A little bit of news. Mike Lynch brought the Anchorpoint Essays (http://www.anchorpointessays.com) site back online.
QuoteBack By Popular Demand!
After several months of being closed, and numerous emails from those who tracked me down I'm going to give this another go.
I initially created the Essays so that I could have the kind of ALIENS site that I had always wanted, but never found. So this site had been an act of self-indulgence, but something I hadn't realized is that over the years this site had become not just my site, but your site as well. You, the fans of the ALIENS saga, are what keeps sites like this going. And it was you who convinced me to reopen the site and give it another try. Besides... with comments like this how could I not give it another try: "You gave so much to the ALIENS community over the past 10 years, perhaps more than you realize. You changed the way many of us think, perceive the Alien, and even how we watch the movies. Your imagination changed the face of the Alien forever." ...Thanks Matthew! I'm not sure how much I really changed the slime covered mug of our favorite Xenomorph, but the numerous other sentiments that echoed Matthew are what brought this site back. So I thank you all once again.
So what have I been up to since February? Quite a bit, actually. The short version of it is I was laid off, planned on going full-time freelance, and wound up being offered a job to not only start-up, but head, an in-house CG department for a comp house in New York City. Which means I've been doing a lot of Industrial Design/Product Vis - which is right up my alley! Our pipeline consist of LightWave, Modo, After Effects, and Photoshop... again - right up my alley! So I now have a healthy commute, and I've been busy getting the department on its feet, producing work... and well, you get the idea. :)
Nice.. A lot of info there. :)
What a great site about the Alien. Pretty much all of the questions I've ever had are answered on his site. From paralyzing the host to the queen. Can't wait till I can read about the eating habits and such. *Saved to favorites.
Thanks, Darkness.
...And I was just thinking about the beasties' feeding habits this morning in the shower (of all places). ...Perhaps it was because my shower curtain reminds me of the curtain behind Clemmens. ...Or perhaps I'm just weird like that.
Great news. The day I decided to give the essays a dedicated read-thru it started having all those problems then eventual shut-down.
I know that I'm new around these parts but glad to see Mike's site back online!
Thanks Troy and Fluxcap. :D
Stay tuned. I'm currently proof-reading the next essay. And hopefully it will answer some questions, as well as create some new ones.
Quote from: anchorpoint on Oct 03, 2007, 05:48:19 PM
Thanks, Darkness.
...And I was just thinking about the beasties' feeding habits this morning in the shower (of all places). ...Perhaps it was because my shower curtain reminds me of the curtain behind Clemmens. ...Or perhaps I'm just weird like that.
Glad to see it back online. I was just trying to recover the essays last month. Can't wait to see the site updated.
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Oct 08, 2007, 09:48:36 AM
Glad to see it back online. I was just trying to recover the essays last month. Can't wait to see the site updated.
And now you can. :D I just added a new essay - the Exoskeleton Essay.
I hope you enjoy it.
Coolio. It is my intention in the coming months to do a little list of sites to present to DH Press as recourses for their authors doing Alien novels. I'd like permission to include Anchorpoints into that list?
The only really major part I find disagreement with is the statement that Dallas was intended as a host for Brett's egg, as opposed to Ripley. Giger states the original intention was that Dallas is becoming an egg and it would make no sense for him to be in such massive pain and trauma if he's merely been cocooned, like Newt or Ripley on the Auriga.
The rest had always pretty much been great fun, though and it was always among the very best of sites, back in the nineties. :)
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Oct 11, 2007, 08:16:32 AM
Coolio. It is my intention in the coming months to do a little list of sites to present to DH Press as recourses for their authors doing Alien novels. I'd like permission to include Anchorpoints into that list?
Feel free. :)
Quote from: Xenomorphine on Oct 11, 2007, 11:27:50 AM
The only really major part I find disagreement with is the statement that Dallas was intended as a host for Brett's egg, as opposed to Ripley. Giger states the original intention was that Dallas is becoming an egg and it would make no sense for him to be in such massive pain and trauma if he's merely been cocooned, like Newt or Ripley on the Auriga.
The rest had always pretty much been great fun, though and it was always among the very best of sites, back in the nineties. :)
Not everyone agrees with everything on the site, and that's fine. ...That's good, actually.
You bring up a very valid point. As I had been writing that bit I had been thinking about Giger's comments, and the amount of time that had elapsed between Brett and Dallas being captured, and Brett just seemed so much further along in development. And Dallas' feet and legs are also clearly still visible in the resin, which means they hadn't succumb to transformation yet. ..Which furthered the disparity in change between the two crew members in my eyes.
I try to stick as closely as possible to the canon of the films as I'm extrapolating and creating theories. But sometimes I have to step out side of that a bit to make it all work. The films were created with certain levels of consistency between them, but in the places where that consistency fails I need to be a little creative in making it fit and work with other aspects and elements of the franchise. And to be honest I'm not trying to make my site canon - it's fan fiction. But I try to creatively work all of the films together and incorporate the canonical elements of each one into one cohesive site.
As a result not everyone agrees with 100% of the material on the site, and that's fine. That creates conversations, generates debates, raises more questions, etc. ...And In the end that is really one of the reasons I originally created the site. ;D
I'd forgotten about this site to be honest. Though I remember visiting it vaguely years ago. I just gave the site a thorough read-through, and I'm glad you brought it back.
Quote from: anchorpoint on Oct 12, 2007, 02:34:47 AM
I try to stick as closely as possible to the canon of the films as I'm extrapolating and creating theories. But sometimes I have to step out side of that a bit to make it all work. The films were created with certain levels of consistency between them, but in the places where that consistency fails I need to be a little creative in making it fit and work with other aspects and elements of the franchise. And to be honest I'm not trying to make my site canon - it's fan fiction. But I try to creatively work all of the films together and incorporate the canonical elements of each one into one cohesive site.
Are you still taking AvP into account? The thing that disappointed me was your decision in 2004 to include stuff from AvP into your essays. Personally, I wouldn't even begin to make sense of what Anderson did to the Aliens with that movie.
To a certain degree yes I am, but not to the extent of the other ALIEN films. And I'm not sure how far I will take it. I do make mention to it in the new essay. And depending on how well done AVP-R is I may incorporate a decent amount of material from the new film. ...Of course the AVP saga seems to be taking place in an alternate universe - one where the events do not have any influence on the original 4 Alien films. So incorporating them is not easy.
I say leave the AvP films well enough alone.
As for Dallas, it's not so much a differing of opinion as simple logic. If he was just stuck to the wall, he could've been freed and wouldn't have been asked to have been killed. Not to mention the cocoon looks radically different from any we've ever seen and clearly has two petal like protrusions near the top.
I wouldn't bother including any info. from the AvP films, for one simple reason. Your essays are written after the company was bought out, after the films, right? The AvP films were set in the past, and they were isolated incidents, nobody would probably know about them.
Interesting... Anyone else feel that AVP should be left out of the Essays? Let me know your thoughts and why.
Sil - I believe the petal like extrusions in the cocoon are Dallas' knees. If you look at this shot you can see his feet (one with shoe, and one without). If his feet are in that location that would mean those extrusions would most likely be knees. Thoughts?
I also thought (and I thought I had included this in the essays, but now that I look at them I see that I didn't) that the Alien may have been slowly picking/feeding off of Dallas. Hence the blood on his neck, the maggots, and his state of pain.
(https://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv502%2FThedus%2Fscreencaps%2FHive_Nost002.jpg&hash=d01d27fffcac2c7612548e4f92e0ae1f8a585d0e)
And true the cocooning doesn't match what we had seen in ALIENS, but neither does the general masses of resin around the bay. And being that the scene was cut from the final print and Cameron wasn't using it as a reference we get some discrepancies.
Avp should be in it but not to mutch on it because it was dare I say worse than AR.
Quote from: anchorpoint on Oct 15, 2007, 01:44:01 AM
Interesting... Anyone else feel that AVP should be left out of the Essays? Let me know your thoughts and why.
Sil - I believe the petal like extrusions in the cocoon are Dallas' knees. If you look at this shot you can see his feet (one with shoe, and one without). If his feet are in that location that would mean those extrusions would most likely be knees. Thoughts?
I also thought (and I thought I had included this in the essays, but now that I look at them I see that I didn't) that the Alien may have been slowly picking/feeding off of Dallas. Hence the blood on his neck, the maggots, and his state of pain.
(https://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv502%2FThedus%2Fscreencaps%2FHive_Nost002.jpg&hash=d01d27fffcac2c7612548e4f92e0ae1f8a585d0e)
And true the cocooning doesn't match what we had seen in ALIENS, but neither does the general masses of resin around the bay. And being that the scene was cut from the final print and Cameron wasn't using it as a reference we get some discrepancies.
I don't see maggots.
I do remember in the movie that he screamed because he saw the maggots in his neck. Am I right? it's been like 3 years since I've seen the first alien
There were maggots. Tom Skerrit talks about how they had to put maggots in his hair for that scene.
Yeah, Tom was not pleased with the amount of maggots that were put on him for this scene. More to the point he was a bit grossed out about it.
Quote from: predudelink=topic=6371.msg125821#msg125821 date=1193495362
Avp should be in it but not to mutch on it because it was dare I say worse than AR.
I've been tossing around ideas on how to best incorporate AVP into the site - and it hasn't been easy. But I've finally found a direction. So, suffice it to say AVP will be in the site, but the manner in which it's presented will be vastly different than what is seen in the rest of the essays. I will also be including it in its own section. AVP-R will also fall under this new section as well. I don't want to say too much about it at the moment, but the site will still be focused on the four Alien films with supplemental sections relating to AVP.
Do it like a Predator database?
Quote from: anchorpoint on Oct 15, 2007, 01:44:01 AM
I believe the petal like extrusions in the cocoon are Dallas' knees.
I know you didn't solicit opinions from anyone other than SiL, but I agree with you.
It may be the influence of the novelisation, but I've usually been of the belief that Brett is turnin' into an egg, but that Dallas wasn't.
Hey everyone, new on these forums, but I had to join to give feedback on the anchorpoint essays.
The Anchorpoint site is my favourite source for genuinely well thought out theories on the alien. I am really glad you brought it back on line Mike.
But I have to agree with others here, the AvP films should not appear on your site. I like to think of the AvP films and everything within them as a separate fiction to the Alien franchise. Even though Anderson created several things that would link the two together. Ultimately, they do not take place in the same universe.
I knew when the idea came up to merge the two franchises together certain things would eventually crop up that would mean changing aspects of one of the franchises to accommodate the other. This would eventually make a mess of the fiction set-up in the separate films. I think we are seeing this with the new additions to the life cycle in AvP:R.
So yeah, it would be great to keep the franchises separate, just for the sake of removing crossover problems.
QuoteSil - I believe the petal like extrusions in the cocoon are Dallas' knees. If you look at this shot you can see his feet (one with shoe, and one without). If his feet are in that location that would mean those extrusions would most likely be knees. Thoughts?
I can see Dallas' white pants, they are definitely knees. He is almost mounted to the wall in a fetal position.
QuoteI also thought (and I thought I had included this in the essays, but now that I look at them I see that I didn't) that the Alien may have been slowly picking/feeding off of Dallas. Hence the blood on his neck, the maggots, and his state of pain.
Maybe it was adapting him somehow, to make him a more suitable host for Brett's face hugger. Maybe even keeping him alive.
Did I mention I really love your site. ;D
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Oct 30, 2007, 08:18:35 AM
Do it like a Predator database?
Not so much. As far as AVP goes there will be limited data regarding the Predators... actually, there will be limited data period. :) This doesn't mean it's going to be a short inclusion, because so far it's turning out to be longer than I had initially thought, but there won't be much in the way of clinical data or analysation. This also means that the AVP related information in the Exoskeleton Essay will be removed to remain consistent with how the AVP info is presented.
And to be honest, as much as I like PREDATOR I'm not as much of a fan of the franchise as I am of ALIEN, so I want to keep the site about the Aliens, with only incidental references and speculation to the Predator as a species or culture.
Quote from: Uncanny Antman on Oct 30, 2007, 10:45:13 AM
I know you didn't solicit opinions from anyone other than SiL, but I agree with you.
It may be the influence of the novelisation, but I've usually been of the belief that Brett is turnin' into an egg, but that Dallas wasn't.
The conversation is open to anyone who wants to jump in - I just addressed SiL since he was the one who brought up the pedal-like extrusions.
I'm actually re-reading the novelization now. :) (The crew are devising plans on how to get rid of the chestburster). It's been about 10 years since I read it last.
Quote from: Sh0dan on Oct 30, 2007, 12:12:41 PM
Hey everyone, new on these forums, but I had to join to give feedback on the anchorpoint essays.
The Anchorpoint site is my favourite source for genuinely well thought out theories on the alien. I am really glad you brought it back on line Mike.
But I have to agree with others here, the AvP films should not appear on your site. I like to think of the AvP films and everything within them as a separate fiction to the Alien franchise. Even though Anderson created several things that would link the two together. Ultimately, they do not take place in the same universe.
Thanks, man. :) And welcome. And I agree that the precedent that Anderson set with AVP (i.e. - setting it in present day) really screws with the overall time line of the Alien franchise, and essentially makes an alternate universe... and ultimately and alternate franchise. However they are Alien films - like it or not. And I believe that with a little creativity they can be worked into the overall mythology of Alien universe. ...Which is what has brought me to re-thinking how AVP could be worked into the site. And being that the Essays are expanded universe material (not necessarily sanctioned EU, but EU all the same) I'm taking a creative approach with integrating AVP.
AVP-R will also fall under the upcoming section for AVP as well. How the material is formatted and worked into that section will depend heavily on the events in the film and how they play out.
Consider yourself lucky, you get to write a whole new section on the reproduction cycle!!
LOL! Yeah, don't think I didn't think the same thing when I first read about it. :D
...Did I actually say "analysation"? Good god! I need more coffee!
QuotePosted By: anchorpoint
And I agree that the precedent that Anderson set with AVP (i.e. - setting it in present day) really screws with the overall time line of the Alien franchise, and essentially makes an alternate universe... and ultimately and alternate franchise. However they are Alien films - like it or not. And I believe that with a little creativity they can be worked into the overall mythology of Alien universe. ...Which is what has brought me to re-thinking how AVP could be worked into the site. And being that the Essays are expanded universe material (not necessarily sanctioned EU, but EU all the same) I'm taking a creative approach with integrating AVP.
Well in that case, I will trust your judgement. You nailed the other essays perfectly, so I will look forward to reading what you come up with on AvP.
Quote from: Xenomorphine on Oct 11, 2007, 11:27:50 AM
The only really major part I find disagreement with is the statement that Dallas was intended as a host for Brett's egg, as opposed to Ripley. Giger states the original intention was that Dallas is becoming an egg and it would make no sense for him to be in such massive pain and trauma if he's merely been cocooned, like Newt or Ripley on the Auriga.
The rest had always pretty much been great fun, though and it was always among the very best of sites, back in the nineties. :)
While I agree, and think what you say is the truth. I also think that after several films, (and Alien with restored footage) some of the fiction has become a little messy.
I personally am okay with these alternative suggestions, that attempt to fix some of the messiness.
Dallas as host.
I've thought about it a little more, and it could be said that the alien is indeed keeping Dallas alive. Maybe during forcible abductions, hosts can sometimes become damaged. Maybe Dallas struggled with the creature before he became comatose. He could be bleeding internally or something. His body could be dieing, and maybe the alien is somehow, prolonging his existence by merging him into the material of the hive, making it look similar to Brett's egg morphing.
It could explain the aesthetical differences between the hives too.
anchorpoint,add a section about the Predalien ;)
I'm not really sure how I'll handle that one. It may have it's own section or it may fall under "Hybrids." Once I've seen the film I'll have a better idea of how to incorporate the events in the film. Chances are, though, AVP-R will have it's own sub-section, and not be part of the Essays dealing with the four ALIEN films. ;)
Now that A V P R is out wiill The site be updated?
Not only that, you could add a new thing about reproduction, and the darker facehuggers. Why are some of the facehuggers in AVPR darker?
Quote from: XenoVC on Dec 31, 2007, 10:47:48 AM
Now that A V P R is out wiill The site be updated?
As an FYI - I'm posting weekly updates (mostly PSAs) on the site to let folks know what's going on with the site, what I'm working on, and what's in store. The updates are in "Site News." The updates are posted every Friday night/Saturday morning.
I'm waiting until after the DVD comes out to add any AVP-R info. And all AVP related info will be under its own section: "Pre-History." Meaning anything happening prior to ALIEN, since the site is really about the ALIEN franchise. I see AVP as a franchise separate from ALIEN and PREDATOR, so I want to keep the info to it's own section.
And I'm currently working on updates to the site. I'm currently re-writing the Hive and Social Behavior Essays, since that material was 10 years old and I don't really agree with my thoughts on these any more.
I will touch on the Queen-born-of-a-predator, and how it reproduces, when the AVP-R material is added. At this point I'm still working out how exactly that would work without killing the host well before the bursters emerge.
...As for why the huggers are darker in AVP-R: The first thing that comes to mind is that those huggers were kept in stasis tubes. We have no idea what sort of solution the Predators kept them in... it's likely to be very different than what the colonists used on LV-426, so it's possible that their skin reacts to it over time. There's also the fact that Predators don't use and perceive light the same way we do. So it's possible that what ever form of light they use for ambient illumination may cause a reaction in the facehuggers' skin - similar to how our own skin reacts to ultraviolet light. And without the protection of an egg they grow darker. ...Just some quick thoughts.
Nice theories, I agree with them, can't wait to see how you make sense of the mess.
Quote from: Kriszilla on Jan 02, 2008, 07:44:19 PM
Nice theories, I agree with them, can't wait to see how you make sense of the mess.
I think he will figure it out ;) Good luck man, your theories are very good.
Quote from: Thedus on Jan 02, 2008, 07:00:00 PM
Quote from: XenoVC on Dec 31, 2007, 10:47:48 AM
Now that A V P R is out wiill The site be updated?
As an FYI - I'm posting weekly updates (mostly PSAs) on the site to let folks know what's going on with the site, what I'm working on, and what's in store. The updates are in "Site News." The updates are posted every Friday night/Saturday morning.
I'm waiting until after the DVD comes out to add any AVP-R info. And all AVP related info will be under its own section: "Pre-History." Meaning anything happening prior to ALIEN, since the site is really about the ALIEN franchise. I see AVP as a franchise separate from ALIEN and PREDATOR, so I want to keep the info to it's own section.
And I'm currently working on updates to the site. I'm currently re-writing the Hive and Social Behavior Essays, since that material was 10 years old and I don't really agree with my thoughts on these any more.
I will touch on the Queen-born-of-a-predator, and how it reproduces, when the AVP-R material is added. At this point I'm still working out how exactly that would work without killing the host well before the bursters emerge.
...As for why the huggers are darker in AVP-R: The first thing that comes to mind is that those huggers were kept in stasis tubes. We have no idea what sort of solution the Predators kept them in... it's likely to be very different than what the colonists used on LV-426, so it's possible that their skin reacts to it over time. There's also the fact that Predators don't use and perceive light the same way we do. So it's possible that what ever form of light they use for ambient illumination may cause a reaction in the facehuggers' skin - similar to how our own skin reacts to ultraviolet light. And without the protection of an egg they grow darker. ...Just some quick thoughts.
Any theories as to why the huggers squirm while on the face?
Also, the alien was doing something with his inner tongue. Eating... or preparing hive material?
They squirm to get a better grip.
The pulsating is the breathing/impregnating, and the tail tightening is telling others to back off/securing a hold/killing host in case of emergency.
I couldn't have said it better myself. :D
Quote from: SiL on Jan 03, 2008, 10:49:36 AM
They squirm to get a better grip.
The pulsating is the breathing/impregnating, and the tail tightening is telling others to back off/securing a hold/killing host in case of emergency.
Yeah, they like to hold onto there dates do that. One minute they hold on like nothing in the world is gonna break it off, the next minute, it leaves like it never liked the person. So weird ::)
Quote from: Thedus on Jan 02, 2008, 07:00:00 PM
...As for why the huggers are darker in AVP-R: The first thing that comes to mind is that those huggers were kept in stasis tubes. We have no idea what sort of solution the Predators kept them in... it's likely to be very different than what the colonists used on LV-426, so it's possible that their skin reacts to it over time. There's also the fact that Predators don't use and perceive light the same way we do. So it's possible that what ever form of light they use for ambient illumination may cause a reaction in the facehuggers' skin - similar to how our own skin reacts to ultraviolet light. And without the protection of an egg they grow darker. ...Just some quick thoughts.
lol I just thought they were dirty from the crash. My simple mind...
Quote from: fluxcap on Jan 04, 2008, 04:22:29 AM
Quote from: Thedus on Jan 02, 2008, 07:00:00 PM
...As for why the huggers are darker in AVP-R: The first thing that comes to mind is that those huggers were kept in stasis tubes. We have no idea what sort of solution the Predators kept them in... it's likely to be very different than what the colonists used on LV-426, so it's possible that their skin reacts to it over time. There's also the fact that Predators don't use and perceive light the same way we do. So it's possible that what ever form of light they use for ambient illumination may cause a reaction in the facehuggers' skin - similar to how our own skin reacts to ultraviolet light. And without the protection of an egg they grow darker. ...Just some quick thoughts.
lol I just thought they were dirty from the crash. My simple mind...
Hes good lol, but thats a very good explanation.