Empire's ALIEN COVENANT Exclusive Cover, and Image Scans Revealed!!

[locusta]

It wasn't CG in Alien 3. It was a beautiful rod puppet that was ruined by the way they composited it into the footage. 

Ah, you're absolutely right, my mistake. I haven't seen the film in ages and my box set is still back in storage from my move to the West Coast. I just looked up a clip not long ago out of curiosity and was horrified by what looked like terrible CG in the big scene in the infirmary. It looked like Chromakey, or something akin to the 'paper cutout' of a monster victim in the new Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode "Reptilicus".

Shame they did so much of A3 on the cheap. Inexcusable. Starting with the mash-up scripts.

Please, if You have to possibility, go over the ALIEN3 bonus disc and making of. No critique, just a reminder, that Boss studio did a marvelous job back then (as Hicks mentioned) and 1992 CGI was practically in the baby shoes. Jurassic filled that the first time, and let´s remember there where many practical Dinos.

But why I hint towards the bonus disc of ALIEN3, they explained there, that they simply had not the right camera work. The rod puppet was shot in second unit with a third scale. All was of course analog back then, so there was a huge calculation work to be done to get the rod puppet shots in third scale to match the life footage. A horror scenario, especially with the studio pressure and date line ahead.

I still think the puppet is gorgeous and might have even more life to it as a full CG character. The reason It looks so odd in most scenes is the un-matching lightning, the analog rotoscoping of the blue screen and rod background (and the controlling vfx guys) and simply the fact, that the suit ALIEN played by Woodruff was covered in slime and had a total different texture feel to it as the puppet, which simply was not allowed to be too shinny, cos of the above stated rotoscoping horror show.

The vfx guys did a marvelous job back then, with all facts considered. Let´s not forget, that these days with all our digital marvels, still some films vfx manages to look goofy. Mostly nowadays, because animations are either over done or super un-natural in their movement. The shading of CG should not be a problem anymore.

[SM]

I thought the camera work was alright, it was just the compositing.  Too much spill from the blue screen, lighting was just off enough for it not to look quite right.  The performance was good (except the shot where David is trying the shut the faulty door, where it looks dopey as).

[Pvt. Himmel]

I thought the camera work was alright, it was just the compositing.  Too much spill from the blue screen, lighting was just off enough for it not to look quite right.  The performance was good (except the shot where David is trying the shut the faulty door, where it looks dopey as).

What are you talking about??

[locusta]

David, the inmate of Fioria in ALIEN3.

When the runner comes after him and he quickly shots the door, the parallax of the shot is ass-off. Does not match a bit. They should have used man in suit here and do a different shot composition.

[Pvt. Himmel]

David, the inmate of Fioria in ALIEN3.

When the runner comes after him and he quickly shots the door, the parallax of the shot is ass-off. Does not match a bit. They should have used man in suit here and do a different shot composition.

Oh I thought he was talking Covenant. Sorry.

[Elder-wolf]

Something i have always wrecked my head with is, why do they always drop the amazing scripts and first or second initial drafts of alien films? I mean alien 3 the original draft was fantastic.. scary as hell and introduced some amazing new aliens, the beluga alien if i am not mistaking? And it was far darker are more gruesome that the actual decided draft.. alien 3 was the weakest for me.. and nkw the same with prometheus, they dropped the first draft and second, now i am wondering what kind of drafts we could have got in covenent, is this one the weakest one we are about to see? Or the strongest. Just never understood why they dropped the best drafts.

[Hard-R]

Was just perusing over these two stills and I originally thought this location was one and the same.
But I don't think it is as there's no dome in the Empire pic.

Don't Holloway me if it's already been covered!

On second thoughts - maybe the dome is retractable?

[Predaker]

Anybody else thinks the burster is semi transparent? Look the upheld arm.

I noticed that as well. Interesting.

[Evanus]

Was just perusing over these two stills and I originally thought this location was one and the same.
But I don't think it is as there's no dome in the Empire pic.

Don't Holloway me if it's already been covered!

On second thoughts - maybe the dome is retractable?

The dome is there in the empire pic, it just seems further away because of the perspective. But it's there.

[NattyDread]

Hi all. I thought the head room was down that opening in the plaza for some reason.

[Hard-R]

Hi all. I thought the head room was down that opening in the plaza for some reason.

Yes so did I.

I also think the scorpion tale needs more deliberation.

[cliffhanger]

Was just perusing over these two stills and I originally thought this location was one and the same.
But I don't think it is as there's no dome in the Empire pic.

Don't Holloway me if it's already been covered!

On second thoughts - maybe the dome is retractable?

different angle.

[Bad Replicant]

This is the fleshiest design we've ever seen; I'm honestly just surprised all of the old, still-valid criticisms seem to have largely disappeared.

They're similar for sure, though I see significant differences in the textures. The Resurrection aliens were more purely fleshy looking, at least in how the ended up reading on camera. This design, while similarly lacking in the amount of actual biomechanical detail, has a more fibrous, tendon-y appearance to its surface. That Empire image also nicely highlights the stone-like color tone they seem to have, as well. Combined with the other differences, I like it more. And yes, the head is bangin'.

[Hard-R]

Was just perusing over these two stills and I originally thought this location was one and the same.
But I don't think it is as there's no dome in the Empire pic.

Don't Holloway me if it's already been covered!

On second thoughts - maybe the dome is retractable?

different angle.

Yes you are right.
Just pinched this from McBride TV spot and confirms dome is there on other side.

[ReluctantNerd]

The scorpion tail thing is just another Juggernaut type ship flying vertically IMO... This ship just has the control dome very close to the end of an arm...