The untold origin story behind Ridley Scott’s “Alien” – rooted in Greek and Egyptian mythologies, underground comics, the art of Francis Bacon, and the dark visions of Dan O’Bannon and H.R. Giger. A contemplation on the symbiotic collaborative process of movie-making, the power of myth, and our collective unconscious.
Combining archival and recently-shot footage, the documentary “Memory: The Origins of Alien,” traces the late Dan O’Bannon’s evolution as a storyteller and screenwriter. In his own words, O’Bannon once said about his conceptual underpinnings, “I didn’t steal from anybody – I stole from everybody.”
O’Bannon collaborated with Ronald Shusett to write the first “Alien,” eventually directed by Ridley Scott. The project initially went to legendary B-movie producer/director Roger Corman for consideration. However, Corman believed his company could not provide adequate financing, so he passed initially. Instead, he offered to give the film a shot if O’Bannon could not secure other funding by first shopping the script around Hollywood. Later, Walter Hill agreed to direct, only to drop out in order to shoot “Southern Comfort.” After finally obtaining the backing of 20th Century Fox, momentum started growing.
Tom Skerritt signed up first on what would become a star-studded cast of lead and character actors including Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Yaphet Kotto, and Ian Holm. Weaver starred in the following three sequels.
“Alien” offered a radical departure from mainstream cinematic science fiction that tended toward a sanitized view of the future. Movies such as “Logan’s Run,” “Star Wars,” and “Star Trek” served up decidedly polished production designs and plots. By showing a gritty, working-class version of life in space, “Alien” charted new territory for the on-screen science fiction genre.
Esoteric references to O’Bannon’s abortive work on “Dune,” as well as John Carpenter’s “Dark Star” provide welcome context to the events leading up to the production of “Alien.” Similarly, the procreation habits of parasitic wasps inform how the eponymous creature literally bursts from its unwitting human host. The setup for the scene with John Hurt in which this process occurs delivers engrossing detail about why the cast reactions to the blood, guts, and slime appear so spontaneous.
Perhaps the most absorbing element of the narrative centers on subliminal messaging about the subservient role of women in Hollywood during the 1970s, well in advance of the Me Too Movement. Overtones of sex, violence, and rape infuse the dialog and action depicted within the groundbreaking script of “Alien.”
Told through the lens of many of the participants in the original “Alien” production, “Memory” presents a fine retrospective of the historical and cultural influences layered throughout the screenplay, further enhanced by Ridley Scott’s visionary directing style. “Necronomicon” creator and artist, H.R. Giger also elaborated O’Bannon’s ideas and the eventual set design. The disparate sources for inspiration derived from comic books, early science fiction authors such as H.P. Lovecraft, B-science fiction movies, Egyptian artifacts, and even ancient mythology. O’Bannon seemed determined to expose the dark recesses of the human psyche in his writing.
For those even mildly interested in the story behind the story, “Memory” provides a satisfying chronicle about one of the most enduring science fiction franchises in film history. Directed by Alexandre O. Philippe and produced by O’Bannon’s widow Diane, this documentary lends telling insight into the original “Alien,” which has now spawned five additional iterations plus two crossovers with the “Predator” series.
In Theaters & On-Demand October 4th
