Top 5 Things About Prometheus
Planet of the Vampires (1965)
5. Its Ties to the Alien Franchise
Prometheus strikes the perfect balance between prequel and stand alone film. It throws up enough references and links so that it enriches the first Alien film and so that Alien fans have a deeper connection to this film, but having seen any of the Alien films is by no means a prerequisite. This means it can piggy-back Alien‘s rich mythology and play around in its established universe without fear of breaking that expensive vase in the corner, or knocking over that fragile heirloom.
4. Pre Title-Credit Scene
This stands alone as a great short film, and is also a wonderful precursor when viewed in context of the whole film even though it’s never really explained completely. When seen as an opening scene to the film, it works as a way to set the mood and raise certain questions most of which the film does answer.
3. Body Horror
Many of the scenes of horror were felt similar to stuff like The Thing, Society, Leviathan or a David Cronenberg film. The idea of the threat coming from within you, is a very visceral and real fear, with all the new flus and diseases we’re constantly told about.
Planeta Bur (1962)
2. Main Musical Theme
Very reminiscent of Star Trek, Superman The Movie and early ’50s sci-fi, the main theme really lends the film an intellectual and exploratory atmosphere; a sense of awe and wonder at the universe and ‘mans’ place within it. This theme is repeated a couple of times, but mostly the score is more industrial atmospheric stuff which I also liked, but not nearly as much as the song below. It’s the kind of piece of music that would prefer Silent Running over Star Wars: A New Hope. Now that’s my kind of music.
1. Space Suits and Dune Buggies
Coming straight out of Planet of the Vampires (watch this space for my Mario Bava primer) and Planeta Bur, the style and design of the space suits and dune buggies, and to a lesser extent the ship, is wonderful. Influenced by ’60s, ’70s and ’80s sci-fi, while still feeling modern and lived in (something the original Alien did so well).
All in all this films has it’s references in the right place and doesn’t flaunt them; it’s ambitious and spectacular. Even if there are a number of unanswered questions (which I really hope they address is the sequel [which is most probably going to be made, right?]) and perhaps runs a little long, that’s but a mere blemish on what otherwise is a very impressive piece of modern blockbuster sci-fi filmmaking.
4/5
David.C.Carter
David Valkenet
Scott Tuccori
Alexei MacKenzie
Maxine Firbas
Michael Atoms
David McGorlick
Robbie Smith
Very interesting, well done
Check out my theory
http://stippidoo.wordpress.com/2012/06/05/prometheus-film-studios-,-do-not-make-movies-on-straight-lines/
I like your theory, though I can definitely see why people didn’t like it beyond the atheism. I think many of the questions the film raises are not answered, and the ending felt as if it was Part 1 of a 2 part film, but like I said earlier, it’s a minor blemish.
It’s nice to see a modern action sci-fi film with reverence and respect for the films that came before it.
Also, as a side note (as you can see in an earlier post on this blog) I was one of the 1% who really did not like The Avengers. Prometheus was much more up my alley.
Great article, cannot wait to see it!
Thanks! Let me know what you think after you watch it.
Just saw this at the imax theatre. Now, this film was great, but the film that follows this will be so much better (providing they make another one). Long before this film came out or the word Prometheus was even mentioned as it’s title, I had the chance to read several scripts for what was titled “Alien Prequel”. What happens in the last third of this film was almost word for word of the end of one of the scripts. This leads me to believe that what was set to happen at the end of this film is going to be what happens in that very same script, which means the next film will be fantastic but have some pretty strange and homoerotic scenes. Fun.
I just came from the theatre from seeing it a second time. Flaws are there, sure, but seriously this is a good movie. How was the IMAX experience? Was this filmed for IMAX?
I can’t wait for the next film and I really hope they make another one. Ridley Scott said that this film would be one of at least three that link it to the original Alien. Homoeroticism is great.
It was great in IMAX, I’m not sure if it was exactly made for IMAX, but there were a couple of times where it felt like the screen was altering for IMAX (during an exploring scene and an action scene) however, I’m not sure if it was better seeing it at IMAX, in fact I’ve already agreed to go again to see it at a regular cinema to see if it’s much different. Great film, only CGI I thought was bad was the autopsy scene. The script I read that this movie relates to was split into two parts, so maybe he split it into three, Prometheus being a last minute decision, since the end of this is the first part of the first script. The female character wasn’t in ther script though, it was two guys and they get-actually I’m going to stop here before I ruin it for you.
Hmmm, if it wasn’t shot for IMAX I may give it a miss. I’ll watch it in 3D for my third viewing in traditional cinema. The CGI I think was fine, especially when the alternative would have been not to have the scene at all.
Something I picked up on second viewing was that David8′s fingerprints had the Weyland logo imprinted on them.
I was talking to Rhia about that before we went to bed last night, thought it was a cool touch. Did you find that when Charlie turns into the alien thing he looked a little like John Travolta in Battlefield: Earth?
Yeah, totally! I didn’t make the link until you just said it. Spot on though.
I was a bit confused as to why he turned into a zombie creature.
Further speculation tells me that it was actually the Scottish bloke that was zombified.
Yeah, sorry I meant Fifield. Why does he turn into a zombie when the other guy doesn’t? They were both exposed to the alien and if anything the other guy had one of the snake aliens ram down his throat.