Prometheus (Post-release)

[SSGT Kitten]

Long bow to draw i know but he might have just taken it on board......with him.
Getting back to my original question, is his Lawrence of Arabia thing his own creation or is it Weylands? I like to know his motivations as i think he drives the whole thing, he is after all the Big Bang of this Alien universe. His actions initiated many years later the Nostromo being diverted to Archeron.

I don't have any concrete evidence one way or the other, but I would say it's Weyland's creation. David knows Weyland likes it, David wants to please Weyland and emulate humans, so David watches and copies Peter O'Toole being Lawrence.

As a side, I don't think David is an evil character. Nor is Vickers. Nor the Engineers. The only real "evil" person is Weyland, and I don't think he is truly evil, just incredibly self-centered.

Also, reading through the art book, i noticed a comment about the silos/pyramids. "It's only when they get these readings of metal that they touch down - not because of what they see but because of their scanners, and that's the intrigue and the suspense of it." I totally thought they landed cause Charlie saw the "road" and it was a straight line.

Charlie

 

[Nwerke]

They really do read as a monastic order of some sort, don't they?

In my early postings here, after my first viewing of the movie, I felt that David was a sympathetic character who wanted to be human... and while he does show a brief twinge of pain when Weyland says he lacks a soul... I couldn't have been more wrong about his overall character.

Yeah, he's definitely a dick. He is snarky and cruel quite frequently. I like him a lot. :lol

I did like Vickers, too. I looked for any possible 'out' the second time I saw the film, but nope. It's a flat bit of ground and she was hit fair and square. She's graffiti on the back of the crashed ship now.

 

[Feraud]

Where Alien and Blade Runner spawned cliches, Prometheus unashamedly embraces them - and for many people that is the disappointment.

A very astute observation.

 

[Nwerke]

How come the Engineers, who share 100% of our DNA and need their own environmental suits to survive LV-223's toxic air, can now walk outside in a toxic environment without them? It's like this one engineer doesn't know how breathing works. One moment he needs to wear an environmental suit in an area that is breathable, and after his ship crashes, he just walks outside without a suit and manages to make it all the way to the life raft.

I love that long bow you keep drawing. You really *want* to hate this film and you're working harder than you actually need to. If you don't like the movie, that's fine. You don't have to justify that to anyone.

But since you brought it up, I missed the sign saying "All Space Jockeys to don helmets before entering outside areas". We have no idea whether the CO2 is harmful to them, or what they wear the helmets for. Could be anything.

 

[Nwerke]

A very astute observation.

In their day both films were heavily criticised for themselves being cliched.

 

[Mola Rob]

If the internet had been around in the seventies just think how many threads Alien, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, The Black Hole, and Blade Runner would have spawned. The RPF would have been overloaded.

Movies in the past were not subjected to this kind of scrutiny simply because there was no way to have an almost global discussion about a certain movie. Conversations were more confined back in the dark ages.

 

[Mr Webber]

I don't have any concrete evidence one way or the other, but I would say it's Weyland's creation. David knows Weyland likes it, David wants to please Weyland and emulate humans, so David watches and copies Peter O'Toole being Lawrence.

As a side, I don't think David is an evil character. Nor is Vickers. Nor the Engineers. The only real "evil" person is Weyland, and I don't think he is truly evil, just incredibly self-centered.

Also, reading through the art book, i noticed a comment about the silos/pyramids. "It's only when they get these readings of metal that they touch down - not because of what they see but because of their scanners, and that's the intrigue and the suspense of it." I totally thought they landed cause Charlie saw the "road" and it was a straight line.

Charlie

I find him as fascinating as Tyrell, very similar types played/written very differently and want to see more of him somehow in a possible sequel.

 

[NAZGÛL]

If I have to explain what I think the characters are. Or what may be happening it is poor story telling.

I see it the opposite way. If only more films dared to not hold your hand and explain everything.

 

[blipper]

In their day both films were heavily criticised for themselves being cliched.

Of course, how could we not learn from what the critics said back in the day? I take it back, Prometheus is an untrammeled masterpiece.

 

[Kit Rae]

Those are all an example of going back and seeing what could be considered a flaw or problem

Going back and considering? No need for that. I was there when Alien and Blade Runner came out, and grew up with these films. I had these exact same types of conversations among my friends. We absolutely loved these films, but had very heated arguments about some of the bone headed flaws, and to be honest, the Prometheus discussion has yet to top the level my five friends and I had with Blade Runner. Not even close. That went on for more than ten years. I think we invented some very interesting theories to cover some of the holes in Blade Runner's plot, but some were impossible to. Example - Holden running the test on Leon. They had photos of all the replicants. Leon looks exactly like his photo. Same with all of the other replicants Deckard went after. Why are they not arresting the guys who look EXACTLY like these replicants first, putting them in restraints, then running the test to confirm? It's a huge omission that had us scratching our heads on the first viewing. Same with Tyrell's security, and...oh, lets not turn this into a Blade runner thread. It's all really nitpicking, but I have yet to find anything on that level in Prometheus.

If you don't like it, don't like it. I loved it.

You say Alien and Blade Runner have 'plenty of mistakes' and are 'full of stinkers' and I can't help thinking you're a bit disingenuous in attempting to retro-fit

See above. No retrofitting needed. This is the very reason the negative reviews for Alien and Blade Runner are near identical to what I am reading about Prometheus. It's like deja vu all over again. A friend and I were just laughing about it this weekend. It's the curse of Ridley doing sci-fi.

At this point Kit, it could be viewed that you're unequivocal support for Prometheus being a classic in the making appears to stem more from you wanting it to be a classic rather than it actually deserving to be one?

No support needed (and I don't by the way). The writing is on the wall already. Think back on this 15 or 20 years from now when it is considered on par with Ridley's other classics.

it could be viewed that you're unequivocal support for Prometheus not being a classic in the making appears to stem more from you not wanting it to be a classic rather than it actually being one. An that's your right If it's not your thing, it's not your thing.

 

[cyberpred]

We used to meet at the water cooler before the internet. And there we would say how we felt about films we saw. No different.

We just watched Paul. Great flik. Lots of fun. The wife said she liked it much better than Prometheus. Obviously she did she stayed awake.



Cary:cool

 

[ghostryder]

PROMETHEUS: ALIEN ANATOMY (EXCLUSIVE) - YouTube

 

[blipper]

The writing is on the wall already. Think back on this 15 or 20 years from now when it is considered on par with Ridley's other classics.

This statement genuinely doesn't occur to you as being the slightest bit overzealous or premature does it?
Wow.

 

[blipper]

Kit, are you UK based?

 

[Kit Rae]

This statement genuinely doesn't occur to you as being the slightest bit overzealous or premature does it?
Wow.

No.

I didn't recall it, but one of my friends just reminded me at lunch today that I said the same thing about Blade Runner.

 

[Jeyl]

Could be anything.

There's the missing title.

Prometheus: Could Be Anything

 

[Redline]

I'm gratified to know that I'm not the only one who thought Prometheus sucked.

I expected a film that looked great and was light on story. I did not expect that I would be required to fan-wank nearly everything in it. First up, why put Guy Pearce in badly-done old-guy makeup if there's not going to be a regeneration reveal or something? Scott could have cast a genuine old guy and I would not have been pulled out of the movie every time I saw him.

Next, why can't we have scientists who act like scientists? Why does a biologist flee in terror when confronted by a dead alien? Presumably, he's there because of the possibility that there might be a zenomorph involved (yes, I've seen the other ones). This should be the greatest moment in his life and he's sodding off scared. He should be the last one to get scared over a dead alien.

The characters were, generally, as engaging as watching pasta dry. With the exception of Capt. Janek and the ship's crew, there was no-one there about whose survival I cared - and I'm supposed to care. It's what I'm paying Mr. Scott for. But every time someone did something that no-one would do - for example, the crew going from "let's fly this ship," to "let's kill ourselves to save Earth," in the space of about 40 seconds with no resistance or even discussion - I got yanked out of the film again.

I could go on. David. Dr. Gamine. And saying, "It's no more stupid than the previous Alien movies" (yes, it is) doesn't make it less stupid than it should be. If there were one question that I would like Mr. Scott to answer - yet again, "where does the additional mass come from?" Dr. Gamine gets the autosurgeon (a very cool prop) to abort her li'l alien. Then she leaves, locking it in the medical suite. Fine. The next time we see it it weighs a ton and is kicking the ass of an Engineer. How did it get bigger?

If I sound angry it's because I am. Good actors got directed into playing standees. See Luther, if you want to see Idris Elba's chops. Michael Fassbinder is a brilliant actor, as is Charlize Theron. But mostly, when somebody spends this kind of money on this kind of Christmas poultry it makes it that much harder for a real director with a real vision to get the funding to make a real, engaging, believable, cathartic, transporting science fiction movie.

 

[Jack T Chance]

Wasn't it 6 weeks to reach the shipping lanes where she would hopefully be picked up.

Oh! Could be! And if so, that screws my math up, as I don't know how far away the shipping lanes are. :$

The did not have all that COOLANT like they had on the Nostromo. Seriously, it's all about the coolant in those Co2 canisters!

:lol

Well, strictly speaking, I doubt the life boat Ripley's in at the end of the movie had all that coolant, either.

 

[NAZGÛL]

I'm gratified to know that I'm not the only one who thought Prometheus sucked.

I expected a film that looked great and was light on story. I did not expect that I would be required to fan-wank nearly everything in it. First up, why put Guy Pearce in badly-done old-guy makeup if there's not going to be a regeneration reveal or something? Scott could have cast a genuine old guy and I would not have been pulled out of the movie every time I saw him.

Next, why can't we have scientists who act like scientists? Why does a biologist flee in terror when confronted by a dead alien? Presumably, he's there because of the possibility that there might be a zenomorph involved (yes, I've seen the other ones). This should be the greatest moment in his life and he's sodding off scared. He should be the last one to get scared over a dead alien.

The characters were, generally, as engaging as watching pasta dry. With the exception of Capt. Janek and the ship's crew, there was no-one there about whose survival I cared - and I'm supposed to care. It's what I'm paying Mr. Scott for. But every time someone did something that no-one would do - for example, the crew going from "let's fly this ship," to "let's kill ourselves to save Earth," in the space of about 40 seconds with no resistance or even discussion - I got yanked out of the film again.

I could go on. David. Dr. Gamine. And saying, "It's no more stupid than the previous Alien movies" (yes, it is) doesn't make it less stupid than it should be. If there were one question that I would like Mr. Scott to answer - yet again, "where does the additional mass come from?" Dr. Gamine gets the autosurgeon (a very cool prop) to abort her li'l alien. Then she leaves, locking it in the medical suite. Fine. The next time we see it it weighs a ton and is kicking the ass of an Engineer. How did it get bigger?

If I sound angry it's because I am. Good actors got directed into playing standees. See Luther, if you want to see Idris Elba's chops. Michael Fassbinder is a brilliant actor, as is Charlize Theron. But mostly, when somebody spends this kind of money on this kind of Christmas poultry it makes it that much harder for a real director with a real vision to get the funding to make a real, engaging, believable, cathartic, transporting science fiction movie.

SRS must have something right if peoples first post on a forum is about his film. Welcome btw.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Next, why can't we have scientists who act like scientists? Why does a biologist flee in terror when confronted by a dead alien? Presumably, he's there because of the possibility that there might be a zenomorph involved (yes, I've seen the other ones). This should be the greatest moment in his life and he's sodding off scared. He should be the last one to get scared over a dead alien.

I had no problem with either of them freaking out and leaving. I had a problem with them getting lost for no reason when the mapping was going on and there was no issue with communication with the ship, if the geologist who set loose the mappers didn't have a direct link to them. Sure... cocky men don't ask for directions... but I sure as hell would if I was scared.

The reaction is pretty believable... just not played very well. It's his first encounter... and what does he do? He runs away. Very human reaction. I had no problem with that at all.

It was the other dumb **** I had problems with... and it's mostly centered on Shaw's co-scientist guy I can never remember the name of taking off the helmet... and the complete apathy and idiocy of any of the characters to what they are experiencing.