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.

Movies for 2007 and beyond - 12.27.2006.5

Even as the year ends and we mourn the surprising losses of political, artistic and musical giants some things keep moving ahead. There have definitely been losses that will be felt in every medium. Mr. Peter Boyle, Mr. Joe Barbera, Mr. James Brown, and most recently Mr. Gerald Ford have all passed in this month, and signaling a changing world. Yet there are some things in the works to help us keep our memories of these great figures alive.

Much like the cartoons of Hanna/Barbera (and the generous license taken by the likes of the creators of Harvey Birdman - Attorney at Law), the syndication and movies with Mr. Boyle (Young Frankenstein and Everyone Love Raymond), and the Oscar winning cinematic portrayal of Mr. Ray Charles and Mr. Malcolm X, the life of Mr. James Brown is already in the works. Mr. Charles had already been working with noted producer Brian Grazer. Adding to the excitement of the project is the fact that renown director Mr. Spike Lee has taken the helm. Mr. Lee is no novice to creating a biopic movie, the acclaimed Malcolm X film starring Mr. Denzel Washington was his creation. [Why that film did not get an Oscar nomination, nor did Mr. Washington get one escapes me completely.]

This is a film that I look forward to seeing. I can’t imagine right now who might be portrayed as Mr. Brown. There are few Black actors that have enough skill to sing the part (that I know of), and there is no singer that has the acting ability (with the exception of Mr. Will Smith but I don’t think he looks the part and he is more of a rapper than singer). Yet given the fact that Mr. Lee has an eye for talent there may be a new surprise for everyone in this role.

On the other spectrum of upcoming films is the news that Mr. Willie Nelson will be lending a hand for Ms. Jessica Simpson’s latest film. Of course the film is to be a remake, or “revisioning” of an older film – Working Girl. I am left without any anticipation or interest in this latest endeavor. It’s not just that I think that Ms. Simpson has little acting talent, but that the film being copied is not classic enough to warrant a redo. It was a decent film, helped in large part by the abilities of Ms. Melanie Griffith, Ms. Sigourney Weaver and Mr. Harrison Ford. Taking out these highly talented entertainers and replacing them with the comparatively pop fluff likes of Ms. Simpson and Mr. Luke Wilson (who was quite good in The Royal Tenenbaums), and Mr. Andy Dick.

I especially have no love for the work of Mr. Dick nor his recent actions [What I feel about Andy Dick - 12.6.2006.2]. Perhaps if Mr. Dick were completely absent, and the role of Ms. Simpson were miniscule I would consider seeing this film. That is not the case though. I’m sure the concept of the film will be interesting enough to the 15-24 demographic of women movie-goers to capture a profit. Perhaps even a sequel. Yet I still have to think it will just be another addition to the extremely long list of remakes and flops once it arrives.

This is what I think, what do you think?