Cameron's Apology to Giger

[alienhelm]

I would love to have seen a Giger designed Queen Alien.

So would I ... .

or even Gigers view on a "warrior alien".

Still cant beat the original alien

 

[wookster]

I agree with Wookster that despite Cameron's skill, he doesn't have his own style or "stamp" that he places on all of his movies that really distinguishes them as "his." However, I don't know how important that is. Sure, it is cool watching a Coen Brothers, Woody Allen, Wes Anderson, or Dario Argento movie and instantly recognizing it as such because of their style. But though Spielberg makes beautiful movies every time out, his creates movies so diverse that there are often very few similarities in style between them. They still rock, though, and he's still one of the best film-makers there has ever been, IMO.

Agreed, a strong cinematic style and vision isn't for all. As you pointed out, for everyone that loves a Joel Coen, Tim Burton, David Lynch or Wes Anderson movie (all directors I tend admire), there will be at least as many who don't like their 'strong' style of work.
Many just want entertainment to wash over them, to engross and immerse them, Spielberg and Cameron are masters at this, and when you are good at it you tend to put a lot of bums on seats. There is a middle ground, that people like Fincher and Nolan inhabit, but it depends how far you go to define a style.

 

[Mad Old Lu]

I would argue that Cameron and Spielberg both have a very distinct visual style that sets them apart. Fincher for sure, but perhaps not Nolan (other than his non-linear storytelling which he has now abandoned). Bryan Singer has a very nondescript style. Maybe Verbinski too and even Peter Jackson. I'm thinking of directors that do have a strong visual sense but whose movies are still different from each other. But that could be because they have a relatively small amount of movies under their belts to have really defined a style for themselves.

Anyway, Cameron COULD have allowed Giger to work on the designs but of course Cameron would still have the final word. Ridley Scott is no slouch when it comes to visual style and design, but he was smart enough to let Giger do what he did best, let Moebius do what he did best, and if it wasn't working (like the chestburster), then they compromise and collaborate to come up with something else. Cameron was either too stubborn or too egotistical to want to open his vision to include other (arguably better) artists to contribute.

I completely understand that it's an artist's right to want to create something that is purely their singular vision. They say art is not a democracy. I have done and studied art for most of my life and now make my living as a graphic designer, so I can understand Cameron's POV. BUT, as a designer, I also know when it would serve a project better to call someone else to do something that they are better at than I am. It was Cameron just being arrogant.

Granted, the movie still kicks ass, but it certainly would not have hurt the movie to have allowed Giger get involved in the alien designs.

 

[THE IMMOBILIZER]

So would I ... .

or even Gigers view on a "warrior alien".

Still cant beat the original alien

I actualy like the domeless look on the alien warrior.
And love the alien queen.
I Think if the 2 had workt together, they could have found a midway.
But thats almost 25 years ago.
Would have bin cool to see some new movie based on H R Gigers art.
There is so much wierd art that he has dun that could be used for all kinds of surealistic films.
4 exsample, what would have happend if he would have a part in the AVATAR alien disign.
I think that the creatures would be a whole lot darker and not such _____,s lol.

www.hrgigermuseum.com

 

[agent_85]

A very interesting insight into the 'goings on' behind the scenes. I especially like this part:

... I had a number of original concepts and creations which I could have pursued, with equal financial reward ...

Slightly big-headed much ...

 

[a-dev]

Cameron was either too stubborn or too egotistical to want to open his vision to include other (arguably better) artists to contribute.

I completely understand that it's an artist's right to want to create something that is purely their singular vision. They say art is not a democracy. I have done and studied art for most of my life and now make my living as a graphic designer, so I can understand Cameron's POV. BUT, as a designer, I also know when it would serve a project better to call someone else to do something that they are better at than I am. It was Cameron just being arrogant.

Granted, the movie still kicks ass, but it certainly would not have hurt the movie to have allowed Giger get involved in the alien designs.

I just don't think Giger was needed - its easy to say that after-the-fact of course but what Cameron did was fantastic. The Queen is an almost equally iconic creature design that Cameron, if I'm right, was responsible for. He also came up with the T-800 endoskeleton and gave pertinent ideas to Stan Winston for the design of the Predator. He's a great designer himself.

 

[Nocturne]

Plus Aliens was in part some of the ideas he wanted to do with Rambo II, of course Stallone came in and heavily re-worked the project.

So you can imagine Cameron thinking "well I don't want that happening again" and try and reduce any form of creative interference.

 

[THE IMMOBILIZER]

Plus Aliens was in part some of the ideas he wanted to do with Rambo II, of course Stallone came in and heavily re-worked the project.

So you can imagine Cameron thinking "well I don't want that happening again" and try and reduce any form of creative interference.

Thats something to think about.

 

[karamazov80]

Slightly big-headed much ...

Well, he was probably talking about the preliminary contract to make those other films, not accounting for the film's actual financial success. The success from Terminator opened up a lot of doors for Cameron, and no doubt he could have done something else and would have been paid a similar amount.

 

[robomorph]

I don't think Giger being left out of 'Aliens' hurt that film individually, but the absence of his input has certainly been a detriment to the series as a whole. What helped give the first movie its impact were the freaky psychosexual overtones and the sheer nastiness of the whole parasite/gestation process. Left to their own devices, the Hollywood F/X men have certainly developed the animation and movement of the creatures to a fine art but they've also leached out those uniquely discomfiting or nightmarish elements that made the original concept so compelling. Consequently the Aliens of AVP/-R are actually little more than slimy dinosaurs, no more threatening than the Raptors from J. Park.

What the series really needs now is a complete rethink and an injection of that creative perverseness that Giger seems so inclined to. R. Scott is already on record as promising Giger a role in the 'reboot' project, so let's hope that's the case.

 

[THE IMMOBILIZER]

Ok, Great news 4 Giger fans

 

[karamazov80]

I agree completely with robomorph in that the later Alien films really didn't even seem to think about where the original Alien design was coming from and what it stood for from a symbolic standpoint. And that did start with Aliens. I personally try not to even think about the A v P franchise. Makes me sad.

 

[draekus]

I've seen this letter before I just don't remember where.

Anyhow, I hope the rumor of Giger's participation in the prequel/reboot holds true. Has there been any further news on the prequel at all since Scott announced his involvement?

 

[abake]

Plus when Cameron makes a decision he sticks to his guns on it and it generally turns out to be right.

While it would have been cool to see what Giger would have done and I love his work. You have to remember that Giger had his chest burster design completely rejected and the face hugger redesigned so it may not have been all good.

Giger's Chestburster

Giger's Face Hugger

Actually, Giger was the first to say his design for the chestburster wasn't very good.
As for the facehugger, if I remember correctly, it was built by someone else because Giger was too busy witht he "big chap".
I like his design better. Not saying the one that ended up on film was bad, I love it, but Giger's was better IMO.

 

[Solidus]

Makes lots of sense the way he describes it. Cameron is no doubt a bright, thoughtful, and creative guy. Hard to believe he is responsible for both Terminator and Aliens. That's pretty damn amazing. Too bad the Avatar aliens look so retarded that I might never see it.

Yeah, the aliens in Avatar looked like something pulled out from Disney. Not the best alien design, that's for sure.

 

[Solidus]

On another note, Giger is one twisted guy. I love the design of the Xenomorph used for the Alien series, granted, that Cameron muted Giger's design in some ways (removing the beubs for one). However, Giger's work, on the whole, is just... creepy. If Giger ever went to therapy sessions, it would be cool to know what he and his psyche doctor discussed.

 

[Bardoon]

James Cameron has a reputation, but his films back up the reputation that he is an amazing filmmaker. It's not like he is a crappy filmmaker who had a good idea and when they translate it to the screen it was trash (*cough*Lucas & The SW prequels*cough*).

Some may view it as "controlling", but Cameron is PASSIONATE about film. While it's one thing to trust your actors and your crew, when you're the director (and sometimes the producer) of a project, you're putting your blood, sweat and tears into it all. As can be said about AVATAR...which Cameron conceived of years ago. Lets also not forget one thing as well, before he was a director, James Cameron was an ARTIST...and specialized in special effects, model-making, etc.

Lets not forget a few other things when Cameron filmed ALIENS and perhaps "forced" him to be more direct:
-He had a low budget and a short deadline
-He dealt with hostile British crew who preferred Ridley Scott over the "upstart" American director.
-He tried showing the British crew his popular TERMINATOR movie and they refused.
-The British crew would take a break, then a tea break, lunch break, afternoon tea break and then start leaving early. This caused numerous production delays DURING filming.
-These production delays caused POST-production delays. The movie's score was practically written within a week and the movie was due in theaters about a month afterward

I could see a lot of creative differences between Giger & Cameron over the designs as well if they worked together. On top of that, FOX possibly just didn't want to do it...they owned the movie and the designs with them.

Cameron might be a jerk, but his work speaks for itself and in my opinion he is one of the best directors in Hollywood.

As for a style...I always attributed the "blueish screen tint" to Cameron. He featured it heavily in ALIENS & T2 and parts of it in True Lies. But that is more of a visual feature.

 

[CelticPredator]

Cameron is Canadian....just fyi...