Alien movie prequel: what will Hollywood deliver

In Hollywood these days there is nothing better than re-working something that someone else has already done. It cuts the cost of writing, set design, and often entertainment value. Examples of this are rampant in the last decade.

Sequels are the current big thing. Why tough out a new idea when you can ride the dead horse of something that already worked? Take the Transformers, X-Men, Terminator, Highlander, Hellboy and countless other film sequels. Some are worth the time. Most are rubbish.

But that is just not enough for Hollywood. You can only go so far forward in some long running series. And for that problem is the answer of a prequel. Taking a proven cash making concept and jumping back in time to before the films started. Examples include: Wolverine, Star Trek, and of course Star Wars (episodes 1,2,and 3).

The real fun with a prequel, by Hollywood standards, is that you generally don’t need the stars that created the initial story – saving huge bucks; and you can often redo the entire storyline. This happens because many of the original fans of whatever movie are older and thus not as valuable to Hollywood. Plus it allows a film to have the latest popular movie actor/actress in it. Besides the fact that Hollywood execs often don’t know the original storyline and/or assume that young movie-goers don’t either.

Thus we get crap like the revisioned timeline of Star Trek. Going forward dozens of new films can be made with a cast and characters that have nothing to do with what made the series popular and timeless in the first place.

So when I heard that Alien will be introduced to the prequel machine, you can imagine I was not very excited. There is a host of things that could be screwed up. The near prequel films of Alien vs. Preadator and that film’s sequel displayed the utter disrespect and lazy writing that passes for entertainment in Hollywood these days.

But a ray of hope hit when Ridley Scott signed onto the production. He was the mastermind that created the vision of minimalist fear that blossomed into 3 additional films. It was his dark, mysterious and utterly disturbing direction that gave the film a quality few films match. It is why of the series, the first remains the best.

So I thought there was a chance that this could be more than a b-rate sci-fi horror film. More than the alien-as-slasher-killer that AVP presented. Far better than the drawn out and over the top visions seen in the subsequent films (though Aliens was done well).

Of course the next question is, what about Ripley – Sigourney Weaver? Will she have a role in this film? How could she have a role in the film?

That recently was answered by Weaver herself. She too found it illogical to be in the film. Which is a loss as she is the driving force of the films, but at the same time a confirmation that some thought might have to be introduced to the film.

Which still leaves the question of what they will do in this film. Will they ignore the series as AVP did to both the Alien and Predator series? How can the storyline be preserved and still be filled with the wanton explosions and cute girls that today’s audiences seem more than willing to pay for (ie. Transformers 2)?

Perhaps this is an idea. Have a small group of exploratory geologists, with one or 2 military scouts, working for Weyland-Yutani. They stumble on a barren planet, that is scarred from an ancient battle. They find skeletal remains of Aliens, and perhaps Predators?, in remnants of long ago cities. They conclude that a planet-wide war erupted with both sides being annihilated.

While searching, they fall through a floor of an old ruin, into a pit of Alien eggs. And thus begins their drama. All of this is being reported back regularly via android to the Company. In the end, after the last of the scouting crew dies in a suicidal blast destroying the Aliens and their egg cache, only portions of the Android survive long enough to state that there must be other eggs in the solar system, as a warning. But the Board of Directors at Weyland-Yutani have other ideas involving a deep-space mining vessel not too far from the now dead geologists.

Now that I would want to see.

They could even have the last scene where we see the Nostromo flying through space, go into the ship, and come upon the sleeping crew as a message beacon transmits orders to ship’s computer, and Ripley’s eyes open.

Perhaps Ridley Scott has a similar vision. Maybe we will get a coherent film with a plot, and scares, and things going bump in the night. Plus the occasional explosion. They can even put in a couple of gorgeous actresses just to ensure the hormonally challenged have something to drool about.

Then again, we might get a mix of Alien Vs. Preadator mixed with Transformers. Which I would need to get paid to see.

A-Team: another 80's television show to become a movie

So here is some good news, and bad news. The good news is that Ridley Scott, the director responsible for Alien, Blade Runner, American Gangster and other great films is set to have a film out in 2010. The bad news is that it is yet another television to movie conversion. Worse is the fact he will not be the director.

Yes the A-Team will now join the ever growing list of films that were originally television shows. But unlike most of these remakes (or worse yet, revisionings) this film has a writer that can actually fill the job description, to some degree.

The writer is Skip Woods, who wrote the screenplay for Swordfish and the far less involving but mediocre Hitman. Given the limited work that has been done by Woods (the GI Joe film to come out later this year is anyone’s guess on quality) the odds of the A-Team film being good is a coin toss. The chance of it being decent to good are fair, which in the land of remakes is the top of the list usually.

And as I mentioned above Ridley Scott is the big sell on this proposed movie. With 9 awards having been won by his films, you can feel a bit more confident that this film will not follow the trend. With any luck we can hope to have an expansion on the storyline, not a jumping point from it.

But I am still concerned. The A-Team is about a group of ex-soldiers wrongly convicted of a crime. Hollywood, of late at least, is hardly pro-military. Or seemingly able to make a film that touches on any aspect of soldiers without making a blatant political statement over the entertainment it’s supposed to be presenting.

Ridley Scott though has made films that convey action, intensity, and a message. His portrayal of the military – in regard to squad levels at least – have been. He is a filmmaker who still recalls that a message can be in a movie without being the movie. Which seems to be a lost art these days. But again, he is a producer and not the director.

Still I expect that the A-Team will be Iraq war veterans. They likely will be blamed for some horror that Hollywood seems abundantly willing to accept on rumor and imagination alone. Hopefully the studio execs will not mandate that they are guilty of some kind of crime, thus helping those in need out of some form of redemption.

One thing that I do hope is that we see the A-Team improve their aim. In the 80’s show, the Team couldn’t hit a target smaller than a barn. It was just ridiculous that with the amount of bullets from adversaries and the Team the only thing that was successfully hit each week was the ground, and usually the same film of an exploding shrub – regardless of where they were.

Another neat improvement might be a bit of explanation on how the Team is able to make gear that McGyver would be jealous of. Or at least have them make something that realistically is possible considering the circumstances. Seriously, I recall in one episode the A-Team was stuck in a barn, and they made a makeshift tank. I think not.

Thinking of other aspects of this movie (which has run through several versions and directors) I might be interested in is the question of cast and the director. Joe Carnahan will be the man responsible for what finally hits the screens. And this is where things begin to look really bad for the film. He is the guy responsible for the films Narc and Smokin’ Aces. I think you can find both films in the $3 bargain bin at K-Mart. Obviously I am not impressed.

But actors can make a big difference in any film. Who will take over the lead as Hannibal Smith? It has to be an older actor, like George Peppard who brought loads of experience and dignity to the show. Maybe George Clooney, or perhaps Chuck Norris? It’s a really tough call for that.

The role of Faceman – as done by Dirk Benedict is a bit easier. All you need is a decent looking White actor, no disrespect to Benedict who is more accomplished that the role required. There we can go with most any of the up and coming pretty boys. Maybe Shia Labeouf, or Leonardo DiCaprio.

Dwight Schultz did a great job as the questionably mentally impaired, possibly PTSD suffering, Howling Mad Murdock. He was amiable, off his rocker, and energetic. So a similar type of character would be likely for the film. Though likely to have more of the negatives of PTSD. Thus the young Christian Slater would have been perfect. But today I would expect maybe Alicia Keys, since the movie will need a woman in it somewhere to match current Hollywood sensibilities. And she brings in a young crowd, which the director seems to target.

As for B.A. Baracus, famously portrayed by then ex-bouncer Mr. T, some rapper that thinks they are an actor. It will be a waste. I’d rather see Michael Duncan Clarke in the role. But the director loves trendy young actors. And the film is being remade, thus meaning they are looking for a young audience that will not realize this is a remake. So the only people that fit the rebellious, Black, edgy role are rappers – or so Hollywood keeps insisting. I’d expect DMX, if he is out of jail, to get this part. And if I am right it will be the singular worse part of the entire film.

Will the A-Team movie be worth watching? If Ridley Scott were directing I’d say yes in a heartbeat. With Carnahan I think not. His tendency to pick popular and low quality actors does not inspire confidence. Plus this is a remake (likely a revisioning) which bodes badly. And it involves a subject that Hollywood can’t get right these days, soldiers. With a writer that is 50/50 at best.

I’d slate this for the DVD bin, but it’s still very early so who knows.

Movie Preview: Body of Lies

The latest film to propose that America is a horrible nation filled with deceit and violence seems to be Body of Lies. This latest film by director Ridley Scott stars Leonardo Di Caprio and Russell Crowe.

Now I tend to like the films of Ridley Scott. He made Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiator, and American Gangster to name a few. He is a good action director. And generally his films are quality. Body of Lies will not be among that list.

I also like Russell Crowe. He is a solid actor, with very good performances in Gladiator and A beautiful Mind. And yes I did like him as Sid 66.7 in Virtuosity. He has a decent style and takes chances in his roles. This role will fail.

The reason why this film will not do well is not the action, or the acting. It won’t be the female fans swooning over DiCaprio or the guys looking for the overkill of explosions and bullets. It’s because like so many films right now, Hollywood is on an agenda – that being telling America we are bad.

Hollywood wants you to believe that the American Government is horrible. It is evil in fact they would say. Of course they never consider that in any other government they probably couldn’t make the diversity of films, nor get paid as much as they do.



That’s the best parts of the film. And in no part does the film directly describe the hate of America that I believe the film is based in. And I come to that conclusion by 1 simple statement

“The actor [Russel Crowe] said as a result of the film's exploration of the American government and foreign policy, "I don't think it will be very popular, but that’s never been part of my project choice process."

Foreign Policy. Yep that means this is another political commercial disguised as a movie. Like the films War, Inc. and Lions for Lambs or Redacted and several others this is just a way for Hollywood to promote Democrats next month. It’s a message with a soundtrack. And it will suck away your money without giving you what you went to see it for, entertainment.

I don’t mind a political message in a film. There are many films of quality with one. Apocalypse Now, Dr. Strangelove, 3 days of the Condor and many others are political and filled with messages. Even Blade Runner did so, but with style and not as the main point of the movie. They were films that entertained first and lectured a far distant second or third.

So you can waste your time seeing this film if you chose. But considering the cost of going to the movies, and the economy being shaky at the least, I prefer to watch the news for my political updates. And I’ll go to the movies to be entertained.

Wait for the DVD if you need a diCapro fix, but if you want to be entertained just avoid this.