Quote from: SiL on Oct 16, 2019, 09:18:13 AM
Quote from: SM on Oct 16, 2019, 04:04:37 AM
The final scene with Yutani - you could barely see her face it was so dark. And that was a daylight scene, that I assume was properly lit.
I cannot say I've ever had that particular problem. She's always been pretty visible to me.
I always assumed the same from other times I've watched, so it surprised me this time.
I watched the flick start to finish for the first time since I can remember and jotted down stuff (some old chestnuts, some not) as it went...
20th Century Fox logo – rip off of Alien 3, and not a terribly good rip off.
Why a tracker sound on the titles? Maybe they could get away with it if it was increasing in pitch as if something was approaching.
They changed the ship between different cuts of the film. Hadn't noticed that before.
Predalien losing its skin – very badly shot.
After shooting at the PredAlien, the Predator turns his head 90 degrees right and shoots. There's a wall right there. Did he crash the ship on purpose?
Crashed ship needed a big money shot.
Hugger looked cool with its fingers on the cracked glass.
Why didn't the Predator use his self destruct?
Nice blink-and-you'll-miss-it huggers running through forest.
Kind of silly that the dad just stands there watching his arm burn off. You'd think he'd instinctively try and wipe the acid off like Vriess did or try and take the jacket off.
The planet beneath ship crashing in the distress signal doesn't seem to match the earlier shots.
Too early to reveal the Predator face. Give it a proper longer reveal later and showcase the acid scarring.
Predator planet is cool and then we go back to boring old Port Moody. Wonder why didn't get aerials shots of the actual Gunnison – particularly when real towns nearly like Crested Butte are referenced?
Pizza shop – is it dark outside? 'Cos in the following scenes it's not dark.
Sewer – now it's dark. This scene and following scene of Predator arriving are just murky as buggery. Just faint light reflecting off some shiny surfaces with what could've been cool iconic shots.
PredAlien backhander – ffs...
Even the tone of the O'Brien's house is dark when the lights are on.
If not for that orange vision mode in the forest, the Predator couldn't see shit either.
The woman playing Darcy; some interesting choices...
How does the coroner get any work done in the dark?
Sewer fight – couple of cool shots while the Predator is setting up, but the fight is it lost in the murk with only the rare Predavision shot to help.
Ray was skinned alive? The coroner guy missed the massive stab wounds?
Power station – this Predator is a monumentally shithouse shot.
And he couldn't see the Alien under the catwalk?
Considering how gritty and hardcore they wanted this flick, it would've been cool if Dale's friend was just unconscious when he was dragged back to the pool and woke up before the Alien started eating him. And huge missed opportunity with the inner jaw and the spear. They could've done it all in one shot where the Alien bites a couple of times then on the third instead of the jaw shooting out, the spear does instead.
Another chance for a cool shot of the Predator standing up in the tree lost in murk. It's raining – light him up with a lightning strike a la the Eastern building.
National Guard scene – the less said the better. They seriously used the feedback sound effect from when Dallas got killed in Alien. Just noticed.
More wasted murk with the PredAlien approaching the hospital.
Even what should be the first big proper reveal of the PredAlien – the whole front of it's head is just a black mass, with no detail.
Department store fight – amorphous black shapes screeching at each other.
Maternity – half a second of a good well lit shot of the PredAlien as he kills the doctor. Two different dates on the medical monitors though. Different months and years...
I freeze framed Ricky's boss getting killed. Still don't know how Ricky's boss got killed.
PredAlien in the hospital – gets slashed, then backs away and emotes with his hands 'kill him my evil minions!' More interesting performance choices.
The Predator holding one Alien against the wall while turning and shooting another looked pretty cool.
Punching another one – not so much.
Predator and Ricky both impervious to acid.
Dallas too.
That Alien running towards Dallas on the roof – ugh.
When we do get to see the whip in action (it's too dark to see it in the department store) it's edited to buggery and loses its effectiveness.
The Alien Dallas blasts on the helipad has gouts of blood fly out of its head – but then stands up? After it had been crawling before that?
Couple of cool freeze frame bits – there's a frame of the nuclear bomb entering the shot before it explodes. And Eddie's face burning off.
Can't even see Yutani's face when she's facing camera.