This week, you get a twin spin: I look at science in the movie Alien and its sequel Aliens. Is the xenomorph possible? Do reactors really explode like that? And what does this all have to do with the Spanish Armada? Join me for a double-dose of sci-fi awesomeness!
Michael Siegel
Michael Siegel is an astronomer living in Pennsylvania. He blogs at his own site, and has written a novel.
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Four stars. Highest rating. Great review(s). A couple of comments:
I did a bunch of re-writes for one of the producers of both films (I’m going to be shy about naming names) who spoke over lunch about originally wanting Richard Dreyfuss for the role of Ripley. Love me some Dreyfuss, but I’m very glad Weaver got the part.
My only objection to the masterful story-telling in “Aliens” is over a brief bit where most folks would probably disagree with me, but here goes: When Ripley is facing off with the Queen Mother, Ripley threatens the eggs with her flame-thrower and a tacit agreement is made. The Mother calls off her minions and Ripley doesn’t fry the eggs. Then Ripley fries the eggs anyway. I certainly understand why she does that. She’s had a rough time with those pesky xenos, but a) I honestly think that Ripley wouldn’t go back on her “word,” and b) particularly when she knows the reactor is going to blow in minutes anyway. Not a huge gripe, but I would rather the Queen had broken the agreement instead of Ripley.
Agains, thanks for a terrific run-down.Report
It’s funny I always read that moment not as an agreement but as a sort of ‘sizing each other up’ before a fight to the death between members of two species that can’t coexist. Ripley’s character is based around being clear-eyed about that where others in the movies aren’t. Did think it was kind of a waste of time when the whole place is about to blow up though.Report
It read that as the queen breaking the agreement first because one of the eggs opens, threatening to send a facehugger at Ripley.Report
I better watch it again (no problem there). Egg opening? Very immediate danger. Nuclear holocaust no guarantee of safety (weird sentence to type). Time for the flames!
Damn, that’s a fine movie.Report
I enjoyed this very much Michael, as Alien and Aliens are two of my favorite movies. Obviously there are plenty of liberties but I’ve always thought the less fantastical sensibility (at least for a movie involving alien monsters and deep space travel) put the first 3 in a different class.
And yes, I said the first 3. I hate what they did as much as anyone in the third but for all they got wrong with the story and the demise of great characters, including Ripley, at least it still feels like an Alien movie, visionary up and coming director adding his mark and all. While not rehabilitating it exactly I think it has also been helped by the fundamentally userious Resurrection and the AvP movies plus Ridley Scott coming back to pointlessly cheapen it all for no reason with the insufferable Prometheus films.Report
Agreed that this is one of the best Throughputs yet made. Packed with science, oozing with love for the movies, and demonstrating that paying attention to what’s real is helpful to storytelling.
Also, “warp and weft” is a great phrase that I haven’t used in a long time but may well have cause to use in a trial I have coming up in about two weeks. Thanks for the reminder of this terrific metaphor.Report