Redux: Aliens.

Redux Review #574: Aliens.

Cast: 

Sigourney Weaver (Ellen Ripley), Michael Biehn (Dwayne Hicks), Paul Reiser (Carter J. Burke), Lance Henriksen (Bishop), Carrie Henn (Rebecca "Newt" Jorden), Bill Paxton (Private Hudson), William Hope (Lieutenant Gorman), Jenette Goldstein (Private Vasquez), Al Matthews (Sergeant Apone), Mark Rolston (Private Drake), Ricco Ross (Private Frost), Colette Hiller (Corporal Ferro), Daniel Kash (Private Spunkmeyer), Cynthia Dale Scott (Corporal Dietrich), Tip Tipping (Private Crowe), Trevor Steedman (Private Wierzbowski), and Paul Maxwell (Van Leuwen) Directed by James Cameron (#001 - Terminator 2: Judgement Day, #063 - The Terminator, #388 - Avatar)

Review: 

“What I remember about that night is not my reaction to the movie [Alien] but my reaction to the audience. I thought to myself, ‘If I can do that, if I can even come close to doing that,,," - James Cameron (1986)

You might remember that Alien (1979) was originally devised by Dan O'Bannon into subsequent collaboration with Ronald Shusett (pitched as "Jaws in space") that had further influence from David Giler and Walter Hill (it was they who came up with the android character of Ash) and, well, all the folks leading right down to Ridley Scott (and, well, maybe a little bit of positive executive influence, because they groused at Scott's original ending idea). Between the inspiration of films such as The Thing from Another World [1951] in O'Bannon and Shusett's screenplay, the creature design by H. R. Giger* to Scott's drive to make "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre of science fiction" resulted in a movie where terror inflicted the average Joes in space and, well, was pretty damn cool. After years of 20th Century Fox refusing to go along with actually making a sequel (which namely involved trying to screw over the producers in declaring the movie a financial loss), it eventually started development around 1983, and a search for writers led to curiosity over James Cameron's The Terminator script. Cameron (who once described the original as "almost the perfect movie") was hired to do a treatment that had advice from David Giler and Walter Hill that basically honed down to "Ripley and soldiers", which he submitted after three days of writing in the fall of 1983, although it didn't generate true interest (the studio thought it was just filled with horror) until after the release of The Terminator (in turn, Cameron, who didn't expect the movie to be a hit, had worked on an Alien script in his free time*²). Cameron, Giler, and Hill were each credited for the story.  The movie was released at 137 minutes due to an array of cuts that actually could've been a bit more substantial if Fox had gotten their way to make it barely over two hours. Nowadays, you can see the Director's Cut, which is 157 minutes long (with differences being noted here alongside cut scenes that aren't in either version). On July 18, 1986, the movie was released in theaters to tremendous success (plus, Scott seemed to have liked it). The movie was such a hit that 20th Century Fox was really interested in doing a third movie with no hesitation, although delays (namely in not being able to actually settle on a finished script*) resulted in it being released in 1992 that was thought to be considerably inferior to the previous two films and hated by its own director.

If the first film was akin to a fright house, the second film really does merit the comparison (made by Cameron) of aiming to be a roller-coaster ride, and yes, I did this re-review mainly to assert how damn great it is, mainly because the first time I reviewed it, I barely gave any type of insight the first time around in 2014, which basically saw wonderful interactions, a mood shift from "bravado to outright fear" and really good effects. But honestly, the obvious shining point of what basically became the be-all and end-all of the series is with Weaver. Cameron and company wanted Weaver from the jump, with no studio reluctance getting in the way (yes, the studio that was sued by producers into financing the development of the film thought saving money on a cheaper star was a good idea). The first film saw her slowly but surely take charge in the presence of all-encompassing terror that we all could see in ourselves. After confronting the terror of people breaking down in front of them (figuratively or literally) and being trapped in nothingness only to find a world colder than when she left it, Weaver proves up to the challenge of making this character a true wonder in take-charge charm with vulnerability that we still hold up as an icon that Weaver described as an "everyperson". She is trapped in the hell of what she experienced and the idea that of being right in the present of the worst possible thing: being on another crew considered expendable. With the director's cut reminding you of just what she lost the first time around (because again, you only see that photo in that version), it makes the journey back from isolation with Henn all the more rewarding. And then of course there is the wonderful interactions with such a confident supporting cast that view themselves as on the road to conquest with such gallantry only to find themselves in a mirroring of the Vietnam War. Sure, Biehn is tremendously entertaining (cast after James Remar backed out), but it really is the credit of Paxton and Goldstein* to really sell the journey through hell and back (to a point, anyway) with kickass enthusiasm. Rounding out as the odd-man is with Reiser, who actually does prove exquisite in showing that comedians really can play a scummy toad and make it look so easy. Doubly so for Henn and her brave performance filled with soulful qualities (incidentally, she became a teacher) and Henriksen as an android that really is just one of the guys (which he once said basically meant playing him as an innocent). Yes, the movie looks great with what is seen and what isn't seen from the miniatures/wires, and yes, the James Horner music is worthwhile to hear*, but it really does all come down to how much we end up loving to see these characters go through the ride with us (this can be as something as small as seeing Hope's pencil-neck character try to tell the squad to not use a particular weapon - that's an easy one to say "been there, done that") in chaos. If Alien strikes at the terror of being trapped in a place with little escape, Aliens strikes at the terror of actually having something to lose besides the soul. 

 

It's interesting to compare this film to say, the "crowd-pleaser" aim from the most modern film of the series with Alien: Romulus (2024), which aimed to go for "wonder and terror" feel in being set between the two great movies that mostly reminded me of how hard it is to really make a worthwhile ride that isn't merely derivative (to say nothing of one particular reference from Aliens that comes out in Romulus). Jokingly or not, I said that Aliens was better than Alien by a "Xenomorph egg". I have to believe in my heart of hearts that this statement holds water today, but I do admit that I have made it a habit to watch Alien each night of May 25. It's interesting that both movies basically end in the same manner: expelling the final creature into space before Ripley enters stasis for a return to Earth. At any rate, Alien, Aliens, you can't go wrong with the entertainment presented in the terrors of beasts that comes from dark corridors, beasts of acid, and the showing of what it really means to be alive. It was timeless before being a 40-year-old movie, that much is for sure. It is self-contained show of excellence from Cameron and company that stands on its own. 

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Theme of the day

*I should give full credit to the list of people who won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects for Alien: H. R. Giger, Carlo Rambaldi, Brian Johnson, Nick Allder, and Dennis Ayling. There are further inspirations listed that would clog up the opening paragraph: Planet of the Vampires (1965) - specifically the giant skeleton, It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958), Clifford D. Simak's short story "Junkyard", Star Wars (1977) specifically in Scott's aim to be its "antithesis", the aesthetic of illustrator Moebius and possibly even H. P. Lovecraft (Giger found the initial storyline to be in the vein of the famed writer and listed him as one of his greatest sources of inspiration.). By the way, did you know that Scott...wanted Ridley to die at the end of Alien? No, really.

*² It should be noted that Cameron had done a spec script in 1980 (as seen with the link here: The Risk Always Lives: Words to Live by On the Set of James Cameron’s ‘Aliens’ • Cinephilia & Beyond) that dealt with trying to keep a young creature alive that dealt with a mother queen type creature and a climax with a power-loader. Incidentally, Cameron wrote a draft for Rambo: First Blood Part II around the same time as the Alien II script.

*See, I should see Alien 3 again, mainly to bring up that Fox and company went through a litany of ideas such as: a two-part story where Biehn would be the protagonist for the third film before an epic battle for a fourth movie (no chance of getting Ridley Scott, he was busy), a William Gibson script that he once jokingly described as "Space commies hijack alien eggs—big problem in Mallworld" (this was later adapted into an audio drama), a "wooden planet" with all-male monks...before settling on a cobbled together script that wasn't even finished when filming started. Don't get me started on what happens in the introductory scene of Alien 3. What the fuck? Game over, man! Game over! Yes, even in a notes section, I managed to get that reference in.

  

*Is it really good acting if you don't recognize that Goldstein isn't actually Mexican? (enjoy an interview detailing experiences making the film - Interview with Jenette Goldstein, 1987 | Strange Shapes). Incidentally, she actually owns a bra chain store company.

*Sure, the James Horner soundtrack has a few parts that sound like, say, his stuff from Star Trek II. But who cares? Incidentally, an un-used part of the soundtrack was later used in the climax of Die Hard.

The Rock.

Review #1943: The Rock.

Cast: 

Sean Connery (SAS Captain John Patrick Mason), Nicolas Cage (FBI Special Agent Dr. Stanley Goodspeed), Ed Harris (Brigadier General Francis X. "Frank" Hummel), John Spencer (FBI Director Jim Womack), David Morse (Major Tom Baxter), William Forsythe (FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Ernest Paxton), Michael Biehn (Commander Charles Anderson), Vanessa Marcil (Carla Pestalozzi), John C. McGinley (Captain Hendrix), Gregory Sporleder (Captain Frye), Tony Todd (Captain Darrow), Bokeem Woodbine (Gunnery Sergeant Crisp), Jim Maniaci (Private Scarpetti), and Greg Collins (Private Gamble) Directed by Michael Bay (#057 - Transformers, #058 - Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, and #129 - The Island)

Review: 

“They make up words like Bayos and Bayhem and all this crap.” 

It was never intentional to miss out on watching films directed by Michael Bay for so long, which reached a decade this year. I suppose it is hard to find time for every director, polarizing or not. The Rock was his second feature film as a director, which like Bad Boys (1995) was produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson (in their final production together) who had noticed his success in directing music videos. Bruckheimer would serve as a producer on Bay's first five films (Simpson died five months before the release of The Rock). The original script had been done by David Weisberg and Douglas Cook. Mark Rosner contributed work to the screenplay, but there were various writers who did work on the script that did not receive credit, such as Jonathan Hensleigh (who Bay felt deserved credit), Aaron Sorkin, and Quentin Tarantino; the result is a script that had little humorous moments, with Cage ad-libbing a good chunk of his dialogue. Admittedly, the premise might seem cobbled from other action films: it is a siege film, one set on Alcatraz Island where the choice is either a payout (for families of forgotten veterans) or gas-loaded rocket destruction. Of course, things aren't quite what they seem in a film that pairs a chemist, a talented escape artist, and a SEAL team together, and that is part of the fun.

The key to the film working as it does beyond the usual action expenditures is the engaging ensemble cast. Oh yes, Connery and Cage are enjoyable together, but the whole film has pretty good character presences within its three sides: the beleaguered pairing of our heroes, the indignation shown by Forsythe and Spencer at the whole proceeding, and the wavering villainy that goes from Harris to Todd. In other words: the people prove enjoyable to watch on screen just as much as the action sequences, which means that the stakes mean just as much as they would in a generic movie. Its funny that this was the first big action film for Cage, fresh off an Academy Award performance in Leaving Las Vegas (1995) alongside a wide variety of films that had included Moonstruck (1987) and... well, stuff like Fire Birds (1990). But The Rock was the first of a variety of mainstream entertainment (or whatever you might call it), and it is pretty clear to see his appeal. Here, he plays the angle of comic relief alongside action hero to worthy compromise, showing plenty of timing within his facial expressions and mannerisms that makes for an engaging presence, particularly when matched against Connery, the king of relaxed charm even in his late sixties. The amusing little theory that has been passed around over the years is that Connery is really playing an older James Bond, and while I can't really endorse it, it probably does work within explaining how Connery proves so effective in his measured charisma that comes through all of the action beats. Connery and Cage have a nice, weird chemistry together that serves as the ideal match of established names that doesn't see either overshadow the other. Harris is the ideal adversary in that he isn't merely there to shout banal dialogue, and the film actually spends a bit of time giving him depth beyond the usual siege film: a man fed up with higher-ups failing the paragon of virtue he has tried to live up to (so in a way, Harris and his performance might remind one of the Rambo films). He is a natural leader that makes the ideal villain: one with a point that they firmly believe in. Sporleder and Todd make worthy adversaries when it comes to representing both heavies and the ideals of what it takes to be a sellout. Spencer and Forsythe each make capable foils to our leads in indignation, whether that involves one being held on a rooftop or the latter trying to tolerate the whole proceedings as the semi-tough guy, who like any good tough guy generates a smile. There are a number of folks that are meant to fall by the wayside such as Biehn or Morse, which they handle like character pros. It is an over-the-top film, but it is a roaringly fun film that justifies its 136-minute run-time. His filmmaking style may be called "Bayhem", but it only serves as a useful compliment when one sees his craftsmanship (and theories about the government) on display. It balances its two halves neatly: you get a car chase in one half and careful pacing of action with the latter half. Bay lives for what James Cameron calls "the big train set", which basically means one huge production with all the trappings of non-compromise. So yes, thinking of Bay and Cameron as similar filmmakers may sound weird, but give it a bit of thought sometime. As a whole, The Rock is an enjoyable film, serving as the most respected film of Michael Bay because of the display of craftsmanship that is put firmly on display with no sense of compromise or false note within its engaging ensemble cast. It pulls most of the strings correctly in ways that any director would be proud of.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Redux: The Terminator.

Redux #063: The Terminator.

Cast: 

Arnold Schwarzenegger (the Terminator), Michael Biehn (Kyle Reese), Linda Hamilton (Sarah Connor), Paul Winfield (Ed Traxler), Lance Henriksen (Vukovich), Bess Motta (Ginger), Rick Rossovich (Matt), Earl Boen (Dr. Silberman), Shawn Schepps (Nancy), and Dick Miller (Clerk) Directed by James Cameron.

Review: 

From my review on July 30, 2011:

This film is in a word a classic. It has good acting for the most part, a good film noir, (which will be referred to as TechNoir) and a great plot. Good effects especially at the end. Good action and also good direction with a young Cameron at the wheel.

"The Terminator themes had been important to me since high school. Those apocalyptic visions, ideas about our love/hate relationship with technology, our tendency as a species to move in a direction that might ultimately destroy us, and a central faith in the resourcefulness of humanity." - James Cameron

In 1981, James Cameron was trying to become a feature film director when he was hired to do Piranha II: The Spawning, rising from special effects director to the main job due to creative differences with the producer (Cameron had become interested in films due to reading about special effects while in school, if you remember). The movie was not a pleasant experience for him (namely because he got fired days into the film), but it was during a moment spent in Rome after being fired that proved important for Cameron. One night, wracked with a fever, he had a fever dream of a metallic man with knives that dragged itself from an explosion. Taking inspiration from John Carpenter (once described by Cameron as his idol) and how he made Halloween for less than $100,000 as a stylish horror film, it helped serve as a launching pad for what became the initial script of The Terminator. Cameron did have help in the script, for the most part. William Wisher, Jr helped turn Cameron's draft into a script, such as writing scenes involving the police or early scenes with Sarah Connor (he got an "additional dialogue" credit); Gale Anne Hurd, who suggested edits to the scripts, was given screenwriting credit to go along with serving as producer, as both Hurd and Cameron had worked under Roger Corman at New World Pictures (Orion Pictures, who distributed the film, had two ex-Corman associates on staff). Cameron even did concept art for trying to sell the idea to prospective filmmakers (such as Hemdale Film Corporation), to the point where Lance Henriksen was the likeness for the drawing along with being brought in to spook the staff in boots and leather, which worked out well in a deal with Hemdale and Cameron. Admittedly, any mention of The Terminator (1984) might bring a reminder that Harlan Ellison is listed with an acknowledgement in the credits. He loved the movie, but he thought it seemed familiar to his script for "Soldier", written for the TV program The Outer Limits in the 1960s. The filmmakers decided to settle and give him a credit in later prints of the film, much to the chagrin of Cameron.

Roger Corman has one hell of a filmmaking tree when it comes to people he employed who ended up becoming directors, and James Cameron essentially had his first major film success come with a production that he treated like a Corman film, complete with filming at night with guerilla-style shots done on a small(ish) budget; the fact that the film runs at 107 minutes is a testament to making a lean but effective piece of entertainment without any sort of element that seems unnecessary. I know I have said the movie is a classic, but the movie has only gotten better with age and further viewings, in my view. Every so often you have to remember that this is basically a slasher movie when you consider the body count. Aside from failing to take his main target, the Terminator takes down over two dozen folks, probably doing so with more efficiency than slasher villains of the time ever did. Hell, Biehn and Schwarzenegger have only one moment together where they are even in the same frame, consider that. Stan Winston and his studio had the task of doing a "flesh-covered endoskeleton", i.e., not just a man in a robot suit. They clearly made a great result, one that menaces the screen and achieves the art of seeming quite real to the audience without distraction. A creature that can't be reasoned with that manages to come after you even when it is shed of its humanoid skin, that is one hell of a concoction for a film that veers into horror, science-fiction, and yes, even noir territory.

Schwarzenegger had one key film credit to his name with Conan the Barbarian (1982), and it should be noted that he actually speaks less lines in this film than the prior movie. The funny thing is that he was actually thought by Orion for the film not as the title character but for the Reese character. This was contrary to Cameron's expectations of using low-key actors to do a cheap film, since he figured that he would have Henriksen play the Terminator, since it was meant to be a character that could blend in a crowd (go figure, Orion had O. J. Simpson in mind for the title role). A meeting between the two made it apparent to Cameron and Schwarzenegger that he would probably be better suited for the Terminator role, which clearly was the right decision. He sells the role in ways that one could only dream they could do in a role with little to say beyond having to act like a machine. Aside from a few television appearances, Hamilton had one prominent film credit before this film: Children of the Corn (1984), which was released a few months before this film. Hamilton is given the task of playing both relative innocence and hidden strength in a variation of the "Final Girl" trope in horror, which she handles expertly. Her terror at the situation she is thrust into becomes one we feel is thrust onto us. Biehn was actually cast because of his role in The Fan (1981), a movie that Cameron saw where Biehn plays a nice-looking guy who ends up being a killer stalker. For a good part of the film (at least for those who haven't seen it once), Biehn is effective in that mindset before he enters the picture as the would-be protector, which he handles quite well without having to strain to make the dialogue (consisting mostly of reacting to the Terminator or to Hamilton) work as well as it does. Henriksen may not have a big role, but the fact that he was effective in helping the film gain some interest with the whole "dressing up like the Terminator" stunt makes him an unforgettable part of how The Terminator became what it was. Winfield is the other part of the supporting cast that is basically cosigned to police beat elements, which works out pretty well for what is needed. It really is a lean movie, one that wraps itself quite tightly in efficient storytelling that shows just enough of the future landscape in perspective to make the drama occurring back in the present seem even more thrilling, particularly when it comes to the last sequence within a factory setting, where a machine stripped to its core is still on the chase and even still a menace with diminished legs. The synthesizer soundtrack by Brad Fiedel only adds to the level of terror in ways I hadn't really appreciated until listening to it once again, one that doesn't come off as dated (not to say that synthesizer music is dated, just that the use of it can have consequences in lesser hands). 

As a whole, the real crime is that the film was not even more successful. Sure, it did strike well with audiences, but Orion did not have as much faith for such a great movie as one would expect, doing little promotion (owing to wanting to elevate some of its other features of the time, such as Amadeus, the eventual Academy Award winner for Best Picture that year). At any rate, Schwarzenegger was clearly interested in making a sequel more so than Cameron, but a sequel wasn't commissioned until the film right were purchased back from Hemdale and Hurd. At any rate, with a story idea cribbed from the first film and a bigger budget, Terminator 2: Judgement Day was released in 1991. Four sequels would follow in the next three decades, with varying reception made worse by the fact that T2 is generally thought to be one of the greatest sequels ever made. At any rate, The Terminator is the film that made James Cameron a name to be reckoned with as a filmmaker and Arnold Schwarzenegger a true star, and it is a grand achievement for all involved as a science fiction action masterpiece.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Tombstone.

Review #1177: Tombstone.

Cast: 
Kurt Russell (Wyatt Earp), Val Kilmer (Doc Holliday), Sam Elliott (Virgil Earp), Bill Paxton (Morgan Earp), Powers Boothe ("Curly Bill" Brocius), Michael Biehn (Johnny Ringo), Charlton Heston (Henry Hooker), Jason Priestley (Billy Breakenridge), Jon Tenney (Sheriff Johnny Behan), Stephen Lang (Ike Clanton), Thomas Haden Church (Billy Clanton), Dana Delany (Josephine Marcus), and Paula Malcomson (Allie Earp), with narration by Robert Mitchum. Directed by George P. Cosmatos (#818 - Rambo: First Blood Part II)

Review: 
On October 26, 1881, a shooutout occurred between lawmen and outlaws near the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona, resulting in three deaths. It later became known as one of the most famous shooutouts of the Wild West, in part due to Stuart Lake's biography Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal, written in 1931 that told the tale of one of the participants. Although it is now known as largely fictional by researchers, it served the basis for films such as My Darling Clementine (1946) while helping to elevate Earp into a mythic icon. In any case, Kevin Jarre was slated to write and direct this film to tell the tale of the gunfight alongside the people involved in the shootout. However, a month into production he was fired from the directing chair due to falling behind in the shooting schedule. Cosmatos was hired to replace him, while scriptdoctor John Fasano helped in trimming the story to focus more on the Wyatt-Doc dynamic. It may interest you to know that six months after the release of the film came Wyatt Earp (1994), which starred Kevin Costner that wasn't as successful. The best thing that can be said about this movie is that it has plenty of entertainment value for a Western, having a good balance of action and story to make a solid experience. The ensemble cast is up to the task of making these characters come alive without feeling generic or getting lost in the shuffle. The music from Bruce Broughton (composer of a film previously covered in Silverado) also stands to the task of swift adventure. Russell shines fairly well, being quite capable at giving his role a fair sense of depth that makes him feel more than just a lawman, particularly when conversing with his on-screen brothers (Elliot and Paxton, who are efficient) or with Kilmer. I particularly like the sequence when he deals with an unruly gambler (played by Billy Bob Thornton) without even having to shoot a gun. Kilmer (complete with a Southern drawl) is quite excellent as well, being quite watchable with plenty of charm to go around. Boothe shines well as one of the adversaries the movie presents, but it is Biehn who also proves efficient in making a worthy opponent for the final showdown. The supporting cast is fine, although the movie's key strength relies more on Earp in action than when he is sharing time with either of the women in his life. The film works well before and after the Corral gunfight, keeping interest through its 130 minute runtime with minimal moments of tedium. The film seems to have plenty of craftsmanship and effort done to make something that doesn't feel like a manufactured tale made for a cheap thrill, having a finely told story with plenty of interesting things to go around. It isn't a great Western classic, but it is a well made and well done movie that can work for anyone looking for an old legend put to film.

Happy New Year folks. Hoping 2019 is just as productive as 2018 was.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Aliens.

Review #574: Aliens.

Cast
Sigourney Weaver (Ellen Ripley), Michael Biehn (Corporal Dwayne Hicks), Jenette Goldstein (Private Jenette Vasquez), Carrie Henn (Rebecca "Newt" Jorden), Lance Henriksen (Bishop), Bill Paxton (Private William Hudson), Paul Reiser (Carter Burke), William Hope (Lieutenant William Gorman), Al Matthews (Sergeant Al Apone), and Mark Rolston (Private Mark Drake) Directed by James Cameron (#001 - Terminator 2: Judgement Day, #063 - The Terminator, #388 - Avatar)

Review
Back when I first reviewed the first film (#530 - Alien), I realized that if I ever managed to review the sequel, I had to answer the question that connects the first two films: Which one is better? Alien is a tense horror thriller that masterfully hides the alien for as long as it could to keep tension high. Aliens decides to use an alternate strategy. Aliens is an action-packed horror movie that still pulls a punch...and then some. We all know that trying to hide the aliens (A welcome change is to have multiple aliens) again is silly, so outright showing them all throughout is what Cameron does, more terror but also more awesomeness. Weaver is the big star and also the best character in the whole movie, right next to Bishop and Vasquez (You try to argue against an android who saves a character from dying while ripped in half; Vasquez is just fun to watch interact with the overconfident crew), the whole cast is great to watch interact with each other, the mood of the movie shifts from bravado to outright fear as the movie goes on, and everything works perfectly, especially the effects, which are still great. But here's the question: Is it better than the first movie?It all depends on what exactly you want, horror or action horror, but Aliens is the winner by a xenomorph egg. But we all can at least agree that the last two aren't up to par. Hopefully I'll get to the third movie sooner rather then forty reviews later.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.