Flung into space [48]

Art Notes: What the..?

What the hell..? The alien in panel 2 actually... looks like the alien! I swear to God, I'd never seen the film when I did this. This can't go on. Somebody will have to speak to the management.

Oh, it's ok, the alien in panel 4 looks really stupid again. Ripley looks pretty good in panel 1 though.

Those Airlocks

Was there a thing back then about airlocks? You don't see them used much nowadays - I think. In SATURN 3, 'Captain James' gets blasted out of one by Harvey Keitel - instantly freezes - and smashes into a million pieces against some high-tension cables. Nasty. Playing on the airlock idea was a bit like playing on the phobia of being in a submarine - I suppose. If Ridley had done the airlock trick twice in the film it could have seemed excessive and repetitive - if done badly; but done well it could be one of those effective set-ups that good directors employ so well. Introduce a concept early on, show how dangerous it is, then reintroduce it in the finale:

"That second subway rail carries 60 billion megavolts. If you touch it you be horribly fried and your eyes will burst. In 3d."

"I see. So that's how I'll be killing the baddie later on?"

"Well, duuuuh?"

The Real Struggle at the Heart of ALIEN

Above: Faith Erin Hicks' mini illustrated essay on ALIEN

Our Dan Pollard sent me a link via the Aa11 Facebook page to this wonderful page by gifted illustrator Faith Erin Hicks. She argues that ALIEN wasn't cynically intended as a part of some saga but is a perfect little self-contained story about 5 working humans who face a common foe - together - and remain loyal to each other, to the end.

I wonder what her forthcoming graphic novel will be like?

More on Friday - as usual!

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