ALIEN Covenant Movie Materials and Review

I was extremely lucky to have seen ALIEN Covenant before being spoiled by the inevitable gush of spoilers that'll come after this weekend. Beyond this first weekend, the film's impact will be diminished to a devastating degree. I saw the movie expecting little more than a rehash of Prometheus, with less "Mystery Time" and more "Oh Jesus Everyone Is Going To Die Horrifically."

What I got was a very satisfying set of shocks.

I saw the following two videos before viewing the movie in the theater. While they aren't absolutely necessary for understanding ALIEN Covenant's content, they did enhance the experience. Director Ridley Scott wants you to see the two videos below before seeing the final film in theaters. These videos made the film feel deeper for me, and made the mysteries of Prometheus feel sewn more deeply into the fabric of the second film in the trilogy. 

Above is the video called "The Crossing". It was created for and meant to be viewed by audiences before seeing ALIEN Covenant. "The Crossing, an official prologue short to Alien: Covenant, reveals what happened to crew members Dr. Elizabeth Shaw and the synthetic David after the events of Prometheus. Set aboard an abandoned Engineer vessel, Dr. Shaw repairs David as they continue their search for humanity's creators."

Second is "Last Supper" which shows the crew of the Covenant preparing to go on their long journey to a new world. "The official prologue to Alien: Covenant introduces the crew of the mission as they gather for a final meal before entering cryosleep." 

I was grateful for not having seen any other trailer before the movie here on opening weekend. There ARE trailers and images on ALIEN social media accounts (out now) that take a real crack at revealing the film's key plot points for those not yet properly motivated to pay for a ticket. There are officially promoted videos, photos, and screengrabs out there today that kick the film directly in the teeth. 

ALIEN fans should not dare to miss this film in theaters. As soon as possible.

Gucci and Beyond (Star Trek Retro Sci-Fi Fashion Madness)

What you're about to witness is above normal - beyond average. It's a campaign for some clothing made by the folks at GUCCI, using 1950s and 1960s science fiction as inspiration. It's completely bonkers - and not just because it's clever to use this source material.

The images and the video that were meant to present this collection of clothing are both the message and the medium. They're the presentation, but they're also a product for consumption. These bits of media give me a fulfilling visceral sensation - they're so deeply well crafted.

The campaign is called GUCCI AND BEYOND, and its subtitle is "when human characters interact with dinosaurs and extraterrestrial creatures." 

"The delusional and psychedelic decorations are composed of landscapes of surreal space and interiors of retro-futuristic spaceships. For the Fall-Winter 2017 campaign by Glen Luchford, creative director Alessandro Michele was inspired by the science fiction of the 1950s and 1960s, including the legendary Star Trek TV series. The mixed cast of humanoids, extraterrestrials, robots, landlords and even dinosaurs comes to life in colorful and decorative collections to create a composition rich in imagination and fantasy."

Music: "Space 1999" written by Vic Elms, Barry Gray
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