Alien 3 test screenings: that's what spooked fox?

[oduodu]

http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/test-screenings/32412/51-films-and-how-they-were-affected-by-test-screenings

According to this article it was the test screenings for alien 3 that spooked fox into changing the movie behind fincher's back.

Is there a thread here or article at strangeshapes that discusses this?

[Dreadlock Holiday]

http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/test-screenings/32412/51-films-and-how-they-were-affected-by-test-screenings

According to this article it was the test screenings for alien 3 that spooked fox into changing the movie behind fincher's back.

Is there a thread here or article at strangeshapes that discusses this?

Interesting, not heard this story before.
I can't remember where I heard it, but Fox were supposed to have changed a lot of stuff behind Fincher's back because they wanted the film to emulate Terminator 2. T2 was released the year before Alien 3 and was a game changing, box office smash hit of a movie, and Fox wanted Alien 3 to be like that. However, they had signed off on a completely different movie, which Fincher was shooting for them. On top of all the changes to the script they wanted more action scenes (like T2), and in a film with no weapons or fast cars this was difficult for Fincher to accomodate. I think that's why the chase scene through the tunnels at the end of the movie was put in.
All in all, Alien 3 was a mess at the start of production and an even bigger mess towards the end. And I still enjoy watching it, crazy eh?

[Whiskeybrewer]

This is the first time I heard about Test Screenings causing more problems for Alien 3, Maybe it was a case of Studio changes, then test screenings and then studio panicking more and trying to change their changes

[SM]

The article doesn't jibe with what Terry Rawlings has said.  Rawlings (and others) have said that Fox shut everything down at Pinewood, put an assembly together to work out what more had to be done.  Fincher and Rawlings said 'we need A, B, C,D, E, F and G' and Fox said 'You can do A, B, E and G' and this struggle went on and on for some time.

Valaquen has probably written stuff on this.

[Dreadlock Holiday]

They did mention in the bluray documentary that test audiences objected to the autopsy scene (which was longer and more graphic). It was trimmed considerably for the theatrical release and not put into the assembly cut. Made people walk out by all accounts.

[SM]

I believe they also shot extra stuff to detail where the Alien came from based on Workprint feedback.  The workprint showed Spike barking on the EEV, but no angle on the hugger.  It also didn't show the Alien popping out of Spike.

[Scorpio]

That's another reason why I like the Ox - it's not explained at all how it got infected.  Always people asking questions during a movie.

[Dreadlock Holiday]

The poor feedback from any test audience for Alien 3 must have been due to the nature of the story. It's a very down beat movie. I bet no one left a single test screening with a smile on their face, full of the joys of Spring. Some people would've made their minds up as soon as they saw what happened to Newt and Hicks.

[SM]

That's another reason why I like the Ox - it's not explained at all how it got infected.  Always people asking questions during a movie.

The explanation is the same as in the theatrical - a hugger (which Murphy finds) came on the EEV.
Why Babe died is a different issue.

[FiorinaFury161]

Any dead ox is a good ox, after all.

[Scorpio]

That's another reason why I like the Ox - it's not explained at all how it got infected.  Always people asking questions during a movie.

The explanation is the same as in the theatrical - a hugger (which Murphy finds) came on the EEV.
Why Babe died is a different issue.

It probably didn't swan dive from the spaceship to the planet.

I reckon it got out of the EEV when it crashed and swam to the shore (it's an aquatic hugger, after all).  Got Babe on the beach somewhere.  Babe then dies or is it really dead?.. Kane wasn't dead, just sleeping.

[SM]

It was dead.

[Scorpio]

It was dead.

I could've sworn I heard it grumble or growl during the chestburster scene.

[FiorinaFury161]

That was probably just the ribs breaking and skin opening.

[Scorpio]

That was probably just the ribs breaking and skin opening.

No, it was before that.  You see some blood coming out of its mouth and it makes a sound.