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Alien 3 Revisited

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In 1979 Ridley Scott crafted a high concept “creature feature”, Alien, with the tagline, “In space no one can hear you scream”. This would go on to spawn a successful movie franchise. Today is #Alienday and I thought it would be great to look back on the underrated installment; Alien 3.  One of the darkest and depressing summer blockbusters ever.

Alien3 had a tough act to follow, going through a legendary period of “development hell” and was a whole six years after Aliens.  At the time expectations were promising “On earth, everyone can hear you scream” audiences began to imagine their own ultimate version of this movie.  Alien 3 never fared well in North American but thrived in Europe where it was better appreciated.  In recent years, Alien 3 has received a critical reassessment, and with good reason.

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This 2003 ‘Assembly Cut’, which contains different scenes that affect the narrative, fill in blanks for the theatrical cut.  From the very beginning, Alien 3 sets off on a dark note by cutting off the 20th Century Fox fanfare and picks up from the uplifting ending of Aliens. The surviving crew is unaware that an alien has been wreaking havoc aboard the ship. The emergency escape pod crash lands on a maximum-security prison planet, Fury 161. Inhabited by an all-male group of monk-like inmates. The sole human survivor is Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), but when the body count starts to rack up the inmates assume an alien came with her.  Ripley must make a “last” stand with the beast.

If the Alien franchise is seen as a trilogy, Alien 3 is a fitting entry and a natural evolution of the subtexts in the narrative’s life cycle. Alien, is the birth, Aliens, is life at its peak and Alien 3 is coming to terms with death. Director David Fincher is going for that certain sense of closure. It is easy to understand why people were disappointed compared to the first two films with their hopes heightened.

A big cinematic reminder of death is a hard face-hugger-tube to swallow. My first viewing left me with a punched gut feeling. But much like the alien itself, something else was spawned by this curious underdog; my appreciation for the film. As a standalone film, Alien 3 is impressive in its own right. Here a vicious universe has stripped away all warmth and optimism leaving the film bare and beautifully tortured.

This ruined wreck of a penal facility provides another dangerously sharp and isolated environment. A sense of looming menace not only from the beast but from the population adding a new level of peril for Ripley to navigate through with no real glimmer of optimism on the horizon. Even “Help” on its way is another adversary bearing down on the characters in the form of the company Weyland-Yutani, who want the alien for military applications at-all-costs.

“When they first heard about this thing, it was crew expendable. The next time they sent in marines; they were expendable too. What makes you think they’re gonna care about a bunch of lifers who found God at the ass-end of space? You really think they’re going to let you interfere with their plans for this thing? They think we’re crud, and they don’t give a fuck about one friend of yours that’s died. Not one.”–Ripley

Artist H. R. Giger’s sleek, sexy, biomechanical beast is still the best – still dangerous and frightening, blending completely with the hellish setting. But it is a huge shame that we couldn’t see Giger’s original Alien3 design on the screen. Pushing the alien design into a different and new direction.

“In his mind was a kind of puma, or a… a beast like that, that was difficult, when finally I did it, it came out like a lion something, and that was not exactly that what he wanted. He wanted to have a… an erotic alien also, so I made my… erm… lips and a chin, with this part, you can make a… an erotic lady. You don’t need more than that, this part.” – H. R. Giger (The Making Of Alien 3, xeno-erotic)

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The problems with Alien3 are at the script level, although it was heavily edited from the original script, written by Vincent Ward, who created a concept for a wooden planet inhabited by monks.  Ripley would crash-land on the planet bringing the alien with her. As usual, the studio got cold feet about the weird concept and took Ward off the project with sets already being built. Producers Walter Hill and David Giler took over writing duties, melding aspects of the Ward script with a prison planet screenplay by David Twohy to create the basis of the final film but shooting started without a finished script. It’s both amazing and crazy that they pulled it off at all.

The canonical logic set up in the first two films, and is very important to fans, made plot holes such as a violation that hurt the overall picture.  A few drops of acid blood cause a whole ship to malfunction? When did the alien queen lay an egg in the Sulaco at the end of Aliens? If a face hugger dies after one impregnation, how did it manage to lay his seed twice? It was a  queen face hugger in the original version and it could lay two. But this is the problem, no time is given to figure out the ideas in the screenplay.

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The core character of the film is Ripley (Weaver); this is truly her film. With few exceptions, the focus is solely on her and dealing with her mortality. Ripley knows this “demon” will always follow her until her final days and that in order for the nightmare to end, she must kill it. Sigourney Weaver gives her best turn as Ripley with a great sense of confidence and understanding of how to convey character’s emotions. Weaver is a great actress, who is not afraid to take risks, and it shows in this role.

Charles Dutton (Dillon) delivers an amazing performance with a strong presence and identity. He is the leader of the group and adds a level of character to the whole dark piece. He delivers some epic and awesome speeches;  “Quick easy and painless!”

“We’re all gonna die, the only question is when. This is as good a place as any to take your first steps to heaven. The only question is how you check out. Do you wanna go on your feet? Or on your fucking knees, begging? I ain’t much for begging! Nobody ever gave me nothin! So I say fuck that thing! Let’s fight it!”

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First-time director David Fincher does a superb job considering the issues he had to deal with battling on-the-fly rewrites and interference from the studio. The whole experience was a nightmare for Fincher and although such a failure could cut down a lesser director, he would bounce back with the dark nightmare, SEVEN, and a style that would earn him acclaim.  Fincher paints with a gloomy palette of rust-orange in the color scheme to completely realize the landscape of the forsaken planet. Gorgeous with used futuristic sets and designs give Alien 3 an apocalyptic gothic tone that pushes the pessimism of his narrative.

Fincher’s background was in high profile music videos, using an array of techniques including image superimpositions, effective fades, slow motion and close-ups, which set a visual style that he would carry with him.  His technical skills are imposing and firmly wedded to his bleak tale.

A strong point of Alien 3 is the underrated experimental music. Elliot Goldenthal, working closely with Fincher, crafted an atmospheric score that is organic to the dark rusted world the characters navigate.  Fincher seems to really want to upset viewers with this film (actually all of his films) and he succeeds.

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Closing thoughts on Alien 3

Alien 3 is a truly profound, sinister tale, underrated and unfairly loathed; it takes risks and does not play it safe by any means. Which is a strong point, It’s daring and uncompromising in its somber and unwelcoming approach. The Assembly Cut improved things a lot but Alien 3 was always going to be judged against the first two films. The film spectator is left to make the ultimate decision on good or bad. If you’re looking for feel-good navigate elsewhere gentle viewer. Alien 3 is about mortality, bold and haunting, and leaves you with an emotional aftertaste. The aura is depressing and in no way a crowd-pleaser. However, with Weaver’s strong, captivating performance alongside the sharp, dark direction all blended with the deep, thought-provoking, grim and nihilistic atmosphere are great!  It’s a fantastically clunky and inspired installment to an amazing franchise. I love it!

 

 Alien 3 https://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiy19DgzsLTAhUl3YMKHRCdBmwQjB0IBg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.funnyjunk.com%2FDeadpool%2Ffunny-pictures%2F5989200%2F&psig=AFQjCNFGUWN-Pg_eT63VT5zV8h8zMGIncA&ust=1493310176885442

 

 

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‘Strange Darling’ Featuring Kyle Gallner and Willa Fitzgerald Lands Nationwide Release [Watch Clip]

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‘Strange Darling,’ a standout film featuring Kyle Gallner, who is nominated for an iHorror award for his performance in ‘The Passenger,’ and Willa Fitzgerald, has been acquired for a wide theatrical release in the United States by Magenta Light Studios, a new enterprise from veteran producer Bob Yari. This announcement, brought to us by Variety, follows the film’s successful premiere at Fantastic Fest in 2023, where it was universally praised for its creative storytelling and compelling performances, achieving a perfect score of 100% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes from 14 reviews.

Strange Darling – Movie Clip

Directed by JT Mollner, ‘Strange Darling‘ is a thrilling narrative of a spontaneous hookup that takes an unexpected and terrifying turn. The film is notable for its innovative narrative structure and the exceptional acting of its leads. Mollner, known for his 2016 Sundance entry “Outlaws and Angels,” has once again employed 35mm for this project, cementing his reputation as a filmmaker with a distinct visual and narrative style. He is currently involved in adapting Stephen King’s novel “The Long Walk” in collaboration with director Francis Lawrence.

Bob Yari expressed his enthusiasm for the film’s upcoming release, scheduled for August 23rd, highlighting the unique qualities that make ‘Strange Darling’ a significant addition to the horror genre. “We are thrilled to be bringing nationwide theatrical audiences this unique and exceptional film with terrific performances by Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner. This second feature from talented writer-director JT Mollner is destined to become a cult classic that defies conventional storytelling,” Yari told Variety.

Variety’s review of the film from Fantastic Fest lauds Mollner’s approach, saying, “Mollner shows himself to be more forward-thinking than most of his genre peers. He’s clearly a student of the game, one who studied his forebears’ lessons with adroitness to better prepare himself to put his own mark on them.” This praise underlines Mollner’s deliberate and thoughtful engagement with the genre, promising audiences a film that is both reflective and innovative.

Strange Darling

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Sydney Sweeney’s ‘Barbarella’ Revival Forges Ahead

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Sydney Sweeney Barbarella

Sydney Sweeney has confirmed the ongoing progress of the much-anticipated reboot of Barbarella. The project, which sees Sweeney not only starring but also executive producing, aims to breathe new life into the iconic character that first captured audiences’ imaginations in the 1960s. However, amid speculation, Sweeney remains tight-lipped about the possible involvement of celebrated director Edgar Wright in the project.

During her appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Sweeney shared her enthusiasm for the project and the character of Barbarella, stating, “It is. I mean, Barbarella is just such a fun character to explore. She really just embraces her femininity and her sexuality, and I love that. She uses sex as a weapon and I think it’s such an interesting way into a sci-fi world. I’ve always wanted to do sci-fi. So we’ll see what happens.“

Sydney Sweeney confirms her Barbarella reboot is still in the works

Barbarella, originally a creation of Jean-Claude Forest for V Magazine in 1962, was transformed into a cinematic icon by Jane Fonda under the direction of Roger Vardim in 1968. Despite a sequel, Barbarella Goes Down, never seeing the light of day, the character has remained a symbol of sci-fi allure and adventurous spirit.

Over the decades, several high-profile names including Rose McGowan, Halle Berry, and Kate Beckinsale were floated as potential leads for a reboot, with directors Robert Rodriguez and Robert Luketic, and writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade previously attached to revive the franchise. Unfortunately, none of these iterations made it past the conceptual stage.

Barbarella

The film’s progress took a promising turn approximately eighteen months ago when Sony Pictures announced its decision to cast Sydney Sweeney in the titular role, a move that Sweeney herself has suggested was facilitated by her involvement in Madame Web, also under Sony’s banner. This strategic decision was aimed at fostering a beneficial relationship with the studio, specifically with the Barbarella reboot in mind.

When probed about Edgar Wright’s potential directorial role, Sweeney adeptly sidestepped, merely noting that Wright has become an acquaintance. This has left fans and industry watchers speculating about the extent of his involvement, if any, in the project.

Barbarella is known for its adventurous tales of a young woman traversing the galaxy, engaging in escapades that often incorporate elements of sexuality—a theme Sweeney seems eager to explore. Her commitment to reimagining Barbarella for a new generation, while staying true to the character’s original essence, sounds like the making of a great reboot.

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‘The First Omen’ Almost Received an NC-17 Rating

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Set for an April 5 theater release, ‘The First Omen’ carries an R-rating, a classification that was almost not achieved. Arkasha Stevenson, in her inaugural feature film directorial role, faced a formidable challenge in securing this rating for the prequel to the esteemed franchise. It seems the filmmakers had to contend with the ratings board to prevent the film from being saddled with an NC-17 rating. In a revealing conversation with Fangoria, Stevenson described the ordeal as ‘a long battle’, one not waged over traditional concerns such as gore. Instead, the crux of the controversy centered around the depiction of the female anatomy.

Stevenson’s vision for “The First Omen” delves deep into the theme of dehumanization, particularly through the lens of forced birthing. “The horror in that situation is how dehumanized that woman is”, Stevenson explains, emphasizing the significance of presenting the female body in a non-sexualized light to address themes of forced reproduction authentically. This commitment to realism nearly landed the film an NC-17 rating, sparking a prolonged negotiation with the MPA. “This has been my life for a year and a half, fighting for the shot. It’s the theme of our film. It’s the female body being violated from the inside outwards”, she states, highlighting the importance of the scene to the film’s core message.

The First Omen Movie Poster – by Creepy Duck Design

Producers David Goyer and Keith Levine supported Stevenson’s battle, encountering what they perceived as a double standard in the ratings process. Levine reveals, “We had to go back and forth with the ratings board five times. Weirdly, avoiding the NC-17 made it more intense”, pointing out how the struggle with the ratings board inadvertently intensified the final product. Goyer adds, “There is more permissiveness when dealing with male protagonists, particularly in body horror”, suggesting a gender bias in how body horror is evaluated.

The film’s bold approach to challenging viewers’ perceptions extends beyond the ratings controversy. Co-writer Tim Smith notes the intention to subvert expectations traditionally associated with The Omen franchise, aiming to surprise audiences with a fresh narrative focus. “One of the big things we were excited to do was to kind of pull the rug out from under people’s expectations”, Smith says, underscoring the creative team’s desire to explore new thematic ground.

Nell Tiger Free, known for her role in “Servant”, leads the cast of “The First Omen”, set for release by 20th Century Studios on April 5. The movie follows a young American woman dispatched to Rome for church service, where she stumbles upon a sinister force that shakes her faith to its core and reveals a chilling plot aimed at summoning evil incarnate.

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