Quote from: SM on Jan 05, 2012, 05:06:43 AM
I don't think that would be an issue. The performer would just turn their head to turn the Alien head. It may have looked a bit too humanlike though so the turning of the whole body may have been a performance decision. Mind you the Alien whipping it's head around to face Vasquez looked pretty sweet. Again, though that was a performance thing. The way it whipped around didn't look humanlike.
I assumed because the actor's head is in the neck, it'd prevent the Alien head from being able to swivel properly. I'm not 100% sure if it's a performance thing or not. When I've seen some behind-the-scenes footage of them in the suits, it really looks like the head can't turn because of the suit's design. Essentially the neck and head are all one, which to me is a bad and fake-looking design, and it does project a more prominent man-in-suit look. I dunno, it just bothers me.
Like you said, that cool shot in
Aliens when the Alien whips its head around to face Vazques is so awesome, but it's like the Xeno's in the latter films all have neck braces on.