Prometheus (Post-release)

[Kit Rae]

As crazy as it sounds, I think this technology may have been an easter egg/reference to the other work of Dan O'Bannon. When I saw it, especially with the scene later where he "talks" with Weyland in stasis reminded me of the scene from Dark Star where Doolittle talks Commander Powell. I wouldn't be surprised if that scene inspired the technology, especially since it was the experience on the set of Dark Star (which was co-written by O'Bannon, who also played Pinback) and his dissatisfaction with the alien in the short that lead him to create the more terrifying xenomorph when he written the story for Alien.

I think that is exactly where that idea came from, although I don't recall O'Bannon ever discussing such an idea for Alien, Ridley had seen Dark Star prior to making Alien. Call it an easter egg, or an homage to O'Bannon. Alien would never have happened were it not for him, and Giger would not have been involved if it were not for Dan. There are numerous story points that were not possible to be used in Alien that Ridley used in Prometheus however.

The whole epedition to the "pyramid", the original facehugger was described as octopus-like, the eggs were described as large bottle or jars, which is where i assume the ampules came from, bringing the alien head back to the ship, et cetera. Ridley was very intentionally trying to create O'Bannon's original opening to Alien.

Ridley even dug up all of the old concept art archived at Fox from Alien and used some of those designs as starting points for the Prometheus designers to work from, a lot from Ron Cobb for the interiors, and even some of the early alien designs as tentacled creatures got into Prometheus.

 

[ghostryder]

Prometheus Series 2 Figures from NECA Shown At SDCC! | Prometheus-Movie.com

 

[Nwerke]

The differences are superficial and arguably less imaginative, but Jeyl is correct in his assertion. Prometheus is the little girl that's snuck into her mummy's bedroom to try on her make-up and be like mummy, with predictably poor results.

Heh. Not a statement I'd particularly dispute; I was one of the early critics in fact - as you'll see if you can be bothered to check through the original thread. There's some stuff I outright dislike, and a lot that I can take or leave. There's a good deal I like too, which might not be the case if I wasn't able to dissociate this film from Alien to a degree.

Uncalled for. Jeyl is arguing a valid point and being chastised for not effusing enough over something unrelated and more 'interesting', and dare I say, something less of a hassle to arrive at a satisfactory answer.

I'll have to respectfully disagree. He takes a consistently baiting tone and never misses an opportunity to pretend a misunderstanding if it helps poke derision at the film. Seems to disregard the corrections which have been posted in favour of maintaining his 'everything about the film sux' line, too. He professes to hate and be bored by the film, yet here he is, day after day.

Hmm...okay, I am not going to call it trolling; you're right, I retract my support for that accusation. But nor would I call it legitimate debate. It's more of a bee in the bonnet.

What is interesting is that the original insult comes from a member whose post count is almost exclusively on 'Prometheus' and who's mostly concerned with pointing out where critics have failed to recognise that any problems aren't actual problems in this 'instant cinematic classic'. At this stage I've a fair idea of who is actually doing any trolling here.

Hey, KR's maybe a reasonably new member but he's had several opportunities to arc up - quite legitimately - and has chosen the high road instead. I think we'd have seen some trollishness there if you were on the money. And y'know, a fair proportion of your own post count is located right here! I am not bashing, just that I don't think it is a particularly meaningful observation.

Thanks for the AS link. The helmets are really one of the things I don't much care for but I know many do.

 

[blipper]

Fair enough Nwerke, though I believe my post count is weighted far more to prop/model sub forums than Prometheus discussion. That said, it is a hot topic and not necessarily for reasons that suggest Scott made something lofty and intelligent - there's many wondering how something so disappointing came to pass.

Anyway, @ alienscollection - those look pretty good, I see 'cooltoyreview' has more pictures. I think an Engineer and a proto Facehugger is a must have, not a fan of the proto xeno though, but that extends to the movie too -but they all seem beautifully represented:

COOL TOY REVIEW San Diego Comic Con 2012

 

[rodneyfaile]

...That said, it is a hot topic and not necessarily for reasons that suggest Scott made something lofty and intelligent - there's many wondering how something so disappointing came to pass.....

Reviews suggest it isnt as popular as expected, but overall, I dont think they lean that far toward the negative.

Rotten Tomatoes- 73%
Average Rating: 6.9/10
Reviews Counted: 246
Fresh: 179 | Rotten: 67

I believe there are more who enjoyed it than hated it.

 

[SmilingOtter]

BEN PROCTER // ONLINE PORTFOLIO - PROMETHEUS

He did a lot of work on the (sadly) deleted scene in "Superman Returns" where Kal-El is exploring the ruins of Krypton. Really neat stuff.

 

[blipper]

Reviews suggest it isnt as popular as expected, but overall, I dont think they lean that far toward the negative.

Rotten Tomatoes- 73%
Average Rating: 6.9/10
Reviews Counted: 246
Fresh: 179 | Rotten: 67

I believe there are more who enjoyed it than hated it.

Enjoyment doesn't equate to quality - this really shouldn't need pointing out. Curious also the fervently pro-camp are now keen to use large positive critical response to support the movie when it was only a few pages back that we were reminded how initial critical response to Alien and Blade Runner was more luke warm and thus not to be trusted. The phrase 'wanting to have your cake and eat it' springs to mind.

 

[Noeland]

He was responding to your post. I don't think the "pro-camp" gives two shakes about the reviews, frankly.

Disappointment does not equate wretched. That also should not need pointing out. The film is no where near as bad as some foot stomping tantrum blogs on the internet suggest.

I believe that most people who like the film, even love the film, have pointed out that it's not perfect, have no issue citing problems and discussing them, they just happen to like/love the movie anyway. The problem comes in when people who dislike the film are incorrect about some of the issues they have, and are not terribly interested in being corrected about those issues.

Thankfully the "you're stupid if you like it" posts have been few and far between.

 

[CB2001]

Prometheus Series 2 Figures from NECA Shown At SDCC! | Prometheus-Movie.com

Series 2? I wasn't even aware that Series 1 was already out.

 

[Kit Rae]

COOL TOY REVIEW San Diego Comic Con 2012

That David will be a must have. Unfortunately, the Engineers and aliens are a smaller scale than the humans. Odd. I would have expected it to be the other way around. Maybe the series 1 Engineers are the large scale.

 

[Kit Rae]

Series 1, out November.
NECA Introduces The Prometheus Action Figures Line - Series 1 - YouTube

 

[CB2001]

That David will be a must have. Unfortunately, the Engineers and aliens are a smaller scale than the humans. Odd. I would have expected it to be the other way around. Maybe the series 1 Engineers are the large scale.

It could be possible the Holloway and David you see are Deluxe figures, while the creatures you see below them are the regular figures (the TRON: Legacy line from Spinmasters had a similar set up. You had the regular figures at 4 inch size, the Deluxe at 8 inch, and the 12-inch CLU and Sam).

 

[Kit Rae]

That's what I expect these are, it just seems like it should be the other way around in this case, knowing that the aliens and Engineers are going to hold more interest for this film than human action figures. I think those series 1 Engineers must be the deluxe size, based on the detail, so no worries.

I'm sure Neca had no script access, so they had to guess at which characters to make from information provided by the licensor. Many of us who work in the replica industry have to deal with that a lot. We usually get a rough synopsis and some stills to look at 6-10 months before the film release, and the licensor recommends what they think you should make. Then you see the final film and realize the products you spent 6 months building tooling for are not the ones you should be doing. Neca is usually pretty good at making the right products though.

 

[CB2001]

That's what I expect these are, it just seems like it should be the other way around in this case, knowing that the aliens and Engineers are going to hold more interest for this film than human action figures. I think those series 1 Engineers must be the deluxe size, based on the detail, so no worries.

I'm sure Neca had no script access, so they had to guess at which characters to make from information provided by the licensor. Many of us who work in the replica industry have to deal with that a lot. We usually get a rough synopsis and some stills to look at 6-10 months before the film release, and the licensor recommends what they think you should make. Then you see the final film and realize the products you spent 6 months building tooling for are not the ones you should be doing. Neca is usually pretty good at making the right products though.

True on that case. But then again, I think a lot more people will go with the David figure a lot more than they would an Engineer figure, because he was more of a prominent character than the Engineer was. As for Holloway, I don't know why he's even in there. I would think a lot more people would be interested in getting their hands on Shaw (especially for potential Girl with the Dragon Tattoo customs). In fact, I wouldn't be surprised at all if the human characters were the Deluxe figures because they were featured a lot more than the alien creatures (which would account for why the alien creatures are smaller, due to their limited screen time).

 

[Kit Rae]

Yeah, but the alien creatures are far cooler than the humans Well, maybe not that blue duck faced alien thing from the end. I definitely want David, I would buy a large scale Engineer, in the chair biosuit or not, or Engineer in his sarcophagus, before getting David. Hell, I'll probably get them all.

I also want a bloody Shaw action figure playset with the auto-doc and a removable baby squid!

 

[rodneyfaile]

Enjoyment doesn't equate to quality - this really shouldn't need pointing out. Curious also the fervently pro-camp are now keen to use large positive critical response to support the movie when it was only a few pages back that we were reminded how initial critical response to Alien and Blade Runner was more luke warm and thus not to be trusted. The phrase 'wanting to have your cake and eat it' springs to mind.

I don't care if everyone else on earth hated the movie. I liked it and enjoyed it, and in my opinion believe it to be high quality.

My post was in direct to your comment:

...That said, it is a hot topic and not necessarily for reasons that suggest Scott made something lofty and intelligent - there's many wondering how something so disappointing came to pass.....

I was just attempting to point out that the overall opinions on this movie are not as bleak as some are making them out to be. The majority seem to love the movie, but the ones who hated it seem to hate it PASSIONATELY almost on the level of Jar Jar Binks for some reason.

 

[rodneyfaile]

.....The problem comes in when people who dislike the film are incorrect about some of the issues they have, and are not terribly interested in being corrected about those issues.

I hate that. Its as if some do not WANT to like it. That WANT to hate it. They want to believe what they want to believe.

I'm not saying everyone should like it. Im not even saying the majority should like it. Im just saying that some of the flaws people are pointing out are not flaws of poor filmaking, but a film that while not perfect, (no film ever is) was made as the artists intended and just might not be their particular style of what they like to see.

Thankfully the "you're stupid if you like it" posts have been few and far between.

I hate that too, and that is why I refrain from saying, "You didnt like it because you didnt understand it."
Sometimes that is actually true, but it is possible to have understood it and it still not have been your cup of tea.

 

[Jedi2016]

Actually, I wonder how tall those Engineer figures are compared to the Revoltech Alien I have on my desk. That could be interesting.

On a side note, who's buying the Blu-ray?!? I bet the percentage is a lot higher than most of you would care to admit.. lol.

 

[Nwerke]

Oh me for sure. I want the film to be better than it is and half an hour with a copy of the script and a black artline could have achieved that, but I definitely enjoy it and want it in my collection. It'll look great on home 3d sets.

 

[Nwerke]

Fair enough Nwerke, though I believe my post count is weighted far more to prop/model sub forums than Prometheus discussion.

Of course. Mine would be horribly skewed towards the OT if OT posts were counted, but thankfully they're not. :lol

I believe that most people who like the film, even love the film, have pointed out that it's not perfect, have no issue citing problems and discussing them, they just happen to like/love the movie anyway. The problem comes in when people who dislike the film are incorrect about some of the issues they have, and are not terribly interested in being corrected about those issues.

Good summation. I like the film but my opinion could easily have gone the other way. It's flawed enough to fully justify a lot of exasperation or frustration and I wouldn't hold a negative opinion against anybody, unfortunately some folk seem to want to work to hate the film.

That's already put at least two friends off seeing it, and in one case I'm confident he'll love the film when he finally catches it, and will regret missing it on the big screen. Seems a shame.