HR Giger deserves a lot of credit. This could have just been another monster movie if the alien didn’t have such a unique look

@markusanderson1517

Жыл бұрын

Truer words never spoken

@The_Curious_Cat

Жыл бұрын

Very true. Although what "saved" it was the limitations that made Ridley Scott have to hide the Alien in shadows and by using close-ups. In the end it was a brilliant cooperation, problem-solving and happy accidents that end up making the movie much better then it could have been if they had a bigger budget and unlimited access to technology.

@mattlawson714

Жыл бұрын

@@The_Curious_Cat it reminds me how in the movie jaws they ended up using way less footage of Bruce the shark because he broke down all the time in the salt water. Making the movie more suspenseful.

@dr4d1s

11 ай бұрын

​@@The_Curious_CatI believe that in pretty much all movies, showing the monster less as opposed to more always makes for a more suspenseful viewing experience, no matter how good the CGI/special effects are. I think that's what makes most modern horror/sci-fi monster movies kinda blah as your brain doesn't have to fill in the pieces. You don't have to guess/imagine what it could be, because they show it so much, thus your brain doesn't have to engage with the film on that level. You are an observer and have "perfect knowledge" as opposed to being one of the characters who are trying to figure out what it is. So your brain jumps to trying to figure out how it all comes together instead of focusing on what the creature is and being along on the ride. This was kind of hard to put into words, so I hope this makes sense. Have a good one.

@dathedix3951

7 ай бұрын

@@The_Curious_Cat I would also argue that him taking the time to storyboard out the entire film beforehand allowed them to work very efficiently. So much time and money is wasted when a project lead doesn't have a clear vision and takes an 'I'll know it when I see it approach'.

I don't know if anyone has mentioned it, yet. But, one of the contributors to "saving" Alien was Rob Cobb, one of the concept/set designers for Alien. It was Cobb who came up with the Alien's "acid-for-blood" feature of the Alien creature. It was a major plot device in the film, and made for intense moments in the movie.

@ProfessD

2 жыл бұрын

was wondering where the Cobb love was. I'm hoping it's coming in another video.

@AllThingsFilm1

2 жыл бұрын

@@ProfessD Yes. Cobb’s set designs were fantastic.

@ProfessD

2 жыл бұрын

@@AllThingsFilm1 Agreed. Big fan. Also his acting work in Conan was impressive as well! He seems like such a sweetheart in interviews.

@mnomadvfx

2 жыл бұрын

It's RON Cobb, not Rob.

@CinemaTyler

2 жыл бұрын

This video was about Ridley Scott specifically. Don't worry, I'm planning a whole episode on just the concept artists/production designers!

Scott was such an incredible director in this period, the fact that his next 'sci-fi', Bladerunner *still* looks utterly incredible is kind of near miraculous to me

Ridley Scott is a visual master. Alien still holds up to this day and is even superior to many modern movies

@fatarsemonkey

Жыл бұрын

I think it's the pinnacle, it's all down hill now.

@cubertmiso

Жыл бұрын

@@NiclasLoof curse of popularity. too many "yes-men" around them clapping hands. inflating *insert popular ape* 's ego. destined to lose the calibration.

@chasam1234

Жыл бұрын

No it doesn't

@chasam1234

Жыл бұрын

Most of his movies are shit ...and contain loads of errors

@f__kyoudegenerates

Жыл бұрын

All his modern stuff is garbage.

I was always impressed with how fragile the crew of the Nostromo were. They were mainly shown in warm intimate lighting and colors. Often bickering or joking with each other with a weary familiarity. This being brilliantly contrasted with the shockingly insect-like perfection and simplicity of the alien. It becomes metaphysical

@JustWasted3HoursHere

Жыл бұрын

Yep, they're just regular people. Ridley Scott and the writers of the movie have said that they wanted the crew of the Nostromo to essentially be "truckers in space" and that is exactly the vibe I get when I watch them interact with each other, wearing regular non-space suit clothing, smoking cigarettes, drinking coffee etc. That was definitely the right decision.

@jorgepeterbarton

10 ай бұрын

Its an unbelievable constrast to the marines in the sequel. I'd have loved for the whole series of films to have the 'realist' quality of the original but they were never really convincing, maybe the third was a little in the prisoner's acting but still seemed like a dramatisation if you know what i mean.

The more I have read about the making of the film, the more I realize that it was the perfect example of a perfect storm.

@kendallrivers1119

2 жыл бұрын

The making of Jaws is basically a movie itself. Definitely could be a film: suspense, comedy, drama, action lol.

@mikearchibald744

Жыл бұрын

@@kendallrivers1119 That seems true of a LOT of movies. MOst hollywood movies are quite dull, but then you find out what they went through to make it and its usually FAR more interesting.

@kendallrivers1119

Жыл бұрын

@@mikearchibald744 that's a true statement. The Exorcist, Poltergeist etc. Man those were real life horror films may be even scarier than the films and those are some scary ass films lol.

@mikearchibald744

Жыл бұрын

@@kendallrivers1119 I think thats what made the blair witch project so successful. Hell, even the texas chainsaw massacre was 'based on a true story'. Jaws DID make me afraid of the water, but I seem to recall ALREADY being afraid of what could be under me. Frankly after the first scene Jaws is not a horror movie at all. And at the end after you've seen it once, its really quite ridiculous and quite funny.

One under appreciated element to the film is the sound design. It's astonishing all the way through. Repetitive clicks, bleeps, heartbeats, sirens and breathing all pervade the movie to create an atmosphere of suspense, anxiety and, in places, sheer terror. I don't know who did it, but they deserved an Oscar, straight up.

@chateaupig826

Жыл бұрын

Its soo gooood 🐜

@philocleandes9302

Жыл бұрын

I've heard many people say that Alien is a perfect film. I can't really argue they are wrong. What bothers me is that I rememeber Lambert slapping the everloving shit out of Ripley when she comes to see Ash in the med-lab but every version of the movie I have seen lately has that scene cut out. Anyway, I think that Alien was one of those "lightning in a bottle" movies similar to Star Wars in that it came at a time right when sci-fi had been the province of comic books, pulp novels and b-movies but had begun to change into a high concept art form in the late 60's to 70's with artists like Harlan Ellison, HR Giger, Mobius et al. It took people like Scott and Bannon to come together and bring all the top talent together on one movie to make the amazing thing that Alien was, and it likely will never be replicated. Even Aliens pales in comparison despite Cameron's massive talent.

@mrb7094

Жыл бұрын

@@philocleandes9302 Thanks for that. I've never seen that scene and am intrigued. Where is it now? Love to know. Agree with you. Aliens is a great action movie, and Cameron took care to expand on everything he liked about the first movie. I'll spare you the list, which you can probably compile yourself. But it isn't in the same league.

@mrb7094

Жыл бұрын

@@philocleandes9302 Wait a minute... I remember it now. Yes. Is that being cut??

@Bhatt_Hole

Жыл бұрын

Much of which was shamelessly copied for years after its release. Even pop songs have sampled elements of sound design. There are a few, but the one I remember right now is that Jameriquy (sp?) album which was popular years ago. When you the song, if you've seen this film enough, it takes like like a half second before you immediately realize it's a sample from when the computer is booting up at the beginning of the film. Which was a sound design invention never heard before. Hard to find a single thing to criticize about this film.

I saw Alien when I was 14, in an open-air theater, projected on a tiny 6-foot screen. It was the scariest, most intense movie I had ever seen to that point. The advertisements for the movie gave nothing away, so nobody knew who was in the movie, or even what it was about. Everything was a surprise. I think the best part for me was that you barely see the creature, except at the very end. And yes, the shot with Sigourney Weaver in her skivvies was crucial to that end scene. She had been a solid badass throughout the film; seeing her nearly naked and vulnerable made her more human and sympathetic. (And of course, as a teenage boy, schwing!) I loved Aliens (the first sequel), but for me the original will still be the masterpiece.

I was fortunate to be on the set at Bray Studios for the filming of the stomach scene and the android head on the table. I was only a school kid at the time doing odd jobs around the studios. I wish I had paid more attention to cinema history being made. My dad does have one of the spaceship's flooring panels (made of plastic) as a backdoor mat in use to this day.

@squarebearderry

Жыл бұрын

Sell me it wouldya?

@TS50ER

Жыл бұрын

@@squarebearderry , You'll have to ask my Dad about that, but I think that he's rather attached to it.

@shannonmcstormy5021

Жыл бұрын

I think if you get some more official information to firm up this "back door mat" providence. Give it to your great grandson to sell it in 25 years for (possibly) real money, or keep it as a family heirloom - especially if you are still in the movie business......

@chateaupig826

Жыл бұрын

Fantastic story 😀 one never considers the cleaner or schoolkid walking past

@RodCornholio

Жыл бұрын

Yeah, those were apparently British shipping (e.g. mail) pallets, orange injected molded plastic, painted to look like metal. In Star Wars' New Hope Princess Leia/Vader/torture/cell scene, the orange color can be seen, but the pallet/tiles were used in the ceiling instead of flooring. Wish they would remake them, preferably in aluminum, so I could build my ultimate nerd lair.

Great video, _The Duellists_ is a masterpiece & worthy of it's own. Made for a budget of $900k, Ridley won _Best Debut Film_ at Cannes in 1977. The great Alan Ladd Jr (the guy who greenlit _Star Wars,_ _Blade Runner,_ & brought Richard Donner from TV to movies) is another big part of the story & made the call to move forward with Scott for _Alien_ after a recommendation from Sandy Lieberson (UK producer of _The Final Programme_ ). Ladd would later ask Ridley, "Why can't Ripley be a woman?". Fun fact: Kevin Reynolds - director of 2006's _Tristan & Isolde,_ 2002's _The Count Of Monte Cristo,_ & _Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves_ - was inspired by _The Duellists_ for all three & interviewed Ridley about the 1977 film for the DVD.

@vicaldama9314

2 жыл бұрын

Amen on the Duellists!Such a masterpiece!

@adamarens3520

2 жыл бұрын

Great info, thank you for sharing !

@yoochoobb

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed. I bought the Blu-ray as soon as it was available. It's one the most, if not *the* most, beautifully shot films I own.

@redcrabdue1787

2 жыл бұрын

@@yoochoobb I recently did a Double Feature rewatch of Barry Lyndon and The Duelists. It fits because they are both beautifully shot, set in roughly the same time period (mid to late 18th Century and early 19th Century) and duelling plays a big part in both films.

@yoochoobb

2 жыл бұрын

@@redcrabdue1787 They both go together well. Kubrick got special lenses from NASA or something to film by candlelight, which I'm sure you already know.

Alien has been in my top 3 of my favorite films list most of my life. I watched a taped-from-tv version with crappy color, lost the tape, then saw it again 10 years later on HBO or something and I was amazed at how great it looked. I bought the Quadrilogy DVD set as soon as I knew it was available and by now I've watched the super-long "making of" documentary on the disk as much as I've watched the original film. All that creativity from so many angles, and Ridley tying it all together in an awesome package. My dad hated the film because it was so drawn out (and he hates cats and was annoyed they kept trying to get the cat), but I grew to love suspense and those elements of storytelling. Inspired me to want to be a writer. And now that so many films are full of yelling and crappy dialogue and CGI-gasms galore, I drift away to quieter films that let you feel the suspense or question things or think. I pull out Alien at least 5 times a year, and I love it just as much every time.

@mrb7094

Жыл бұрын

I'm a huge fan too. That making-of documentary is superb, but like you, couldn't believe how long it is. It's definitely over two hours - do you have the running time?

@chateaupig826

Жыл бұрын

Suspense ! A word missing from today's films

@tallyp.7643

Жыл бұрын

@@chateaupig826 The last time I can remember suspense being used so well (granted, I haven't seen EVERY film yet) is the first scenes of "Inglorious Basterds" Landa and the farmer's conversation ...whew! You knew something bad was gonna happen, but when, and how bad? Now anything that's supposed to be a horror film is full of freaking jump scares and excessive gore to try and compensate for having a plot as palatable as dishwater.

@chateaupig826

Жыл бұрын

@@tallyp.7643 yep , that WAS suspenseful 😬 that and the scene with the German soldier in the bar and the girl eating the strudel -good movie -did you see the coin toss scene in No Country for Old Men ? Also edge-of-your-seat 😬👍

@tallyp.7643

Жыл бұрын

@@chateaupig826 Heard about that scene. Makes me WANT to watch the movie. (That and Lessons From The Screenplay's gist about why the film's so good. Gotta save some money, going to my wish-list now).

Good thing "Alien" was set in the future because it was so ahead of its time.

Speaking of Ridley Scott, happy 40th anniversary to Blade Runner!

@JustWhyFFS

2 жыл бұрын

Watched it last night, never disappoints

@lelandthomosoniii4743

2 жыл бұрын

Yahoo

@AwesometownUSA

2 жыл бұрын

um yea hate 2 brake it to u , but hairson ford is quite a bit older than 40s lol (the guy who playe the bladerunner , also played star wars ) quit a BIT older in fact haha

@yawn1887

2 жыл бұрын

I watched blade runner last nite. Still as awe inspiring as the first time I watched it.

@lelandthomosoniii4743

2 жыл бұрын

@@AwesometownUSA What 🌟 wars ist Old,,oh wise one? Intelligence Ist sooo rare, 2 Day! Went to Boston Latin Harvard Thanks 4 the update.

It's fascinating how much impact the work of that group of people (O'Bannon, Giger, Scott, Moebius, Jodorowsky) had. Especially during that short period of time in the 70s. I feel like Dan O'Bannon didn't get enough credit until recently.

@davidlean1060

Жыл бұрын

extend that network to guys like John Carpenter, George Lucas, George Millius, Walter Murch, Francis Coppola.......it was one heck of a generation!

@Acheiropoietos

Жыл бұрын

And don't forget Jersey artist Chris Foss. Many of Foss' designs made it into Prometheus too. Foss also worked on Jodorowsky's Dune and the first Superman feature and many more since then.

@chocho8036

Жыл бұрын

@@davidlean1060 yes... except that Lucas and Coppola are very famous directors still... for The Godfather and Star Wars (just as Ridley Scott is) or maybe to me because I am ancient 😀😀 and Tasteless Software is referring to lesser names in film industry

@LABoyko

11 ай бұрын

@chocho8036. STAR WARS was ok, but Lucas is most famous for THX1138. Get your facts straight, pal.

Most people today do not realize what an impact Alien had. I am old enough that I remember seeing the movie Alien on its opening day in the theatre, and it blew the audience away! It had a huge impact on everything.

Alien always will be one of the Greatest science fiction movies and one of the Greatest Horror movies

@melmack2003

Жыл бұрын

totally agree!

@chateaupig826

Жыл бұрын

Sigourney Weaver rocks 👍

@george5156

Жыл бұрын

Call me in 3025

@mencken8

Жыл бұрын

That’s what they said about Metropolis. “Always” is rather indefinite…..

@goosebumpsemiliano9104

Жыл бұрын

@@mencken8 Though here's the interesting part. Metropolis is my favorite Science Fiction movie of all time

One thing I notice is how "Nostromo" is the title of a novel by Joseph Conrad - the same author that wrote "The duelists" which inspired Scott's debut feature film. Put a "The" in front, and you have the name of the Iconic cargo hauler from Alien. I think Joseph Conrad's work has much larger influence on Scott than meets the eye. He also wrote "The heart of Darkness" which inspired Ford Coppola's "Apocalypse Now," and is absolutely worth spending a little time on reading.

@sasasasa-lx6cl

Жыл бұрын

And Sulaco (ship from Aliens) is the name of the country from the same novel where Nostromo operated

@charlesyoung7436

Жыл бұрын

One obvious inspiration for the plot of "Alien" was actually mentioned in this video, namely the 1958 B-movie "It! The Terror from Beyond Space." Additionally, the 1981 Roger Corman film "Galaxy of Terror" appears to contain unused footage from "Alien." There is the large black pyramid, which is the center of the force causing crewmembers' worst nightmares to come to life and kill them. There is also footage from one of those nightmares, which seems to show how Captain Dallas in "Alien" could not see the alien when the tracker showed it being right at his location (a crewmember in the Corman film walks a catwalk in the pyramid, while a mostly unseen monster is sliding its talons along underneath).

@michaelgreen1515

Жыл бұрын

Conrad is well underrated, and also drew a lot from experience and tge desire to convey a message.

@chocho8036

Жыл бұрын

@@sasasasa-lx6cl very interesting facts even though you had me confused for a moment as I have never heard of a country named Sulaco, so yes, you mean town Sulaco , which Conrad may have visited

Alien traumatized me at the theater. Now I view it as one of the most beautiful films ever made; the sets, lighting and camera work are .. stellar.

What's amazing about Alien is that everything still holds up - what a great film !

There's loads of wow moments here. Anyone who believes Alien is an important film needs to watch this detailed analysis of how tough and relentless greatness is to achieve. Well done.

@CinemaTyler

2 жыл бұрын

You are too kind!

@mikearchibald744

Жыл бұрын

I agree, its a good introduction but there's an even longer and pretty detailed one on youtube. Some of the language seemed out of place and some of the comments that made it seem more 'bloglike' than documentary like though, but its very interesting and cuts to the chase quicker than that other doc which I think may be even longer than the movie. So VERY glad he didn't make 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre', I saw thirty seconds of that one time when younger and it really messed me up, but I'm not much of a horror fan. To be honest I kind of laughed the first time I saw the alien come out of his stomach and screamed and ran off. Its crap they took in Aliens like where they have the gizmo showing the little dots moving closer together that were the most scary. And like most horror films, you don't actually care much about the people, I was worried about the cat!

@jimmerhardy

Жыл бұрын

@@mikearchibald744 I did see that long doc, but Tyler's work is immaculate, relentless and always fun to watch.

@gkroll8467

Жыл бұрын

Great film but worst cut in film history with ash’s head should have a cut a way shit but boom cut to the real head bad even by 1979s standard also since the dented scene of Ripken finding Dallas stuck to wall was cut for the theater release and they were no special editions when Cameron was going to do alien dud he get to see the footage or not just come up with his own idea zbout the queen thanks

@gkroll8467

Жыл бұрын

Sorry bout my English I mean aliens

Honestly, I think what I really wanted to see was Scott's version of Tristan & Isolde...

@Plathismo

2 жыл бұрын

Srsly. I knew it was something he wanted to make at some point but had no idea it was so "out there" in terms of its ideas. I guess he got the fantasy bug out of his system with 'Legend,' and then produced the James Franco version of Tristan. Alas.

I recently bought a wonderful book, the diary that H.R.Giger wrote and illustrated during Alien, volumes 7 and 8. We never have enough about this film. Thanks for you rich videos

The Duellists actually has THE most accurate and realistic fencing scenes EVER. 😎👍

The Duelists is a great underrated movie (for all we who love period pieces). Ridley Scott is one of my favorite directors (both Gladiator and Black Hawk Down are also great)

Ridley Scott strikes me as a guy who gets excited very easily. He sees possibilities, even where there are none. It's his greatest strength and weakness.

@AlexanderNixonArtHistory

Жыл бұрын

well said.

@chateaupig826

Жыл бұрын

It's not a weakness to be a visionary

@davidlean1060

Жыл бұрын

@@chateaupig826 It is when there are too many yes men around you. In his early days, there were people around who questioned Ridley and it was for the better. I doubt many really question him now. You see the great films he made when he was resisted. Sometimes talent and total freedom are not the best mix.

@cubertmiso

Жыл бұрын

older he gets the more dull and patronizing his pieces get. common phenomenon because popular people get more money and dull people around them.

@chateaupig826

Жыл бұрын

@@cubertmiso haha 😄 you have to be broke to be interesting is it - oh good that makes me fascinating

the duelists is an incredible movie, i watched it a few years ago and was blown away. it's hard to believe it was his first full length feature. the color and shot composition is masterful, it's on par with the most beautiful cinematography of any film, including the oscars for it like revenant, but duelists is a far more entertaining and better movie.

@chriskelly6574

2 жыл бұрын

I haven't seen it...yet. None of my friends have even heard about it. I need to seriously re-evaluate my friendships.

@basteagui

2 жыл бұрын

@@chriskelly6574 here's my recommendation, host a movie night with someone who appreciates history, and you should watch the duelists, captain alatriste and master and commander. top names there, some of the best most historically accurate movies ever.

@justinszabo5205

2 жыл бұрын

@@chriskelly6574 it was recently re mastered for bluray, i'd definitely recommend picking it up!

@mnomadvfx

2 жыл бұрын

If you freeze frame in many shot of The Duellists they are roughly equivalent to the aesthetic of paintings - just beautiful work. You couldn't demonstrate what an artist director is any better than Ridley Scott's early years. Also the cinematography for Alien was done by Frank Tidy. Even though Ridley did sometimes double up as a cameraman, directors seldom double up as cinematographer as it is a large job to get done all by itself. I cannot think of any instance where Ridley was cinematographer in his own film. Howard Blake, the score composer for The Duellists was not a very prolific artist, but he also composed the score to Raymond Briggs' The Snowman seen on TV every Christmas in the UK - he also plays an uncredited acting role of a restaurant pianist seen in Tony Scott's own debut film The Hunger.

@mnomadvfx

2 жыл бұрын

Also the author Joseph Conrad whose short story "The Duel" was the basis for The Duellists was the same author who penned the famous novel "Heart of Darkness" which was adapted into Francis Ford Coppola's film Apocalypse Now, as well as a Star Wars clone war novel called "Shatterpoint" from the perspective of Jedi master Mace Windu. Another of Conrad's well known novels is called "Nostromo", which makes me think that Ridley Scott was likely responsible for the name of the ship in Alien - the setting of the novel is a town called Sulaco, so you can probably guess where James Cameron got the name of marines ship in Aliens too!

Alright! So glad you hit on this classic. Alien, Aliens, Predator, The Thing, The Terminator 1 and 2, The Exorcist and Jaws are the greatest sci-fi horror films ever made! They were also just some of the most influential films ever made.

@ivansarajev49

Жыл бұрын

Sorry but Terminator 2 is not a horror movie, its a kid movie compare to T1

@adamduffield7782

Жыл бұрын

Jaws isn't scifi

@GradKat

Жыл бұрын

The Exorcist and Jaws are not sci-fi movies.

I was a varsity fencer for years, got really into the history of swords; _The Duelists_ is the most accurate film in terms of those things, add to that the stunning visuals, the excellent acting and storytelling-- just an incredibly underrated film.

@danielschaeffer1294

2 жыл бұрын

With a bow to Joseph Conrad.

@steveclapper5424

Жыл бұрын

Yeah it feels so real.

We also must mention Jerry Goldsmith's excellent score for the movie, which begins to fill you with dread and loneliness right from the very first frame of the opening credits. Very little of the score is actually what you would call "music" but instead it utilizes ambient tones and chords that force specific emotions upon the viewer. Because the music is used sparingly, when we actually hear it, it has that much more impact on us, like when Ripley finally defeats the alien at the end of the film.* * Speaking of this, one idea that was offered for the end of the film - but was shot ultimately down - was that the alien kills Ripley, sits in the pilot's seat, pushes a couple of buttons and then sends out an S.O.S. - - - - - - in Captain Dallas' voice!

@davidanderson_surrey_bc

Жыл бұрын

You're quite right. So many otherwise decent horror movies have been spoiled by over-the-top scores that dominate the viewer's attention. And I'm awfully glad they didn't go with the ending you described. Holy crap, what a dreadful mistake that would have been.

@JustWasted3HoursHere

Жыл бұрын

@@davidanderson_surrey_bc Yeah, that ending would have been a shocker, but I think some people would have thought that it was too silly. Apparently it was never really seriously considered, but it's funny what ideas get thrown around during the production of a movie. Like supposedly one idea for Return of the Jedi that was seriously considered was that after Darth Vader dies, Luke puts on his helmet and assumes the role of Vader, having turned to the dark side... Talk about a downer!

@octoberphoenix

Жыл бұрын

Yeah, Goldsmith's score was superb, one of my fave scores. It was also one of the things I remember the most on seeing the film for the first time.

@trashpandaqc

Жыл бұрын

I remember from another behind the scenes video that Goldsmith hated scoring Alien and saw that theme song as a total throwaway - he wanted to do romantic themes like his work for Star Trek and looked down on the idea of atmospheric music. Apparently for some of the scenes they edited with his work from other scores as temp tracks, and ended up licensing those pieces because they fit better. Like seemingly everything in Alien, a messy collab that somehow worked out!

@JustWasted3HoursHere

Жыл бұрын

@@trashpandaqc Apparently the music at the very end of the movie actually taken from one of Jerry's other movie scores. I forget the name. But yeah, the whole thing works great.

This is by far the scariest horror/,Sci- Fi movie I can remember having watched... A classic for all time.... I found a preproduction graphic novel and read it through several times... It was terrifying and horrible beyond my ability to understand the fascinating horror contained in the make up....a sleeper waiting to pounce....... I have seen some scary movies, but this one is far beyond anything else I can remember seeing in more than 70 years of trying to get me terrified....A straight up jump off the seat kinda movie....a I'm a combat veteran And it takes.m more than a. jump out of the closet to get me screaming like a little girl.... Good job c.👍🥺 .

interesting how much influence Heavy Metal had on this. as a young man, I lived in Ocean Beach (San Diego) CA back in the mid/late 70's and I would pick up Heavy Metal magazine from our local head shop The Black. There was a story about Alien in one issue by a writer/reviewer who had seen an early prescreening and said it was the scariest thing he had ever seen. I was so excited waiting for it to come out. when I finally saw it at the theater it was indeed the scariest thing I had ever seen. I think what made it so effective was the dry almost improv style dialogue between characters kind of drawing you in to the mundane day to day like 2001 and the Jaws technique of never showing the monster until the very end letting the viewer use their imagination to scare themselves. still holds the title of the scariest movie I have ever seen.

Another tie to Tristan and Isolde - Alien's score (especially its main theme, which was borrowed from the composer Jerry Goldsmith's prior work) is very evocative of Wagner's opera of the same name.

@CinemaTyler

2 жыл бұрын

Interesting!

@jrneal1220

Жыл бұрын

I've sensed connections between Wagner and the Alien series over the years, but Covenant made it very obvious. As an added bonus, Sigourney Weaver provided introductory narration for the Hollywood Bowl's recent performance of Act III of Die Walkure...

I loved the Duelists. The framing of every shot and the attention to detail was mesmerizing.

It's an interesting combination of elements..... that came together to make cinematic history.

@gkroll8467

Жыл бұрын

Another mistake when the aliens tail is getting behind lambert she wears boots not sneaks that’s a scene from brents death but you know that akready still two great films

In the course of studying Alien be sure to watch It - The Terror From Beyond Space and Mario Bava’s Planet Of The Vampires. Dan O’Bannon incorporated elements of both in his Alien screenplay. The Bava in particular has a uniquely morbid tone that found it’s way into Alien. There’s also a giant alien skeleton in POTV.

The "bug venting" scene from "It~ The Terror from Beyond Space" (1958 - year I was born), is very reminiscent of the "bug venting" scene from Alien... Scott was paying attention...

@VanCiapp

Жыл бұрын

Lv-426 has a lot of the atmosphere and vibe of the planet from The Terror from Beyond Space, i think it was a source of inspiration for Scott alongside the other things mentioned in the video.

So we've gone from 2001 to Apocalypse (and Lucas) and FMJ, and now to Alien inspired by Kubrick and Lucas (and Dune) and Heavy Metal (and Blade Runner). I hope we get more on Lucas and Scott in the future and how these visionaries took the baton from Kubrick's 2001. It's so fascinating to see how different writer/directors are inspired by one another. It's also really interesting to think of 2001, Star Wars, Alien and Blade Runner in terms of their sound effects and soundtrack that add so much to the visuals and ground the setting in reality.

The weird sounds you hear at the end regarding the "lights on the helmets" comes from Tomita's *The Planets* (which had a similarly powerful influence on Francis Ford Coppola, as the track of "Venus" was used in the workprint/inspired the finished music for the flight of the helicopters, as well as the rest of the soundtrack). In fact, Ridley wanted Tomita to do the soundtrack to *Alien,* but Jerry Goldsmith was chosen by the studio as a logical compromise, as he was known for musical experimentation while created a score people could "understand". On a more particular note, if you listen to Tomita's *The Planets,* in the beginning there are 2 synthesized voices speaking to each other from the left and right speakers... which is what Ridley Scott emulated when Mother was waking up (ie there are multiple sub computer brains that were talking to each other while waking the ship up) with the 2 helmets "speaking" to each other.

@CinemaTyler

2 жыл бұрын

Fascinating! Thanks for the info!

@frankezane583

Жыл бұрын

Wow ! I’ll look into that more

I remember being a young kid and my family were watching Alien. After the chest burst scene I was terrified and went to my room after that scene. Then I had a fear that something could burst out of my chest. Wow

I remember dragging my Dad to see this on opening day. I knew it would be great having read about it in OMNI magazine. The surprise of the chest burster was the best. My dad did not like horror or scifi but he really liked this film. It was truly a site to behold seeing my father jump as the Alien popped out of the chest.

“…saved Alien, the destroyed it decades later.”

@rickortega80

3 ай бұрын

They all do, terminator, predator...

One aspect I love about this film is just how good it looks. I own the blu ray and watching it on my 60 inch television just blows me away.

I just watched the first 3 Alien movies with my kids. How envy I was while realising they see it for the first time :)

I absolutely loved The Duellists as a kid. I even took up fencing after watching it, and haven’t looked back since.

Is it surprising given that Scott is one of the greatest cinematic directors of all time?

@Defender78

Жыл бұрын

Ridley Scott is an excellent director, but hear me out. During the 90s, he put out Thelma &Louise, 1492, White Squall, and GI Jane... say, by 1998, it may have seemed that his best works were Alien and Blade Runner, then-about 20 years old. His work after those movies weren't celebrated hits (okay, Black Rain was good, but Someone to Watch Over Me... heard of it??). He hadn't matched the sophistication of Alien and Blade Runner, and was maybe on the downside of his career. THEN.. in 2000, Ridley found a new wave of creativity and gave us Gladiator, Black hawk Down.. Hannibal.. and later, Kingdom of Heaven, American Gangster, Robin Hood, The Martian, and other remarkable films and web productions, matching or exceeding Alien and Blade Runner. Glad Mr Scott had a mid-career resurgence, and yes he may be among of all time!!!

aw Alien what an absolute horror sci-fi classic right up there with John Carpenters 1982 The Thing

Great review. I was a 14-year old Sci Fi fan when I bought a ticket to another film and snuck in under-age to Alien at a multiplex. I was expecting a space tale like Star Wars. Instead I was happy to see it alone so my friends couldn't see me jumping like a rabbit every few minutes. That film was fucking scary and fantastic. I don't know why, but I really gravitated to the maintenance guys, Yaphet Kotto and Harry Dean Stanton. The scene where they leave the steam blasting so that they "can't hear" Sigourney Weaver" still cracks me up to this day.

The first time I saw Alien was on a 13-inch B&W tv. I have never been more terrified by a film - ever! It was many years before I saw it uninterrupted and in color - 15-inch color tv. Probably a VHS rental. Not many “Making of” features in those days. GREAT video! Look forward to exploring your channel. (Those B&W moments are still the scariest, most intense moments of film I have ever experienced.)

The Duelist is one of my favourite movies. I always enjoy the raw gritty nature of it and the passion of the two main characters. As for Alien - well it took Scifi movies away from white hats/black hats like Star Wars and brought it back to the raw simply staying alive !

God I love your videos. I literally know everything about Alien but your productions are always awesome.

@CinemaTyler

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much!

Thanks for this. Something about the way it compiles the story really brought out the value of Scott being available, and how much of that depended on his taking big swings at that point in his career. That spoke to me in a way that was somehow calming.

Alien is one of my top favorite making-of stories. Thanks for doing this. I hope there is more coming. And i hope Ron Cobb's work is spotlighted. You're the best.

@CinemaTyler

2 жыл бұрын

More is on the way and we will be getting into Ron Cobb's work!

@ProfessD

2 жыл бұрын

@@CinemaTyler Oh I figured. Your research is awesome. It's why you're my favorite film history channel.

Props have to be given to Giler and Hill for scripting in Ash as the secret corporate agenda driven robot.

@davidlean1060

2 жыл бұрын

If you read O'Bannon's early draft and then read the rewritten shooting script by Hill and Giler, you have to give it to those guys. As they say in The Beast Within, their rewrite took O'Bannon's story and gave it the 'truckers in space' vibe we see in the film. With all due respect to Dan, you don't see Alien in your mind's eye when you read his script, but you do when you read the rewrite.

@21stcenturyhiphop

Жыл бұрын

@@davidlean1060 O'Bannon was a great writer, but Giler and Hill's script is leaos and bounds better than O'Bannon's draft.

@davidlean1060

Жыл бұрын

@@21stcenturyhiphop No question. I feel for O' Bannon during his interview sections in The Beast Within, but he was being overly precious. His initial script had the vision of a B movie film maker. The story was great, but the world he created wasn't.

@gkroll8467

Жыл бұрын

Scott is into visuals like Gilliam but Scott can tell a story unlike the anti american anti semetic Gilliam

Oh man Tyler, I'd love a series of videos on this franchise... like I told you before, your channel seems to have been created just for my movie tastes!

@CinemaTyler

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the suggestion! More to come!

I saw Alien in the theater when it was first released. I also read the book. It was a movie that had to be seen in the theater to get the full experience. It was cutting edge at the time and completely change the way space sci fi was thought of.

I like the "Alien " and "Aliens ".And I think of them as dark science Fiction ,not as horror movies at all .Since the unknown is what scares people .And that's what the whole Alien series is about .Since there so much in the Alien universe we don't know .But "Aliens" is the most kickass movie of the whole series in general .

@samr.england613

Жыл бұрын

Alien and Aliens are two completely different films. 'Alien' is a sublime work of cinematic fine art, and it IS sci-fi/horror. 'Aliens' is simply a cliche-ridden shoot 'em up action film. Cliches? The too-cool-for-school, over-compensating female pilot; the macho Latina; the black NCO sergeant; the white and inept CO lieutenant, and the greedy and sinister yuppie company guy, and others! Don't get me wrong, despite all the cliches 'Aliens' wasn't a bad film, but it doesn't compare to the original because, again, they are completely different films.

@williamgregg6339

Жыл бұрын

@@samr.england613 - Aliens is your typical action movie with Xenomorphs in it. Barely, if any horror, in it. But The Alien Queen was so badass imo.

@outpost31mac

Жыл бұрын

Yeah, it's horror...and obviously science fiction as well. Most genre films (of any kind) are rarely just one thing. Horror is a broad term that represents a lot of films or elements within those films.

@players7686

Жыл бұрын

Alien was a wicked original sci-fi horror. Aliens was a wicked original sci-fi action. Two amazing movies with a sequel that didn't fall a bit or a lot!

@samr.england613

Жыл бұрын

@@williamgregg6339 I thought so too. The alien queen was one of the more intriguing aspects of aliens, and a logical extension of well where those eggs come from.

He almost completely overlooks the impact Giger had on the film. He designed the alien as well as the crashed alien ship and was integral to the movie. He also doesn't comment on some of the things Scott did during filming, like filming the chestburster scene with 3 cameras in one take without telling the actors what was going to happen. None of the actors saw the Alien prior to meeting in the actual scene they were involved in. He also had Yaphet Kotto generally try to get under Sigourney Weavers skin to increase the tension between them when they actually filmed a scene. Brilliant stuff.

This of my favorite sci-fi horror film of all time and this is a very interesting bit of info about it. Thank you. Also, Ian Holm is one of my favorite British actors.

@chocho8036

Жыл бұрын

Ian Holm is so diabolical ... I was terrified by and hated his character. He was so lovable in Dreamchild the film about Alice and Wonderland that it wa shard to recognize him, and then playing Bilbo Baggins later

I just can't believe what they created in Alien I love both 1 and 2. Beautiful films with such horror and power.

The Duelists is an absolutely fantastic film! It's insanely well done and while I'd agree that it's in fact an, "Art Film", (a clear condemnation) I still found it endlessly captivating and addresses the darkness that exists within humanity.

Finally, a video about the Alien franchise that doesn't talk about frickin Aliens. Alien was sooo much better.

Great mini-doc on the best horror movie ever made (IMHO). One of my favorite behind-the-scenes anecdotes on this film is how Roger Corman basically passed on producing the script at an early stage, telling them that the production deserved a bigger budget than he could furnish, and that they should keep shopping it around to the major studios. So Corman also sort of "saved" Alien by not making it, lol.

@powerbad696

Жыл бұрын

Thank the gods !!! LOL.

Thanks for the thoroughly researched material! As a long time fan of Giger's Work (and from Switzerland myself... gosh, I still miss that crazy head!), I find it extremely refreshing to hear his name correctly pronounced by a non-native speaker. Moebius, Heavy Metal, and other not commonly known influences that galvanised this history making film, were a joy to rediscover too. Thanks! 🌹🤟🌹

Heavy Metal Magazine, I started reading it in 1978, I was 14 years old and it was intense. I remember the issues had H.R. Geiger's artwork for Alien and a later issue had concept artwork from Dune.

Just saying, a one-off video on The Warriors would be great

⚓🦈Dark Star,Jodorowsky's Dune,&Memory:The Origins Of Alien🦈⚓ Are Essential Viewing in the Alien Universe,Tyler!

@ryangettig274

2 жыл бұрын

5:04 the late,great David Giler-wrote THE seminal 70's Conspiracy film-The Parallax View-Check it out,yo!!

@davidlean1060

Жыл бұрын

memory presumes waaay to much about the artistic intentions of the film. It's no surprise Scott wanted nothing to do with it. You are better off watching The Beast Within as it is the making of by the people who made it.

This was crazily well done. Cheers and thank you for all the work you obviously put into this. All the references, omg.

0:25 The Duellists is actually a very good film.

This is a well put-together mini-doc with lots of well-researched info, but I was surprised to hear no mention of Dan O'Bannon's and John Carpenter's Dark Star (1974) as one of the forerunners to Alien's depiction of a gritty, dirty, industrial future space age, dominated by transnational corporations, with astronauts largely being blue collar workers.

@gkroll8467

Жыл бұрын

Don’t forget the beach ball alien in the shaft the Dan wrote even though played fir laughs

Alien has fascinated me from the first time I saw it and this is the most insightful analysis I've seen. I particularly liked the part about melancholy and grittiness.

@cubertmiso

Жыл бұрын

young ridley scott would like better call saul more than scotts new alien films. they have no soul in them.

So glad to get a notification that you have done another the video. Really enjoy your video essays. Keep up the good work.

@CinemaTyler

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much!

Watch the true prequel, Dan O’Bannon’s and Steven Carpenter’s Dark Star!

Can you do one about John Carpenter, I’d say he’s probably the most influential horror director ever.

@alexnox4956

Жыл бұрын

John carpenters vampires is underrated.

@andrewmcquade9413

Жыл бұрын

@@alexnox4956 It’s not one I go back to, but I do remember James Woods is great in it.

@andrewmcquade9413

Жыл бұрын

@@alexnox4956 In the Mouth of Madness is, IMO, his most slept on masterpiece.

@alexnox4956

Жыл бұрын

@@andrewmcquade9413 I love the fog, haven’t seen in the mouth of madness, will check it out👍🏼

@andrewmcquade9413

Жыл бұрын

@@alexnox4956 Sam Neil and Jürgen Prochnow are terrific and it’s pretty wild concept.

Truly a great movie. Very good video by the way. I always felt that the most horrifying thing to come out of the alien franchise was the Facehugger. I still get chills thinking about it

I can’t wait to jump into this video Tyler. Whenever you come out with more content it always brightens my day!

@CinemaTyler

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much!

Would this movie have ever been green-light, with this budget, had Star Wars not existed?

How Ridley Scott saved Alien but lost his mind and ruined any potential sequels involving him.

When I was young I remember a commercial for Chanel No5-I loved everything about it- the dreamlike visuals, the cool music- the VoiceOver . Years later found out it was A Scott commercial- I was completely unsurprised.

When Alien came out, my best friend at the time and I took our girlfriends to the drive-in to see it. What a mistake that was. The chest bursting scene was a total freakout and I had to drive them home right away. My buddy and I returned the next night by ourselves and loved the crap out of this movie. At 63 it's still on my top 10 favourite movie of all times.

You should include how Alien was stolen from my Grandfather, a golden age science fiction writer & grand master, A.E. Van Vogt’s book “Voyage of the Space Beagle.” Now THAT is a pretty important part of this story…

@maddog8621

Жыл бұрын

Really??? Still in print???

@judewarner1536

Жыл бұрын

Growing up in the 1960s ''The Grandmaster'' A.E. van Vogt was one my favourite SF authors. I have most, if not all of his works in my personal collection, including ''Voyage of the Space Beagle'', ''The Pawns of Null-A'', based on concepts of non-Aristotelian logic and ''200 Million AD'', which used Continental Drift as a basis for the plot long before Plate Tectonics became accepted. Heady stuff for the time. In the 3000+ SF & Fantasy books that form my collection there are very few story-lines or details that can claim to be completely original. I would be interested to know what it was specifically about ''The Voyage of the Space Beagle'' that Charlene believes was ''stolen'' for Alien. If I remember rightly, eg, the Space Beagle was collecting alien species and was not an ore freighter. The A.E. van Vogt story itself drew on Charles Darwin's book ''The Voyage of the Beagle'', detailing his visit to the Galapagos Islands that resulted in his theory of Natural Selection and its bastard offspring, The Theory of Evolution. The title of the space novel is a bit of a giveaway, so how ''original'' could van Vogt's story claim to be cf a Charles Darwin in Space Opera? I'm not dissing Charlene's claim; as a lifetime SF enthusiast I am very interested in her story.

I recently did a Double Feature rewatch of Barry Lyndon and The Duelists. It fits because they are both beautifully shot, set in roughly the same time period (mid to late 18th Century and early 19th Century) and duelling plays a big part in both films.

Essays like this are why I love KZread. Thanks for all your time and effort.😎👍

As an interesting "what might have been"... in late 1963 Ridley Scott -- then a designer at the BBC -- was given the design role for the second story in a new science fiction serial, where he would have designed all aspects of the story, including the inhabitants of a remote planet. After accepting the task, Scott then realised that other commitments meant that he wouldn't be able to do the work at Ealing studios, so the job was turned over to another designer, Ray Cusick. Cusick, of course, went on to create the Daleks for that second Doctor Who story...

The Duelists is a fantastic film. I compare it to Barry Lyndon in several ways.

@davidlean1060

2 жыл бұрын

It is, more or less, Scott paying tribute to Kubrick. Scott loves Stanley and you see little nods to the great man throughout Scott's movies.

@RD19902010

Жыл бұрын

Never saw Barry Lyndon, yet need to remember that these are seperate movies lol

Dan O'Bannon, the originator and creative instigator who put Scott and Giger together...

Fantastic video. Thank you from a long time fan- had to go with older relatives to see Alien when I was only twelve. Blade Runner after that.. was a Ridley fab ever since. Those two especially were unbelievable in detail and realistic ideas. They are, for my taste and what was available in special effects at the time… exactly what a movie was supposed to be; a story that makes you forget you’re watching a story, not realize you’re watching a film anymore.. you’ve just arrived someplace else. Total immersion.

Wow those heavy metal magazines are so creative.

Always blown away by your content, man. Hope there will be more Alien videos coming up!

@CinemaTyler

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks! More is on the way!

Does anyone happen to have a more precise fix on the background music, since the description only links a site from which it was taken?

@CinemaTyler

2 жыл бұрын

There's so much to do to make these videos that I've gotta cut corners somewhere. But for you, this once, here you go! 😎 EZCO Dunes - Ruins Nail - Ruins Artlist.io Digital Battleground - Night Rider 87 Free Radicals - Stanley Gurvich Gravity - Stanley Gurvich Nova - 2050 Etienne 9000 - Stefano Mastronardi Secret Weapon - Evgeny Bardyuzha

Excellent video. I'm so tired of lazy uploads about classics like Alien. This was worth watching.

Amazing video, finally got around to watch it. Great job.

Ironic that nearly 40 years later, he ruined Alien.

@deankruse2891

2 ай бұрын

How so? Prometheus is awesome

Ridley is a hometown hero for me, even though he’s made a lot of shit lately.

@akfreed6949

Жыл бұрын

I don't care about plot holes and stuff . I BOUGHT Prometheus and Alien : covenant . They're a fun watch . Even the baby alien dancing 👽🤖

The way they handed the human ship designs to one artist and the alien ship designs to another is a key accidental brilliance of the film.

I rewatched Alien the other night and realised it's actually a panto because I keep calling out "behind you!" All they had to do was put boots on Jonesy.

alien is masterpiece I just wish he didn't have to mess up prometheus and alien covenant those could have been better if they were stand alone Sci fi

You will never be forgotten for “Alien”. You will never be forgiven for “Prometheus”.

Fantastic. Just when I thought I knew everything about Alien there was to know, along comes Cinema Tyler to add some more.

AMAZING VID. So well done thank you ! The art was so good, glad it has been saved .

@CinemaTyler

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

And then he ruined the cosmic dread with alien covenant