Prometheus

[Bob Lovecraft]

Yeah, we may want to steer this conversation away from religion at this point. Too many people get up in arms when we all start tossing our hats into the ring on this issue. Besides, the movie is almost upon us, and I for one, am going to stop reading this thread until I see it for myself. [insert fan-boy squeal now]

Bob

[T. Kelly Lee]

Yeah, we may want to steer this conversation away from religion at this point. Too many people get up in arms when we all start tossing our hats into the ring on this issue. Besides, the movie is almost upon us, and I for one, am going to stop reading this thread until I see it for myself. [insert fan-boy squeal now]

Bob

Yeah, I aways forget that people take this stuff seriously.  You're correct. 

[Eric Lofgren]

On topic; I get that the ancient astronaut idea is certainly compelling. But someone of Ridley Scott's stature endorsing it seems really strange to me. Has it picked up cache lately while I wasn't looking?

And where's old book? He needs to chime in on this at this point

[T. Kelly Lee]

On topic; I get that the ancient astronaut idea is certainly compelling. But someone of Ridley Scott's stature endorsing it seems really strange to me. Has it picked up cache lately while I wasn't looking?

And where's old book? He needs to chime in on this at this point

Well, that show Ancient Astronauts is into it's second or third season now on the Hitler Channel, I mean History Channel.  Giorgio Tsoukalos has really brought it back big time!  And Spielberg has always been a fan - he wanted to incorporate it into his Indiana Jones series WAAAYYY back. 

For some reason, people have taken to that damn show...that must be a symptom of it being on the upswing. 

[Bob Lovecraft]

The idea of ancient astronauts is nothing new, nor is it in itself a stupid idea. I think there a lot of correlations between mythology/religion and the idea of extraterrestrials visiting the planet in the past. Honestly, why couldn't it happen? The thing I don't like about the show is that the idea of ancient astronauts if the go-to solution for EVERYTHING that the host/pusher/idiot doesn't want to admit there are other conceivable explanations for. The sphinx? An unclear understanding of ancient Egypt and its patterns of flood and drought? Nah. It HAS TO HAVE BEEN aliens carving it to signify their dominance as gods! The Nazca Lines? There's no way that the people understood basic surveying techniques with an eye towards honoring their gods. That would be silly. That must mean... ALIENS CARVED THEM as sign-posts to passing spacecraft! Hindu mythology? It could not possibly be... well, you get the point. The idea that nothing can ever be anything BUT ancient extra-terrestrials is as useless as it is insulting.

Bob

[Genus Unknown]

Honestly, why couldn't it happen?

The argument is much the same as that against current alien visitation -- i.e., the vast distances involved, the ridiculous energy requirements, the lack of evidence that it's ever happened in the first place, etc. -- but with another added hurdle. Without so much as a single radio wave being broadcast from the earth in those days, there's nothing to indicate to a spacefaring alien civilization that there's anyone or anything here. They would have to just stumble across Earth by accident sometime during the brief window of human history, notice that there are people down there who haven't quite got the hang of pyramid-building yet, come down to lend a hand, and then bugger off, never to return.

[Eric Lofgren]

Just as a heads up, the reviews from across the pond are coming in. And so far they seem quite favourable. I haven't looked too deeply into them at this time as I don't want to be spoiled. 

[HeirophantX]

I think my own and the archaeologists and anthropologists I went to school with's prejudices against ancient astronaut theory is that there is typically a Euro-centric, racist attitude underlying it.  Gullible modern types recycling stuff written by Victorians and forgetting that those Victorians and post-Victorians just didn't believe that non-white people were capable or had anything worthwhile to contribute.

"Dem Kanakys couldna bilt no mah-no liths.  Musta been Lee-mur-ee-unz!"

Now, as an idea to explore in literature or fantasy in general?  It's great stuff!  But ...

[T. Kelly Lee]

I think my own and the archaeologists and anthropologists I went to school with's prejudices against ancient astronaut theory is that there is typically a Euro-centric, racist attitude underlying it.  Gullible modern types recycling stuff written by Victorians and forgetting that those Victorians and post-Victorians just didn't believe that non-white people were capable or had anything worthwhile to contribute.

"Dem Kanakys couldna bilt no mah-no liths.  Musta been Lee-mur-ee-unz!"

Now, as an idea to explore in literature or fantasy in general?  It's great stuff!  But ...

That is EXACTLY correct.  None of these guys ever say, "oh, well, yes we know the Greeks and Romans were too stupid to build all those things, so it must have been aliens."  But anything built by brown people in the Americas or Egyptians is fair game.  That REALLY is the ugly part of the ancient alien theory. 

[Parallaxicality]

Which this movie kinda perpetuates by making our creators giant white guys.

Anyway, shouldn't this be moved to the "Lovecraftian entertainment" forum? It's pretty obvious, having seen it, that they either directly ripped AtMoM or, at the very least, O'Bannon's original Alien script, which directly ripped AtMoM.

[froibo]

I think my own and the archaeologists and anthropologists I went to school with's prejudices against ancient astronaut theory is that there is typically a Euro-centric, racist attitude underlying it.  Gullible modern types recycling stuff written by Victorians and forgetting that those Victorians and post-Victorians just didn't believe that non-white people were capable or had anything worthwhile to contribute.

"Dem Kanakys couldna bilt no mah-no liths.  Musta been Lee-mur-ee-unz!"

Now, as an idea to explore in literature or fantasy in general?  It's great stuff!  But ...

That is EXACTLY correct.  None of these guys ever say, "oh, well, yes we know the Greeks and Romans were too stupid to build all those things, so it must have been aliens."  But anything built by brown people in the Americas or Egyptians is fair game.  That REALLY is the ugly part of the ancient alien theory. 

So, you are saying that the concept is even more Lovecraftian than at face value

[fubarinpittsburgh]

My spoiler free review-

"Prometheus"
Studio- 20th Century Fox
Director- Ridley Scott
Writer- Damon Lindelof, Jon Spaihts
Starring- Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Sean Harris, Guy Pearce, Kate Dickie, Rafe Spall, Logan Marshall-Green, Benedict Wong, Emun Elliott, Patrick Wilson, Ian Whyte


We all had high hopes for this one. Much like we had for the Thing prequel that came out last year. However with this one, director of the original Alien, Ridley Scott, was at the helm.

When it came to The Thing prequel, most regarded it as mediocre. Not the worst flick. But not nearly up to par with John Carpenter's 1983 film.

Like The Thing, Alien is an iconic film. It's even regarded by mainstream film critics as one of the best films ever made. And like most hit horror films it spawned sequels. Some good. Some wretched.

2007's Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, killed the franchise. It is a film that is on par with Batman And Robin. A true contender for "the worst film ever made" title.

So like so many other film franchises, Hollywood thought it was time for a remake/reboot in the form of the prequel Prometheus.

But hey! We have Ridley Scott on this prequel! No way could it suck right?

Wrong.

If you can divorce yourself from all the previous films, it's mediocre, at best.

It is not nearly as smart as it wants to be.

Compared to the previous films, it's garbage. You will long for a four hour director's cut of Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem.

A "meh" film made worse by the fact that because of it we will never see "At The Mountains Of Madness" on the big screen.

Go see Battleship. At least you will go into it knowing it will suck.

One out of five stars.

Spoiler filled review-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXsB37vLHVg

[Parallaxicality]

Oh please; however meh this movie was it would NEVER make me want to watch AVPR again. Ever. As preqels go this could have been worse. I think it outperforms every one of the Star Wars prequels, for instance.

[fubarinpittsburgh]

Oh please; however meh this movie was it would NEVER make me want to watch AVPR again. Ever. As preqels go this could have been worse. I think it outperforms every one of the Star Wars prequels, for instance.

Admittedly, an exaggeration. But I'm still mad.

[Andrew]

The movie is a wonderful piece of science fiction, and definitely worth seeing. No other movie has done such a good job presenting Lovecraftian and Doctor Who-esque storytelling and visuals. The movie is a ton of fun, and adds an incredibly cool layer to the "Xenomorph Mythos". No movie will meet ALL expectations, but Scott is something of a cinematic genius, and I plan to own this movie the day the blu-ray comes out. I say it's a triumph, and a brilliant adaptation of ATMOM, besides.