into, which we didn't when it was 'new', you would miss that and it was then a 'big' shock to see it fully grown a few moments later. Even then, they still think they have a chance to catch it, a chance to kill it - still don't know exactly what they are up against. As a result, the tension doesn't really ramp up until the final third/quarter.

Essentially, the atmosphere of that final third or so is the atmosphere of the majority of the game - which ddn't need to set up the characters, the background or have to have that progression from egg, to facehugger to chest buster to Alien. It had the advantage of the history of the franchise to go straight to the tension. We didn't need an introduction to Ripley or the universe. I bet the '10th (I think) mission in the game though now has more significance - that was certainly a highlight moment for me...

@RogerRoger Do not watch Prometheus or Alien Covenant. Just spend five minutes coming up with the most preposterous and nonsensical origin for the Alien species and it'll be better then watching the films. Just saved you three hours and fifty five minutes there!

@RogerRoger

@Rudy_Manchego is bang on the money. If ever there was a shining example (beyond Star Wars, lol) of a creator really going the extra mile to (further) ruin the franchise they started - those two films are it!

Prometheus is the better of the two - and does have a wonderful score that is well worth listening to. Discussing Alien: Covenant in the same thread as 2001, Alien and Blade Runner just feels a little dirty.

That said, if you or your lady like the idea of some suggestive Fassbender on Fassbender action, go for it - I haven't laughed quite that much at an inappropriate moment in a cinema since Nicole Kidman died in Moulin Rouge!

@KALofKRYPTON Yeah the films are beautiful to look at, good scores and effects but the story and characters (Fassbender on Fassbender action aside) are just all over the place. For those that have seen Prometheus - I'd recommend the cartoon version on the Youtube channel How it Should Have Ended. Their ending is spot on and would have made a far better film.

@RogerRoger What? Even in Frank? ;-D

It's so cringeworthy. I can't help but think he had it written in to his contract! hahahaha

@Rudy_Manchego Agreed!

Covenant is on par with the AvP films, it's just doesn't realise it's utter trash and has notions...

@RogerRoger Do you really think the first 4 films get better with each one?

Im in this camp;

Aliens
Alien
Alien 3

They are good films. The rest may as well not exist.