You have just seen the intro video, there, haven’t you?
Just in case you’re wondering … ?
Just in case you’re wondering about the Japan reference, there, I’ve got Japan’s Tin Drum album on in the background.
It’s both a personal favourite, gorgeous to listen to …
And possibly something I’ve listened to a lot, at this time of night.
Good knows what the neighbours must be thinking.
Either way, it’s a LP I like listening too, while I write …
~≈§≈~
Which is possibly something you may or may not have worked out.
As I think I’ve mentioned the blessed thing a few times …
Funnily … it’s also not a CD I’ve ever owned …
Nor, unfortunately, am I ever likely to.
Who buys CDs, or DVDs, these days, with things like Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Prime and Netflix?
That sad fact, there, is that record retailers, HMV, have gone into administration: and their owners make no bones about the fact that the move to streaming and downloading has played its part.
It’s sad: and believe me, I’m sympathetic to what the staff are going through, having been working at Threshers, when it collapsed.
But … ?
I can’t help but think a better online offering from the company could’ve been helpful.
Let’s face it, we all of us finding the streaming option so much easier than walking into a shop.
~≈§≈~
That’s not necessarily always the case.
Sometimes?
Sometimes we can happily watch a movie on DVD or blu-ray.
Although, personally?
I’ve not actually owned a DVD player for 3 or four years: if you see me mention my movie collection, that collection consists of digital files I’ve either bought on iTunes, and streamed across the internet.
Or digital files I’ve ripped, and have stored on an external hard drive.
That later, I can watch on my AppleTV.
That later option, raiding that external drive?
Is something I’ve done, tonight.
Yes: I’ve not seen fan favourite, Alien, for some time …
Maybe not Scott’s recent best: I still think that’s a title that would go to The Martian.
But it’s as visually stunning as only a Ridley Scott film can be, is well written, beautifully acted — Fassbender, in the dual role of Walter and David, shines — and, while it’s got one heck of a telegraphed twist ending?
Is plotted well: and has a lot less holes than Prometheus.
I will say this, though: long term fans of the Alien might well go to see Alien Covenantexpecting
to see a grim, blood splattered, body horror type of film.
Certainly, there’s gore in there: this is, after all, an Alien film, so a certain amount of blood drenched mayhem is obligatory.
No Alien Covenant isn’t horror.
It’s a very grim, blood soaked, science fiction film.
One that says coming up with something helpful can have un-intended consequences.
That when we steal fire from the gods, our fingers can get burnt.
And I’ll be frank: I don’t know quite what I’ve just seen.
It’s good …
And could’ve been worse … or better …
Ummm …
I suppose I’d best tell you what I’m talking about, hadn’t I … ?
~~~~~
Now, I mentioned — in this morning’s Teaser — that I’d had a very small tax rebate, hadn’t I … ?
I had, I think.
And it’s one I’d managed to spend on milk, sugar, a loaf: and the one thing I’ve been able to treat myself to, this year.
A movie, courtesy of iTunes.
As you’ve possibly guessed, the iTunes standard-definition version of a movie I’ve been itching to see since it came out, on the big screens.
Ridley Scott’s newest — and much talked about — release, the 2012 film, Prometheus.
And …
Hmmm …
It’s a slippery one …
But let me try to sum up.
~~~~~
Set in 2089, Prometheus sees Drs Elizabeth Shaw and Charlie Holloway — Noomi Rapace and Logan Marshall-Green — archeologists who’ve uncovered that various human cultures have recorded a star map that points to the same place.
A small moon, orbiting a planet, around the star, Zeta 2 Reticula: and one that they’ve long assumed to be home to a race they dub “The Engineeers”.
A race both scientists assume have died out … just before creating humanity …
It’s only once they — and the very expensive expedition sponsored by the Weyland Corporation — get to the moon they realise that the Engineers are a lot less alien than they’d assumed.
And that the moon seems to be a military testing station that seems to have lost control of
something.
~~~~~
Now …
The fact I was umming and ahh’ing, at the start of this post … ?
I’m thinking, here, that I potentially have good reason.
You see, I’m thinking that Prometheus has had some flak in the time it’s been available to the likes of you and me.
I can appreciate why: some of the scenes don’t quite hang together as well as they could: there’s one between David (Michael Fassbender) and Dr Holloway that doesn’t quite flow properly into the next.
I also feel that — at 124 minutes — Prometheus was maybe a touch too short: possibly 20 minutes more could have allowed for more time developing the characters, to show us more of what they could do.
Saying that … ?
Messrs Scott and company have given us a beautifully shot and acted film: and one that is surprisingly better than the bad press would have you believe.
It’s ALSO one that manages to tie itself to the franchise it’s a spin off from — the final reveal of its take on Giger’s Xenomorph is VERY much on the mould of the latter — in a far better way than the recent re-take of The Thing.
OK, I’ve got to confess, here’s where I tell you what I was up to, last night.
Or I should say, Allison, I, and Allison’s niece, Squeaky Sophie, were up to, last night …
Which sounds odd, now I put it that way, doesn’t it … ?
What we actually did was head into Romford to see a movie.
And, as you’ve possibly guessed, we actually ended up in Romford’s Vue cinema, to see the latest offering from director, Ridley Scott, and actor, Russell Crowe.
Not my favourite of his, but nonetheless, still impressive*.
Robin Hood, on the other hand …
Hmmm …
Hmmm …
I’m thinking that Robin Hood, isn’t in quite the same league as Gladiator.
But then very few things are.
On the other hand …
Robin Hood sees Crowe as the eponymous hero returning from the Crusades quite literally at the head of Richard Cœur de Leon’s army.
And, as a result of Richard’s death, and an attempt to help Robert Locksley, who was ambushed by the traitorous Godfrey — Mark Strong, at his villainous best — Russell Crowe, as Robin Longstride, has to take Sir Robin Loxley’s ancestral sword home to his father, Sir Walter Loxleyº.
Which is where thing’s get …
Interesting …
To say the least … !!
Now, I’ll leave the plot summery to IMDb, they tend to do these things a touch better than I do.
But as a movie … ?
Robin Hood’s a good film. It’s not necessarily Ridley Scott or Russell Crowe’s best movie.
But it is entertainingª.
And as an attempt to try to do a historical retake on the story, it’s a better attempt than the Antoine Fuqua cut of King Arthur.
Cast List
ActorCharacter
Russell CroweRobin Longstride
Cate BlanchettMarion Loxley
Max von SydowSir Walter Loxley
William HurtWilliam Marshal
Mark StrongGodfrey
Oscar IsaacPrince John
Danny HustonKing Richard The Lionheart
Eileen AtkinsEleanor of Aquitaine
Mark AddyFriar Tuck
Matthew MacfadyenSheriff of Nottingham
Kevin DurandLittle John
Scott GrimesWill Scarlet
Alan DoyleAllan A’Dayle
Douglas HodgeSir Robert Loxley
Léa SeydouxIsabella of Angoulême
*I actually personally believe that Bladerunner was the better of the three movies. But there you go: Gladiator was the one that bagged the Oscars …
ºAbly and sympathetically played by Max Von Sydow.
ªYou know, I’ve also got to add that, while I’ve not seen the Kevin Costner film, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, I know that both Allison and Squeaky Sophie have. Both felt that, while the Scott/Crowe version wasn’t bad, they both preferred — action and feel-wise — the former.
Hmmm … I don’t know if we’ve seen a good film, or not.
As you know, myself and whoever else wants to come along, have been watching a few movies, over the past few months.
Tonight’s film was a bit of a novelty for me; the Ridley Scott directed “Body of Lies”.
Which is … good …
I think.
Although not usually something that would — out of the box — grab my attention.
Normally, about the only time I’m guaranteed to to catch a spy thriller is if it’s a Bond movie; and the political thriller sub-genre usually
Body of Lies is a bit of a novelty for me, although I know Adrian goes for them more than I do. It’s a film that — for me — doesn’t necessarily convince me to watch others in the genre, although I did find myself entertained.
Especially by Mark Strong’s performance as Jordanian intelligence chief, Hani Salaam. Body of Lies is riveting to watch, for his performance alone.
Have you sometimes read a book, and thought that such and such an actor would be perfect as one of the characters in it?
There’s a scene , early in Body of Lies where Strong, as Salaam, is … persuading … a minor character to work as an undercover plant for Jordanian intelligence, to demonstrate to Leonardo DiCaprio’s character how these things should be done.
And doesn’t do it by threats.
Or bribery.
No.
He sets up the character’s mother in a new flat.
TV, an indoor toilet, all the mod cons; and makes sure the character in question knows that his mother has her dutiful son to thank.
Salaam makes it very clear what’ll happen, if the job offer isn’t taken up …
My first thought was “Ooh, NASTY!”. My second was of a Terry Pratchett character, called Lord Havelock Vetinari, who is the ruler of the Disc’s largest city state.
What got me thinking that way, was part of Vetinari’s backstory. When he took over as ruler, he legalised the various thieves guilds, and cut down crime overnight. Then got all the crime guild leaders together to gently remind them that he knew where they lived.
Where their children went to school.
Where their wives had their hair done …
Now, as Adrian pointed out, this scene could well be put down to the film’s highlighting Western cultural values are very different to Arabic ones. Scott shows us by contrasting Strong’s character with Russell Crowe’s; DiCaprio’s boss, Ed Hoffman, who I found reminiscent of certain former US president.
Which it does, and quite nicely, too.
But I’d’ve not necessarily watched it, just by going by the box …
Quite frankly, things are quiet for me, as you know: a lack of money, little to do and nothing on the horizon, dictate staying in at the mo.
Mind you, I’ve a nice — if not extensive — film collection to have on in the background, while I plan for my future, browse how eBay works and send out job emails. (The local off-license where I work has had its opening hours shortened by head office – while I can understand why and still have my contracted ones available, it is a touch … not alarming, per se, but certainly worrying. And makes trying to find another gig rather more important.)
So as I browse jobsites, send emails, and write this, I’ve had the 2003 directors cut of Ridley Scott’s Alien playing in the background.
And with or without extra scenes, a good one to watch.
It’s been a while since I’ve watched the original 1979 theatrical release. I think I’ve concentrated on the director’s cut, since I got my copy: about the only differences I can spot are a scene, towards the end, where Sigourney Weaver, as Ellen Ripley, finds Dallas — the ships captain, played by Tom Skerritt — glued to a wall by the alien and begging for death, along with an earlier one where the crew are arguing outside the Nostromo’s medical bay.
Like I say, it is definitely a film worth watching*.
I was too young to see Alien at the cinema when it was originally released, but I can remember seeing it on video, when the time came.
Don’t forget, this was only two years after the UK release of Star Wars Episode Four: A New Hope±; something that seriously altered cinema. It meant studios had to at least look at starting to compete with the TV set’s in everyones home.
By making and screening Big Cinema Events.
And that suddenly, science fiction stopped being geeky and laughable and started being respectable money earners.
Granted, there were a few stinkers.
But Ridley Scott’s Alien isn’t one of them.
It made things perfectly clear to movie goers that science fiction wasn’t all about gallant rebels having light-saber fights with panting, evil space lords.
To put it not to bluntly, Alien made people jump out of their skins, as often as Ridley Scott felt he could get away with.
Star Wars was the Light side of the Force.
But Alienª, with its H. R. Gigerº designed creature, a cast being killed at a rate of knots, and the greasy feel of an articulated lorry with blood on every wheel, came howling out of the darkest corners of the universe.
And left a mark on the genre that’ll be a long time in fading …
Actor
Character
Tom Skerrit
Dallas
Sigourney Weaver
Ripley
Veronica Cartwright
Lambert
Harry Dean Stanton
Brett
John Hurt
Kane
Ian Holm
Ash
Yaphet Kotto
Parker
Bolaji Badejo
Alien
Helen Horton
Mother (Voice)
Eddie Powell
Alien (Uncredited)
Director
Ridley Scott
Writers
Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett (Story)
Dan O’Bannon (Screenplay)
*It also means I almost missed ITV4’ showing of the 1973 original “The Wicker Man”. Which is a whole other post; one that’ll probably mention Britt Ecklund’s stunt bum … and folk songs.
Oh dear, the folk songs …
ºIt also had concept art from noted artists Ron Cobb, who did most of the art for the Nostromo, and from Jean ‘Moebius’ Giraud – but I’m not too sure if any of that made it to the screen.
