The Alien TV show will be about classicism - We Wuz Xenomorphs

[BrunoMattei]

Reading this post I have to ask: "Did IQ's just drop sharply while I was away?" Something being worked in organically rather than hit you over the head with it modern woke style doesn't mean that it wasn't an integral element of the films. The long boardroom scene where the suits just wont listen to Ellen and are more concerned with her "detonating the engine's of and thereby destroying an M-class star freighter. A very expensive piece of equipment". Burke's "this installation represents a substantial dollar investment" when Riply suggests nuking it from orbit. That the very motivating event for everything that follows in the first movie is the Company screwing over their workers to get them to bring back the organism. Nobody remembers "Crew Expendable" on Mother's computer screen when Ellen finally gets access to it? The very reason the colony is destroyed in the second movie is because Burke doesn't want to share rights to the organism "nobody gets a cut" are his words if I remember. Is it Four or Two where they make reference to the organism's value in "urban pacification"? In the second movie the reason Ripley is working on the docks (and apparently where she learns to handle the loader suit she uses at the end) is because the Company has her blacklisted, revoked her licence and as Burke says: "it's all you could get". The breakfast scene in the first movie is filled with Brett and Parker talking about their "shares" and Dallas shuts them up and gets them to go along with the mission they don't want to by quoting their contract and telling them "forfeiture of all shares" is what happens if they disobey. These people literally die in both movies as a DIRECT consequence of the Company and its executives seeking to increase their profit.

I mean, you have to be actively not wanting to see it to say that money / corporate / classisim was "far, in the background" of these movies.

I have watched the first and second movie many times and third one several. I've even watched the fourth one a few times (mainly for the basketball scene and the xenomorphs swimming but whatever). It's a recurrent, central theme in both of the first movies. There's no reason based on those movies that it shouldn't be a theme in a TV series.

The two reasons - and they're nothing to do with the movies - that class issues shouldn't be in the TV series is firstly because to accurately deal with class issues as we have them today you have to engage with and challenge how identity politics are used to divert and neuter actual organization against corrupt elites. And no mainstream funded project is going to go against the Woke mob. And the second reason is like it - it's likely going to promote socialism / socialists as the counter to a corrupt oligarchy and the oligarchs / Company will be equated with modern day Republicans, Trump, etc. which is precisely the wrong way round.

I can quote the Alien movies in my reply too, bud.

As I said, classicism is there, but it's far in the background. FFS, you could make the argument that the movies are about rape, pregnancy, family, colonialism (Hence the motherfucking COLONIAL Marines), etcetera and etcetera. There's themes that are there but it was never once ever the main theme of the series.

I love ya but don't quote Aliens to rebuke me.

 

[Morethanabitfoolish]

As I said, classicism is there, but it's far in the background. FFS, you could make the argument that the movies are about rape, pregnancy, family, colonialism (Hence the motherfucking COLONIAL Marines), etcetera and etcetera. There's themes that are there but it was never once ever the main theme of the series.

I love ya but don't quote Aliens to rebuke me.

You're both right.
Classicism was always part of the films. But when a remake goes "classicism will be what the new series is about" what they are in fact saying is "we're targeting an audience too stupid to read between the lines for those prior movies but since they scream about destroying capitalism on Twitter they'll watch this" pointing and laughing should occur.

Classicism being a theme present but not blasted non-stop in the older themes does not mean it is still not a massive factor in the events of those earlier films even if it was the background. The film makers of those however recognised that competent story telling and well written films were better than a ham fisted message and demanding people watch because of it rather than the merit of the film itself.

 

[Mullti Port RDRAM]

I'm gonna resurrect this dead horse to point out that there's been a class component in every Alien film:

• In Alien, a Corporation decided the lives of a crewed ship with billions in ore was worthless compared to an alien lifeform that is difficult to obtain.
• In Aliens, a Corporation decided a military force, contractors, and an entire colony was worthless compared to an alien lifeform that is difficult to obtain.
• In Alien 3, a Corporation decided prisoners were worthless compared to an alien lifeform that is difficult to obtain.
• In Alien Resurrection, a corporation decided that letting Joss Whedon write an Alien movie was a good idea.
• In Prometheus, a corporation decided that letting Ridley Scott direct a prequel was a good idea. Also something about chasing immortality to fend off a M&A

I'm not saying it can't be done wrong, but the Alien franchise was more cognizant of class than we realize. Do you think if Noah fucks up this tv series, we're gonna get full share?

Legion turned out great, we shall see where this goes.

 

[XYZpdq]

I'm gonna resurrect this dead horse to point out that there's been a class component in every Alien film:

• In Alien, a Corporation decided the lives of a crewed ship with billions in ore was worthless compared to an alien lifeform that is difficult to obtain.
• In Aliens, a Corporation decided a military force, contractors, and an entire colony was worthless compared to an alien lifeform that is difficult to obtain.
• In Alien 3, a Corporation decided prisoners were worthless compared to an alien lifeform that is difficult to obtain.
• In Alien Resurrection, a corporation decided that letting Joss Whedon write an Alien movie was a good idea.
• In Prometheus, a corporation decided that letting Ridley Scott direct a prequel was a good idea. Also something about chasing immortality to fend off a M&A

I'm not saying it can't be done wrong, but the Alien franchise was more cognizant of class than we realize. Do you think if Noah fucks up this tv series, we're gonna get full share?

Legion turned out great, we shall see where this goes.

yeah the Dark Horse comics ran with this on and off too
there's absolutely ways to watch Alien Franchise through a class lens, but I cannot possibly put any serious hope in CURRENT YEAR to not just have a Xeno with a shitty trump wig or something similarly worthless

 

[DiscoRodeo]

Some dongs are pointing out that classism was a thing in the movies but it was in the background. Far in the background. Barely a thing in Alien, a little more prominent in Aliens and Alien 3 but it was still far in the background. The fact that the show runner is highlighting this element as a main theme is very worrisome.

The thing is, Sci-Fi is best, when it tries to tackle a contemporary political or social issue and either extrapolates it into the future or spoofs it in a creative and interesting way.

Classism might be an interesting idea for social commentary, but it's dubious how that fits into an Alien show (though not impossible) and I simply lack any trust into any producers capability of tackling any social issue in a manner that isn't brain numbingly asinine SJW feel-good-slogans with the political acument of a 12 year old.

Well, it is a good setting for exploring themes of late stage capitalism and corporate greed and all that. I don't know about class though.

Classisim definitely was a thing, Id say, throughout the alien series. You can really see it accented most in Alien and Aliens, but the issue with classism and why I have doubts that it'll be portrayed well in any tv series, is that in the alien series you had a portrayal of a more blue collar workers/freighters in the first alien movie, and in aliens, the contrast was with marine grunts (very blue collar) and to a degree the corporations interests being even more fleshed out and in person.

When people hear classism now, the first thought that they have is towards "omg, the proles are going to rise up, muh communism, muh marxist class conflict", when different classes or working culture has been protrayed very differently. The people of lower class in the alien universe, so far, have been very macho, very crass, very un-PC, and thats why it does work best.

I liked Covenant. Fuck you!

Covernant is where they diverge the most away from class, imo. Almost noone in covenant is blue collar, crass, or anything similar. Its all space and corporate elites in addition to academics traveling through the cosmos. Its one of the major elements the original three alien movies don't lack.

 

[Calandrino]

Somebody said "alien", Noah Hawley thought they said "illegal alien" and started writing

 

[RomanesEuntDomus]

Somebody said "alien", Noah Hawley thought they said "illegal alien" and started writing

At this point, a parody about a xenomorph trying to live as an illegal alien amongst humans might be the best thing to hope for.
I envision an alien wearing a set of groucho marx glasses. Both on its face and on its tiny tonue-mouth.

 

[Jerri's Kid]

At this point, a parody about a xenomorph trying to live as an illegal alien amongst humans might be the best thing to hope for.
I envision an alien wearing a set of groucho marx glasses. Both on its face and on its tiny tonue-mouth.

Like Xentl, with Barbara Streisand as the Xenomorph who sings, "Ripley, Can You Hear Me?" and "The Way Space Makes Me Scream."

 

[Alexander Thaut]

yeah the Dark Horse comics ran with this on and off too
there's absolutely ways to watch Alien Franchise through a class lens, but I cannot possibly put any serious hope in CURRENT YEAR to not just have a Xeno with a shitty trump wig or something similarly worthless

if it's a clusterfuck, the creative team will whine about criticism.

 

[The Valeyard]

Somebody said "alien", Noah Hawley thought they said "illegal alien" and started writing

Speaking of Vasquez, there's a terrible Aliens sequel comic featuring a character who is her nephew.

Also, Hadley's Hope is still standing and there are new Radioactive Xenomorphs who bleed liquid nitrogen.

 

[The-Mad-Asshatter]

I don't have high hopes for this series. The only way I could see this working is if they stayed true to the original premise of the movies, which is the corporations viewing everything that doesn't further their profits as extraneous and expendable. Prometheus and Covenant (as Alien movies) flopped hard at this when Scott tried to go all existential crisis with androids and creationism rather then show a theme that would have fit better: the Company replacing human workers with 'superior' technology and AIs because it can increase profit that way and cut costs. Just like corporations do today, which a lot of people can relate to.

 

[RomanesEuntDomus]

Prometheus and Covenant (as Alien movies) flopped hard at this when Scott tried to go all existential crisis with androids and creationism rather then show a theme that would have fit better: the Company replacing human workers with 'superior' technology and AIs because it can increase profit that way and cut costs. Just like corporations do today, which a lot of people can relate to.

But that would mean to fraternize with current day blue collar workers and they might be -may Karl Marx forgive me for uttering these words- Trump supporters.

 

[FreedomMussel]

The franchise is all sorts of screwed up. Alien 3 undid the previous movie, the prequels ruined continuity, Blomkamp’s revival was canceled, the marvel comics suck (even DH was hit and miss at worst), etc.

I don’t have any hopes for the franchise. I’m gonna make my own scifi horror setting with blackjack and hookers.

 

[BrunoMattei]

Alien: Romulus, directed by Fede Alvarez, starts filming in February

The Alien movie being directed by Fede Alvarez is going by the title Alien: Romulus and starts filming in February.

www.joblo.com

A production listing posted by the Film & Television Industry Alliance has revealed that the Alien film that’s set to be directed by Fede Alvarez (Evil Dead 2013, Don’t Breathe) is going by the working title of Alien: Romulus… and filming is scheduled to begin in Budapest, Hungary on February 6th!

Last month, it was announced that Cailee Spaeny of Pacific Rim: Uprising will star in the film, which is coming to us from Momentum and 20th Century Studios, with Ridley Scott producing through his Scott Free banner. It’s being made for release through the Hulu streaming service, much like the Predator franchise addition Prey that was released earlier this year (and turned out to be one of the more well-received entries in that series).

Very little is known what Alvarez has in store for us with Alien: Romulus. Alvarez will be directing the film from a screenplay he was written with his frequent collaborator Rodo Sayagues. When the project was announced near the start of this year, it was said that Alvarez pitched this idea for a new Alien movie to Ridley Scott years ago. Whatever the idea was, it stuck with Scott. So late last year, he called Alvarez and asked if he still wanted to make an Alien movie. Clearly, the answer was yes. 20th Century Studios division president Steve Asbell told The Hollywood Reporter that they picked up the project “purely off the strength of Fede’s pitch. It was just a really good story with a bunch of characters you haven’t seen before.“

Asbell added that, since the movie is being made for Hulu instead of a theatrical release, “It’s not a film that has to be all things to all people with those gargantuan budgets. They get to be authentically what they are. And this is closer to its genre roots.“

The story Alvarez and Sayagues have crafted for this movie is not connected to the other films in the Alien franchise.

Are you looking forward to Alien: Romulus? Any theories as to why it would be called Romulus? Let us know by leaving a comment below. A lower budgeted, horror-leaning Fede Alvarez Alien movie sounds like exactly the sort of Alien movie I want to see.

So now a movie is happening and they got the guy who did Don't Breathe and the Evil Dead Remake?

I don't know what to think about this.

 

[Screamer_2]

It was just a really good story with a bunch of characters you haven’t seen before.

hmmmmz

 

[The Bovinian Derivative]

A clean slate can be a good thing, I mean we had Ripley clones in Alien 4, not sure where to go from there. You do go to Hungary if you want to shoot cheap, so the comment about the budget could be a red flag.

 

[Ira the Weatherman]

I'm gonna resurrect this dead horse to point out that there's been a class component in every Alien film:

• In Alien, a Corporation decided the lives of a crewed ship with billions in ore was worthless compared to an alien lifeform that is difficult to obtain.
• In Aliens, a Corporation decided a military force, contractors, and an entire colony was worthless compared to an alien lifeform that is difficult to obtain.
• In Alien 3, a Corporation decided prisoners were worthless compared to an alien lifeform that is difficult to obtain.
• In Alien Resurrection, a corporation decided that letting Joss Whedon write an Alien movie was a good idea.
• In Prometheus, a corporation decided that letting Ridley Scott direct a prequel was a good idea. Also something about chasing immortality to fend off a M&A

I'm not saying it can't be done wrong, but the Alien franchise was more cognizant of class than we realize. Do you think if Noah fucks up this tv series, we're gonna get full share?

Legion turned out great, we shall see where this goes.

"There's been a class component in every Alien film!"
>corporation
>corporation
>corporation
>corporation
>corporation

Those two things aren't synonymous. It bugs me that "class conflict/discrimination" in modern speech has become a cartoonish simplification of "richfags vs. poorfags" and all the analogues those entail, when the implications of the terms go far beyond just mere possession of wealth. 1984 had a focus on class dynamics and it was set in a totalitarian Socialist state.

The Weyland-Yutani Corp in the first Alien movies was a vehicle to get the plot moving. Shady megacorp puts characters in dangerous situation with aliens. Cool, got it. That's all it needed to be. There's little exploration of class elements beyond the fact that the protagonists are exploited schlubs and the bad guys are greedy douchebags in business suits, which is just basic screenwriting. Again, that's perfectly fine in this instance because the Alien movies were clearly not intended to be hard-hitting social commentaries, they're (action-)horror flicks.

btw regardless of what class elements existed in the older Alien movies or not, this new show isn't even going to go that far. I'd bet "classism" in this is going to be a handful of cartoonishly evil white individuals in suits becoming the focus of the audience's ire. Even "corporation bad" is likely too fucking edgy for them. They aren't going to depict a nebulous and monolithic corporate entity with a callous disregard for humanity in its search for never-ending profits, probably because it hits a little too close to home.

 

[Overly Serious]

btw regardless of what class elements existed in the older Alien movies or not, this new show isn't even going to go that far. I'd bet "classism" in this is going to be a handful of cartoonishly evil white individuals in suits becoming the focus of the audience's ire. Even "corporation bad" is likely too fucking edgy for them. They aren't going to depict a nebulous and monolithic corporate entity with a callous disregard for humanity in its search for never-ending profits, probably because it hits a little too close to home.

Actual classism is anathema to the powers that be and I think we all know why. They're happy for people to argue about race, sexual orientation, language use, disability. Anything that divides people. But try to raise something that unites people like income or employment rights and the silence is deafening. Same way Occupy collapsed shortly in a slew of identity politics. (Deliberately). At the Battle of Blair Mountain, White and Black people bled the same colour when the sheriffs shot them.

I agree with you that Corporatocracy and its themes isn't the same as classism. A corporation can be meritocratic. But I disagree with your conclusion that the presence of the Weyland-Yutani corporation means classism isn't a strong component of the films. On the same principle that whilst all answers are replies, not all replies are answers. It doesn't mean that the films are about classicism, but it also doesn't mean they aren't. One of the consistent things in the aliens movies is that the identities of the main characters aren't based around modern idpol but that they're all unified by being working class (Burke the exception that proves the rule and not counting the Prometheus/Covenant academics as @DiscoRodeo puts very well - these are the movies that branched away from thjat). The movies are very blue collar. Right down to the style of Sci-Fi we see. Both Star Trek and Alien have artificial gravity in the setting but if I asked you which movie was "blue collar" you would not be able to pretend you didn't know.

I think classism is present in the (original) Alien movies in the same way that Space is, or FTL. It's not referenced explicitly but it doesn't need to be. Take away the working class background of the characters and the events and the movie simply wouldn't work the same way. If Parker goes down to the planet because it a bold step for mankind and science, it's suddenly a very different movie than if he goes down because of "forfeiture of all shares". Ditto in the second one if Burke's motivation is switched. I mean, without that little speech to Ripley about: "You know I thought you'd be smarter than this. Now nobody gets a share...", the whole movie would hang very differently.

I kind of agree with you that what they probably mean about "classism" is modern identity politics. But time will tell.

 

[Wesker]

I don't know what to think about this.

Just keep this in mind. This franchise has hit a creative dead end like Terminator and Predator for 30 years now, and it's not getting better.

 

[BrunoMattei]

Just keep this in mind. This franchise has hit a creative dead end like Terminator and Predator for 30 years now, and it's not getting better.

I like Alien 3 (Assembly Cut) and Covenant! Fuck you.