Many movie lovers struggle when asked what their favorite films of all time are, but not me. My answer has been and always will be "Aliens." I'm not saying that it's the very best movie ever created, but it's certainly the one that most inspired me as a fan of what the movie medium can achieve. It should therefore come as no shock that the "Alien" franchise at large is unquestionably my favorite franchise in cinema history.
I love Ellen Ripley. Sigourney Weaver holds a special place in my heart for bringing one of the most courageous, cunning and capable heroines out there to the big screen, owing no small thanks to both Ridley Scott ("Alien" director) and James Cameron ("Aliens" director). Indeed, while Scott's contributions to the "Alien" universe are enormous -- after all, he literally invented the wheel in this case -- it's the realization of Ripley that was the secret ingredient in both "Alien" and "Aliens."
It is the very success of Ripley as a character that I hope Scott will avoid when he takes on the untitled "Alien" prequel. Even though I'm enjoying Sohyung Kang's and Jenni Miller's excellent Photoshop work and commentary this week, even if they are countering my opinion, but it strikes me as weak storytelling for Scott to try and reinvent the Ripley wheel. Really, it's the reliance on Ripley that made "Alien 3" and "Alien Resurrection" so very flawed. Her story was done after "Aliens," but nobody at Fox seemed to get the memo.
The "Alien" franchise isn't about any one character -- it shouldn't be, anyway. It's about the slick, stealthy monsters with two sets of jaws that lurk in the walls; creatures born of nightmare (and H.R. Giger) that sport acid for blood; a species that will eviscerate anyone that poses a threat, children included. "Alien" produced one of the single greatest horror icons in the history in fiction, and that needs to be the primary focus of Scott's return to the franchise.
After DOA efforts like "Alien vs. Predator" and its sadly misguided sequel, how does Scott make the Alien species scary again? Nothing will ever mimic the sheer terror of Kane, thought to be choking on dinner, birthing a blood-spattered baby Alien by way of his ribcage -- but how can Scott get close to that drama? How can he get back to the horror?
The first thing Scott needs to do is easy enough: he needs to focus. When he's finished with "Robin Hood," Scott has to be very thoughtful about his next film. Personally, I'd love for him to explore "Brave New World" next, then bring the sensibilities of that dystopian science fiction universe to a new "Alien" project. Scott could stand to brush up his sci-fi chops after all these years, and "Brave New World" is the perfect project to cut his teeth on again.
When that's done, I'd suggest he look at the Robert Rodriguez-produced "Predators." What did Rodriguez and director Nimrod Antal achieve with their reboot? How did they reinvent the wheel? What went right, what went wrong? Like it or not, "Predator" is a direct relative of the "Alien" property; the success or failure of "Predators" is just as important to that series as Scott's reinterpretation of "Alien" will be to what is widely considered to be a limp franchise. It will make a good reference point for Scott to consider.
Since his heart is set on making a prequel to "Alien," one which presumably focuses on a separate alien species antagonized by the acid-bleeders, Scott should pay close attention to "Avatar." If all goes well, Cameron himself will have reinvented the wheel on how to make extraterrestrial lifeforms visually and emotionally compelling for viewers. Just as Cameron built upon the world of Ridley Scott's "Alien," so too could Scott find inspiration in the framework of "Avatar."
My appeal to Ridley Scott is this: concentrate on what made "Alien" so terrifying in the first place. We don't need another Ellen Ripley; she's perfect just the way she is... well, she would be if we could cap her off after "Aliens," but that's an opinion piece of a different stripe. Instead, think about how to give nightmares to a new generation of "Alien" worshippers. This series hasn't been scary in years -- you're in a position to do something about that.
Get creative, man. Get crazy, but be thoughtful. "Alien" is an important franchise to a lot of people, myself included. Give us the home run you're capable of -- the home run we need.
And whatever you do... do not make "Monopoly" first.
How should Ridley Scott go about making the new "Alien" film? Give your suggestions in the comments section or upload a video message to us at Your MTV! Just make sure to tag it "Ridley Scott Alien prequel opinions."
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