Alien 3: A Sore Subject for Michael Biehn & Sigourney Weaver mourns "Hicks"

Started by Voodoo Magic, Aug 02, 2019, 08:16:36 PM

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Alien 3: A Sore Subject for Michael Biehn & Sigourney Weaver mourns "Hicks" (Read 31,189 times)

razeak

I saw Aliens when it first came on HBO. So I had a 6 or 7 year wait for what happens next. Me and my friends used to debate about it on the playground lol. I would always tell them JCVD was going to be in the next Alien.

Samhain13

Quote from: [cancerblack] on Aug 09, 2019, 06:11:40 AM
Quote from: Samhain13 on Aug 07, 2019, 03:40:33 PM
Quote from: Drukathi on Aug 07, 2019, 09:57:45 AM
Well, if you find the image of "drukathi" - let me know.

No fanart of those so far. I would be interested in seeing some of them.



Here you go:




That's nice. Thanks.

AVP-CAPCOM

AVP-CAPCOM

#107
Ah ok. It's hard to tell from printed (digital) pages but Michael Biehn comes across, with a narcissist and stubborn tone in this interview.

Maybe its not unmerited as he realised he was good looking, this earned him a said starting salary of $100,000 for doing ad-hoc commercials capitalising on his good looks. Obviously the "chemistry" and admission from both Sigourney Weaver and Linda Hamilton is real with both admitting in a round about way they fancied him off-screen.
Linda Hamilton (from that interview)
"While Hamilton might not go as far as to say there was any real-life attraction between them, she notes the pair spent weeks of night shoots together, and grew to trust each other as performers.
"I loved him and I don't know a soul who doesn't. He was my world," says Hamilton."

His acting and on-screen chemistry with female co-stars contributed to THE TERMINATOR and ALIENS being 5 star movies.

In regards to him not liking sequels past ALIENS or TERMINATOR 2, I think there is a dark part in all of us who agree with him. My Dad also disliked the overall mediocre elements of sequels like the wasteful ALIEN 3 and TERMINATOR-RISE OF THE MACHINES* (*which in my view is TERMINATOR 2 compared to T-Genesys).

While I've started to love Prometheus and Covenant* (*always liked Covenant anyways) I struggle with how different the aesthetic when you compare the image of Biehn as Hicks, helping Ripley off a Weyland grid floor in ALIENS- compared to any "character" in a quasi ancient rome in Ridley Scott's movies. I really wanted PROMETHEUS to work and be a 4.5/5 movie, but it just didn't. So at times I am in line with Biehn's comments, while irritated by them at the same time. Yes you were in, in my opinion, the best ALIENS movie. But no the other sequels (including AVP) also brought stuff to the table.

In terms of acting and legacy, yes original THE TERMINATOR is indeed in the Library of Congress for Preservation- but Biehn didn't do that many movies compared to actors of his era who also revived their careers for contemporary and modern audiences (like Robert Downy Jr or Brad Pitt).
I'd say THE ROCK (forgotten and under-rated 1996 Michael "explosions!" Bay action movie) and PLANET TERROR were his last best acting gigs.

Question for AVPGALAXY users. Why wasn't Biehn hired from the off-set to play Hicks if Cameron had let Biehn into his secret ALIEN sequel script for ALIENS? I am assuming the casting of James Remar* (*of whom I also like as an actor and would've been good had he played as a different marine) was the choice of producer Walter Hill who worked with Remar on THE WARRIORS with Remar.

Valaquen

Quote from: AVP-CAPCOM on Aug 11, 2019, 06:34:50 AM
In regards to him not liking sequels past ALIENS or TERMINATOR 2, I think there is a dark part in all of us who agree with him.

Reminds me of Tom Skerritt who said he'd never watch a sequel to Alien.

QuoteQuestion for AVPGALAXY users. Why wasn't Biehn hired from the off-set to play Hicks if Cameron had let Biehn into his secret ALIEN sequel script for ALIENS? I am assuming the casting of James Remar* (*of whom I also like as an actor and would've been good had he played as a different marine) was the choice of producer Walter Hill who worked with Remar on THE WARRIORS with Remar.

Remar's role was landed by Hill. When Remar was fired, they ended up somewhat estranged because of Remar's bad behaviour.

AVP-CAPCOM

Quote from: Valaquen on Aug 11, 2019, 10:08:23 AM
Quote from: AVP-CAPCOM on Aug 11, 2019, 06:34:50 AM
In regards to him not liking sequels past ALIENS or TERMINATOR 2, I think there is a dark part in all of us who agree with him.

Reminds me of Tom Skerritt who said he'd never watch a sequel to Alien.

Yes we tend to forget some fans are purists and stick with the original movie. Not a bad choice and I can see why, if I put myself in other people's reasoning.

But come on; the jump from ALIEN to ALIENS wasn't as bad in terms of themes, aesthetic, set-design, continuity of character and story- than say Prometheus. The latter is so different I treat it as a sidequel, alternate universe, rather than something I associate with the quadrilogy.

As for AVP, said it once and I'll say it again. Take it or leave it.

razeak

Biehn clearly has his nose in the right direction or we wouldn't be discussing that damned egg all these years later.

Those characters resonated with large parts of the audience. It's why Alien 3 was such a punch in the gut.

Perfect-Organism

It's why Alien 3 DOES NOT WORK.

Alien 3 is a great film when taken out of context of the Aliens film that went before it.  If Hicks and Newt were some random characters that you never heard of, then it is a terrific film.  However, when you treat it as a direct sequel to Aliens, it falls flat.  No question.

Inverse Effect

I can't shit on Alien 3 as i love is as i do Alien and Aliens, But yeah, it did mess up the franchise story wise.

Voodoo Magic

It would seem even Sigourney Weaver agrees with that sentiment.

The Old One

The Old One

#114
Yes, even the lead character actor is incorrect.

Russ

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 12, 2019, 02:54:58 AM
It's why Alien 3 DOES NOT WORK.

Alien 3 is a great film when taken out of context of the Aliens film that went before it.  If Hicks and Newt were some random characters that you never heard of, then it is a terrific film.  However, when you treat it as a direct sequel to Aliens, it falls flat.  No question.

Yep, 100%

The Old One

The Old One

#116
I really don't get it, complaining about various aspects of the film's real issues I understand, even if I disagree (pacing, composition, not empathising, editing) but I never seen the deaths of two/three of the most cliché characters in cinema to be one of them.

razeak

razeak

#117
When I look at Alien 3 and Clemens, I wonder what the big deal would have been to have that be Hicks instead? Of course maybe he isn't going to deliver medical care, but as far as filling the role of a supportive voice I think that they could have been relatively interchangeable. I think Hicks being male, and a marine may have allowed more respect with Andrews to where the role wouldn't have been much different overall. No need for guns, no need for Hicks to do anything heroic. I could have been an interesting direction, and still would have turned into the dark, nihilistic piece we received. Its just the darkness would have unfolded a bit later.

Now imagine the runner grabs Hicks and punches a hole in his head lol. I wonder how that reaction would have went over?

I'm not trying to knock Alien 3.

I do think cliche is a weak angle though. Every characterization and situation has pretty much been done a million times over at this point.

The Old One

The Old One

#118
I think I'd loved your description of the scenario even more. And I'm not (obviously) trying to say it's perfect.
And "everything isn't new" is an even more nonsense angle, it's no reason to create something uninteresting- Even if the character served it's purpose perfectly in the film it's designed for.

razeak

Alien 3 is awesome as is. Its just speculation. I bet there would be some gnashing of teeth and a million voices shrieking in terror in that  moment (mine included haha, and no Turk.)

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