Acknowledging the blood, sweat & tears that went into making a head explode on film, among other things.


Monday, August 8, 2011

What if ______ was CGI instead?

Cinema is the most important window in which to view our culture. Film preservation is essential. To alter what has already been done is not only a poor artistic decision; it is also a defacing and elimination of a cultural milestone. (*cough* Mr. Lucas *cough*)

While film preservation is a must, I believe film prop preservation is also essential. To be able to see what was used in a film says a lot about the craft. To hold a prop from something that has been a pop culture mainstay to millions would be quite an exhilarating experience.

Case in point: Giger’s “Alien” head from the 1979 film. This is the actual Carlo Rambaldi mechanical prop.



Nicely preserved at Giger’s estate in Zurich. Notice the human skull in which the entire head is formed around.



Now, what if this was CGI instead? What would we have to display? At the very most maybe a small maquette or model that they would have used to scan in into the computer, but nothing that would have actually been seen on camera. This “Alien” head is tangible. We see the wires. We see the remnants of prophylactics on the jaws. We see the tool that was used for a very familiar cultural image… and it is awesome.

CGI doesn’t offer this.
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5 comments:

  1. Dr. AlienAugust 13, 2011 at 3:51 PM

    With the disappearance of practical effects banned by CGI, it's a complete history of art which vanishes, a century of how-to-do effects and ingeniosity by inventive artists, true genious, and both a style of culture lost, with reality mimiced and transfigured within fantastic - and not just pixels moved by computer, so in modern movies as just plate computerized simulation, not suspênsion of belief.

    ReplyDelete
  2. HisWillandGloryJanuary 17, 2018 at 5:34 PM

    Ridley betrayed its own vision... period.
    For further info refer to Beast Within 's whole Scott comments.
    What a shame.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownJanuary 20, 2018 at 5:42 PM

      I been a fan sence i was a kid. Born in 81 my unkles turned me on to this franchise. And i will say with all honesty i almost cried when i watched the garbage Ridley Scott had put on film.
      This is why all this transgender and equal rights is messing up everyone. Dont get me wrong everyone deservs to be noticed. But this is a mochary of what is a great story.

      Delete
    2. UnknownJanuary 20, 2018 at 5:42 PM

      I been a fan sence i was a kid. Born in 81 my unkles turned me on to this franchise. And i will say with all honesty i almost cried when i watched the garbage Ridley Scott had put on film.
      This is why all this transgender and equal rights is messing up everyone. Dont get me wrong everyone deservs to be noticed. But this is a mochary of what is a great story.

      Delete
    3. UnknownJanuary 20, 2018 at 5:43 PM

      I been a fan sence i was a kid. Born in 81 my unkles turned me on to this franchise. And i will say with all honesty i almost cried when i watched the garbage Ridley Scott had put on film.
      This is why all this transgender and equal rights is messing up everyone. Dont get me wrong everyone deservs to be noticed. But this is a mochary of what is a great story.

      Delete

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