Mike Williamson Posted November 23, 2004 Share Posted November 23, 2004 I've been watching the latest DVD version of "Alien" a lot recently, which has a lot of great extras and so forth about the film's production, but I'm wondering if anybody knows of any articles or books looking at the film's production. Did AC ever cover it? Any good books about Ridley Scott that deal with it? Any info appreciated, thanks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member David Mullen ASC Posted November 23, 2004 Premium Member Share Posted November 23, 2004 "Alien" was covered in the August 1979 American Cinematographer issue. Between that, the DVD extras, and "The Book of Alien", you've got about all the info about the production. I wish there were more, like what Panavision lenses were used, how Scott came to choose anamorphic considering he hadn't used it before, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Williamson Posted November 23, 2004 Author Share Posted November 23, 2004 Thanks, David, I'll see if I can pull the AC article from my library's microfiche. Thanks also to you and Tim Partridge for the David Watkin film recommendations, I've been slowly going through his work, just watched "Marat Sade" and I've got both Musketeers films up next, also going through some Jeffrey Kimball films too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member David Mullen ASC Posted November 23, 2004 Premium Member Share Posted November 23, 2004 Obviously, if you are studying "Alien", you should watch Scott's previous film "The Duellists" (shot by Frank Tidy) as well as Derek VanLint's next film as a DP, "Dragonslayer." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fstop Posted November 24, 2004 Share Posted November 24, 2004 The AC article is great- I'd also check out the Don Shay Cinefex article which is reprinted quite often. There's a lot about the production there. The late Denys Ayling deserves considerable praise for his miniature photography. I haven't heard much of the DVD extras although I enjoyed Scott's commentary on the original release. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member David Mullen ASC Posted November 24, 2004 Premium Member Share Posted November 24, 2004 The coolest thing on the extras are the screen tests of Signorney Weaver, shot in 35mm anamorphic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon lawrence Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 I'm in the same boat as the original poster. I have to do a presentation on the lighting in Alien. I've searched through the librarie's back issues of AC and the August 1979 issues was missing (I'm guessing I'm not the first person who has had to do this). Anyway, I was wondering if someone could give me a little bit of info i.e film stock used, filtration, lighting etc. Any help would be very much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Alex Ellerman Posted November 29, 2007 Premium Member Share Posted November 29, 2007 You might find it useful to compare it with "Dark Star." it's a comical version of Alien that O'Bannon wrote/starred in? apparently drew some inspiration from the celebrated sci-fi story "Who Goes There," which had previously inspired "The Thing from Outer Space." Obviously, O'Bannon went on to make Alien, but it's interesting to note that Carpenter went on to (re)make "The Thing." IMDB summary Dark Star: Low-budget story of four astronauts in deep space, whose mission is to destroy unstable planets in star systems which are to be colonised. The late Commander Powell is stored in deep freeze, where he is still able to offer advice. As their mission nears completion, they must cope with a runaway alien which resembles a beach-ball, faulty computer systems, and a "smart bomb" who thinks it is God. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Holland Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 It was also Derek Vanlints first journey into anamorphic two cameras at all times one operated my Vanlint other by Scott the A camera with focus by Adrian Biddle ,stock 5274 not certain about lens but must have been C s or E s would tend to go for the E s my self as a guess pretty good effort for first time shooters of anamorphic . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Max Jacoby Posted November 29, 2007 Premium Member Share Posted November 29, 2007 I don't think Es were released yet in the late 70s, according to my sources they only came out around 1990. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Holland Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Max if that is the case them Super Speeds then . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K Borowski Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 The coolest thing on the extras are the screen tests of Signorney Weaver, shot in 35mm anamorphic. If you can listen closely, you can hear someone faintly whistling "We're in the Money" in the backround. Another theory as to why this was is so they could get the hang of anamorphic before they started shooting the movie ;) On a more serious note, I have always wondered if they shot the effects for this film in 65mm or used anamorphic as well; it's been a while but I seem to remember anamorphic lens flare on the FX shots, but could have sworn that there was just as strong a bias against non-spherical lenses in those days as there is today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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