Official "Ridley Scott's Prometheus" Discussion Thread (Spoilers)

[crows]

Sorry man, but I couldn't over look the mind numbingly stupid choices of the initial "scientific expedition". I havent read through the thread so I'm sure it's been covered. Who picked these hoodie wearing, pot smoking hippies for such an important mission? No weapons?! Play tickle with an unknown xenomorrph?! Sensors mapping the structure only displayed on the ship!? Some of the idiots died a fools death and deservedly so. Poor writing or edit job. Expected more from Ridley.

^these are probably my main problems with it. The characters and some of their actions/lack of actions etc Some of them, like Fifield, looked and acted more like one of the cartoons from Alien Crapurrection.

I don't hate the movie I loved in the theater but those problems are what makes me kinda hate it, or at least I cannot fully enjoy it when such moronic characters made it into this movie. this movie is so careful with detail, a movie so careful with plot and attention to detail and amazing sets and amazing 3D, and they get the worst most stupidest guys to get attacked by the snake..... that reminds me of AVATAR all over again, how the movie pays so much attention to the special effects but has the most cardboard cutout one dimensional bad guys I felt that way about those two morons in Prometheus. It really hurts the enjoyment of the movie

Meh, I think Alien could use some work. Aliens is perfect imo.

 

[Viking Spawn]

Yes.

And to another's point, the engineers, based on Ridley's notes and comments regarding script, background etc, live for thousands if not tens of thousands of years. Why propagate that much? You could have twenty engineers living for thousands of years on one planet.

Hmm? I did not know that. If so few exist, then they could be considered an endangered species by normal science standards. An event like what happened on 423 (dead Engineer corpses) could wipe them into extinction if their species is too confined.

Here's an appropriate one for the way this thread is going:

 

[Khev]

I think the main mistake they made with Milburn and Fifield was having them so scared just a couple scenes before the hammerpede. If Milburn really was Steve Irwin he'd probably be happy to spend the night with the critters. We'd still recognize him as stupidly foolish but it wouldn't have been jarring. Having him scared then excited is probably what put most people off to that scene.

It's definitely the weakest part of the story but at least it's still visually cool, the characters are throw away, and their acting is still decent. They're silly but it's still an effective gross out scene.

 

[skooternb]

I think the main mistake they made with Milburn and Fifield was having them so scared just a couple scenes before the hammerpede. If Milburn really was Steve Irwin he'd probably be happy to spend the night with the critters. We'd still recognize him as stupidly foolish but it wouldn't have been jarring. Having him scared then excited is probably what put most people off to that scene.

It's definitely the weakest part of the story but at least it's still visually cool, the characters are throw away, and their acting is still decent. They're silly but it's still an effective gross out scene.

It is a great scene, and really a shame that they couldn't have kept in the other deleted scene where he gets really excited to see the mutated worms. But then we ask... what happened to that worm they collected?

 

[greygoose]

It's definitely the weakest part of the story but at least it's still visually cool, the characters are throw away, and their acting is still decent. They're silly but it's still an effective gross out scene.

It was great watching how they filmed that scene. They had a fake arm and animatronic hammerpedes.

 

[skooternb]

Still progressing through the doc... getting about 30 mins done a day! It is horrible not having the time to just sit and watch!

 

[greygoose]

Still progressing through the doc... getting about 30 mins done a day! It is horrible not having the time to just sit and watch!

I've had some holidays from work so managed to watch it all over two days. The creature effects is my favourite part.

 

[skooternb]

I've had some holidays from work so managed to watch it all over two days. The creature effects is my favourite part.

Those always are the best! I love the production design, and I just got through the part where Giger was on set looking at all the concepts. It is interesting how they included that part in the doc as I never really got the feeling he was happy with how they have treated him. Although now in the end credits it does give a nice big credit to him.

 

[slipknotpredator]

Can't wait to have my copy... one more week...

 

[Khev]

It is a great scene, and really a shame that they couldn't have kept in the other deleted scene where he gets really excited to see the mutated worms. But then we ask... what happened to that worm they collected?

Right. The deleted scene does help explain Milburn's excitement with the hammerpede but then it also seems to contradict his fear when Jadek advises them that one of the pups is "reading lifeform." "Lifeform, what do you mean lifeform!?!???" You'd think he'd just assume it was picking up another harmless worm or something, or that he would have at least given lip service to that possibility.

 

[skooternb]

Right. The deleted scene does help explain Milburn's excitement with the hammerpede but then it also seems to contradict his fear when Jadek advises them that one of the pups is "reading lifeform." "Lifeform, what do you mean lifeform!?!???" You'd think he'd just assume it was picking up another harmless worm or something, or that he would have at least given lip service to that possibility.

Yeah, a couple scripting issues there...

 

[ExMem-LarjaThwei]

Surely you're not serious? Not to start an argument or anything but I just can't understand that. Alien literally seems perfect. I'd say it's the greatest sci-fi horror film that has ever been made.

I used to definitely prefer Aliens, but now I almost can't watch it for some reason. The acting and dialogue in Alien make me feel like I'm actually there with them, or that it's an event that's actually happened.
I've always loved the marines, but when you see the way they act then go back to Alien there's just a huge difference. The characters in Alien are very simple, yet they have so much personality. Their dialogue and the way they spoke to each other just couldn't have been more realistic imo.

The designs in Aliens are great but they never make me really 'feel' anything like with Alien. It's like every aspect of that film is flawless and it's a miracle that it all came together the way it did. It all syncs just perfectly.

Right. The deleted scene does help explain Milburn's excitement with the hammerpede but then it also seems to contradict his fear when Jadek advises them that one of the pups is "reading lifeform." "Lifeform, what do you mean lifeform!?!???" You'd think he'd just assume it was picking up another harmless worm or something, or that he would have at least given lip service to that possibility.

The rational answer is that it's another small worm-like organism..but after seeing the dead engineer, then running into a PILE of dead engineers, knowing they're lost and can't call for help, finding the shedded skin...I'm guessing they were a bit shook up.

It makes sense. Seems like he just specialized in animals (which then again brings up the question of why the hell was he there in the first place ). Cobra = astonishing find 9 foot E.T. body = scared ****less

Really is a shame most of these deleted scenes weren't kept in. They were great. Par for the alternate beginning and silly frogfield concept.

 

[skooternb]

I happened to really like the original Fifield monster as it vibed with the xeno design, a little hat tip.

Alien is an incredible film. Aliens is a fun movie. Those are my 2 cents.

 

[greygoose]

Really is a shame most of these deleted scenes weren't kept in. They were great. Par for the alternate beginning and silly frogfield concept.

As far as we know and have been told this was Ridley's cut and not Pietro Scalia's.

 

[Khev]

I have so much respect for Scott as a filmmaker for dismissing the CGI Fifield monster. That would have been so out of place to watch a leaping CG frog monster with so much "realism" throughout the movie otherwise. We've seen leaping CG aliens in almost every other creature movie since 1995's Species. They're cool when they're done right and in their element (like Chitauri or Prawns) but just wouldn't have fit in Prometheus.

What amazing artistic integrity. Scott's like the anti-George Lucas.

 

[skooternb]

I have so much respect for Scott as a filmmaker for dismissing the CGI Fifield monster. That would have been so out of place to watch a leaping CG frog monster with so much "realism" throughout the movie otherwise. We've seen leaping CG aliens in almost every other creature movie since 1995's Species. They're cool when they're done right and in their element (like Chitauri or Prawns) but just wouldn't have fit in Prometheus.

What amazing artistic integrity. Scott's like the anti-George Lucas.

I completely agree with you, but I would've enjoyed a little more work on Fifield instead of what seems to me a super zombified version. I also hope that the CG Fifield was literally a 'rough' version, as if that was supposed to be the completed version then I am much happier they went with what they went with.

 

[Khev]

Yeah, it looked great in stills but just didn't translate in animated form.

 

[ExMem-LarjaThwei]

^ @ khev Totally agree. It looked craptastic.

Some of the early designs for his mutation were interesting, but what they went with in the deleted scene just didn't work. Part of it was definitely the fact that it was CGI though.

I don't think the 'zombie" Fifield design was that great, but it came off so realistic and terrifying. The way he jumps off the ramp and smashes that guy's face. Or when he axes the guy in the back. God that was great. Part of the fear and suspense came from knowing that he was so early in the transformation and still looked partially human I think.

 

[greygoose]

I don't think the 'zombie" Fifield design was that great, but it came off so realistic and terrifying. The way he jumps off the ramp and smashes that guy's face. Or when he axes the guy in the back. God that was great. Part of the fear and suspense came from knowing that he was so early in the transformation and still looked partially human I think.

As much as I like the Frogfield design I'm glad Ridley recognised the efforts Sean Harris put into that scene. He was on fire for most of it and went sick on everyone. The scene felt alot more believable. Plus the only true 'alien' form we needed to see first in the film was the Deacon. Everything kinda led up to that point.

 

[Devil_666]

How the hell did someone as incompetent as Gorman get put in charge? He had no idea what to tell them when they entered combat. Surely someone of his status would have gone through more training?

This shows your age. Live a little, work a little and then you'll see the joke. It happens all the time. People who have zero knowledge/experience in charge of people who actually know what they're doing.

After seeing 3 foot wide acid holes that drop down several levels, all kinds of crazy failed attempts at barricades...you think they would have been a bit more cautious.

They weren't cautious because up to that point, they never had to be. They never encountered anything remotely similar to the Aliens.

It's what year? 2171? Could they not have sent a little robot down the corridors to see what the hell they were walking into before hand? Don't police officers use those TODAY?

Nope. Some bomb squads use robots to check out/detonate explosives but no police force/military force on this planet routinely use robots like you're describing.

Did they all really just laugh off Ripley's alien encounter? Really? Kind of a cliched, stereotypical 'badass' marine squad that think themselves invincible.

That has nothing to do with "marines". It has to do with human arrogance. There's astrophysicists who believe life requires water in order to exist. Why? Because WE required water to exist. Which is why the search for life on other planets start with planets that have liquid water. Even though it's possible that life might not even require that. Hell, there might be some planets where life thrives in molten lava. Who knows!? But that's human arrogance for ya.

Where the hell did the Queen grab on the dropship at?

The same place she emerges from.

How the hell did Ripley manage to stay in one piece while being sucked out toward space with a 14 foot alien gripping her leg?

How much does an Alien queen weigh?

These are all actually real things I've noticed with the film since my first viewing...they never, ever, bothered me though. They seem like such small issues to be concerned about. Same goes for Prometheus.

The reason why all the flaws in Prometheus are being discussed is because..

1. This is a.. you know.. Prometheus Discussion thread and..

2. Some people actually think this movie is flawless or damn near flawless. So that stance invites criticism.