Prometheus (spoiler edition)

Black Barney wrote: No, the problem for me was ONCE AGAIN in a prequel, the technology seems EONS ahead of the proceeding films. The Nostromo was using a Commodore Vic-20 to assess if the beacon is a threat or a mayday. Prometheus is using 3D holographic renderings of just about anything.

I'm perfectly fine with that, since I think it would be dumb to de-evolve the tech just to make it "match." One of those necessary evils.

Black Barney wrote: my unanswered questions:

So this isn't LV-426 where Alien takes place, right? Space Jockey wasn't left in the chair with a chestburster that just hit. So I assume that the chick succeeds in going back to the planet, releasing several dangerous creatures, one of which impregnates a space jockey who gets the hell outta dodge only to crash land his ship because of heartburn? Is that what happens on LV-426?

I figured they had this scheme going on all over the universe, and obviously went bad in more than one place.

oh come on, Disgust, think about how cool it would be to intentionally make things look older and crappier. Did you see THE ARTIST? They totally pull off a sort-of equivalent. Lucas I'm sure had for in Revenge of the Sith trying to make Tatooine look younger (especially the Lars moisture farm).

What a fun challenge for Ridley Scott and dedicated special effect professionals. Man did they ever drop the ball.

At least with Star Wars it makes sense. Naboo starfighters look way cooler than Rebel X-wings cuz Naboo has money and doesn't need to jury rig every piece of equipment they find.

I dunno. Nostromo was a wreck of a ship. Sulaco was only slightly nicer and more modern. Prometheus is gorgeous and is like a luxury liner compared to the other two. It SHOULD be the nicest looking of the three cuz it's not a cargo ship or troop transport BUT it shouldn't have better tech

Black Barney wrote: I dunno. Nostromo was a wreck of a ship. Sulaco was only slightly nicer and more modern. Prometheus is gorgeous and is like a luxury liner compared to the other two. It SHOULD be the nicest looking of the three cuz it's not a cargo ship or troop transport BUT it shouldn't have better tech

Were they really more modern? Were the ships from the original Alien series really newer ships than Prometheus? Prometheus carried the head of the Weyland corp, his daughter, and some seriously expensive equipment. It's probably their most advanced deep-space achievement to date. Years later without Mr. Weyland at the helm they send whatever ships they have available, derelict or not. Cost-cutting and all that, plus trying not to draw attention to their search for the Alien.

I'm not totally up on my Alien universe timeline, so could this be plausible?

Black Barney wrote: oh come on, Disgust

I disagree that your examples are applicable to the difference in technology. There's a difference between making something look period and using current technology to represent a future that took place before the future that was depicted in the past.

People had the same complaint about the technology in Enterprise, because it looked so sleek and high-tech compared to the original Star Trek series. I think it's a legitimate complaint.

Shellhead wrote: People had the same complaint about the technology in Enterprise, because it looked so sleek and high-tech compared to the original Star Trek series. I think it's a legitimate complaint.

I noticed it but it didn't bother me. Call it artistic license. It wouldn't make sense for them to ignore the last 30 years of technology. It would just look too dated. This is supposed to be the future but it looks like the past? WTF??

That said, I really enjoyed the grittiness of the Nostromo in the original. For someone who grew up with Star Trek, I remember thinking at the time this is how a starship should look. It felt real.

I don't mind the high tech look. After all it's probably top of the line ship, carrying the head of powerful corporation. It only makes sense for it too look advanced. Nostromo on the other hand is a towing vessel more akin to a recovery vehicle. Not to mention monochrome screens would look pretty silly nowadays. Most people going to see the Prometheus probably weren't even alive when Alien came out. It wouldn't make sense to them. On the other hand you have films like Pi or Primer that manage to pull off this retro futuristic look. It could work and would be amazing if they did it but in the end it's just another summer blockbuster. It wasn't meant to break any molds.

Sevej wrote: Meanwhile:
cavalorn.livejournal.com/584135.html

Thanks for the link! A lot of the ideas put for there make sense, and I like the movie quite a bit better having read that. The problem is when I watch a movie set in the Alien universe I'm looking more for a Alien-esque movie than a philosophical introspection.

Overall: I like the movie, and I like it better having read the linked write-up. But there was just too much stupid shit in it for me to call it a great film. Maybe when the director's cut comes out there'll be more connecting footage and the film will make more sense, but some things extra footage just won't fix:

• Why do all the "scientists" have worse critical thinking skill than a middle-schooler?
• Why is it a secret that Weyland is still alive in the first place?
• As long as you're wearing your space suit and are in contact with someone inside the ship, you cannot get lost. You just can't.
• I'm with QPCloudy on the space zombie issue. I was pretty happy when that idiot finally died, too.

Lastly: If someone said to me, "The Engineers were producing a biological weapon!" then I'd call them an idiot, or I'd call the Engineers idiots, or both. With all their great technology their most effective biological weapon is a being that kills people one person at a time? Yes, they could make lots of killing machines (Aliens) to kill lots of people, but then they need to control the killing machines at the end of it and all evidence points to them not being very good at that.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing the director's cut or whatever they call it, but whatever the special edition is called it's going to have to do some serious plot improvement before Prometheus gets to sit on the shelf next to my Alien box set.

man, that link was great. Thanks a ton, Sevej. Great read. I like the comments people gave him (especially the screenwriter)

Mr. Plinkett talks about Prometheus: