Prometheus (Post-release)

This was a concept maquette Ridley was thinking about using.

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Either SRS had planned to tie the ALIEN designs together all along or at the last minute someone said, hey we need something that kinda looks like the '79 ALIEN. It looked to rushed for me. I almost want to say I wished they hadn't included anything that was familiar with the '79 ALIEN.
 
The art of book explains what and why a bit better, its not a last min thought though, maybe just a bit miss guided from SRS
 
I wasn't expecting much but enjoyed the meeting. I will probably allow myself to be "brainwashed" by seeing it again. I think it was a nice prequel prequel. The next one should be interesting. Does Shaw find "The Engineers" and infect them with there own bioweapon? It will be interesting to see how we get from the end of Prometheus to the original Alien. Should be interesting.
 
Q. Why would the space jockeys start life on earth, just to later destroy it by sending a ship full of black goo?

A. I think it is like the captan said, this was a military weapon installation. Maybe earth was a test site.

Maybe its all part of the process. First to create life in stage one, then you mutate it with black goo in stage two.

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Q. Why is the space jockey angry and attacking the humans when he first wakes up?

A. He went to sleep with a mission on his mind. He wakes up from his hyper sleep chamber and it is immediately obvious that mission has hit a bump. It would appear he intends on completing that mission.

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Q. Why would the space jockeys leave clues to where they come from?

A. Maybe not all of the space jockey race agreed with the going forward with "stage two" above. Maybe they changed their mind and decided to cultivate life on earth as it was, then let it be.
After all the space jockeys were killed, maybe it was decided it was too dangerous.
 
The art of book explains what and why a bit better, its not a last min thought though, maybe just a bit miss guided from SRS

If the book has to explain it and the movie does not, it IS a misguided effort by SRS. I can only imagine what he'll explain in the commentary track so long as Damon Lindelof doesn't start kissing his boots.
 
Q. Why would the space jockeys leave clues to where they come from?

A. Maybe not all of the space jockey race agreed with the going forward with "stage two" above. Maybe they changed their mind and decided to cultivate life on earth as it was, then let it be.
After all the space jockeys were killed, maybe it was decided it was too dangerous.

If there were a faction of 'good' jockeys, why would they point the earthlings into the lions den? Why not point them in the other direction?
 
Linkara did a quick review of Prometheus on his blog, and he actually shared some pretty good points on why characters acting incredibly stupid can ruin a movie.

Anyone remember PREDATOR? It features an elite rescue squad going into enemy territory and taking out a whole camp full of rebels. This team is resourceful, experienced and good with strategy. But more importantly, they're professionals who take their job seriously and don't resort to stupid decisions the first time they do something. The part that made the creature so intimidating was that it was 'outsmarting' them. You've seen this team in action and know that they're the best at what they do, and now they're being taken out by a foe that they don't understand. Their strategies aren't working and their moral is draining. This creature is winning. THAT is an effective way of conveying suspense and dread when you have smart characters being beaten by a smarter foe.

With Prometheus, all it would take to defeat the alien forces is for our characters to use common sense. If you want to leave, use the map on your arm that you used earlier to find your way around or contact the ship to guide your way out. Heck, if the characters' stupidity were consistent, everything would be fine. The two scientists who were so scared of a headless alien corpse should not find a slithering cobra like worm that hisses violently at them intriguing.

And who here would not immediately go for help after seeing something moving inside of your eye? Well, if you're in Prometheus, you strap on your suit and head on out like it was just a minor inconvenience.
 
When the Engineer wakes up he doesn't seem very put off by the presence of the humans around him. When David speaks to him, and it would be fascinating to know what he said, the Engineer places a hand on Davids head in an almost paternal way. Then he realizes David is a synthetic creation and he goes nuts. We created an abomination of life and he is going to make us pay.
 
I mean why would an alien race create life on earth just to wait a million years before wiping them out? Seems like a pretty stupid plan.
That comes up in the film itself, Shaw says it.. "They changed their mind.. why?" That's what she's referring to.. they liked us for a while, then they changed their mind and wanted to kill us. What did we do? She even asks the Engineer that very same question. Oddly, I think that if he had understood the question, he might have answered it.

That's probably the main goal of the second film's story, is finding out why.

Okay. Question. If it was calibrated for a male, and clearly the good doctor was female.. then .. just where did it happen to pull that embryo out of? I mean, I'm guessing it was in her uterus, the alien DNA having been .. ahem .. deposited there earlier by her boyfriend. I'm thinking a machine calibrated for a man is going to have to deal with the fact there is an unrecognized organ there to cut into. As a clue, sure, but it seemed to get over the fact it was operating on a woman pretty easy to make a big deal out of it being calibrated for a man..
There's a huge difference between "calibration" and "programming". Everyone's assuming that the medpod was completely devoid of any programming on female anatomy, which obviously wasn't the case (such things are probably hardwired). It just wasn't calibrated for anyone other than Weyland, and didn't contain the specific program needed for a C-section.

Another thing, the "pilot" dies in the escape module and not in the chair like he or "it" was found in Alien, what gives?
This:
What does surprise me is how many people thought this took place on the same planet as ALIEN and the Engineer was the same guy found in ALIEN. Must not be very big ALIEN fans....
I'm guessing a lot of people are relying on years-old memories of the original film. The planet looks completely different, the ship itself looks completely different, the nice, even row of Dune domes and safe landing places is missing, all of the bodies are missing from the pilot's chamber.. none of this seems to click that it might not actually be the same ship.

Rather annoying, actually. People ask all these questions, but don't seem to pay attention enough to spot such radical differences between the two films. If they were supposed to be the same ship, at least some effort would have been made for continuity. They didn't bother because it's not the same ship.
 
I think the answer as to why they want to destroy is revealed when they date the time of death of the first Engineer they discover. 2000 years ago they decided to destroy us. Sounds like it would coincide with the rise of Christianity on Earth. perhaps they felt we had forsaken them.
 
We created an abomination of life and he is going to make us pay.

Clearly our abominations are the most terrifying and destructive things in existence compared to what they made. I mean, David wasn't orally raping the Engineer, melting his face off, or killed his comrades in the hallways.
 
Overall I loved it. I did. Does it REALLY SUCK in some places?
Yes.
Medical Bed,...WTF? (It was in VICKERS pod. You think it was meant for her, but realize it was for the OLD MAN. SO maybe it makes sense.)
The WIL WHEATON ANDROID who knows how to open all the doors.
The COYOTE and ROADRUNNER DONT LET THE SPACE SHIP FALL ON YOU...WTF????
In hindsite, it should have been called THE THING. as I could not help but remember the ORIGINAL "Thing", with the "Large Pale Angry Giant" beating the crap out of everyone.
Too many Homeages (is that a word?) to ALIEN. Androids lose their heads. The Hot Chick always survives and escapes via life pod. Corporate needs are always met no matter what. Space is an equal opportunity employer. ie...there is always at least ONE RED NECK on the crew. Usually the first to die.


Let me take a tab at your Q/A format, which I liked!


Q. Why would the space jockeys start life on earth, just to later destroy it by sending a ship full of black goo?

A. I think it is like the captan said, this was a military weapon installation. Maybe earth was a test site.

Maybe its all part of the process. First to create life in stage one, then you mutate it with black goo in stage two.


(Maybe! What do we know. The GOO Mutates DNA. But needs a host of some kind to start. Were they seeding the univcerse? or destroying it? Were we just ONE of the ALIEN life forms to be USED as a weapon system they created?

I think so. TO have a WEAPON system actually come back and FIND you, yeah I would have woke up swinging too. That's how I took it.)
----------

Q. Why is the space jockey angry and attacking the humans when he first wakes up?

A. He went to sleep with a mission on his mind. He wakes up from his hyper sleep chamber and it is immediately obvious that mission has hit a bump. It would appear he intends on completing that mission.

(See above)

----------
Q. Why would the space jockeys leave clues to where they come from?

A. Maybe not all of the space jockey race agreed with the going forward with "stage two" above. Maybe they changed their mind and decided to cultivate life on earth as it was, then let it be.
After all the space jockeys were killed, maybe it was decided it was too dangerous.

(clues? No. Hacked into the computer by WIL WHEATON ANDROID? Yes)


Basically, to sum up the FRANKENSTEIN meets THE THING meets ROADRUNNER/COYOTE;

"Play God (creating life) , Get bitten in the As s ". Especially when you think about it, the crew DIES making sure it doesnt go to Earth, but then we bring an entire ship of WMD, back the home world of the Tall Guys. Im sure they will be really happy about that one.


Thats my take.
 
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When the Engineer wakes up he doesn't seem very put off by the presence of the humans around him. When David speaks to him, and it would be fascinating to know what he said, the Engineer places a hand on Davids head in an almost paternal way. Then he realizes David is a synthetic creation and he goes nuts. We created an abomination of life and he is going to make us pay.

Yeah, you might be on to something there. Like he felt only the Engineers were supposed to create new (artificial?) life. Or that how the creation of artificial life leads to your demise (robot uprising - imagine how horrific Terminator would have been if the Endos were bio-mechanical in nature). Or he's seen what happens to a species when it creates a version of itself. Maybe he's reacting because of the Engineer's experiences elsewhere in the Universe.
 
Yeah, you might be on to something there. Like he felt only the Engineers were supposed to create new (artificial?) life. Or that how the creation of artificial life leads to your demise (robot uprising - imagine how horrific Terminator would have been if the Endos were bio-mechanical in nature). Or he's seen what happens to a species when it creates a version of itself. Maybe he's reacting because of the Engineer's experiences elsewhere in the Universe.

or maybe David got the dialog wrong and insulted the Engineer's mother?
 
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