PROMETHEUS Thread - PROMETHEUS 2 "Moving Ahead"

[Eric W.]

http://www.prometheus-movie.com/communi ... 581&page=2

Spoiler alert!

[Eric W.]

http://blog.ted.com/TED2023/

New viral video for the film showing Guy Pierce as Peter Weyland (as in Weyland Yutani). No spoilers per se.

[Paul MacLean]

I watched the Guy Pierce clip, but didn't check your previous link, Eric, so don't give anything away about it!

Anyway, I hope it will be a good movie, but based on the Pierce clip, Prometheus' explanation of aliens' origin seems a bit of a let down.

One of the things that made Alien so interesting was the "Pandora's Box" (or, as our dumbed-down culture might put it, "mummy movie") aspect -- i.e. the idea that the Nostromo crew had unleashed an ancient pestilence or "curse" that had lain dormant for thousands (maybe even millions) of years.

In the first film it was obvious that the "space jockey" was supposed to be some kind of alien being, probably long-extinct (hence Dallas' observation of it being "mummified"). This discovery of a long-dead species created a tremendously powerful sense of ancient mystery.

But the "explanation" that the space jockey is merely a suit worn by a human, and the aliens the creation of a megalomaniacal businessman (only a century or so before the events in Alien take place), is a bit of a lead balloon if you ask me.

[Eric W.]

Agreed.

This is why I don't like prequels. The most egregious examples being with Star Wars. I LIKED the sense of some mystery where my imagination was filling in blanks vs. frankly fairly lame answers that come up like these or "mitochlorians" and rubbish like that.

[AndyDursin]

The midichlorians thing was one silly 5-minute aspect of three films that ran over 6 hours -- but PROMETHEUS' entire conceit is filling in the gaps of something that needn't have been explained, especially if it IS going to be ridiculous. So it's not an alien, but IS a guy in a suit? Seriously? I mean, this is whole CONCEPT of this film, not just some small aspect of it.

Could be that Scott is using the Space Jockey simply as a means of telling a different type of sci-fi film, with the aliens as some very small aspect to it, but I know this: I just hope the extensive plot description I read back in January isn't the real thing.

[Eric W.]

The midichlorians thing was one silly 5-minute aspect of three films that ran over 6 hours --

Except that "5 minute detail" was about something completely integral to the whole Star Wars concept. The Force and how it worked and what it was. No Force? No Star Wars.

Thankfully they never mentioned it again after said 5 minutes.

Man, I hate that movie.

... but PROMETHEUS' entire conceit is filling in the gaps of something that needn't have been explained, especially if it IS going to be ridiculous. So it's not an alien, but IS a guy in a suit? Seriously? I mean, this is whole CONCEPT of this film, not just some small aspect of it.

Could be that Scott is using the Space Jockey simply as a means of telling a different type of sci-fi film, with the aliens as some very small aspect to it, but I know this: I just hope the extensive plot description I read back in January isn't the real thing.

Agreed.

[AndyDursin]

Man, I hate that movie.

You do, I know you're a prequel hater. And I like it. There you have it

[Eric W.]

You do, I know you're a prequel hater. And I like it. There you have it

Pretty much. I don't hate part 2 and 3 per se but I definitely hate TPM.

[AndyDursin]

You do, I know you're a prequel hater. And I like it. There you have it

Pretty much. I don't hate part 2 and 3 per se but I definitely hate TPM.

That's interesting b/c I haven't come across many people who hated TPM but also thought Clones was better. For me 2 is a unredeemingly awful film and by far the worst in every capacity. Lots more to like in 1 in spite of its shortcomings (score being first and foremost).

[Eric W.]

That's interesting b/c I haven't come across many people who hated TPM but also thought Clones was better.

I wouldn't go that far. Note that "per se" qualifier in my previous post.



I just disliked Clones a little less because there was no brats, no surly brat at the center of it, and uh...hmmm...I guess that's about it. A little more action, too. And Christopher Lee.

Like I said. It ain't saying much.

For me 2 is a unredeemingly awful film and by far the worst in every capacity.

No argument from me. Both part 1 and 2 are to me if we really get down to it.

Lots more to like in 1 in spite of its shortcomings (score being first and foremost).

Past the score I really just can't make my brain process this. What Phantom Menace super hidden Director's Cut did you see that I haven't?

Keep in mind: We're basically pulling hairs on parts 1 and 2 as far as I'm concerned since they're both terrible films to me so you don't need to right me up a thesis paper about it.





It's a pity in hindsight that all the prequels couldn't have been on part 3's level. They finally had some momentum established by then but the damage was already done. And then more continuity gets thrown out the window in that thing.

But even part 3 still suffers from the one unavoidable malady to the whole thing: An unchecked George Lucas who can't write his way out of a paper bag. That's all there is to it.

To that end, if all of the prequels had been on a comparable level to part 3 I would have been and would be a lot more forgiving. I get that these aren't Shakespeare.


Thankfully George did me a favor: He disregarded so much of his own continuity that he gives folks like me a free and easy exit to view the prequels as events in a completely optional, alternative universe vs. the three Star Wars films I grew up with. That's great. Everyone wins. Everyone's happy.


In a vain attempt to get this thread back on topic: I expect I'll like Prometheus, lumps and all, a lot better than any of the Star Wars prequels although it most certainly will have much crappier music than any of them.

[AndyDursin]

Eric I give you credit: you are an avowed prequel hater. lol. I am getting a strong sense of deja vu because I think we've argued about it before too, so I'll just go back to the topic and hope this movie is better than the plot description I read in January...which I'm becoming increasingly convinced was more authentic than I did initially.

[Eric W.]

Eric I give you credit: you are an avowed prequel hater. lol. I am getting a strong sense of deja vu because I think we've argued about it before too,

We have but it's all good.

...so I'll just go back to the topic and hope this movie is better than the plot description I read in January...which I'm becoming increasingly convinced was more authentic than I did initially.

Something to think about (and my hope):

Ridley and everyone proclaimed that a LOT of deliberate smokescreen and red herrings would be put out there. Misdirection.

The "spoofed" synopsis, if it really was that alluded to time travel. Guess we'll find out before long.

It's all guesswork at this point. That's the problem today with all of the leaks and deliberate leaks and whatnot flying around - surprising the audience becomes harder and harder to do but I think they're going to try like hell to do so and I hope they succeed.

[AndyDursin]

The new trailer is going to be up later today -- there's already a shortened version of it up, but it's in bad quality. I think Ridley needs to just drop the "it's not an ALIEN prequel" talk because with each and every trailer that gets released, the movie looks more and more LIKE IT, lol.

Also, after seeing it, I again believe the leaked plot synopsis I read a couple of months ago, which I always thought didn't read like it was written by a fanboy, IS the actual story of the film. I'm pasting the link below but DO NOT READ IT if you don't want to know. (The visuals are making the story seem much cooler than it is on paper, at least):

http://geektyrant.com/news/2011/11/28/p ... oiler.html

[Eric W.]

The new trailer is going to be up later today -- there's already a shortened version of it up, but it's in bad quality. I think Ridley needs to just drop the "it's not an ALIEN prequel" talk because with each and every trailer that gets released, the movie looks more and more LIKE IT, lol.

Also, after seeing it, I again believe the leaked plot synopsis I read a couple of months ago, which I always thought didn't read like it was written by a fanboy, IS the actual story of the film. I'm pasting the link below but DO NOT READ IT if you don't want to know. (The visuals are making the story seem much cooler than it is on paper, at least):

http://geektyrant.com/news/2011/11/28/p ... oiler.html

I must say I'm a bit underwhelmed with what I'm reading there.

[AndyDursin]

That was my impression too, though my disappointment has kind of worn off -- I'm still looking forward to it. There's just something about it that seems to smack of being legit -- the way it's written, it comes off like an internal studio document. Plus all the scenes in the trailer match up with it as well (certainly seems like the crew and Charlize "mutate"), so as of now, I'm buying it

The new trailer premieres tonight along with a 30 minute Q&A with Scott and cast members at 7pm (EST) exclusively at AMC Theaters. You can see it live at Facebook too:

https://www.facebook.com/amctheatres?sk ... 2161478067