86 june 8, 2012 | the boston phoenix | Thephoenix.com
Alien metamorphoses A genetic analysis of the alien franchise _By P e t er K e o u g h
Film
Alien [1979]
Aliens [1986]
Alien 3 [1992]
D: Ridley Scott
D: James Cameron
D: David Fincher
Alien: Resurrection [1997]
Prometheus [2012]
Cargo vessel investigates unknown signal; leaves with extra passenger.
Returned to civilization, Ripley helps investigate what happened to the colony on Acheron.
Ripley crashlands on a penal colony planet with a bun in the oven.
D: Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Ripley and alien DNA merges; goes on killing spree.
Who are we? Where did we come from? Where are we going? What the fuck is that? Why are we doing this again?
Genre
Horror
War
Medieval allegory
Buddy movie
All of them
Times & Places
F2122 FUSCSS Nostromo (named for treacherous title character of a Joseph Conrad novel); Uninhabited planet LV-426; Shuttle Narcissus
F2179 FUSS Sulaco (probably named after the mining town in Conrad’s Nostromo); Acheron (named after the “river of pain” in Greek mythology
F2179 FPlanet Fiorina 161, aka “Fury”
F2381 FUSM Auriga, owned by Wal-Mart, which bought out Weyland-Yutani in 2340 FThe Betty, unregisterated pirate vessel
F2089 FIsland of Skye FPrometheus, research vessel owned by Weyland Coporation FMoon LV-223
Ripley Effect
Rookie hero learning on the job
57 years asleep in a cryo tank leaves a bad taste in her mouth
Virgin birth ... and Second Coming
With alien powers, ready to try out for for The Avengers
Just a glint in Ridley Scott’s eye
Robotic Behavior
Science officer makes an Ash of himself
Bishop shows that not all robots are defective — some are defectors
“If I’m not top of the line, I’d prefer to be nothing.”
Even robots got religion
Michael Fassbender is even prettier than Peter O’Toole
Endangered Innocent
Jones, the cat
Newt, traumatized orphan and scrappy little survivor
Ripley’s daughter?
Ripley’s grandchild?
The human race?
Alienating image
The worst case of reflux ever
French-kissed by a xenomorph
A chest cracked open like a lobster during an autopsy
Brad Dourif’s ponytail
The logical outcome of anti-abortion legislation
Quote
“You are my lucky star.”
“Get away from her, you bitch!”
“This whole planet is a basement.”
“Must be a chick thing.”
“Imagine how disappointed you would be to hear that from your maker.”
Anti-Alien tactics
FHome-made blow-torches and cattleprods
FSend in the Marines! FSuction
FMeat cleavers FRunning away FMolten lead
FContraband weapons and terrorist tactics FSuction
FSelf-medication FDumb questions FUsing your head
Alien influences
F2001 FStar Wars FHalloween FDark Star FHieronymous Bosch FMcHales Navy
FRambo FPlatoon FThe Warriors FThem! FHogan’s Heroes
FWaiting for Godot FDay of Wrath FThe Seventh Seal FMonty Python and the Holy Grail
FFrankenstein FThe Fly FFirefly
FLawrence of Arabia F2001 FThe Mummy FThe Odd Couple FThe Books of Genesis and Revelation
Real-world events
FShah of Iran deposed FAyatollah holds American hostages in Teheran FSoviet Invasion of Afghanistan Fhree Mile Island FFirst American case of AIDS
FIran-Contra scandal FChallenger explosion FPlatoon wins Best Picture Oscar
FClinton elected for first term FWar in Bosnia FJohn Paul II pardons Galileo FPresident Bush (elder) vomits on Chinese premiere
FTimothy McVeigh sentenced to death FTitanic wins Best Picture Oscar FClinton starts second term FClinton bars funding for human cloning
Take your pick.
Real-world enemy aliens
FAyatollah FSoviet aggression F AIDS
FWall Street FCIA FMilitary Industrial Complex
FWomen FDead cattle FTechnology FReason FLife
FMotherhood FScience FThe Federal government FThe Alien franchise
FCorporations FNon-believers FBig white guys
FAlienation of labor FEuthanasia FDarwinism
FCapitalism vs. Socialism FFeminism FReproductive rights
FRape FMisogyny FAbortion FFundamentalism FThe Apocalypse
FPatriarchy FTerrorism FRevolution FIdentity FHumanity
FAll those from the pevious films . . . in 3D
Alien concept
D: Ridley Scott