I’ll present my detailed, spoiler-filled review of Ridley Scott’s Prometheus (2012) one week from today, here on the blog (so see it before then; twice if you can…).
While watching the new film, keep in mind this matrix, and see how many categories Prometheus fulfills. This may be one manner of judging how much of an Alien “prequel” the Ridley Scott film really is. Does it live or die by the conventions of the established series, or does it feature new tropes and ideas?
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Title
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Alien (1979)
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Aliens (1986)
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Alien3 (1992)
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Alien Resurrection (1997)
|
|
Android
|
Ash
|
Bishop
|
Bishop
|
Call
|
|
Company Man
|
Ash
|
Burke
|
85, Bishop
|
No
|
|
Comic Relief
|
Parker, Brett
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Hudson
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Morse, 85
|
Perez
|
|
In awe of the alien
|
Ash
|
Bishop
|
Golic
|
Gediman
|
|
Joseph Conrad
|
Nostromo
Narcissus
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Sulaco
|
Sulaco
|
No
|
|
Pregnancy/Gestation
|
Kane
|
Colonists
|
Ripley.
Dog.
|
Alien Queen
Purvis
|
|
Self-Sacrifice
|
No
|
Gorman
Vasquez
|
Dillon
Ripley
|
Christie
Purvis
|
|
Failed Mission
|
Dallas in the
vents trying to
flush out alien
|
First engagement
with aliens in
sub-level 3
|
Prisoners attempt
to entrap alien
|
Military attempts
to breed and control
aliens as bio weapon.
|
|
Ship/Facility Destroyed
|
Nostromo
|
LV-426 Colony
|
Evacuation pod
|
Auriga
|
|
New Alien Life Form
|
Space jockey
Egg
Facehugger
Chestburster
Adult alien
|
Queen Alien
|
Dog Alien
|
Newborn
|
|
Surprise Death/Attack
|
Kane chest-bursted.
Alpha-male Dallas killed
half-way through.
Ash decapitated.
|
Bishop pulped
by Queen
on Sulaco.
|
Andrews dragged
through Cafeteria ceiling
|
No
|
John Kenneth Muir 