SXSW: Alien & Alien: Covenant Sneak Peek

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alien-F71972Anytime you get a chance to watch Alien with Sir Ridley Scott, you take it. How great is it that we got that chance?  Even better, Scott was not alone. He brought Alien: Covenant footage with him, as well as Covenant stars Katherine Waterston, Danny McBride, and Michael Fassbender. An entertaining Q&A took place after the bulk of the new footage. We didn’t learn any big secrets but it’s obvious that all three actors were thrilled to have had the chance to work with Scott, particularly McBride who joked that his parents were thrilled he was finally making a real movie.

ridley-scott-F71972The new footage proves that Scott is not afraid to rip himself off, and that’s great news as far as I’m concerned. You would expect Alien: Covenant to bear at least a passing resemblance to Alien (as the former’s purpose, aside from making tons of money, is to bridge the gap between Prometheus and the original quadrilogy. But the similarities are greater than that, they’re intentional callbacks to the original.  That made the footage from Covenant FEEL like Alien, as it took us to the same places that Alien did, only now we know what’s going to happen (and what has to happen). Scott delivers on his setups with glee, letting us know he’s right there with us. A facehugger scene featuring Billy Crudup was especially awesome. It’s a good bet there will be more moments like that in the footage still to come.

If the rest of the movie measures up to the three full scenes we were treated to then Alien: Covenant is going to be a must-see for anyone who is a fan of the original. And I’m guessing you’re a fan if you are reading this. This one could be great. I’m now super excited to see it when it opens May 19th. And if Scott is available for another screening then, all the better. Fingers crossed!

There’s much more to come from SXSW. Check out @assholemovies for more movies and photos as things happen!

25 thoughts on “SXSW: Alien & Alien: Covenant Sneak Peek”

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  2. Susan Leighton

    When I was in grad school, I attended an event that was an evening with Ridley Scott. He is a very interesting and fascinating cat. I loved Alien and Prometheus, your review makes me incredibly happy because I am so looking forward to Covenant.

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    1. Jay

      I had never seen Alien (they screened the original in its entirety), but this new footage was INTENSE as hell – it feels like they’ve ratcheted things up quite a bit. They know what people come for!

      Thanks for taking the time to read, and also sharing your own story – that’s cool!

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  3. J.

    I’d love to see Alien in the cinema. That and Aliens are the only two I bother with. I thought Prometheus was a mess, but I’m the trailer for Covenant is very promising.

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    1. Jay

      It’s weird to see an “iconic” movie that was released before I was even born in a theatre with a thousand people, including Ridley Scott himself. Very cool.

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    2. Sean Post author

      I haven’t seen Prometheus and had no desire to. Not even David Fincher could make Alien 3 good and Alien 4 is frustratingly stupid. But the Alien: Covenant footage really raised my hopes. I hope the rest lives up to what we saw, and this franchise gets back on track.

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      1. J.

        Stay away from it. It looks great, but I honestly thought it was a mess. In fact, it ranked up there with The Phantom Menace as one of the most disappointing flicks I’ve ever seen. Covenant looks like it could be the shot in the arm the franchise needs.

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  6. Lloyd Marken

    Cool, they’re modifying Steyr rifles to be used in the film. The steyr is used by the Australian army but often gets seen on film in cut away armoury shots or is utilised by villains like Dan Hedaya in Commando or the Irish terrorists in Sin City. Lately it seems to be getting used by the good guys.

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  7. sportsattitudes

    Saw the new trailer and also read elsewhere about the reaction to the footage and the subsequent discussion about the making of the movie. I’m very hopeful this film lives up to the hype being generated. Can’t wait!

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  17. Melissa

    I’m so glad Alien: Covenant feels like Alien since the original film is by far my favorite in the franchise (although I do love Prometheus too). The more I see and hear about Covenant the more hyped I get.

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