Movie Defense Force: Alien 3
- Thread starter Jimothy Sterling
- Start date
I watched this video sheerly because I was surprised to see people who like me enjoyed Alien 3 the most and safe to say I like what I saw.
My reason (in addition to the ones in the video) for it is atmosphere - the characters KNOW what is there, they KNOW it's dangerous and remorseless but what can they do? It's a confined prison where they have nothing to defend themselves with.
It's claustrophobic - the xenomorph could come from anywhere, you can't get out, it's faster than you and what's worse is there is a bigger meaner version in the future inside the woman you've rescued.
The sense of threat is so strong in this film unlike the others where they had flamethrowers on their ship for some reason and armed marines that tear the xenos to pieces. While in this film all you can do is run, hell their best solution to stopping it is locking it in a room.
My reason (in addition to the ones in the video) for it is atmosphere - the characters KNOW what is there, they KNOW it's dangerous and remorseless but what can they do? It's a confined prison where they have nothing to defend themselves with.
It's claustrophobic - the xenomorph could come from anywhere, you can't get out, it's faster than you and what's worse is there is a bigger meaner version in the future inside the woman you've rescued.
The sense of threat is so strong in this film unlike the others where they had flamethrowers on their ship for some reason and armed marines that tear the xenos to pieces. While in this film all you can do is run, hell their best solution to stopping it is locking it in a room.
I can see where he's coming from, however as well characterized as they are they're prisoners, twisted bastards you really don't care what kind of lives they lead when ultimately as one of them boldly boasts he's a murderer and rapist.
Call me sadistic but watching someone who says that get ripped to pieces doesn't exactly make me go "Oh no" it makes me say "Well he sort of deserved that".
In the other ones it was people just doing their jobs, unprepared for the Xenomorphs and ultimately struggling till the very last of them. Ripley didn't have Hero immunity, first one she it was 1v1 and then the second one she had a platoon of bloody marines. But they were characters you could get behind. And Hicks comes off much less dull if you watch the extended cut, something that fills in a lot of holes in the 2nd movie.
Call me sadistic but watching someone who says that get ripped to pieces doesn't exactly make me go "Oh no" it makes me say "Well he sort of deserved that".
In the other ones it was people just doing their jobs, unprepared for the Xenomorphs and ultimately struggling till the very last of them. Ripley didn't have Hero immunity, first one she it was 1v1 and then the second one she had a platoon of bloody marines. But they were characters you could get behind. And Hicks comes off much less dull if you watch the extended cut, something that fills in a lot of holes in the 2nd movie.
While I understand why Jim thinks the whole message of "The Aliens always win" based on what is shown in Alien 3 I cannot agree with him, because the Aliens don't win in the previous 2 movies. In Alien, Ripply blows the alien out of the airlock and escapes in the shuttle/pod. In Aliens, she does the same thing to the queen.
Now while Ripply's repeated encounter with the aliens despite her previous victories could be interpreted as a force of nature that she can not escape from, the problem is that there was no such message intended before Alien 3. Both Alien and Aliens had different directors and writers and from what I know neither had any intention to continue after their respected films. Since both movies end on a relatively happy note, Ripply's repeated encounters with the Aliens seems less of a running theme and more of an excuse to keep on making more Alien movies, which really shows in Resurrection.
Now while Ripply's repeated encounter with the aliens despite her previous victories could be interpreted as a force of nature that she can not escape from, the problem is that there was no such message intended before Alien 3. Both Alien and Aliens had different directors and writers and from what I know neither had any intention to continue after their respected films. Since both movies end on a relatively happy note, Ripply's repeated encounters with the Aliens seems less of a running theme and more of an excuse to keep on making more Alien movies, which really shows in Resurrection.
I always enjoyed A3, although its not one i watch a lot of. I guess it did something different when everyone expected marines with guns. I like the whole "no guns" approach as it made things more desperate.
Overall this should have been the last of the original trilogy and ended Ripleys story. Alien 4 should have started a brand new story with new characters......now they have to continue with Ripley and all her baggage just slows the movie. The star is the aliens, its about them. I wish they would realise that.
Overall this should have been the last of the original trilogy and ended Ripleys story. Alien 4 should have started a brand new story with new characters......now they have to continue with Ripley and all her baggage just slows the movie. The star is the aliens, its about them. I wish they would realise that.
Some valid points made and I don't think Alien 3 is on it's own a bad film. However best in the series? Not even close. Alien did some revolutionary things for the horror genre and Aliens is one of the best action films I have ever seen. Alien 3 had some interesting ideas and gave Ripley's character a good ending but I found it the least enjoyable of the 3. (I'm not counting that piece of crap Resurrection as part of the series)
I never thought Alien 3 was that bad, Resurrection it is an abomination but the main reason I don't like it isn't the quality but the fact that the failed Ripley clones still to this day creep me out.LightspeedJack said:
I could do without AVP whilst they are varying degrees of bad they are quite fun to watch.
It's refreshing to see others share my opinion on the Alien series as I've always favored the 3rd one for reasons I couldn't have explained this well.
The show itself is well done. I especially appreciate that you keep the tone mature throughout.
It allows us to take your points seriously which is really hard to do on the other show.
This may only be personal preference but that intro went on FOREVER!
It's a 7 minute show with a forced ad to start and what felt like a 45 second intro jingle.
Good internet intros are short and to the point.
Example: The escapist scribble with 'HA!'. Simple, effective and memorable. Lost is another example.
I'd highly encourage you consider cutting it back to a crisp 10 seconds or less in the future.
Episode Idea: Rocky 4.
We all know it's the best Rocky movie.
We just don't want to sink to that intellectual level and admit it.
The show itself is well done. I especially appreciate that you keep the tone mature throughout.
It allows us to take your points seriously which is really hard to do on the other show.
This may only be personal preference but that intro went on FOREVER!
It's a 7 minute show with a forced ad to start and what felt like a 45 second intro jingle.
Good internet intros are short and to the point.
Example: The escapist scribble with 'HA!'. Simple, effective and memorable. Lost is another example.
I'd highly encourage you consider cutting it back to a crisp 10 seconds or less in the future.
Episode Idea: Rocky 4.
We all know it's the best Rocky movie.
We just don't want to sink to that intellectual level and admit it.
Weird, I always hear people complaining about Aliens, not Alien 3, but that's probably because I like Aliens a lot more than Alien 3.
I loved Alien 3 when it came out and still I love it today for pretty much the same reasons Jim did. I'm glad he did this as I PM'd him when I discovered his love for the xenomorphs about his opinion on the flick. As I'm a lowly pleb he didn't respond, but thank God he's making some of you watch it again!
Alien 4 is probably easier to defend than Alien 3. It had so many great scenes and alien clone Ripley was awesome. Alien 3 had some toxic strength man hatred (mysandry) which I suppose is fitting. A planet full of cowardly rapist murderers?Spot1990 said:
Ripley dies sort of "Christ mode"?
Hit me over the head please.
The alien was argued to be a metaphor for male sexuality. It penetrates and impregnates.
It was a very hard film to take, as a non-gentile male. But Jim's video (minus the over long intro music that he promises to shorten) was terrific.
Alien 3 is a great movie, but it suffers from setting in my opinion. They could have chosen a hospital, a factory, but a prison? A prison is a place where horrible people live and sometimes rape each other (though these had celibacy vows which is a nice way to get around that), so it's hard to feel compelled to like anyone other than Ripley or Clemens. I did like the fact that there was only one alien again, Aliens made them cannon fodder and a simple bee-hive, which is horribly demystifying for the creature.
Though it's appropriate for the character of Ripley to be emancipated from her newly loved ones, it's hard to digest because the new characters don't make up for it. Even if Hicks and Newt died later it would help start off the movie and make us feel even worse when they did die.
AMAZING cinematography and a score that brings chills from the sheer emotional charge it carries on its notes, ultimately bring this up to a worthy film in the series, much, much better than the abomination that is Resurrection and the AvP films.
Alien will always be my favourite though, and like the Resident Evil 1 game, I like to think of it as a lone film that stands on its own and has finality without needing sequels.
Though it's appropriate for the character of Ripley to be emancipated from her newly loved ones, it's hard to digest because the new characters don't make up for it. Even if Hicks and Newt died later it would help start off the movie and make us feel even worse when they did die.
AMAZING cinematography and a score that brings chills from the sheer emotional charge it carries on its notes, ultimately bring this up to a worthy film in the series, much, much better than the abomination that is Resurrection and the AvP films.
Alien will always be my favourite though, and like the Resident Evil 1 game, I like to think of it as a lone film that stands on its own and has finality without needing sequels.
Although Jim made new years resolutions to not delve deep into that grotto this year, or well he didn't say he wouldn't go cave exploring, but that he wouldn't talk about that specific brown hole on the podcast. Also i like how you mentioned the name of the episodes when recomending the podcast, that is a shurefire way to draw in people.Irridium said: