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Posted by SiL
 - Dec 13, 2020, 08:14:52 AM
QuoteHowever, with Prometheus, I did not explain myself completely about the genre which is my fault.
I meant low budget in the context of big special effects science-fiction or adventure films.
Total Recall, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, Fast Five, The Wolverine, Ender's Game, Cloud Atlas all had around the same budget or less, all effects heavy sci fi films.

Prometheus' budget is if anything perfectly average for its size and scale. Despite being a sci fi effects film it has only two primary locations and it's dialogue heavy. It's not on the same scale production wise of something like John Carter or even The Dark Knight Rises (crowd scenes on studio productions are incredibly expensive and TDKR has multiple, for example).
Posted by SpreadEagleBeagle
 - Dec 13, 2020, 08:00:41 AM
Man, this is a hard one.

ALIEN and A3 are my two favorite movies in the series, so I'll have to base my choice on the other two movies of each option available. A:R and PROM are my two least favorite Alien series movies, but as I prefer ALIENS over A:C I'd have to say that option no. 2 ought to be my choice... Even so, ALIEN is the original and I have never watched PROM, A:C and ALIEN in one sitting yet, so I'm going to pitch option no. 1...
Posted by bb-15
 - Dec 13, 2020, 06:48:43 AM
Quote from: SiL on Dec 13, 2020, 06:18:13 AM
$28 million in the early 80s isn't low budget and $125 million in 2009 wasn't low budget either. $125 million still isn't low budget - $80m is about the cutoff for "mid budget" movies.

I edited my above post because the way I write, it takes me time to crunch the numbers and get all of the references posted and do my edits.

I agree that 1982 Blade Runner was not a low budget special effects science fiction film. In fact for the genre it was above average in cost for its time. The final version of my comment says that. So, we agree there.

However, with Prometheus, I did not explain myself completely about the genre which is my fault.
I meant low budget in the context of big special effects science-fiction or adventure films. John Carter was an example of the genre. Other movies of this type from 2012 which cost $200 million or more included; Men in Black 3, The Dark Knight Rises, The Avengers, Skyfall, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Amazing Spider-Man and Battleship.
Films between $150 to $200 million include; Snow White and the Huntsman and Wrath of the Titans. Hugo is not a big adventure film but it cost like one. Same with Dark Shadows.

I could see where are you had the impression that I was comparing Prometheus with every movie that came out that year. That was not my intention.
- I was not comparing the cost of Prometheus to straight dramas like Lincoln or a comedy like Magic Mike which of course are cheaper to make than big special effects sci-fi or adventure.

;)
Posted by SiL
 - Dec 13, 2020, 06:18:13 AM
$28 million in the early 80s isn't low budget and $125 million in 2009 wasn't low budget either. $125 million still isn't low budget - $80m is about the cutoff for "mid budget" movies.
Posted by bb-15
 - Dec 13, 2020, 06:02:44 AM
Quote from: SM on Dec 09, 2020, 09:28:37 PM
Quote from: bb-15 on Dec 09, 2020, 01:26:27 PM
Quote from: Immortan Jonesy on Dec 06, 2020, 11:52:20 PM
Ridley Scott has that super power. His prequels are not cheap, but they look even more expensive, especially Prometheus. Even the Raised by Wolves episode he directed looked Top Tier.

Agreed. Ridley and Cameron with science fiction have the brilliant talent to make the visuals and the camerawork look great down to the smallest detail.
Add to that they are great in their casting.
Ridley is very good with pace in building a mystery.
Cameron is great with pace in building an action sequence.
And it's not about money, Blade Runner and The Terminator were cheap films.

And as you said; Prometheus, Raised by Wolves episode one (l'd add Covenant) were all low budget and looked very good.

On all those levels PWS Anderson isn't close to being that good (except for Event Horizon). AvP was still fun though.

;)

By what measure were Blade Runner and Prometheus cheap or low budget?

After checking the numbers, Blade Runner had an above average budget for a special effects science fiction movie at that time. Not the most expensive film but still not low budget. I stand corrected.
* Prometheus is low budget for a special effects science fiction film for its time.

* Blade Runner production budget; $28 million
https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Blade-Runner#tab=summary

1978 Superman cost $55 million
1981 Superman II cost $54 million
https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Superman-II#tab=summary

* Prometheus (2012) production budget; $125 million
https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Prometheus#tab=summary

2012 John Carter cost $264 million   
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_expensive_films

;)
Posted by SM
 - Dec 10, 2020, 11:29:28 AM
Other films around 1982: ET cost $10.5m, Rambo cost $15m, Tron cost $17m, Poltergeist cost $10.7m, Conan cost $20m, Gandhi cost $22m - Blade Runner was around $30m.
Posted by HuDaFuK
 - Dec 10, 2020, 10:50:25 AM
Blade Runner definitely looks a hell of a lot more expensive than it was, but "low budget" is pushing it.

Prometheus cost a shit-ton.
Posted by SM
 - Dec 09, 2020, 09:28:37 PM
Quote from: bb-15 on Dec 09, 2020, 01:26:27 PM
Quote from: Immortan Jonesy on Dec 06, 2020, 11:52:20 PM
Ridley Scott has that super power. His prequels are not cheap, but they look even more expensive, especially Prometheus. Even the Raised by Wolves episode he directed looked Top Tier.

Agreed. Ridley and Cameron with science fiction have the brilliant talent to make the visuals and the camerawork look great down to the smallest detail.
Add to that they are great in their casting.
Ridley is very good with pace in building a mystery.
Cameron is great with pace in building an action sequence.
And it's not about money, Blade Runner and The Terminator were cheap films.

And as you said; Prometheus, Raised by Wolves episode one (l'd add Covenant) were all low budget and looked very good.

On all those levels PWS Anderson isn't close to being that good (except for Event Horizon). AvP was still fun though.

;)

By what measure were Blade Runner and Prometheus cheap or low budget?
Posted by Local Trouble
 - Dec 09, 2020, 07:59:39 PM
Quote from: Rudiger on Dec 09, 2020, 02:58:11 PM
(1) Alien, (2) Aliens, (3) Alien DC / Aliens DC (alternating).

The rest I can easily do without.

Understandable.
Posted by Voodoo Magic
 - Dec 09, 2020, 05:59:59 PM
He changed the no-win situation like Kirk and Kobayashi Maru!
Posted by Rudiger
 - Dec 09, 2020, 02:58:11 PM
(1) Alien, (2) Aliens, (3) Alien DC / Aliens DC (alternating).

The rest I can easily do without.
Posted by bb-15
 - Dec 09, 2020, 01:26:27 PM
Quote from: Immortan Jonesy on Dec 06, 2020, 11:52:20 PM
Ridley Scott has that super power. His prequels are not cheap, but they look even more expensive, especially Prometheus. Even the Raised by Wolves episode he directed looked Top Tier.

Agreed. Ridley and Cameron with science fiction have the brilliant talent to make the visuals and the camerawork look great down to the smallest detail.
Add to that they are great in their casting.
Ridley is very good with pace in building a mystery.
Cameron is great with pace in building an action sequence.
And it's not about money, Blade Runner and The Terminator were cheap films.

And as you said; Prometheus, Raised by Wolves episode one (l'd add Covenant) were all low budget and looked very good.

On all those levels PWS Anderson isn't close to being that good (except for Event Horizon). AvP was still fun though.

;)
Posted by Kradan
 - Dec 08, 2020, 08:04:08 PM
Take that, Cameron haters !!!  :P
Posted by Voodoo Magic
 - Dec 08, 2020, 04:56:41 PM
Quote from: Kradan on Dec 08, 2020, 02:00:41 PM
Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Dec 07, 2020, 02:21:28 PM
This all makes me think of James Cameron, where it's been said multiple times that he can do practically everyone's job better than they can.. cameraman, lighting, cinematography, storyboards, concept art, editing... that with his constant meddling/assistance, he makes almost everyone better around him. Pissed off, yes,  :laugh: but also better. Cameron can wear so many hats it frustrates him sometimes he had to rely on other people. But that's of course a rare breed!

And that's why I love the man

I remember watching a Brad Fiedel interview about scoring The Terminator and Brad said Cameron corrected him on a portion of the score and, wouldn't you know it, Brad admitted Jim was right.
Posted by Kradan
 - Dec 08, 2020, 02:00:41 PM
Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Dec 07, 2020, 02:21:28 PM
This all makes me think of James Cameron, where it's been said multiple times that he can do practically everyone's job better than they can.. cameraman, lighting, cinematography, storyboards, concept art, editing... that with his constant meddling/assistance, he makes almost everyone better around him. Pissed off, yes,  :laugh: but also better. Cameron can wear so many hats it frustrates him sometimes he had to rely on other people. But that's of course a rare breed!

And that's why I love the man


Quote from: seattle24 on Dec 08, 2020, 08:32:47 AM
Quote from: SM on Dec 08, 2020, 12:59:48 AM
There was potential in the Connors/ Verheiden/ Miller 'death' scenes - but the editing was choppy and I think they overdid the quivery lip thing.

And the Alien sound effects are bad. But they started chucking the 'less is more' approach out of the window long before AvP.

Alien's headbite in AvP 2004 has metalic sound to it which is weird
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