FLIMgeeks

Bonbonfire – So, to clarify–were we watching this movie for serious or for jesting? I’m almost speechless from its epic crappiness. But I will ask three questions:

Bonbonfire Q1) Didn’t we establish in the first movie that guns don’t hurt the aliens? Ian Holm explained it when the jizz was coming out of his mouth. When did that change?

MFLuke – 1)  A sizable period of time elapsed between the events of Alien and Aliens [58 years].  So to answer your question, these are tricked-out, futuristic guns.  ’Nuff said.

Reznik – 1) They kind of get into the changing-alien side of it later throughout the series, too, whether it was a plot device to fix that very plothole or the accidental genius of involving alien genetics. They touched on it in Alien. That was the importance of the ‘facehugger‘ to birth the alien so it would adapt to survive in any condition, taking on some traits of the ‘mom’ as it were. In Alien 3, it’s a more animal-like baddie, because it was birthed from a cow/dog (depending on film version, not a cow-dog). That’s also the whole basis for Alien 4, and thus the need for Brad Motherfuckin Dourif. So there are technically different ‘kinds’ or ‘breeds’ of aliens in each flick.

It could be argued they’re referred to as ‘Xenomorphs’ as a testament to that constant evolution. Wiki: The term xenomorph (lit. “alien form” — from Greek xeno- or “strange” and -morph, shape)

Bonbonfire Q2) What sort of vision of the future is it when the only thing to entertain the children on the bad planet is Hot Wheels? It wasn’t even tricked out. And Hot Wheels didn’t even see out the 80s!

MFLuke – 2)  Although Aliens is set in a futuristic landscape, the fact remains that the movie was made in 1986.  For the record, in 1986 Hot Wheels were the shit.  (Some might say they still are.  I’m looking in Bry’s direction.)

Reznik – 2)  Hot Wheels are, in fact, the shit. But it was a pretty sweet car. There was also a kid riding a BigWheel, if that helps.

Bryronic – 2)  Also, Hot Wheels are still definitely the shit. Other than Lego, it’s probably the only toy that has had such longevity, and only suffered from slight modernization.

Bonbonfire – 3)  OK, so i touched a nerve with the hot wheels. I apologize.

Bonbonfire Q3) Sigourney Weaver, will you ever put on some pants? Help me out here. For real.

MFLuke – 3)  No.

Reznik – 3) Trademark to the series, mildly-attractive-but-not-really buttcrack in undies. And maybe aliens.

Bryronic – Aliens is an 80s action movie made in the 80s for 80s people.  Thus, lots of testosterone, lots of bullets and lots of violence.  However, as was earlier stated, Cameron uses the 45 minute Newt-chase to make up for the lack of Jones-love, and this, to me, is where Aliens goes to shit.  It’s a totally different beast than Alien, so if you don’t appreciate the over-the-top nature of 80s action movies (Predator, Terminator, Die Hard) then you’re going to hate it. This movie, however, will always be great to me (and many others) for the Bill Paxton “Game over, man!” freakout.

Bonbonfire -  I guess that’s the problem, though, for me–it’s just an action movie. But given the chance to try the bodysuit-forklift thing, I’d definitely take it.

Reznik – That kind of filmspank (a new term I’m trying out for self-indulgent director spectacles) helped set a whole trend of ‘wouldn’t it be cool to see this’ and then just make it happen, plot be damned. Michael Bay ended up making a whole filmography of filmspank.

Bryronic –  Thumbs down on “filmspank.”

Reznik –  Then I need a better term for it. ‘Egotistical director narcissistic excess on the screen’ is too long.

Bryronic –  ”Self-serving cinema”… it’s got alliteration and everything.

Reznik – Ok, that is better. You got lucky  ;) I may still use filmspank in a similar more derogatory way.

Reznik – The funny thing about the Alien series is that Aliens is widely considered the best one by many. It’s the kick-ass, plot-be- damned episode that was the epitome of 80s sci-fi action. Even if you hate it, the irony is that without it, Alien probably wouldn’t have become a franchise.

The ‘coolest’ part of Aliens is the one that deflates the scariest and most intriguing part. Alien had one. Alien3 had one. Aliens has the approximate population of Tokyo. An infinite supply of xenomorph aliens removed the suspense, and made them cannon fodder. It was kind of interesting to see what an invasion/infection would look like unchecked (even nurtured, you evil bastard Paul Reiser), but overall it made them stupid, mindless, and demeaned; a less formidable villain, but an almost unbeatable adversary. The next chapter returns to the single antagonist alien.

Next: The Legacy continues, Alien3 and Alien: Resurrection

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