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I don't think we have anything but circumstantial evidence that xenomorphs can even see.

The last time I saw Aliens (three weeks ago), it was the '91 special edition cut and there was definitely not a scene with Bishop being spotted by an Alien. I'll look for it in the theatrical edition when I get the Anthology set back from my dad, who is currently borrowing them.

Ahtman wrote:

Manchu wrote:When do they ignore him? Did he go into the nest? I thought he was driving. In Hive World, IIRC, the xenomorphs ignore the Colonial Marines (who are actually synthetics) until they start to threaten the nest.

When he is heading to array through the tunnel an alien sticks it head in the tube, then just goes about its business. Putting both instances together they ignore synthetics unless they see them as a threat, but will go after humans for pretty much any reason. It also shows that they don't go by site alone as they can tell the difference even when people cannot.

Thats not in the movie Aliens however. It wasn't in the Director's cut I have either. That was the novelization.

Frazzled wrote:

Ahtman wrote:

Manchu wrote:When do they ignore him? Did he go into the nest? I thought he was driving. In Hive World, IIRC, the xenomorphs ignore the Colonial Marines (who are actually synthetics) until they start to threaten the nest.

When he is heading to array through the tunnel an alien sticks it head in the tube, then just goes about its business. Putting both instances together they ignore synthetics unless they see them as a threat, but will go after humans for pretty much any reason. It also shows that they don't go by site alone as they can tell the difference even when people cannot.

Thats not in the movie Aliens however. It wasn't in the Director's cut I have either. That was the novelization.

It has been awhile since I watched Aliens and even longer since I read the novelization, so I wouldn't be surprised if I mashed them together. I wonder if it was in the original script but got cut.

Probably so, as often the novelizations are from versions of the script.

The novelization of Alien has the scene where Ripley runs into Dallas and the other guy (with the other guypartially turned into a new egg launcher thing..ichy!!!), which is in the Director's Cut.

It stands to reason that a synthetic like Ash or Bishop would register differently than a human being but the main problem is we don't know how the xenomorphs perceive anything. Taste, touch, smell, sight, hearing -- we have no idea to what extent if any they possess these senses. The idea that the xenomorphs would ignore synthetics says more about human anxiety regarding the uniqueness/irreplaceability of human life than it does about the xenomorphs -- who are after all a fictional race embodying other aspects of human self-reflection.

Manchu wrote:
You know, it just hit me. If an xenomorph does kill the space jockey, and the space jockey was on its way to destroy Earth, doesn't that mean that a xenomorph helped save the Earth?

That is a really cool idea...but I doubt that that is the space jockey we'll see in Prometheus. I don't know I'm expecting them to just be of the same species but unrelated or different individuals. I still don't expect it to have that much to do with Alien.

I'd probably guess that the Alien perceives it's world through smell/taste, auditory, electromagnetic, air pressure, heat, vibrations.

I'd imagine it doesn't have eyes as they would be its most vulnerable spot especially if it needs to bring prey close to its face.

You can't really compare it to apex predators as the Alien is specifically designed (or at least that's what is guessed at)

Medium of Death wrote:You can't really compare it to apex predators as the Alien is specifically designed (or at least that's what is guessed at)

Well, it's generally also suggested that it was basically designed as an apex predator.

Manchu wrote:

Medium of Death wrote:You can't really compare it to apex predators as the Alien is specifically designed (or at least that's what is guessed at)

Well, it's generally also suggested that it was basically designed as an apex predator.

What if were designed to be an Aphex Twin?

Ahtman wrote:What if were designed to be an Aphex Twin?

Then we'd all get wiped out.

Best I could do.


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Mr Hyena wrote:Unsure if this has been linked in the thread yet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba_nCvYnr7Q&feature=youtu.be

Finally got around to watching this. Seems to hint that xenomorphs are in the movie. See Rolling Stones metaphor @2:01.

imark789 wrote:

Manchu wrote:
You know, it just hit me. If an xenomorph does kill the space jockey, and the space jockey was on its way to destroy Earth, doesn't that mean that a xenomorph helped save the Earth?

That is a really cool idea...but I doubt that that is the space jockey we'll see in Prometheus. I don't know I'm expecting them to just be of the same species but unrelated or different individuals. I still don't expect it to have that much to do with Alien.

I actually hope they are tied together. Obviously at this point, It seems they are. Perhaps only revealing the mystery/background of the Space Jockey.

Manchu wrote:

Hulksmash wrote:I vaguely remember those books if they are the first 3 alien novels. Somehow Ripley ended up in them too.....but I don't remember the space jockey bit. Granted it's probably been a decade since I read those books.

The Ripley in the Perrys' trilogy turns out to be a synthetic. How or why this is the case is not explained at all.

Sidenote the novels for AvP were much better than the movie concept since it took place.....well in the future so it tied in with the aliens unlike the AvP movies.

Yeah, I love those. Machiko FTW! The Perrys actually wrote the first book, Prey.

They need to make AVP movie of that, because I have the comic and I have NO IDEA what im reading lol....

Byte wrote:
I actually hope they are tied together. Obviously at this point, It seems they are. Perhaps only revealing the mystery/background of the Space Jockey.

Theyre tied together in that they are from the same universe, and obviously were dealing with the same species of the space jockys, (jockies?) but it won't lead directly into Alien.

Finally got around to watching this. Seems to hint that xenomorphs are in the movie. See Rolling Stones metaphor @2:01.

If so, then don't expect facehuggers or chestbusters according to the video.

They need to make AVP movie of that, because I have the comic and I have NO IDEA what im reading lol....

Even the AVP comics/books were bad though.

imark789 wrote:

Byte wrote:
I actually hope they are tied together. Obviously at this point, It seems they are. Perhaps only revealing the mystery/background of the Space Jockey.

Theyre tied together in that they are from the same universe, and obviously were dealing with the same species of the space jockys, (jockies?) but it won't lead directly into Alien.

Pretty sure thats what I said.

Mr Hyena wrote:Even the AVP comics/books were bad though.

I disagree regarding the books -- or at least the first book.

killykavekommando wrote:I don't give a crap what the movie is about. If Ridley Scott directed it, it's worth seeing.

So you're a massive fan of Robin Hood, Body of Lies, American Gangster, A Good Year, Kingdom of Heaven and Matchstick Men?

Because that's his last six movies, and I'd be really surprised if anyone out there would claim that's a particularly impressive list.



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Manchu wrote:That was me and I expect progress on that front, mister.

It's getting to the point with the wedding where my primary duty is to get out of the damn way, so I should be able to watch in the next few weeks. Honest.

sebster wrote:

killykavekommando wrote:I don't give a crap what the movie is about. If Ridley Scott directed it, it's worth seeing.

So you're a massive fan of Robin Hood, Body of Lies, American Gangster, A Good Year, Kingdom of Heaven and Matchstick Men?

Because that's his last six movies, and I'd be really surprised if anyone out there would claim that's a particularly impressive list.

I actually liked Kingdom of Heaven. That lead actress is so hot. You know the one that was in the LoTR movies...

So am I the only one wishing tomorrow was opening day for Prometheus already?

I seriously haven't been this excited about seeing a new movie in sometime.

imark789 wrote:I'm expecting it to be the kind of thing where only fans of the original Alien will recognize it as an Alien Prequel. If you've only seen Alien once, and it was years back, would you recognize the space jockeys and derelict ship again? Probably not, they barely make an appearance in Alien. I doubt there are going to be any more striking similarities.

I think you're probably underestimating the impact Alien has had among nerd circles. Almost everyone my age that I know would recognise the Space Jockey, though probably a lot less would recognise the derelict space craft.


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Ahtman wrote:It has been awhile since I watched Aliens and even longer since I read the novelization, so I wouldn't be surprised if I mashed them together. I wonder if it was in the original script but got cut.

Makes sense. That's the part of the film where the pacing is getting tighter and tighter, I could see the decision being made when they were building the storyboards that it was unecessary detail. If it had been shot but cut from editing then I suspect we would have seen it in one special edit or another.


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Manchu wrote:It stands to reason that a synthetic like Ash or Bishop would register differently than a human being but the main problem is we don't know how the xenomorphs perceive anything. Taste, touch, smell, sight, hearing -- we have no idea to what extent if any they possess these senses. The idea that the xenomorphs would ignore synthetics says more about human anxiety regarding the uniqueness/irreplaceability of human life than it does about the xenomorphs -- who are after all a fictional race embodying other aspects of human self-reflection.

I think it says a fair bit about human perception, that when making synethetic people we build a robot that can trick our senses into believing it is human, but to any other species they might perceive it so differently that it wouldn't even occur to them that's what we were trying to do.

sebster wrote:
I think you're probably underestimating the impact Alien has had among nerd circles. Almost everyone my age that I know would recognise the Space Jockey, though probably a lot less would recognise the derelict space craft.

Well yes, nerd circles and fans are one thing, but consider the average moviegoer who saw the movie once or not at all. There's nothing blatantly obvious showing it is technically an Alien prequel. It isn't titled Aliens: The Beginning, there won't be the same memorable xenomorph, Sigourney Weaver isn't in it, etc etc etc...

alarmingrick wrote:I actually liked Kingdom of Heaven. That lead actress is so hot. You know the one that was in the LoTR movies...

So am I the only one wishing tomorrow was opening day for Prometheus already?

I seriously haven't been this excited about seeing a new movie in sometime.

I'm not really excited as much as just plain nervous. I mean, it's Ridley Scott returning to Alien... but then again it's post Blackhawk Down Ridley Scott and that guy has made some really flashy, but ultimately pretty damn crap movies. So I was interested but not hopeful, and then I saw the previews and thought they looked really good. So now I'm just nervous, and really hoping this'll be good, and we'll finally get a third decent movie out of the Alien franchise.

imark789 wrote:

sebster wrote:
I think you're probably underestimating the impact Alien has had among nerd circles. Almost everyone my age that I know would recognise the Space Jockey, though probably a lot less would recognise the derelict space craft.

Well yes, nerd circles and fans are one thing, but consider the average moviegoer who saw the movie once or not at all. There's nothing blatantly obvious showing it is technically an Alien prequel. It isn't titled Aliens: The Beginning, there won't be the same memorable xenomorph, Sigourney Weaver isn't in it, etc etc etc...

I'm pretty sure that's the whole marketing approach. To not "alienate"(hehe) those not familiar with the story line. I hear it all the time from my wife. She'll watch sci fi prequals, but never the older stuff, i.e. the newer Star Trek, Rise of the Apes, and so on.

See, the way I see it is it's more Ridley Scott is aiming for something bigger and better than a mere prequel. It isn't going to be a movie that relies on cheap exposition of Alien's backstory and revealing the things us fans have wondered about for years, but more will deal with it's own themes and explore a completely new area of the universe.

That's what I'm anticipating and hoping for, at least.

imark789 wrote:Well yes, nerd circles and fans are one thing, but consider the average moviegoer who saw the movie once or not at all. There's nothing blatantly obvious showing it is technically an Alien prequel. It isn't titled Aliens: The Beginning, there won't be the same memorable xenomorph, Sigourney Weaver isn't in it, etc etc etc...

But, again, I think people are understanding how massive diffused the alien mythology is. Probably most people don't know the term 'Weyland Yutani' or what LV-426 is, and they mightn't even know the term 'space jockey', but when they see that chair in that room they know what it means.

Think of it this way, a film like this is going to find it's core audience among boy 18-35, give or take. Out of all the boy 18-35 that you know, how many wouldn't recognise that room?

sebster wrote:

killykavekommando wrote:I don't give a crap what the movie is about. If Ridley Scott directed it, it's worth seeing.

So you're a massive fan of Robin Hood, Body of Lies, American Gangster, A Good Year, Kingdom of Heaven and Matchstick Men?

Because that's his last six movies, and I'd be really surprised if anyone out there would claim that's a particularly impressive list.



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Manchu wrote:That was me and I expect progress on that front, mister.

It's getting to the point with the wedding where my primary duty is to get out of the damn way, so I should be able to watch in the next few weeks. Honest.

American Gangster received really good reviews.

American Gangster, Robin Hood, and Kingdom Of Heaven--while not being cinematic revolutions--were certainly not "bad" films in my opinion.

Frazzled wrote:American Gangster received really good reviews.

It was completely pointless. Slickly produced, good performances from the two leads, but without anything interesting to say about the drug trade that 50 movies before it hadn't already said.


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Kanluwen wrote:American Gangster, Robin Hood, and Kingdom Of Heaven--while not being cinematic revolutions--were certainly not "bad" films in my opinion.

Really? They were all technically very accomplished, particularly Kingdom of Heaven which just looked amazing, and told their stories without any major plotholes, but were ultimately completely forgettable.

Maybe that doesn't make them bad movies, but I don't think anyone here would be happy if that's all we got out of Prometheus.

sebster wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:American Gangster, Robin Hood, and Kingdom Of Heaven--while not being cinematic revolutions--were certainly not "bad" films in my opinion.

Really? They were all technically very accomplished, particularly Kingdom of Heaven which just looked amazing, and told their stories without any major plotholes, but were ultimately completely forgettable.

Maybe that doesn't make them bad movies, but I don't think anyone here would be happy if that's all we got out of Prometheus.

Yeah, it would be a disappointment if Prometheus was just a "pretty flick". Kingdom of Heaven was--well, in my own opinion it still is--a really good looking movie...but like you said, it was "completely forgettable".

I have a strong feeling that the movie title "Prometheus" refers not to the spacecraft of the same name, but to the Prometheus Project (aka Project Prometheus) that I have seen referenced in one or two places, and in Weyland's speech. In fact, that is more or less a given. The bit that interests me is what Project Prometheus is. I suspect it is closely related to the creation of Artificial People, although I admit I have not done a whole lot of research yet. I have a feeling that whilst the other movies hinted at AI being bad, this one will make it explicit, and the bulk of humanity will never even find out whatever it is that the AI does in the film, thus meaning there are still AIs later. I think the AI angle might turn out to be as important as the Space Jockey angle, which is clearly fairly central.


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Project Prometheus Underway

Based on recent classified findings by Weyland researchers, the company determines the exact coordinates of a new destination for long-time pet project: Project Prometheus. New round of investment is immediately opened and mission planning enters full-swing.
January 1, 2073

Weyland revives JIMO

Using capital from his 2015 success, Weyland acquires copyrights to technology developed by NASA’s innovative but poorly funded Project Prometheus. With Weyland’s significantly augmented funding for the project, JIMO became a reality and proves the existence of simple life in Europa’s ocean.
December 19, 2017

That is the only stuff on the Weyland Industries website...

I guess the ship Prometheus is so named because it is taking the project to its new home...

Kanluwen wrote:Kingdom of Heaven was--well, in my own opinion it still is--a really good looking movie...but like you said, it was "completely forgettable".

I disagree. I think of it quite a bit and find it increasingly charming with every viewing.