Art of the Cut has just released a lengthy interview with Pietro Scalia, the editor on Alien: Covenant, talking working on Alien: Covenant and editing in general. In the interview, Scalia discusses how the prologue with Weyland and David almost hit the floor of the editing room:
“SCALIA: At one point Ridley wanted to take the “white room” Prologue out at the beginning. I said, “why … no absolutely not. You can’t. It’s very good.” It’s very formal, the way was shot and edited. The compositions and deliberate pace is the beauty of it. A chess game in the formal sense, triangles and lines that intersect from a design point of view, beside it’s thematic importance I mentioned before. I love that the whole scene It reminded me of Kubrick and ….
HULLFISH: Kurasawa.
SCALIA: Yes! Kurasawa. A beautiful and austere scene at the same time filled with tension. I wanted the whole movie to be like that. Ultimately it’s the director’s film and Ridley decided to keep it at the front. At the end of the day regardless of disagreements or different opinions one leaves personal imprints behind; all choices are filtered through.”
Alien vs. Predator Galaxy had previously heard that the film’s prologue had nearly been released as a viral video before being inserted back into the film. Ridley Scott has also previously spoken about how 20th Century Fox had also wanted to remove David’s flashback from Alien: Covenant in its entirety before a shorter version made it into the finished film. You can read more about the alternate and deleted scenes here.
Scalia also talks a little about the temp track he used while editing the film, revealing that he used Alien, The Snowtown, Macbeth, Sicario and Midnight Special.
“Ridley really wanted to pay tribute to Jerry Goldsmith’s score of Alien. I also started working with Jed Kurzel’s cues from The Snowtown. and Macbeth. One particular track fro Snowtown had this relentless pulsating tone and rhythm that I used in the Med Bay sequence and Ridley immediately responded to it. I also used some Harry Gregson-Williams music thematic temp cues that he provided us with. For some really low-end voices and beats I used elements from Sicario and some David Wingo from Midnight Special.”
Be sure to head on over to Art of the Cut to read the interview in full!
Keep a close eye on Alien vs. Predator Galaxy for the latest on Alien: Covenant! You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get the latest on your social media walls. You can also join in with fellow Alien fans on our forums!
I hadn't thought about this, but you're absolutely right. It takes the Prometheus scenes from 'just get an old man!' to a sort of 'after-the-fact prescience'.
This was the scene that made me saddest that the film wasn't in 3D.
I can see why people like the intro, and I appreciate it from a stand-alone point of view, and the same goes for the Bombardment scene - but they really don't fit in. Breaking with tradition so drastically by adding a bunch of flashback scenes just jive really badly with the the original four Alien movies. Like I said - something that I like with the original movies is that they are very much here-and-now, which enhances realism and lets the audience deal with the mysteries surrounding it all the best way they can.
Now, the flying barge/crane fight is pure shit and so moronic. Sorry, but I really can't see how anyone who love the original four movies would be ok with the cheap Matrix-wannabe Fast and the Furious fighting scene A:C threw in our faces. It was just plain dumb. Sorry, but that scene really don't fit in there. Even the AVP movies retracted from that kind of out of character super hero behavior (not counting the Predators of course- they're excused for obvious reasons).
I agree, especially the prologue.
If available, I would've added (more scenes or extended scenes taking place in David's "home" (cabinet of horrors) and the Covenant crew's exploration of the Juggernaut. As the last act feels very thin I would've added whatever scenes or extended scenes material there is to flesh it out more. I would've definitely cut the music during the shower scene as it just made it feel really cheesy.
I've been leaning that way for awhile myself. Quality over quantity. Prometheus should've been the only prequel. They had the right looking planet, and a crashed juggernaut. Change the planet name and some of the characters/events, run it at a healthy 2 to 2.5 hour, lead straight into Alien 1979, and boom.
But it's a business, and it's the age of the "trilogy". That's the road they went down, and now they're lost in the back-country. The studio should have A.D.F. meet with ridley and discuss what was wanted for the third movie. Have Foster write the thing in all its glory. No budget issues, no time limits, no cut footage, no editing problems, no compromises. Then green light Alien 5 for 2019 and let's move on. Movies are a business, films are a product. But at it's core, it's still art, so limit yourself as little as possible. Which is why I say give this particular storyline to Foster. The man does with ink and paper what directors like Ridley and Cameron do with film. He's capable.
Not a bad idea either, a chest busted Jockey as the finale. I think the Neomorphs have been overwhelmingly received as a positive even by people who didn't like the film. If Scott had just stuck to his guns I think we could have got a truly scary film with just those as the stars of the show perhaps with some link back to the Deacon. You could have even kept the same ending with David putting the little facehuggers in the drawer.
Perhaps Scott didn't want to take the risk that the prequels wouldn't get finished. Anyway you can drive yourself mad thinking about the possibilities. In the end he went for the Star Wars version - just make the same movie you did last time with slight differences.
If I had one problem with Covenant, it's this. I would have actually preferred Alien being the first glimpse of the monster. Neomorphs and deacons would have been fine monsters to cover the runtime in Covenant.
I think it really shows through that there was never a plan with any of this.
Every director does this. It also depends on whether the page is action heavy or dialogue heavy. One minute per page is an average across the whole script, not a page by page consideration.
Act 2 starts when they land on the planet. The second act is always the longest in the film and Covenant is no exception here.
R rated movies have never been as profitable as PG-13 and below or at least that I'm aware of. If Prometheus and Covenant aren't what Ridley envisioned ( and I've seen no indication that either film wasn't to his liking ) then I think a fair compromise is releasing a director's cut/extended edition on DVD. I highly doubt we get director cuts of either film anytime soon because Ridley seems very happy with the cuts. You said it yourself, the stories in the prequels are much more complex so making the the scripts even shorter would hurt imo. People are already upset at the pacing in both movies, rushing through the acts that do work would make the films even more prone to criticism. I think it's fair to say that most fans would be perfectly fine with a 3 hour film if it works. I'm not sure what the problem was with Covenant's domestic take, but I'm very happy with how the film turned out overall. I think editing was good overall, especially in the middle section of the movie.
Look. This is unfair. It doesn't belong at their feet that an R-rated film needs to be 2 hours. Ridley is actually looking out for the fans, trying to make sure the film warrants a sequel. If anything you should place blame at the feet of the monopoly of Multiplexes, which have such a vast overhead, they cant make any money unless a film is rated PG13. Many of you dont remember a time when Multiplexes didnt exist. The really took over in the late 90s.
It also doesnt belong at their feet when Fox wants this or that cut. They are contractually obligated to deliver a marketable product for the studio, and the studio has a lot of say in what is in or changed all along. In fact, Covenant and Prometheus took a great deal of risks in their story for franchise films like this. Like David and Walter kissing for instance, and abortion med pod scenes. We owe those types of things to Scott's playing ball with the studio, in areas like these. They trust him because he knows what has to be done.
Furthermore, if there are issues with the runtime its not with the editing, its with the script. A 2-hour script should turn in at around 120 pages. IE Approx 1 page per minute. But a director and an editor can slow the pace down here or there to make things play better. This is why some acts are playing better than others in Covenant and Prometheus. Its in the JOB DESCRIPTION of an editor to make the best R-Rated film he can with the material that was shot, while not messing with the script too much (without approval from the studio, NOT just Scott) while making that come in at the 2 hour mark. These are the kinds of stipulations placed on R-rated films, and they are made by the constraints of the film industry. Any exception to that rule is just an exception proving the rule.
If anything, what you should be thinking is: Make the screenwriters turn in something around 100 pages so the editor and director can slow it down and flesh it out. As an example of this at work - 'ALIEN' for instance is 112 pages. The film is a bit over 2 hours. That extra 8 or so pages are minutes Ridley being allowed to burn slowly in the runtime. It builds tension. Prometheus was 116 pages I believe, and I would argue that like this film, Ridley likes to slow burn some stuff. Meaning, that what normally amounts to 1 minute is 1 page, but Ridley likes to crawl, build tension... He is making some things written as a single page amount to longer than 1 min of screentime, and thats how we end up with something like the first Act of Covenant being longer and better than the rest of the film, because it takes over an hour in Covenant to get to Act 2, and to move along then they have no time to play with the last 2 acts. You see? Act 1 is 1 hour, and its better, but then they have 1 hour left to blow through the next 2 acts.
So if anything: the script needs to be shorter.
Aaaaand
This actually highlights what I think the major difference b/w Alien and its Prequels is, and why the run time is a problem for them. Because they are telling more complicated stories. Unlike Alien, which is very minimal and it can take its time. Prometheus and Covenant have alot more ground to cover in the same runtime.
This is why the scripts need to be shorter.
It's amazing the movie is cut as competently as it is. But maybe not given that pietro is a two time oscar winner.
Weird vitriol. Ridley Scott and Pietro Scalia made 11 films together. Scalia is his most frequent collaborator.
I agree there dude.
20th Century Fox stipulating a MANDATORY <2hr running time is different from a casual agreement from both Fox and Ridley, or Ridley putting that edict upon himself.
Don't get so red hot and wild when people innocuously ask for proof. RAWRR!!!!!!!!
Not sure where that came from.
He's just doing his job and film is a business.
That said I think he'd be smart to sacrifice some of his desire to make practical sets and settle for more green screen and a 80 million budget that can justify the longer run-time. 80 million and 2hours and 20 min and I think we have something workable, but he has to be willing to compromise certain things a bit, but so do deluded fans who are asking for things that this series cannot conceivably give them. Like a 3 hour 200 million dollar movie with Giger-designed landscapes all practical sets and no CGI for instance.
You said that movies over 2 hours don't make money, but the highest grossing movies ever made are over 2 hours. Almost every major studio release these days is over two hours. Almost every Marvel movie grossing $800+ million is over two hours. Scott knows that 2 hours is "more" commercial, but the idea that the studio is standing over his head with a stopwatch is silly.
As for the films you've been a production manager on, I'd love to hear some of them!
That's a start. I guess.
I wouldn't be at all surprised that Fox wanted specific running times.
It's more the 'This is what I thank and it's all completely true and if you don't agree you're dumb' attitude that's tiresome.
"Final Cut" is a the name for this contractual order and that the studio has that say is common practice. But you can bet Ridley is smart enough to make sure of this himself.
If its R Rated and has a budget of anywhere near 100 mil, its 2 hours or less because theatres lose showtimes and the films cant make their money. The exceptions are few and prove the rule. If all of your money is made between 7pm and 11pm, and it takes a half hour between each film to clean and set up a new theatre, plus trailers and etc, and you can only sell tickets to people over 17, you would not be smart to want 1 showtime between 7pm and 11pm instead of 2 showtimes. You see? Why would you need a link to prove that?
Sorry nope.
GLADIATOR - 2.5 hours (not a sequel or a part 6)
A winner but not a franchise and also its a very SOFT R and not a horror film. IE Exception proving rule.
TERMINATOR 3 - 1hour 49 minutes - Nope
300: RISE - 1 hour 42 min - Nope
HANGOVER 3 - 1 hour 40 min - Nope
DJANGO - 2hours and 41 min
WAIT!!! WAIT!!! We have a winner. OOOOOOH Guess what? It only made 162 million and was a Box Office Failure but also universally acclaimed. Ergo - why this is never done.
WOLF OF WALL ST - 3 hours. Budget 100 million HOW MUCH DID IT MAKE? 116 million. Once again. Why this is never done.
Even when you have a name recognized director like Tarantino of Scorcese, this is a huge risk.
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD - 2 hours.
REVENANT : 2.5 hours (director just won oscar) It was a risk and it was a success. But it also was only due to the director and because it wasnt a sequel.
So there it is. Not a single one of these films is a sequel in a big franchise, with a 100m budget, R Rating and over 2 hours.
If its R Rated and has a budget of anywhere near 100 mil, its 2 hours or less because theaters lose showtimes and the films cant make their money. The exceptions are few and prove the rule. If all of your money is made between 7pm and 11pm, and it takes a half hour between each film to clean and set up a new theatre, plus trailers and etc, and you can only sell tickets to people over 17, you would not be smart to want 1 showtime between 7pm and 11pm instead of 2 showtimes. You see? Why would you need a link to prove that?
IT'S A CONTRACTUAL ORDER!!!
Ridley stipulated it himself because he IS the business. He stated clearly in interviews during rounds for Prometheus that he knew he had to get it down to the 2 hour mark or risk there being no sequel.
These were almost his exact words.
Anyone who works in the business would know this is a factor. Contract or not. Why would he want to risk that?
Yeah no its not. Not only have I gone to school for Film and TV but I work in production as a production manager and have been on all kinds of sets. On top of that I was a Projectionist/Manager for AMC theatres for 3 years.
I don't have to provide links because Im qualified to write this. This isn't a trial. Im teaching you about the film business.
Here's a FANBOY talking about this at this link below. You will see listed countless high budget R-Rated movies. Almost NONE of them, are close to 100 million and in almost every case of them being so, you have some other reason like it being the work of an extremely bankable OSCAR winning director. Like THE REVENANT, right AFTER an Oscar is won. And thats the only reason he got the money to make an R Rated movie at a 2.5 hour runtime (because of BIRDMAN being JUST prior to it).
If you dont believe me you can cross reference every single one of those listed 100mil range R Rated films with RUNTIME and you will see the exceptions to the rule are like NEVER. Literally like never. And in every single one of those cases NONE of them is a PART 6 or 8 or 10 of any franchise. The only exception I see is MAD MAX (150 mil) and that film was a massive box office risk and was exactly 2 hours long. That its EXACTLY within 2 hours, isn't a mistake. I loved it and thank god for them taking that risk, but don't confuse my instruction with my desire or agreement. Im just telling you why it is the way it is.
http://www.the-fanboy-perspective.com/the-financial-potential-of-r-rated-movies.html
If its R Rated and has a budget of anywhere near 100 mil, its 2 hours or less because theatres lose showtimes and the films cant make their money. The exceptions are few and prove the rule. If all of your money is made between 7pm and 11pm, and it takes a half hour between each film to clean and set up a new theatre, plus trailers and etc, and you can only sell tickets to people over 17, you would not be smart to want 1 showtime between 7pm and 11pm instead of 2 showtimes. You see? Why would you need a link to prove that?
There won't be one because this is almost assuredly nonsense. Unless someone is privy to contractual obligations this is all speculation, and I'm ok with speculation, but saying that it doesn't need verification because of industry standards is ridiculous.
Link tho.
Gladiator
Terminator 3
300: Rise of an Empire
Hangover Part 3
Django Unchained
Wolf of Wall Street
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Most major releases today are over 2 hours. The current top five highest grossing films of all time -- not adjusted for inflation -- are over 2 hours, and of the top 10 only one is under -- Frozen.
Aliens had a fairly average budget and was released 8 years after the previous film. That's hardly "riding on the coattails".
There were a lot of people who assumed an Alien prequel was going to have Aliens in it, despite a lot of pre-release stuff saying it wasn't a strict Alien prequel.
I dunno about Blade Runner. I think it looks sweet and hope it kills, but I'm not sure it's going do big business.
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=wolverine2017.htm
I'll grant you that it's a different situation because of the capeshit association, but still.
I'm not sure there ever was an Alien crowd when it comes to Prometheus. I think the general feeling at the time was more "whats all this about then?" Rather than where's the Alien.
Something tells me Blade runner is going to smash it at the box office and it's not because it'll have cool action sequences and quick pacing. For me they have not identified the group that watch these movies correctly. Covenant is like you say a sort of hybrid smart movie trying to be a popcorn flick at the same time but really doesn't achieve either.