(https://www.punchline-gloucester.com/images/user/4870_schoolkid_bunny.jpg)
Good morning/afternoon/evening, ladies, gents, and aliens alike. I'd like to welcome you all to a renovated interview thread, where we talk to members of the lovely forum and get to know each other without breaking into arguments about what's canon.
Anyways, hopefully we get lots of guests and thoughtful answers. We'll get on with the show once I find a willing vic--I mean, guest.
(https://www.punchline-gloucester.com/images/user/4870_schoolkid_bunny.jpg)
And we have our first guest. I'm surprised this didn't take three months to get off the ground, and that makes me happy.
Our first guest is one of the administrators of the Xenopedia wiki, the always interesting and somewhat unpredictable Cruentus.
First up, what's your favorite film in the franchise, and why?It varies between Alien and Aliens, depending on what I am in the mood for. Alien is best when it comes to horror, certain aesthetics and its very suspenseful because of the slow build.
Aliens has more action in it but less horror, it does have a lot of tension in it which I like as well and the Alien designs were good too, though just like the movies I like both the original and the sequel designs equally. Character wise, Aliens has probably more memorable characters due to their quotes and behaviour. Interestingly there was a fansite for Wierzbowski, even though the character has less screentime than the others.
How did you come up with your username?It is latin for crimson, bloody and bloodthirstines. I enjoy picking names with imeanings. Latin is full of words that can be used as cool monikors.
Who are you, and what do you do?I am The Cruentus and I am the bureaucrat of Xenopedia, a wikia that aims to document and have as much information on the franchise as possible, However, due to its nature and the ever changing status of the franchise lore, the wikia is forever being changed and reworked to try and reflect the current status. Not everyone agrees with it though, which is why we try and make sure members follow the policy.
The fandom tends to have some member that may be overtly passionate about the franchise and dislike the direction it has been going in, sometimes they try to alter the wiki to reflect their views rather than be objective and using sourced information. Other than that, I work five days a week with shifts that have now reduced my time to do things both on the wiki and other matters but I always manage to squeeze in an hour or so before work and after. Workwise, I have worked as a bouncer, technically I still am though I now prefer to work in other departments of the industry. Always fun to throw out drunk people or I.d generation Zs that think they can get away with it haha.
How has the franchise, and the fandom in general, influenced you?Well, the first two films is what got me into the fandom, but the more recent media has alienated me somewhat, I am still a fan don't get me wrong...but the direction the franchise is going in, both Alien and Predator just me thinking: what the hell is going? what happened to the masterpieces like Alien/Aliens and Predator? I don't know how the franchise will ever get back to its roots, I mean we haven't seen a biomechanical alien on the screens since Alien 3.
Since Resurrection, they went down the organic route which was not bad for resurrection itself because the aliens were hybrids, but in AVP, its sequel and Covenant, the alien just has not been what it once was. Though in the crossover's defence, I believe budget issues affected that. It is not just visuals of course, it is the story of these recent films that I personally find that has altered the lore and not in a good way. Then take into consideration other recent media like the comics and it just adds things that don't make sense, like Alien: dust to dust with
Spoiler
the alien having maternal instincts for its host's son.
Fandomwise, it took me awhile to join this site because I know all too well what forums are like, so I was a guest for a long while. However, its been fairly ok here, you will get the odd member that is fanatical, irrational or hateful, telling others what to believe or what is canon and what is not but that is expected since it is a large fandom. Personally I think we should be getting along because we are all here due to our love for the franchise, it should be something that brings us closer rather than tear us apart. Having different views is no reason to fight eachother.
Who is your favorite member/best friend out of everyone you've ever met on these humble forums?I have respect for quite a few members on here, I am friends with Hudafuk as he is a fellow admin on Xenopedia and I usually chat with him on here. I usually get on more or less with most members on the site. Hicks has done a bang up job and he gets in touch with the folks that are involved in the franchise in one way or another, so its good to hear the thoughts and opinions of people who have worked on the franchise in those podcasts. So I got to give him kudos for that, plus his lore videos have not plagiarised from our wiki, so I respect that.
Dark Horse recently released Aliens: Resistance, and I noticed you were disappointed in how Weyland-Yutani is being treated as the villain. What would be the best way to remedy this, and, if you could, would you create a different villain aside from the Aliens themselves?Yeah, I am not sure if I was being premature in that but it seemed from the look of it that they are going down the evil company road yet again. Now in the first three films, the company is ambiguous and negligent at worst. Burke was acting alone in Aliens, and we will never know if Michael was being genuine in Alien 3. Though in A:CM, they turn Michael and the company into outright evil villians. AVP2010 did the same and even has a world domination audio log from Dr. Groves. I just think its a bit over the top. Such plots are better suited to Austin Powers, batman, Superman or even Bond movies.
AVP 2004 had Weyland in that but he was portrayed fairly decently, it was refreshing to see the company not being evil or plotting. I find it at least as one of better things about that movie. It is only my opinion of course, if people don't see mustache twirling villians as out of place in what was originally a very down to earth franchise then that is fine but I find it has overstayed its welcome, bad enough when it was done once but the franchise has explored this aspect of various companies in different stories a lot now. Maybe they should rename the company to Wolfram and Hart, given that they are now the nemesis to any decent person haha.
How to remedy it? I think simply either going back to making the company just a company, albeit one that is ambigious or have W-Y in a more protagonistic role and I mean that in a "well meaning, trying to the right thing" kind of protagonist, not simply the one who drives the plot. Another way would be just to focus on different things instead of having corporations all the time. Even though fanatics have been done, I would welcome that angle over another evil corp route.
What's the story behind mentioning barbeque sauce in a thread about Predator dogs?I was almost confused then, I think I was making a joke about eating dogs or something. Just add barberque sauce! yum yum.
What are your thoughts on how the Alien franchise has evolved over the years since you became a fan?Not good if I have to be honest. Resurrection added a lot of silliness to the franchise, Prometheus retconned a few things but Covenant really turned things upside I think. Superfast lifecycle, faster than AVP, which was bad enough before. David creating the alien and the engineers just getting destroyed without us ever finding out why they wanted to kill us, I mean we have our theories of course but it would have been good to see Shaw get those answers, I think she deserved to after what she went through. I just personal feel that with each new entry, they are just going to add something that affects the lore and not in the good way, I am cynical to the point of not expecting anything from a sequel, I never even saw Covenant in the theatre.
In your opinion, what is the most important part of making a film? Is it the script, the characters, effects, etc.?I think you got it right in the that order there, having a good script is important, as even a good character can have bad dialogue or making silly decisions, So script should be intelligent and logical, then characters need good development, otherwise you won't care if they died.
Then after you got the meat, you season it with effects. Personally I think they should focus on practical effects unless absolutely necessary. I don't hate cgi but I feel it gets overused in most movies.
Would you rather see Scott complete David's story, or some type of Alien 5 (whether or not Blomkamp directs is optional)?Despite what I think Covenant did to the alien franchise, I would like to see Ridley finish off his trilogy, if only to avoid the cliffhanger of Covenant and to see how Ridley plans on bridging the gap to Alien. I am curious about it regardless if its good or ill.
Afterwards, I would like to see some form of soft reboot where the franchise is taken back to its roots.
Most importantly, because this will kill friendships with some members here, what is your stance on the skull?Honestly, I don't mind either version. Usually you won't see the skull in Alien, Requiem or Covenant unless you are looking for it as it can be easily missed, but it is creepy and its like the creature stole the skeletal structure of its host, mimicking it in a twisted fashion.
Thanks for taking the time out of your day to kick off the new interview thread . . . also, can you link me the Wierzbowski site? I'm legit curious.
Great interview. 8) Glad to see this up and running again.
Ha, I should have proof read myself a bit more I think, these days I type like I am drunk.
The site was called Wierzbowski hunters, unfortunately it is defunct now.
Quote from: The Cruentus on Jan 29, 2019, 02:16:21 AM
The site was called Wierzbowski hunters, unfortunately it is defunct now.
Well, that sucks. Wonder if Steedman knew about it.
Good stuff!
Yee, respectfully disagree on a few things but I don't get hateful, I just get penis-y. ;D
Quote from: The Cruentus on Jan 29, 2019, 02:16:21 AM
Ha, I should have proof read myself a bit more I think, these days I type like I am drunk.
The site was called Wierzbowski hunters, unfortunately it is defunct now.
If you remember the URL you maybe able to Wayback it.
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Jan 29, 2019, 02:23:49 AM
Quote from: The Cruentus on Jan 29, 2019, 02:16:21 AM
The site was called Wierzbowski hunters, unfortunately it is defunct now.
Well, that sucks. Wonder if Steedman knew about it.
I think he did. I'm pretty sure it got mentioned in our interview with him.
The url was www.wierzbowski.net. Not sure how I would go about waybacking it. The link we got doesn't even work, it sends you to some mailing address in a different language.
https://web.archive.org/web/20111003145022/http://www.wierzbowski.net/
"Ask Weirzbowski" Never thought of him as an agony aunt :laugh:
Quote from: The Cruentus on Jan 29, 2019, 11:47:34 AM
"Ask Weirzbowski" Never thought of him as an agony aunt :laugh:
He looks like the kind of guy who thinks a hell of a lot more than he talks, which is why his advice would be worth hearing.
One of my teachers in high school said that about me once.
I've got a pretty good schedule lined up. After an updated interview with the Great and Powerful Corporal Hicks, we will be hearing from
Voodoo Magic, followed by (hopefully)
Huggs, and maybe--
maybe--
Vermillion.
If anyone wants to be interviewed, let me know, because I have no idea if Huggs and Verm will respond to my prodding.
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Jan 29, 2019, 05:34:51 PM
Quote from: The Cruentus on Jan 29, 2019, 11:47:34 AM
"Ask Weirzbowski" Never thought of him as an agony aunt :laugh:
He looks like the kind of guy who thinks a hell of a lot more than he talks, which is why his advice would be worth hearing. One of my teachers in high school said that about me once.
I've got a pretty good schedule lined up. After an updated interview with the Great and Powerful Corporal Hicks, we will be hearing from Voodoo Magic, followed by (hopefully) Huggs, and maybe--maybe--Vermillion.
If anyone wants to be interviewed, let me know, because I have no idea if Huggs and Verm will respond to my prodding.
I volunteer as tribute. 8)
Do me a favor Wabbit. When you ask Hicks to list his favorite - to least favorite AVPG members, reverse it so I'll be at the top at #1.
#1. Voodoo Magic ~
♡the most beloved.♡
Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Jan 29, 2019, 06:26:57 PM
Do me a favor Wabbit. When you ask Hicks to list his favorite - to least favorite AVPG members, reverse it so I'll be at the top at #1.
#1. Voodoo Magic ~
♡the most beloved.♡
Unfortunately, I didn't ask him that question.
Did you annoy him again?
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Jan 29, 2019, 06:29:47 PM
Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Jan 29, 2019, 06:26:57 PM
Do me a favor Wabbit. When you ask Hicks to list his favorite - to least favorite AVPG members, reverse it so I'll be at the top at #1.
#1. Voodoo Magic ~
♡the most beloved.♡
Unfortunately, I didn't ask him that question.
Did you annoy him again?
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/64352324ad3cd1dd024ec53f1fdf2813/tumblr_pahhahuDGy1se0jzho1_500.gif)
Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Jan 29, 2019, 06:37:28 PM
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Jan 29, 2019, 06:29:47 PM
Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Jan 29, 2019, 06:26:57 PM
Do me a favor Wabbit. When you ask Hicks to list his favorite - to least favorite AVPG members, reverse it so I'll be at the top at #1.
#1. Voodoo Magic ~
♡the most beloved.♡
Unfortunately, I didn't ask him that question.
Did you annoy him again?
https://66.media.tumblr.com/64352324ad3cd1dd024ec53f1fdf2813/tumblr_pahhahuDGy1se0jzho1_500.gif
Well, that covers one question in your interview.
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Jan 29, 2019, 05:34:51 PM
If anyone wants to be interviewed, let me know, because I have no idea if Huggs and Verm will respond to my prodding.
Are we talking...serious questions?
Quote from: Huggs on Jan 29, 2019, 08:09:59 PM
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Jan 29, 2019, 05:34:51 PM
If anyone wants to be interviewed, let me know, because I have no idea if Huggs and Verm will respond to my prodding.
Are we talking...serious questions?
Most serious, and a couple silly ones.
Spoiler
Oh my God, you used a Hogan's Heroes pic. You really are my best friend.
(https://www.punchline-gloucester.com/images/user/4870_schoolkid_bunny.jpg)
After eight years, I'm glad to announce we have an updated interview with the One and Only, the Great and Powerful, the Almighty and Distinguished Dictator, Corporal Hicks, who still has one of my favorite avatars on Twitter. Enjoy.First up, with the inclusion of Prometheus, Alien: Covenant, and The Predator, and the general passage of time, I guess, has your favorite film in the franchise changed at all?Nope! On the Alien-side I continue to be unable to pick a favorite between Alien/s/3. Honestly, it always just depends on my mood as to what I fancy at the time. I'd say I've probably watched Aliens more but that's because it's the one I always used to like having on in the background while I was doing something else Alien related.
With Covenant's release, I'd put it just under the original trilogy and I do enjoy it (until the Alien shows up) but it's soundtrack did shoot up towards the top spot. It's my second favourite just after Alien 3. There's something about Covenant's that I just find so haunting.
In terms of Predator, I don't think I actually answered for Predator last time, I'd say the original is my favourite. It's an all-around solid entertainer. Predators would come second for me. I think that film gets such a hard rep that I don't think it deserves. Predator 2 comes third for me. I love the world building and I love the Predator designs in this. I think it's just that cheesy vibe that knocks it down for me. They're all within an inch of each other though.
How did you come up with your username (or, what drew you to the character of Corporal Hicks that made you want him to be your digital avatar)?Honestly, I don't remember why I choose Hicks as my username. I've had it for around 19 years. He's certainly one of my favourite characters though and his cool-under-pressure attitude is one I greatly admire. My ability to be keep a level head has slowly diminished over the years as I've had to deal with more fools on-and-off the internet.
I've thought about changing it just to my real name but I think Hicks is pretty well associated with AvP Galaxy so I've just left it.
Does Michael Biehn know?Ha. No. I've met him twice but I get a little star struck in person. He was actually the first cast member I ever met at a convention and it was my first ever convention. I went specifically to see him! Unfortunately it wasn't a good day for him and it wasn't a really good experience.
I saw him again a few years ago as I didn't have his signature on my AvP Galaxy poster so I wanted to get him on there. Fortunately, he was in such a good mood that day! I remember there being a delay with the photoshoots and while the camera guy is fannying around, Michael is there dancing around and messing around with the guests in the queue. That was great!
Who are you and what do you do (that has changed since the last interview in . . . 2011)?I no longer work for the government (thank God!) I moved into the prison sector where I did a couple of years looking after the Life sentence and other indeterminate prisoners. I also did some target management (100% for the year, baby) before I moved into I.T support at the same place. I've been doing that for about 5 years now. I'm currently the Helpdesk Supervisor/2nd line support with 2 minions under me. I passed on an opportunity to apply for manager because I can't stand company politics and my ability to hide my disdain is not great.
What do you think it is about this particular website that makes people want to come back regularly?I like to think it's my charming personality. Or the work myself and the crew put into the news and content. I'm especially proud of the podcasts and I always love hearing people respond to them. Otherwise, I do think it's our members and the conversations – silly or otherwise.
Are there times where you get frustrated with running AvPGalaxy, maybe even times where you just want to quit?Honestly, yes. I've thought about it in the past. But that was years ago when we allowed a specific clique to run rampant. Not since then, though. I may joke about the tangents rising my blood pressure or when I have to intervene (I do genuinely hate being made to feel like a school teacher) but I love AvP Galaxy. The opportunities I've had thanks to being here and the people I've "met" while being involved in this community...I wouldn't change it.
As of now, who has been your favorite person to talk to for the AvPGalaxy podcast?Oooohhh. That's a hard one. I really enjoyed interviewing Alex White (seriously, go read The Cold Forge if you haven't already) and Cynthia Scott really surprised me. She was great, great fun to talk to. Liam O'Donnell was also such a great chat. Most of the interviews we've done over the last 2 or 3 years have been genuinely fun and interesting to do. But I think I'd have to go with those ones.
Have you considered interviewing Mark Rolston? Asking for a friend (seriously, though, Alien Theory thought it was a good idea over on Twitter).I haven't. I'm actually always hesitant to chat to the actors because I've had some poor text based interviews in the past that I never even bothered releasing. Fortunately the few Aliens cast interviews we've done for the podcast have been really great so I wouldn't be opposed to it.
Still, it requires actually getting a chance to make that request and if they respond in the first place. I've been trying to get in touch with Bill Hope but unfortunately have had no response from his agents.
What are your feelings on how the franchise has evolved since you became a fan?I dislike the direction Ridley Scott is taking the prequels. I find David fascinating but I don't like this road of making the Aliens human in a roundabout fashion. Predator keeps making missteps too. They want to do Bad Blood but complicate it. They should just make Bad Blood!
But I'm enjoying the EU on most of it. Alien Isolation is a phenomenal addition to the series and so is The Cold Forge. While the films maybe disappointing me, the EU is keeping me plenty happy.
What got you into Airsoft?My Dad. In my teens my Dad tried to get me involved in his hobbies and there was resistance from me. I just wasn't interested and it caused some major tension and difficulties in our relationship. That's dumbing it down somewhat but that was what it boiled down to. I think it was when I was about 18 when I was realizing our relationship wasn't great. He'd always wanted a replica SA80/L85 (the British rifle) and it seemed like the easiest way to do it was to get an airsoft replica.
He suggested we go together. Wanting to try and improve our relationship, I went along. And just fell in love with it. I'd already done paintball prior to that but airsoft blew it out the water. It's like first person shooters in real life. It's a chance for me to play with my favourite guns from games and shows, to get my fat ass moving about, to go explore some unique locations (an old WW2 bunker, a disused prison, an MOD training facility, an old hospital village).
Plus, I also met Shevvie thanks to Airsoft. If you've listened to the podcasts he one of my buddies that I bring in on episodes every now and again and I wouldn't know him without airsoft. Or my Dad.
Most importantly--more important than anything I've asked here--what's your stance on the skull?God damn it, the skull is amazing! I get the appeal behind the lack of eyes but I find the empty eye sockets just as creepy! You still don't truly know where it is looking! There are no eyes, after all!
I honestly think the Newborn should have just been Giger's Alien without the cowl. I think that empty skull would have been an obvious way to put across the human influence.
I will forever stand by the skull!
Thanks for the questions and for taking up the mantle. :) I really enjoyed your chat with Cruentus too!
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Jan 30, 2019, 03:02:04 PM
I will forever stand by the skull!
Thanks for the questions and for taking up the mantle. :) I really enjoyed your chat with Cruentus too!
No problem. I usually don't step into a leadership role, so this is a good ten yards outside my comfort zone.
I'm not particularly sociable but I've ended up as a bit of a public face for here! It's funny how things happen. :P You're doing great so far. :)
Nice interview! Cool to see these back up.
"I dislike the direction Ridley Scott is taking the prequels. I find David fascinating but I don't like this road of making the Aliens human (*more penis-y) in a roundabout fashion."
You're such a disappointment to me. ;D (nice interview)
(https://imgur.com/1Cr326h.jpg)
Nice interview, so you worked in the security sector as well eh? I should call you Jim Fenner :laugh:
I am curious though, what was it about the first time you met Michael Beihn that made it a bad experience, you said he didn't have a great day but what did actually happen for you to consider it a bad experience?
Well I've never been a guard or anything.
He seemed hung over AF. Head down, hoody up, barely speaking to anyone.
What job did you do at the prison sector then? If you say therapist, I will have to send you a hannibal mask :laugh:
I see, that is sad but in the end, actors are human just like everyone else. They got their flaws and problems. Just think though, there is some actors in the franchiise that fans will never meet now, I still can't believe about Bill, he was what? 60.
Beihn has struggled with alcoholism since the 80s, so it's a bit more than "actors are human" in his case, unfortunately :(
Quote from: SiL on Jan 31, 2019, 12:38:27 PM
Beihn has struggled with alcoholism since the 80s, so it's a bit more than "actors are human" in his case, unfortunately :(
Indeed. This is what I meant by a bad day for him. :(
Quote from: The Cruentus on Jan 31, 2019, 12:36:25 PM
What job did you do at the prison sector then? If you say therapist, I will have to send you a hannibal mask :laugh:
Well I'm still in the prison sector, just doing I.T now. Before that it was case administrator, then sorting out parole applications and stuff for lifers and indeterminates. It sounds pretty boring but it was actually pretty interesting.
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Jan 31, 2019, 12:51:27 PM
Quote from: SiL on Jan 31, 2019, 12:38:27 PM
Beihn has struggled with alcoholism since the 80s, so it's a bit more than "actors are human" in his case, unfortunately :(
Indeed. This is what I meant by a bad day for him. :(
Hasn't he been clean for a few years? I've watched several interviews and panels with him and he's vastly different in a couple.
There's a four-part video (I'll have to post them here) where he's really energetic. Hell, I was brand spankin' new to Aliens and I assumed he played Hudson because of it, for some reason. And then there was the Aliens Exposed panel: not as energetic (probably because Paxton stole the show).
Quote from: The Cruentus on Jan 31, 2019, 12:36:25 PM
I still can't believe about Bill, he was what? 60.
He would've been legendary in an AvPGalaxy podcast.
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Jan 31, 2019, 03:07:51 PM
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Jan 31, 2019, 12:51:27 PM
Quote from: SiL on Jan 31, 2019, 12:38:27 PM
Beihn has struggled with alcoholism since the 80s, so it's a bit more than "actors are human" in his case, unfortunately :(
Indeed. This is what I meant by a bad day for him. :(
Hasn't he been clean for a few years? I've watched several interviews and panels with him and he's vastly different in a couple.
Yeah, he seems like he's been doing fine. I'm talking near enough 10 years back.
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Jan 28, 2019, 02:21:07 PMOur first guest is one of the administrators of the Xenopedia wiki, the always interesting and somewhat unpredictable Cruentus.[/b]
I've been working with the guy for years now and this constitutes the most I've ever learnt about him :laugh:
This is a really neat idea. I enjoyed both of those. Keep them coming!
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Jan 31, 2019, 04:26:32 PM
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Jan 28, 2019, 02:21:07 PMOur first guest is one of the administrators of the Xenopedia wiki, the always interesting and somewhat unpredictable Cruentus.[/b]
I've been working with the guy for years now and this constitutes the most I've ever learnt about him :laugh:
This is a really neat idea. I enjoyed both of those. Keep them coming!
You will be after MudButt, who should be after Verm, and Huggs.
I am anxiously awaiting Voodoo's answers.
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Jan 31, 2019, 12:51:27 PM
Quote from: SiL on Jan 31, 2019, 12:38:27 PM
Beihn has struggled with alcoholism since the 80s, so it's a bit more than "actors are human" in his case, unfortunately :(
Indeed. This is what I meant by a bad day for him. :(
Quote from: The Cruentus on Jan 31, 2019, 12:36:25 PM
What job did you do at the prison sector then? If you say therapist, I will have to send you a hannibal mask :laugh:
Well I'm still in the prison sector, just doing I.T now. Before that it was case administrator, then sorting out parole applications and stuff for lifers and indeterminates. It sounds pretty boring but it was actually pretty interesting.
Not at all! I think that's actually really interesting. In my area, there's a lot of overlap between Psych and Corrections. It's good to see someone else involved in the good fight, regardless of whether it's clinical or administrative :)
Great job, TheSailingRabbit. These interviews are awesome 8)
Line me up, let the aussies have a go. ;D :-*
Quote from: Necronomicon II on Feb 01, 2019, 02:46:29 PM
Line me up, let the aussies have a go. ;D :-*
The schedule as of now:
-
The Cruentus
- Corporal Hicks- Voodoo Magic
- Huggs
- Vermillion (?)
- MudButt
- HuDaFuk
- Necronomicon II
I may as well start writing up sheets for Huggs and MudButt. I'm really not sure how to approach Verm on this.
Cheers. :-*
I'm not even sure how I got nominated, but I'm cool with it :laugh:
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 01, 2019, 02:51:36 PM
Quote from: Necronomicon II on Feb 01, 2019, 02:46:29 PM
Line me up, let the aussies have a go. ;D :-*
The schedule as of now:
- The Cruentus
- Corporal Hicks
- Voodoo Magic
- Huggs
- Vermillion (?)
- MudButt
- HuDaFuk
- Necronomicon II
Voodoo's still not done?? What a slacker!!! I may as well start writing up sheets for Huggs and MudButt. I'm really not sure how to approach Verm on this.
Fixed. ;D
Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Feb 01, 2019, 03:31:53 PM
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 01, 2019, 02:51:36 PM
Quote from: Necronomicon II on Feb 01, 2019, 02:46:29 PM
Line me up, let the aussies have a go. ;D :-*
The schedule as of now:
- The Cruentus
- Corporal Hicks
- Voodoo Magic
- Huggs
- Vermillion (?)
- MudButt
- HuDaFuk
- Necronomicon II
Voodoo's still not done?? What a slacker!!! I may as well start writing up sheets for Huggs and MudButt. I'm really not sure how to approach Verm on this.
Fixed. ;D
Stop reading my mind.
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 01, 2019, 02:51:36 PM
Quote from: Necronomicon II on Feb 01, 2019, 02:46:29 PM
Line me up, let the aussies have a go. ;D :-*
The schedule as of now:
- The Cruentus
- Corporal Hicks
- Voodoo Magic
- Huggs
- Vermillion (?)
- MudButt
- HuDaFuk
- Necronomicon II
I may as well start writing up sheets for Huggs and MudButt. I'm really not sure how to approach Verm on this.
Put me in, coach!
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 01, 2019, 02:51:36 PM
I'm really not sure how to approach Verm on this.
Slowly and from behind. And bring a sandwich, I've heard that ham is an effective bribe.
Quote from: The Old One on Feb 01, 2019, 05:47:52 PM
Quote from: Huggs on Feb 01, 2019, 05:46:51 PM
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 01, 2019, 02:51:36 PM
I'm really not sure how to approach Verm on this.
Slowly and from behind.
Of course you'd like that.
But how could you know? I've not answered my questions yet. ;D
Hahahaha.
Isn't anyone else afraid to get inside Vermillion's head?
Quote from: Local Trouble on Feb 01, 2019, 06:02:04 PM
Isn't anyone else afraid to get inside Vermillion's head?
I'm not.
Probably because I'm nuts. :D
Careful. You may end up like Venom after he tried bonding with Deadpool.
Quote from: Local Trouble on Feb 01, 2019, 06:42:52 PM
Careful. You may end up like Venom after he tried bonding with Deadpool.
We speak the language of Hudson Quotes. I'm safe.
Also, Voodoo killed my sanity. There's nothing more Verm could do.
Quote from: Local Trouble on Feb 01, 2019, 06:42:52 PM
Careful. You may end up like Venom after he tried bonding with Deadpool.
So you didn't go inside the sphere?
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 01, 2019, 06:52:36 PM
Also, Voodoo killed my sanity.
I was there. It died hard.
Quote from: Huggs on Feb 01, 2019, 09:52:40 PM
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 01, 2019, 06:52:36 PM
Also, Voodoo killed my sanity.
I was there. It died hard.
It was painless. And riddled with Chet Donnelly gifs.
(https://www.punchline-gloucester.com/images/user/4870_schoolkid_bunny.jpg)
Change of plans, folks. It looks like Voodoo is taking his sweet time, so, we have someone even better to take his place while we wait with bated breath. Give a warm welcome to unashamedly amusing, completely lovable, and most genuine friend in the whole of AvPGalaxy, Huggs!First up, what's your favorite film in the franchise and why?Alien 3: The Assembly Cut (no surprise there). As for why, I believe Ash said it best, "I admire its purity. A survivor. Unclouded by conscience, remorse, or delusions of morality". It's a nihilistic and gothic masterpiece. It's by far and away the darkest and most unforgiving of the films. This falls more in line with how I view the xenomorph, and (to a large extent) Giger's work.
The musical score by Elliot Goldenthal is also my favorite of the franchise. For some reason, it just seems more present than the others, and far more personal. I'm not saying that Goldsmith's work on the original was anything short of spectacular, but it just felt more in the background. As for Aliens, Horner's work was very intense, which I think was correct for the film. But Goldenthal's score just seems to exhibit more range. One moment it is this sweeping and grandiose thing, and a moment later it just flows into this quiet and very ethereal experience. It really adds variety and makes everything seem much more alive.
None of this is to say that Alien 3: AC is a better film than the others in general. Merely, that it resonated with me personally. It appeals to my own personal tastes and preferences for both the xenomorph and the franchise. It finally brings an end, where an end was overdue. Cameron's take on things was admirable, but misguided. In the Alien universe, the beast reigns supreme, and nobody survives the beast.
How did you come up with your username?Face"hugg"ers mate.
Who are you and what do you do outside of AvPGalaxy?Well here, I'm Huggs. I lurk in the dark corners of the AVPGalaxy, waiting for suitable hosts to present themselves. I attack sarcastically, and use my powerful grip to bring the victims down to my level. Injecting them with a cocktail of psychosexual and generally nonsensical postings, until at last, I have succeeded in spreading my madness elsewhere. And so, the slow but steady march towards world domination continues.
As for who I am in reality, it's a lot different. I'm a Tennessean, born and bred. A musician, a fisherman, a revolver connoisseur, movie fanatic and I love to read. I was a weight lifter and rode motorcycles and ATV's when I was younger, and hope to get my motorcycle license this year. I have a Bachelor's degree in Healthcare Administration, and have held various positions within the retail industry since 2013, and am still with the same company. We've run the top store and crew in the entire corporation, and I'm currently deciding between moving towards a career as an EMT or with the Tennessee Valley Authority.
What are your feelings on how the franchise has evolved since you became a fan?I can't say I approve of the direction Fox has taken with the Alien since I became a fan in the mid 90's. Resurrection is bearable but still feels more like a spoof than anything else. The AVP films demoted the Alien down to mere Predator fodder, and turned it into a cheap "Freddy vs Jason" sort of thing. It was nothing more than, "the other monster".
I think Scott's emphasis on the dangers of Artificial Intelligence would've been better expressed within the framework of Blade Runner. I've no desire to see Blomkamp's Alien 5 made. I just worry that it will feel just as cheap and political as his other films. So as of this point, I feel that the wholesale deviation from the formula has cheapened and weakened the franchise.
But there is always hope. Alien Isolation was proof enough of that, I believe. But I have my doubts Fox or Disney is going to invest in that sort of storytelling again. We may get lucky and see another film from Scott, but that's still another animal entirely. It's certainly not Alien.
How has the franchise, and the fandom in general, influenced you?The Alien franchise itself has definitely influenced how I view and judge films. You're talking about what's basically a sci-fi horror franchise with directors like Cameron, Scott, and Fincher. You've got composers like Goldenthal and Goldsmith, and these wonderful writers and Giger's work. All of these immensely talented individuals working to create these films. These are master craftsman handling what could've easily become cheap b-rated experiences and it really shows through. You can genuinely see and feel the passion these people had for what they were creating, and you can see in other films when it's just not there.
The franchise also introduced me to the work of HR Giger, which I've come to appreciate and enjoy very much. The fandom has really increased my appreciation for, and knowledge of the franchise. It's nice to know that there are others out there who enjoy the films as much as I do. Being given the opportunity to nit-pick these things to death and to learn from others is wonderful. We're very passionate about how we feel, but by and large I feel that the AVP community is definitely one of the more level-headed and respectable ones out there.
Who is your favorite member/best friend out of everyone you've ever met on these humble forums?I love you all equally. I just love some of you more equally ;D Obviously "the team" holds a very special place in my heart so big digital hugs to them. But, I have such tremendous respect for the other members here that it's impossible to say that I have favorites. I would like to personally thank Hicks for not banning me yet and for making it possible for all of us to have this place to share and express our thoughts about the franchise and so much more.
In your opinion, what is the most important part of making a film? Is it the script, characters, effects, etc.?Character Development. Absolutely first and foremost is character development. Just look at the AVP movies. The characters are the eyes through which we view the story, and the bodies through which we live it. A film can have all the cgi set pieces and monsters a budget will allow, but without good characters, the whole thing implodes from the get-go.
Would you rather see Scott complete David's story, or some type of Alien 5 (regardless of who directs it)?Scott's film, hands down. Even if it is more of David's story. Scott is a master filmmaker. There's an unrivaled quality to his work, and I can't help but respect that. Even if N.B.'s Alien 5 was given another director, I'd still rather see Scott's film first.
Now, if we're talking about a completely different Alien 5, I say go for it, but only once Scott has finished his work. Covenant fell flat for me, but not because of things that couldn't be easily fixed. I still believe the possibility exists that another film from Scott (if handled properly) could completely deliver. I'd hate to have missed out on something great.
What inspired you to create the Recess Thread?Things were spinning out of control. I believe that while there is nothing wrong with a little humor or disagreement, there is a need to maintain decorum and consistency. We members are not the only people out there who turn to this galaxy for knowledge and information. There are legitimate questions that need to be asked and answered.
So I created a place for others like me. A place where we could openly express ourselves without the fear of shame. A place where minds could wander, and narratives run free. A place with infinite possibilities; bereft of the burden of rails. Look for me, and you will find me there.
What's your secret to building better friendships?1. I take people as they are. No exceptions.
2. I'm honest. Even when it's embarrassing for me.
3. I treat others how I'd like to be treated. I'm a human being, I've been there. I know what it feels like to go through things and need support. To need someone to listen, to hug me, to understand even if they don't agree. I know what it feels like to need those things and to not get them, so I give them to others whenever there is an obvious need for them.
The four of us (me, you, Voodoo, and Verm) are stuck on a deserted island. Who survives and why?All of us survive. Voodoo is magical, Verm is famous, I've seen Castaway, and you can sail. We'd be fine.
If Voodoo wants to stay on the island to get away from his wife, that's his choice, we'll come back for him. If Verm wants to stay and become Crab Lord, that's his prerogative. If you want to stay and become Queen then we're all staying, because we're not leaving you behind sailor.
Actually, I failed boot camp, so I can't sail yet, haha, but I'm all for becoming Queen of Nutcase Island.
(https://www.punchline-gloucester.com/images/user/4870_schoolkid_bunny.jpg)
Two in one day, yay. This afternoon, we have the magical Predator that clearly didn't attend Hogwarts, Voodoo Magic!What is your favorite film out of the whole franchise and why?Favorite? Ouch. I try not to pick favorites when it comes to these franchises, because the good films provide such unique experiences. Steak. Lobster. Barbecue Ribs. It all depends on my mood. Backed into a corner, from both franchises I'd have to pick "Aliens" and "Predator 2". Picking a favorite out of those, I always lean towards Predator, so "Predator 2".
I didn't always lean Predator. I started out an Alien fan, but it wasn't until I boarded the Yautja ship in "Predator 2" that the hunters from outer space truly won my heart. I think it was their sense of honor and code. And when that Elder Predator tossed that flintlock pistol to Mike Harrigan telling him to "take it", I took it too, so to speak.
How did you come up with your username?How? Look, you can't see the eyes of the demon, until him come calling, you know? The best way I can explain it is, there's no stopping what can't be stopped, no killing what can't be killed.
Who are you and what do you do outside of AvPGalaxy?Being born and raised in New Jersey, U.S.A. I'm a retired Jersey shore party addict. Though nothing is better still than being on the boardwalk, getting a tan, holding my wife's hand. My sun still rises and sets with her.
I love my family. I have a cat. He doesn't do tricks but he's still pretty cool. Big football fan. I like to work out. And I have too much passion. Way too much. I'm still not doing what I want to be doing. There's always a sadness that comes with that. Also there's a chance you'll be able to buy something of mine in your local comicbook store later this year. But that's all I want to say on that. *fingers crossed*
My mom and dad are not alive. I wish they were here. And I'm always trying to be a better person. That's half the battle I guess.
How has the franchise, and the fandom in general, influenced you?I really can't say it generally influenced me, but it has made me jaded in recent years with what we've received in regards to Predator and Alien. But hey, misery loves company, sooooooooo here I am!
Who is your favorite member/best friend out of everyone you've ever met on these humble forums?Remember when Hicks posted that news story, and someone anonymous commented "
Aliens and Predator fans are a human centipede because we keep eating sh*t", and then it got deleted? That person was pretty funny.
Other than him/her, I really can't single it to just one. There's my super homegirl TheSailingRabbit, my buddy Huggsy, homeless monitor Baron, and drunk Vermillion. We four have a lot of fun together. I really like The Old One, whom I butt heads with a lot, like a brother and sister I guess. Then there's my Predator brother Big Daddy John. There's actually so many quality people here. So I pick none!
It isn't much of a secret that you are a big fan of Predator 2. Why is Predator 2 better than Predators (aside from the fact that P2 has Bill Paxton)?Why is "Predator 2" better than "Predators"? Well I think I've probably explained this ad nauseum, but here it goes. Weeeee!!!
First, before I criticize it, let me say I like "Predators". And I love the concept of a Hunting Preserve planet. I really do. To me, on its premise, it's a different film, but if you look any deeper it's a retread of "Predator". "Predators" is in essense the first movie. You can talk about off-world and different clans, (ooh it's different now because it's 3 Predators in jungle) but that is all premise smoke-screen, it is still a team of commandos in an Earth fauna based jungle being hunted for sport trying to survive, with your staple big guy with mini-gun and your ethnic character that rather face the hunter in honor with a blade, than run, and your mud wearing hero (but this time it's alien planet brown mud)! I still enjoy watching it, but it doesn't quite stand on it's own.
"Predator 2" on the otherhand is much different than "Predator". It's set in Los Angeles, in violent torn city streets, in the future! World building, with the Earth under the effects of global warming and the cities out of control with rampant with warring gangs, violence and drugs. And the 1990 movie bravely starred a minority cast!
This time we're dealing with a Predator that is mass-murdering, taking out masses of people at once. We're dealing with a Predator that wants to toy with his "Lion", f**k with him and kill all the people around him, and hang Danny's necklace for him to find, just to mentally torture this cop. This is almost serial-killer sadistic stuff.
The Predator is a "Dirty Dozen" war film that turns into "The Most Dangerous Game". "Predator 2" is a Detective Story, a hunt for a serial killer, that turns into a cop action film. "Predators" is back to "The Most Dangerous Game" again.
"Predator 2" is a new hit album, not a replay of their greatest hits like "Predators". The latest poll in our community favors "Predator 2" by 87% percent, so for once I believe, I stand in good company! ;D
Without spoiling anything in regards to Michael Biehn, what's the story behind your love of The Terminator?So here's the Terminator, Sarah Connor, and Kyle Reese all at this nightclub called the Tech-Noir. To this point they have yet to cross paths, but as all three characters finally begin to converge, the film begins to slow. The music drags. Dancers begin to move in slow-motion. Everything crawls, emulating the sensation one feels right before a car accident. What one experiences right before something traumatic. A sensation of the slowing of time. It's crawling. Crawling.
Crawling....
BAM!!!
Bravo.
It's just an amazing film. Yeah, some of the special effects no longer hold up, but over "Aliens", "Terminator 2: Judgement Day", "Titanic", "Avatar", it's his best work in my opinion. It's James Cameron's masterpiece.
What's your take on how the Predator franchise has changed over the years since you became a fan? More importantly, what's your take on The Predator?
Extremely disappointing. With this opportunity. With this budget. To hand it over to such incapable hands. Now I know how "Justice League" fans felt.
Help us Mickey Mouse, you're our only hope.
The four of us (me, you, Huggs, and Vermillion) are stuck on a tiny deserted island. Who survives and why?Duh! It's obvious!
Vermillion drinks himself to death.
Huggs and TheSailingRabbit mate and populate the island with facehugging-rabbits.
And the facehugging-rabbits mistake VoodooMagic and his orange, spray-on tan as a giant carrot and eat him!
Ha. I enjoyed those both. Bunch of characters. :laugh:
Great interviews! Truly!
Quote from: The Old One on Feb 02, 2019, 09:15:14 PM
Great interviews! Truly!
Thanks.
Vermillion might be next, but I'm having difficulty in initiating a serious conversation with him, so, expect MudButt, but hope for Verm.
Get in there Verm! I want to know what makes you tick.
And Rabbit, don't forget to interview yourself at some point.
Quote from: Huggs on Feb 03, 2019, 01:19:34 AM
And Rabbit, don't forget to interview yourself at some point.
One of you would have to take up half the reins to do that.
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 03, 2019, 01:25:41 AM
Quote from: Huggs on Feb 03, 2019, 01:19:34 AM
And Rabbit, don't forget to interview yourself at some point.
One of you would have to take up half the reins to do that.
There's no one I can think of that's better suited for it than Hicks. I imagine being interviewed by the man himself would be quite an honor.
Quote from: Huggs on Feb 03, 2019, 01:31:38 AM
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 03, 2019, 01:25:41 AM
Quote from: Huggs on Feb 03, 2019, 01:19:34 AM
And Rabbit, don't forget to interview yourself at some point.
One of you would have to take up half the reins to do that.
There's no one I can think of that's better suited for it than Hicks. I imagine being interviewed by the man himself would be quite an honor.
I haven't even made a remote dent here to get that kind of honor.
So Huggs is pickin' and grinnin' in Appalachian country, and Voodoo is tanning it up with the Mrs., Jersey style ;D
(https://www.punchline-gloucester.com/images/user/4870_schoolkid_bunny.jpg)
After seven years, we finally have an updated interview from the one and only, are-you-positive-you-want-to-know-the-inspiration-of-his-username MudButt!
First, with the releases of Prometheus, Alien: Covenant, and The Predator, has your favorite film in the franchise changed at all?
Absolutely not. It has and always will be Aliens. I do enjoy the new releases though. I have a particular love for Predators and Alien: Covenant. Aliens has stuck with me though for many years and it's re-watch factor is key to my love for the flick. Hudson is still to this day my favorite character in any of the films of either franchise and that probably has a lot to do with the fact that I love Bill Paxton (RIP)
Who are you and what do you do (that has changed since 2012)?
My name is Rudy Martinez and I'm from San Diego, California. I am a Customer Support/Purchasing/Warehouse Manager for a small company near my home. I'm getting married this December and have begun the process of searching for a place to live with my significant other. Other than that I'm still the same ol' Renner obsessed psychopath that I was all those years back.
Explain your signature to me.
I was a huge fan of the character Hawkeye when I got into comics. I've always had a thing for archery even though I have never even tried it but I felt drawn to archer characters. (Yes, Legolas ftw) and I was also a BIG fan of Jeremy Renner as an actor. I loved S.W.A.T and 28 Weeks Later so much more because of him. Once movies like The Hurt Locker and The Town came out I knew he was someone to look out for. Avengers was starting to begin production and the news dropped that he had been cast as Hawkeye for a cameo in Thor and I nearly had a fatal orgasm.
My set prior was a Hawkeye set that I loved dearly but as time went on Renner went on to star in movies like the Mission Impossible and Bourne franchise and eventually my love for Renner trumped my love for Hawkeye. The man has great hair and even better arms. He is my white whale.
You have been on this site for twelve years. How does that feel?
It's insane. I remember being so excited by the sequel to AvP that I would scour the internet for any news related to that movie. This was back when the movie was going to be titled Survival of the Fittest. Eventually I stumbled upon this website through a Google search and I was in heaven. A whole forum about two of my favorite movie monsters. I believe I was on here for a year or two before I even became active in the community. I started on the site with the Username Elrik, and after sometime I changed it to EpicNinja. I believe it was late 2011 or early 2012 when I finally became the one and only Mudbutt and I think it was a combination of my name and the stupid posts I'd make that got me noticed and became a part of what we would call the REC crew. Very good times.
I see you mostly around the General Film/TV Discussion board. Aside from Alien/Predator, what are your other favorite franchises to follow and why?
I am a huge fan of most Blockbuster franchises. I am particularly drawn to the MCU because of the quality of the movies and how great they've done at building the franchise. The franchise started as my love for movies really began to bloom and I began memorizing director and actor names. I'm the biggest cinephile in my circle of friends of family so it's fun being able to explain to them what's going on and what is coming as far as these big movies. Lately though the quality of the Mission Impossible franchise has really made my love for those movies grow to become a close second to the MCU.
A few months ago, you stated in the What Made You Happy Today? thread that you're getting married. What's your secret to finding that special someone as a nerd?
If you can make a girl laugh, you can make her do anything. That's what I was told a long time ago and I know I'm not the best looking guy in the world. I'm definitely not a bad looking guy but I was never super athletic or smart so I focused on really getting my humor down to impress the ladies and for the most part it's worked. It worked enough to convince a girl to marry my ass so I say it was good advice.
What are your feelings on how The Predator impacted the franchise?
I feel like it's a big sign that Fox as a whole is not a great studio for directors to really shine and make a movie their own. We've seen numerous times where they put their hands all over a movie with a director who may not have much experience making a movie on a studio level.
I did like the movie but it's a hot mess. I don't think Shane Black had the right idea to begin with in terms of the story but the way that movie was cut and edited is just awful. You can practically see the scissors cutting story out of that movie. I now fear that with Disney owning the studio we may not see the character for a long time again. I would hope that they realize how important the Alien and Predator franchise are to fans and they respect the material enough to give us a great movie again.
What are your feelings on how the fandom/community has evolved over the last several years?
This is the only forum I've ever been this active on. I rarely post comments on Youtube and this place used to be pretty good outside of the Prometheus forums. I feel like some fans of big franchises like Star Wars, MCU, and DC are pretty damn terrible. I don't even go near the All Star Wars thread anymore. It's sad but even in the Alien/Predator community it's been worse since the newest releases haven't been critically well received. I think people are posting without thinking and unfortunately that's what happens when you let 9 year old kids on the internet. I believe that all educated opinions are valid but some of the stuff I see on here or online in general just makes me wonder what hope we have as a species.
Has your favorite member/best friend changed in the years since you were last interviewed?
No. Some of them are no longer active on this site though which is a bummer but a few of them have slowly trickled back in. I have fond memories with Shasvre, First Blood, and Nightmare Asylum. We all shared many laughs together whether it was on here or X-Box Live. Some of the fallen include Space Marines, Space Sweeper, Shadowpred, Prime113, Chupa, Eva, Cvalda, Vakarian, and RagingDragon. 2012 and 2013 were great times here and it's good to see some people making a comeback and the new members I've developed relationships with such as Huggs or yourself Mr. Rabbit. Hell even Hicks has had some interactions with me.
(It's Miss Rabbit. ;D) In your opinion, what's the most important part of making a film? Is it the script, characters, etc.?
I think at the end of the day it comes down to everyone agreeing on what the story is. You can have a great script and if a Director gets attached and doesn't agree with the story it's entirely possible to butcher that film. The studio, director, writer, and main cast all need to agree on what story needs to be told in order for the film to work otherwise we get movies like The Predator, Suicide Squad, Alien 3, etc. This is especially important in franchise films, a perfect example is Star Wars. While I have really enjoyed every movie Disney has put out you can definitely tell they did not have a story mapped out because Rian Johnson essentially saw The Force Awakens and went "Well, cool, but maybe not". It's even been confirmed that he was writing a script as JJ was shooting TFA. Everyone needs to be on board. Obviously there are going to be differences of opinion on set or in the edit room and those differences sometimes lead to the best ideas but in general I think an agreement of some sort must be had for things to work.
Explain to me the old Relationship Advice thread. With your posts and those of one Amaterasu, was the thread a joke all along?
I don't think I was very active in that thread but from what I can tell you is that Rick Grimes was in severe need of therapy. That thread was a shit show and I generally tried to stay away from it. I remember mods threatened to lock it numerous time but for some reason never did. I think secretly everyone got a big kick out of the insanity in that thread.
Apologies on the incorrect gender! Mr. Rabbit must be your father's name :laugh: :laugh:
Quote from: MudButt on Feb 05, 2019, 10:07:38 PM
Apologies on the incorrect gender! Mr. Rabbit must be your father's name :laugh: :laugh:
It's fine. Voodoo thought I was a guy, too.
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 05, 2019, 10:22:04 PM
Quote from: MudButt on Feb 05, 2019, 10:07:38 PM
Apologies on the incorrect gender! Mr. Rabbit must be your father's name :laugh: :laugh:
It's fine. Voodoo thought I was a guy, too.
No, I thought you were a spy. It just rhymes with guy.
Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Feb 05, 2019, 10:27:29 PM
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 05, 2019, 10:22:04 PM
Quote from: MudButt on Feb 05, 2019, 10:07:38 PM
Apologies on the incorrect gender! Mr. Rabbit must be your father's name :laugh: :laugh:
It's fine. Voodoo thought I was a guy, too.
No, I thought you were a spy. It just rhymes with guy.
A spy? For whom?
Spoiler
Huggs?
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 05, 2019, 10:47:58 PM
Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Feb 05, 2019, 10:27:29 PM
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 05, 2019, 10:22:04 PM
Quote from: MudButt on Feb 05, 2019, 10:07:38 PM
Apologies on the incorrect gender! Mr. Rabbit must be your father's name :laugh: :laugh:
It's fine. Voodoo thought I was a guy, too.
No, I thought you were a spy. It just rhymes with guy.
A spy? For whom?
Spoiler
Huggs?
Spoiler
Fox
Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Feb 06, 2019, 02:00:13 AM
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 05, 2019, 10:47:58 PM
Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Feb 05, 2019, 10:27:29 PM
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 05, 2019, 10:22:04 PM
Quote from: MudButt on Feb 05, 2019, 10:07:38 PM
Apologies on the incorrect gender! Mr. Rabbit must be your father's name :laugh: :laugh:
It's fine. Voodoo thought I was a guy, too.
No, I thought you were a spy. It just rhymes with guy.
A spy? For whom?
Spoiler
Huggs?
Spoiler
Fox
I'm honestly flattered.
I'm not that smart. Or SM.
That's exactly what a spy would say!
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 01, 2019, 02:51:36 PM
Quote from: Necronomicon II on Feb 01, 2019, 02:46:29 PM
Line me up, let the aussies have a go. ;D :-*
The schedule as of now:
- The Cruentus
- Corporal Hicks
- Voodoo Magic
- Huggs
- Vermillion (? ? ? ? ? ? ?)
- MudButt
- HuDaFuk (in progress)
- Necronomicon II
New schedule.
I'm in progress?
Yeah, I just realised :laugh:
Should mange to get you some answers some time this week!
Damn I'm next, that was quick lmao
Step into the light
Keep it up Rabbit!
Quote from: The Old One on Feb 07, 2019, 03:43:22 PM
Keep it up Rabbit!
Do you want to be interviewed after Necro?
No, thank you for the offer.
You're a strong bulb that only makes this place brighter Old One. It's going to be our loss unless you reconsider!
(https://www.punchline-gloucester.com/images/user/4870_schoolkid_bunny.jpg)
Come on, people, assholes and elbows! Today we got HuDaFuk as your guest. Hudson, come 'ere . . . wait, never mind, Hudson's not ready yet. Nobody look behind the bunny.
First up, what is your favorite film in the franchise and why?
At the risk of sounding like I'm stealing my answers from Hicks, I love the first three Alien films almost equally. That said, Aliens is not only my favourite film from the franchise, it's my favourite movie of all time.
How did you come up with your username?
I can't really take full credit. Years ago, I was playing an online shooter and came across someone calling themselves WutDaFuk; their name came up in the killfeed and I mis-read it as "HuDaFuK killed so-and-so", and for some reason it really tickled me. When I got my PS3, I entered it as my username, not really expecting PSN to allow it, but to my surprise it got through. It's been my online handle ever since.
Who are you, and what do you do outside of AvPGalaxy?
I'm Leigh (pronounced lee, not lay; it always surprises me how often I get that lol). Currently I'm doing some labouring to hold me over while I search for a long-term job, having lost my previous one when the company went bust. It's good money, but comes with more than its fair share of workplace injuries - I'm currently typing rather slowly thanks to a crushed finger on my right hand :P
I'm also an admin on Xenopedia, alongside Cruentus. (More on that later!)
How has the franchise, and fandom in general, influenced you?
Not really sure how to answer this... My love of all things Alien has definitely lightened my wallet over the years ;D But I'm not sure it's really changed me much as I was a fan before I got involved in the online community. It has led me to some new experiences though, like joining in with podcasts or meeting Ridley and some of the cast from Covenant in London.
Who is your favorite member/best friend out of everyone you've met on these humble forums?
I have to say, this is one of the friendliest and most amicable forums I've ever been on, and most of the people on here are really easy to get along with. I could name a few I enjoy chatting with in particular, some of whom I've met outside of the site, but if I had to pick just one it'd be Hicks, if only because we've met a few times now.
Oh wait, I just remembered he didn't give me his spare copy of South China Sea. Screw that guy.
What are your thoughts on how the Alien franchise has evolved since you became a fan?
It's kind of ironic that there hasn't been what you could call a truly classic entry in either the Alien or Predator film series since before I was born. Back when the first AVP came out, I remember it being perhaps the most disappointing movie I'd ever seen - I was so excited during the buildup, it was the first Alien/Predator film I was going to be able to watch in the cinema, and then when I saw it I was honestly crushed. For me personally, the films have never really recovered since. In particular I've been really unimpressed with Ridley's prequels. Much like AVP, I feel like they've completely squandered their potential.
The only recent stuff I've truly loved has come from the expanded universe - Isolation and Cold Forge honestly rank alongside the early films for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed Tim Lebbon's Rage War trilogy too.
I like how you have Apone's iconic character introduction as your personal text, and as your avatar. What made you choose the Sarge as your digital image?
It's partly because he's perhaps my favourite character in the film, partly because I'm partial to a cigar myself (although probably not first thing in the a.m. :laugh:)
You mentioned you work with Cruentus on Xenopedia. Was this something you collaborated on from the start?
No, he was actually administrating there before I came along (and I believe the wiki itself pre-dates his involvement as well). I basically stumbled onto it one day and started contributing, and eventually he promoted me to admin alongside himself. That was... six years ago now, I think.
In your opinion, what is the most important part of making a film? Is it the script, characters, effects, etc.?
Probably the script. I can think of a few films that have overcome flaws in one or other of the major aspects with their quality elsewhere, but I can't think of many that have managed to overcome a fundamentally poor script. Ideally of course, you'd like each of those elements to be on point.
Would you rather see Scott complete David's story, or some type of Alien 5 (regardless of who directs it)?
If it was purely down to me and practicalities were irrelevant, I always liked the idea of a continuation of Resurrection, if only because I think the hybrid Ripley character had far more potential than was realised in the movie. That said, I think too much time has passed now (and by all accounts Weaver wants nothing to do with it).
It would feel a bit silly cutting Scott off mid-run, but I really don't like the direction he seems to be taking things. Realistically, I'd prefer to see them do something like an unrelated story featuring the Alien set in the same universe.
Most importantly--more important than anything I've previously asked--what's your stance on the skull?
Will people be upset if I say I don't really mind? :laugh:
I prefer without, but it's not something that particularly bothers me.
Great interview, remind me to get you cuban cigars....the same ones that xeno-synthetic smoked in that one comic. hahaha.
And you're right, the wiki even predates my admin run. Xenopedia is almost 13 years old.
Fun fact, when Leigh first sprang up on the wiki I was initially suspicious of him because since the wiki at that time was low traffic, I thought he was badge boosting due to the large amount of edits he was doing as well those category issues he had at the time. :laugh: Nope, turns out he was just a darn good editor and I decided to keep an eye on him to see if he was admin potential, another admin had exact same idea and talked to me about it. Leigh became admin and has done a brilliant job on it, he is far better than me actually, I feel almost obsolute. :laugh:
Necronomicon II, you'll receive your questions later today.
Is there anyone else who wants to be interviewed, or people you think would be interesting to interview?
Sweeeeeet.
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 08, 2019, 03:24:32 PM
Who is your favorite member/best friend out of everyone you've met on these humble forums?
I have to say, this is one of the friendliest and most amicable forums I've ever been on, and most of the people on here are really easy to get along with. I could name a few I enjoy chatting with in particular, some of whom I've met outside of the site, but if I had to pick just one it'd be Hicks, if only because we've met a few times now.
Oh wait, I just remembered he didn't give me his spare copy of South China Sea. Screw that guy.
"If only because?" :laugh: We all know I'm just a f**king amazing guy. :laugh: And that was no-one fault but your own! Should have asked me sooner!
Good interview, Rabbit and HuDa!
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Feb 09, 2019, 01:34:26 PM"If only because?" :laugh: We all know I've just a f**king amazing guy.
I was trying to be diplomatic and avoid obvious favouritism :P
If someone else on here started inviting me to cool stuff in London, rest assured you'd be dropping down the list ;D
Quote from: The Cruentus on Feb 09, 2019, 01:29:30 AMLeigh became admin and has done a brilliant job on it, he is far better than me actually, I feel almost obsolute.
Don't say that, we need you around for when I can't be bothered for a month :laugh:
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Feb 09, 2019, 01:34:26 PM
We all know I've just a f**king amazing guy.
Hell of a typo.
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Feb 09, 2019, 04:55:23 PM
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Feb 09, 2019, 01:34:26 PM"If only because?" :laugh: We all know I've just a f**king amazing guy.
I was trying to be diplomatic and avoid obvious favouritism :P
If someone else on here started inviting me to cool stuff in London, rest assured you'd be dropping down the list ;D
I can't invite you to things in London, but I can invite you to things here in Phoenix. They're practically the same place!
Quote from: Xenomrph on Feb 09, 2019, 09:09:23 PM
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Feb 09, 2019, 01:34:26 PM
We all know I've just a f**king amazing guy.
Hell of a typo.
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Feb 09, 2019, 04:55:23 PM
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Feb 09, 2019, 01:34:26 PM"If only because?" :laugh: We all know I've just a f**king amazing guy.
I was trying to be diplomatic and avoid obvious favouritism :P
If someone else on here started inviting me to cool stuff in London, rest assured you'd be dropping down the list ;D
I can't invite you to things in London, but I can invite you to things here in Phoenix. They're practically the same place!
Hmm . . . how 'bout you, Xenomrph? Are you up for an interview?
*note my interview will be dry and academic, nothing too juicy. ;D
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 09, 2019, 11:02:26 PM
Quote from: Xenomrph on Feb 09, 2019, 09:09:23 PM
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Feb 09, 2019, 01:34:26 PM
We all know I've just a f**king amazing guy.
Hell of a typo.
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Feb 09, 2019, 04:55:23 PM
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Feb 09, 2019, 01:34:26 PM"If only because?" :laugh: We all know I've just a f**king amazing guy.
I was trying to be diplomatic and avoid obvious favouritism :P
If someone else on here started inviting me to cool stuff in London, rest assured you'd be dropping down the list ;D
I can't invite you to things in London, but I can invite you to things here in Phoenix. They're practically the same place!
Hmm . . . how 'bout you, Xenomrph? Are you up for an interview?
Sure thing.
Quote from: Necronomicon II on Feb 10, 2019, 03:06:56 AM
*note my interview will be dry and academic, nothing too juicy. ;D
That just means
TheSailingRabbit needs to find jucier questions to ask. ;)
Quote from: Necronomicon II on Feb 10, 2019, 03:06:56 AM
*note my interview will be dry and academic, nothing too juicy. ;D
"You're such a disappointment to me" ;D
;D Well I'm waiting rabbit, got to grease up muh asshole and elbow. :laugh:
Quote from: Necronomicon II on Feb 10, 2019, 04:58:55 AM
;D Well I'm waiting rabbit, got to grease up muh asshole and elbow. :laugh:
Oh dear. Dare I ask with what? :laugh:
Sometimes things are better left mysterious, my sweet Huggs. ;D
Quote from: Xenomrph on Feb 09, 2019, 09:09:23 PMI can't invite you to things in London, but I can invite you to things here in Phoenix. They're practically the same place!
If you're offering to fly me out... :P
Phoenix is actually one of the places I've been in the US (briefly), didn't realise you were from there. I like how your airport kicks you out into a shopping mall. It's so American :laugh:
Rabbit, I'm going to turn you into stew if you don't hurry up. ;D :D
Quote from: Necronomicon II on Feb 10, 2019, 10:40:13 AM
Rabbit, I'm going to turn you into stew if you don't hurry up. ;D :D
Give me a few hours. I was getting caught up in something yesterday and didn't anticipate it would take so much time. Before noon, I swear.
I am hungry for some rabbit stew myself now.... :laugh:
Is that "juicy" in this context?
- The Cruentus
- Corporal Hicks
- Voodoo Magic
- Huggs
- Vermillion (? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?)
- MudButt
- HuDaFuk
- Necronomicon II (in progress)
- Xenomrph
Updated schedule.
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Feb 10, 2019, 10:28:47 AM
Quote from: Xenomrph on Feb 09, 2019, 09:09:23 PMI can't invite you to things in London, but I can invite you to things here in Phoenix. They're practically the same place!
If you're offering to fly me out... :P
Phoenix is actually one of the places I've been in the US (briefly), didn't realise you were from there. I like how your airport kicks you out into a shopping mall. It's so American :laugh:
That "shopping mall"
is the airport, and a lot of American airports are like that. Sky Harbor (the Phoenix airport) isn't even the most egregious in that regard.
What time of year were you out here?
I wanna say it was labour day weekend, because the city was deserted.
Didn't stay long to be honest, it was really just the start/end point for a road trip - we drove to the canyon, then Vegas, then L.A., then back to Phoenix to fly home. We were only really there at all because the flights were half the price compared to either of the other two cities lol. Surprised how big it was though, had no idea until I went.
Well that was fun. ;D
Quote from: Xenomrph on Feb 10, 2019, 03:42:26 PM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Feb 10, 2019, 10:28:47 AM
Quote from: Xenomrph on Feb 09, 2019, 09:09:23 PMI can't invite you to things in London, but I can invite you to things here in Phoenix. They're practically the same place!
If you're offering to fly me out... :P
Phoenix is actually one of the places I've been in the US (briefly), didn't realise you were from there. I like how your airport kicks you out into a shopping mall. It's so American :laugh:
That "shopping mall" is the airport, and a lot of American airports are like that. Sky Harbor (the Phoenix airport) isn't even the most egregious in that regard.
Haha very true! Phoenix huh? I'm in Denver. Between me you and Ridgetop (who's from Utah) we practically make up the "Four Corners" for AVP fandom haha. (For those wondering, the Four Corners is the only part of the U.S. where four states (Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah) meet at one point).
Great thread SailingRabbit I'm thoroughly addicted.
(https://www.punchline-gloucester.com/images/user/4870_schoolkid_bunny.jpg)
We have a rather . . . *sighs* juicy treat for you today . . . Man, I hate myself for that one . . . Give a warm welcome to Necronomicon II.
First up, what is your favorite film in the franchise and why?
Thanks for the invitation my sweet rabbit. I was craving some stew but I guess I'll keep you around for a little longer ;)
Ahem, my absolute favourite to this day remains the original film. It is unquestionably without peer in its execution, art design, atmosphere, dread, suspense, and the sheer talent involved in making it will just never quite happen ever again. H.R. Giger is my favourite artist, and as much as I love Aliens, and 3 (I do enjoy Resurrection however I wouldn't say I "love" it exactly; it's like the neighbours' dog that's goofy and nonchalant but can't help slobbering all over you), it's the only film in the franchise that he was completely involved in; both conceptually and practically.
The original big chap is also the most aesthetically refined. Ridley's eye for composition and texture is also another big reason why it stands out; the photography is just sublime. It's been often said that Ridley was/is the greatest visualist since Kubrick, but in many ways he surpassed him with Alien; Ridley infuses more life into every frame with the condensation that runs off the grease-laden pipes and hatches, to the careful, restrained exposure of the titular beast throughout its metamorphosis. There's a texture and lived-in reality that to this day that has not been surpassed. There's also no doubt for me that it's the most terrifying, and so much of that is owes to the phenomenal performances from a perfect cast. It really is special. And what Cameron did as a sequel is quite special too but for different reasons, and the same for Fincher.
How did you come up with your username?
Well I wanted Necronomicon IV but that was already taken, so I chose II. I'll let this "juicy" picture do the talking -
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e2/16/da/e216da0ce5cf7c4e5fde4b5c59717a5d.jpg)
Who are you and what do you do outside of AvPGalaxy?
The details of my life are quite inconsequential...but I'll let you in, just a little, sweet rabbit. I live in Melbourne, Australia, and I look like a cross between a blonde Jim Morrison and Michael Pitt. Outside of nerdom and fandom I study part time (the arts, literature, etc.) and work as an Integration Aide and Speech Pathology assistant for children with special needs.
How has the franchise, and the fandom in general, influenced you?
Hard to say... Fandom is a funny and occasionally toxic pass time ha, I like to think I bring a little more levity to proceedings, as I've found that insularity and haughtiness in communities can reach to regressive levels; I've seen quasi-religious paroxysms of venom and juice spilt over minutiae. Like, step back, breathe, you're a grown ass man/woman/other on a movie forum; make some tea, eat a ginger bread man, play with some puppies, go and have the ol' in and out. Relax. ;D
The films have influenced me more than the communities and fans surrounding them, though I guess the fandom has fuelled my obsession somewhat; there's always more to learn about the franchise.
Who is your favorite member/best friend out of everyone you've met on these humble forums?
I was pretty infrequent before becoming more of a regular presence. There's some funny characters on here, and I'm glad that we can all be jovial and humorous with one another without agreeing about the films. I'd say Huggs is my favourite only because he extends the juiciness of my juicy ramblings. ;D Other than that I have to thank Corporal for putting up with such an oddball lunatic. ;D ;D :D
What are your thoughts on how the franchise has evolved since you became a fan?
Boy, well here it goes. I was no fan of the AVP films; they're garbage and should be jettisoned into the sun. That's all I'll say about them. Ridley returning to the franchise, for me, has been an interesting ride. Both Prometheus and Covenant, while not perfect, have a degree of world building that I thought was much needed, and while the retcon of the beloved Space Jockey still proves to be divisive, I've come to accept it (though, make the jockey great again, David!). There's a brazenness and ambition to crazy Riddlez' ever evolving/changing design here that I find both bonkers and yet infectious. Want answers ye faithful? Yeah, nah, there's nothing out there but a rock and some albino body builders that are adept at gardening and just want to remove some weeds to plant something else. "There is...nothing." *smokes cigar* :D
As for the rest of the media in the franchise, I skim the comics from time to time, I'm glad they are in steady and thriving production. A:CM should be jettisoned into the sun. Isolation was a near masterpiece of a video game, I still haven't finished it since my anxiety reaches a certain level where it's hard to discern whether I need a drink or to release my bowels, perhaps both. Blackout was a pleasant surprise, all in all I'm pretty happy where things are as of now. ;D
It's really no secret that you joke about how much you want to see something "juicy" in the next Alien film. Care to disclose why without prompting poor Hicks to close down this thread?
:D ;D Juicy in this context is anything remotely erotic. The heart and essence of the titular creature is Giger's aesthetic, and once you delve down that rabbit hole you'll find it's almost always penises all the way down, and other...parts. ;D
I was elated with the homoeroticism in Covenant, for example, more of that please. ;D
You're one of the few people I've encountered here that seems to enjoy the prequel series (I do to, but not as much as Aliens). Why is that, and how do you respond to people who hate the prequels?
I've partially answered, but for me it's just a matter of balance. There are pros and cons with both entries, but on the whole I find them to be ambitious if flawed films that have inspired discussion and ruffled some feathers. Visually and thematically I don't think there's been anything else that has come out that comes close to Ridley's mad dreams here. I really had no huge problem with the idiocy of the characters in Prometheus, for example, to me it seemed like a counterpoint to David's superiority, albeit that could have been still achieved without them being that incompetent. Nonetheless, I think as far as the human characterisation goes Ridley has his tongue firmly in cheek in many regards, your mileage may vary on that one. :D ;D
The visuals in Prometheus are some of the best in recent memory, Ridley's eye is still absolutely stellar. The c-section scene is also a great scene and one of the best set-pieces in the franchise. There's a lot to like in Prometheus, though there are issues, mostly in the editing and human characterisation department. David, however, just steals the show.
I love how it really starts with these fungoid egg-sacs from yuggoth in Covenant (precursors to the titular eggs we know), and then you get the beautifully creepy neomorphs, seriously, the back and mouth bursters were beautiful. I also thought the mouthburster made up for Poltergeist II screwing up Giger's original vision for that bottle scene. I love all the literary influences in Covenant, the Wagner piece, how it all buttresses David's arc; the gothic, mad scientist horror, there's a lot to sink your teeth in if one permits. While not perfect - I'm well aware of the grievances - I love the ballsiness of ending it where the villain has not only won, they have thousands of test subjects at their disposal. That was refreshing to see.
As far as the recent revelation of David having a hand in the creation of the titular creature, I've made my views on this pretty well known by now. It's much more nuanced than "ugh, it's a man-made creature now BAH!" :D All he did was pour his psychosexual fevers into a primordial, shoggoth-esque organism; there's no violation of Giger's aesthetic there at all, and seeing that tribute to Li I with Shaw's fate was beautiful. The book of David's drawings is also a wonderful affirmation of Giger's aesthetic. The classic beast reflects a morbid perversion of sexuality that is now text thanks to a sexually repressed satanic A.I. ascending to God-hood. I love it.
In your opinion, what is the most important part of making a film? Is it the script, the characters, effects, etc.? (Don't say how "juicy" it is, seriously.)
;D Script and characters, that said if the themes carry a film (with stunning visuals to match) to such a degree that makes up for some lapses in scripting and characterisation it's not necessarily a disaster, either.
I feel like this is a dumb question already, but I'll ask anyway: would you rather see Scott complete David's story, or some kind of Alien 5 (regardless of who directs it)?
Obviously I want to see David's story completed, I find it fascinating, and he is quite simply the most interesting villain we've had in cinema for quite some time. That said, I'm curious about whatever Cameron/Blomkamp could potentially cook up. Once Ridley finishes his story I'll be down for whatever. So long as it's a little juicy. ;D
Most importantly--more important than anything I've ever asked--what is your stance on the skull?
I love the skull, however it needn't be so obvious, just barely there. I love how creepy it is. Throughout Giger's works you'll find extended craniums galore so yeah, I love it, it's Giger. :) :-*
Just so you know, I'm making a list of all the skull lovers outing themselves here. There will be a reckoning...
Quote from: Local Trouble on Feb 10, 2019, 08:40:53 PM
Just so you know, I'm making a list of all the skull lovers outing themselves here. There will be a reckoning...
You're gonna fight Hicks?
Don't need to. His sanity is already on a razor's edge. All he needs is a nudge.
Quote from: Local Trouble on Feb 10, 2019, 08:49:34 PM
Don't need to. His sanity is already on a razor's edge. All he needs is a nudge.
Well, I won't let anyone give that nudge.
Cheers for the interview, I hope my answers were juicy enough.
Quote from: Necronomicon II on Feb 11, 2019, 07:56:44 AM
I was no fan of the AVP films; they're garbage and should be jettisoned into the sun.
Geez Necro. What did the sun ever do to you to deserve that? ;)
Quote from: Local Trouble on Feb 10, 2019, 09:32:35 PM
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Mar 03, 2017, 09:43:22 PM
Quote from: Local Trouble on Mar 03, 2017, 05:32:43 PM
Would you be surprised to discover that you're slowly going mad?
Not in the slightest. :laugh:
(https://media.tenor.com/images/93f66fede06c7de22a089db9c414acaf/tenor.gif)
Another good interview, Rabbit and Necro. I love getting to see it all laid out like this and getting to know folk.
I will be sending questions to Xenomrph today, and then I will see if either somebody else wants to be interviewed, or find an assistant.
- The Cruentus
- Corporal Hicks
- Voodoo Magic
- Huggs
- Vermillion (? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?)
- MudButt
- HuDaFuk
- Necronomicon II
- Xenomrph (in progress)
Updated schedule.
Oh god.
Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Feb 11, 2019, 01:07:57 PM
Quote from: Necronomicon II on Feb 11, 2019, 07:56:44 AM
I was no fan of the AVP films; they're garbage and should be jettisoned into the sun.
Geez Necro. What did the sun ever do to you to deserve that? ;)
As if the sun would even notice a speck of shite like that. :D
Quote from: Necronomicon II on Feb 12, 2019, 06:28:53 AM
Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Feb 11, 2019, 01:07:57 PM
Quote from: Necronomicon II on Feb 11, 2019, 07:56:44 AM
I was no fan of the AVP films; they're garbage and should be jettisoned into the sun.
Geez Necro. What did the sun ever do to you to deserve that? ;)
As if the sun would even notice a speck of shite like that. :D
Just warn us before you do it, so we can stay clear of you.... just in case the sun retaliates! ;D
(https://media.giphy.com/media/cPdOuNqsBF7Xi/giphy.gif)
If we sent a copy of the predator, it would be like the ending of "knowing".
(https://www.kimballstock.com/pix/CHI/03/CHI_03_RC0009_01_P.JPG)
Welcome ladies and gentlemen to an all new edition of The Renovated Members' Studio Thread!
No, there's nothing wrong with your screen. Today your charismatic, loveable host has been replaced with an even more charismatic, loveable guest host, Voodoo Magic!
And today I have reversed the interview spotlight, and focused it on the interviewer herself, THE SAILING RABBIT. Doing so not only caused her temporary blindness, but revealed her to be quite a fantastic interview!
So, without further ado, heeeeeeerrrrrrreeeeee's Rabbit!:
First, tell us a little about yourself. Who is the woman beneath the fur and bunny ears outside of AvPGalaxy?
My real name is Catherine Kruger (yes, people have asked me if I'm related to Freddy Krueger), and I live in the state of New York, where it is cold for ten months out of the year. I'm pretty young compared to the majority of AvPGalaxy, and I kind of expected that when I joined, because in my real life I've never been able to really get along with other people my age. In high school, I was a member of JROTC for all four years, and graduated at the rank of cadet second lieutenant. I was also part of MasterMinds (which is a trivia team), and managed to go to the National Geography Bowl in Washington, D.C., three times, as well as rank first in our state division my senior year.
I enlisted in the Navy in October of 2017, but I washed out because I failed the initial run. At the time of this interview, I'm currently trying to get in better shape so I can get back in and start my own life as a sailor, and get my own place so I can start collecting action figures and movies.
At your core, you seem to be very creative. How do you express yourself creatively and where do you hope to see yourself in the future?
I have been writing and drawing since the third grade. I will take inspiration from anything and turn it into some kind of story. My writing is definitely stronger than my drawing, but I have been getting better at drawing over the last several years. I don't see it as excellent, but I'm also learning not to put my work down as shit because I have gotten compliments on it when I began posting it to Twitter and within the Fan Art thread of AvPGalaxy. I am pursuing a career as a writer--I doubt I'll ever write for Aliens, but who knows--but I also want to attempt comics, because that's where art and storytelling really come together. A small part of me would like to make movies someday, but I imagine I'd become a nightmare of a director because I'm really not that good at working with other people.
Mainly, I like creating things that people can get emotionally invested in, or smile at, and just plain enjoy. I don't get a lot of hearts or comments on my stories and cartoons I post on here, fanfiction sites, or Twitter, but if someone is enjoying what I make, that's all that matters to me.
How did you come up with your username?
Pretty simple: "sailing" from my career, and "rabbit" from my love of rabbits. Also, who doesn't love the thought of a bunny in a boat?
Your activity on AvPGalaxy seems to be more community driven than by fandom. Can you explain why?
It's more of a blend of both, because I can't have one without the other. I was pretty gun-shy when I first joined AvPGalaxy because I felt like I was in a minority of the fandom after browsing the forums (casual Marine fan, refuses to engage in arguments). I had posted my stories to the Fanfiction thread, and got no response, so a part of me was beginning to feel like I made a mistake. There really isn't a lot of good fanfiction for this franchise, so I figured that anyone who saw it assumed it was garbage. That's OK. No one has to read it if they don't want to.
I was still in that boat when I left for boot camp back in September. When I washed out and came back home, I found myself with a lot of time on my hands, and began exploring the site a little more. I didn't want to be that person in the background anymore, so I began posting on topics that I found interesting, and soon myself a couple of friends that I feel emotionally attached to. It's not something I really have in real life. I keep coming back every day because I know someone's going to make me laugh and smile and feel like I'm a part of something. I don't feel like a weirdo anymore: I feel like I'm part of a group of weirdos, and that's how we like it.
Who are your favorite members on the AvPGalaxy forums, and how many of them practice voodoo?
Ha, only one of them practices voodoo (but Baron might as well, I'm not too sure). Of course Huggs and Voodoo Magic hold a special place in my heart for being able to be weird with me. I don't think I'll ever be able to express how much I'm thankful for that. And Vermillion; he's made me laugh pretty hard when I needed it. Baron seriously grossed everyone out with his advice on how to deal with belly button lint on the Worst Advice thread (no, Baron, we're not letting that go anytime soon), but he can still get me to smile. I know it's gonna sound cheesy, but . . . I really should take this opportunity to thank our Corporal Hicks for being welcoming of me to the site and for adjusting my avatar. I like his positive outlook at certain things, as well as the podcasts (right now, I'm torn between Daniel Kash and Trevor Steedman as my favorite thus far).
What was your first introduction to both the Alien and Predator franchises?
A mix of things. I knew it existed, but I didn't know it was as big as it is. In truth, The Shawshank Redemption sculpted part of my pathway to Aliens; it introduced me to classic movies and character acting and the like. I dug around the filmographies of several of the actors in Shawshank, just to see what else was there, and stumbled across Aliens in Mark Rolston's background. I started watching clips on YouTube and seeing how this guy is able to bring different characters to life. That's what fascinated me--actors who can create a character and make you want more. I wanted more, but there wasn't more (of Drake), so I started writing it.
I needed to do a lot more research so I felt like I knew what I was doing. In that time, I realized how much bigger the franchise and fandom actually is, so I felt like I was going to piss off a lot of fans if I screwed up my writing of canon characters. Enter Alien Theory and his YouTube channel. I found there's more than the movies. Like Star Wars, there are novels and comics and games and I found myself falling in love.
So, once a month, Alien Theory does a Q&A video, and you can submit questions through Twitter. I joined Twitter for that reason alone, mainly because Drake is one of his favorite Marines, too, and my question was whether or not a novel from Drake's perspective would be worth seeing. He said yes, and that was the final step in being part of this fandom for a really long time.
Yeah . . . this is all because of Drake.
Ain't that sad.
I don't know if you noticed this, but others seem to think you have a deep fascination towards Bill Paxton and Michael Biehn? What brought that on?
In the beginning, I got Hicks and Hudson messed up a lot. I knew one of them was goofy and one of them was quiet. Little did I know, they were played by two acting geniuses that look good with no shirt on.
Jokes aside, some of it came from the fact that Drake doesn't have a true plastic form from NECA yet. I saw lots of Hicks and Hudson figures on Google, but no Drake, so I delved into what made these two special. And I got sucked into their actors' careers as well. Also, Hudson's funny. It's impossible not to love him. He's the comic relief, but like everyone else in the movie, it feels like there's so much more than what we see. Paxton put so much effort into Hudson that it makes me eager to pick up every movie he's been in to see how versatile he is. I can say almost the same for Biehn, but it's more because I can relate to how Hicks is the quiet guy who doesn't say much until it's necessary.
What are your feelings towards the Ridley Scott Alien prequels?
Not as strong as most other people. I accept them as they are. Truth be told, I do like the Engineers and I want to see more of them, maybe even a fully-fledged, three dimensional character of one. But, yeah, I don't hate the prequels. I actually like them, in a way. They definitely can be written better, but I don't dislike them.
If you could change one thing about the Alien franchise, what would it be?
I want more Drake.
If I could change one thing, it would be Aliens: Colonial Marines. I feel like I could write a better story than what was presented. I don't think canon characters should be put down as pointless to use because they've "served their time and purpose/they're dead" or any other bullshit I've seen regarding having a character "stay dead." It all depends on how the story is written and how the characters are written. If someone wants to write a good, fleshed-out what-if story, let them. It's not the end of the world, or the end of the franchise.
What's your favorite film and book outside of the Alien and Predator franchises?
I've already mentioned my favorite movie is The Shawshank Redemption. I enjoy the original novella, but it's one of those rare cases where the movie outdoes the book. As far as books, I will admit, I enjoy Harry Potter, and I absolutely love Watership Down (if you haven't read it, it's fantastic--it's rabbits, but gory).
Finally, the most important question of them all: The four of us (me, you, Huggs, and Baron) are stuck on a tiny deserted island. Who survives and why?
Baron goes insane and tries to start a cult with a pair of coconuts, a starfish, and a dead lobster.
Voodoo attempts to kill the rest of us because I still haven't seen Michael Biehn's glorious shirtless scene Terminator yet.
Huggs and I are secretly building a raft out of there while protecting ourselves from Voodoo and Baron.
That's it folks. I would like to thank Fuzzy Toes The Sailing Rabbit for putting up with such an obnoxious interviewer, as well as being so essential to the fun I and many others have here on these forums. #BestRabbitEver (sorry White Rabbit)
Great interview. Well done voodoo. And I must say, you look rather fetching in that evening light.
Why thank you kind sir! What can I say, I'm fetching and worth catching!
(https://i.makeagif.com/media/8-06-2015/m-kBKX.gif)
Oh hey, 'The Shawshank Redemption' is my #1 movie of all time. I definitely agree that it's one of the rare cases where the movie is better than the book (and the book is great).
Tangentially related, if you like the movie 'Watership Down', seek out the Criterion Collection blu-ray (https://www.amazon.com/Watership-Down-Blu-ray-John-Hurt/dp/B00PULRC0U) that came out a few years ago.
Really good interview - both of you. It's a shame about the lack of interest in fanfiction, Rabbit. I certainly used to devour the stories on Fanfiction.net but I find I have so little these days for books on my shelf so that's why I don't venture into the fan created side of fiction anymore. It sucks.
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Feb 13, 2019, 08:36:05 AM
Really good interview - both of you. It's a shame about the lack of interest in fanfiction, Rabbit. I certainly used to devour the stories on Fanfiction.net but I find I have so little these days for books on my shelf so that's why I don't venture into the fan created side of fiction anymore. It sucks.
If you don't get to it, that's fine. I've learned that it doesn't help anyone if you constantly try to push people to read your stuff. I update my list of work on that thread, but I don't advertise, not unless something comes up like a contest or similar.
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Feb 13, 2019, 08:36:05 AM
Really good interview - both of you. It's a shame about the lack of interest in fanfiction, Rabbit. I certainly used to devour the stories on Fanfiction.net but I find I have so little these days for books on my shelf so that's why I don't venture into the fan created side of fiction anymore. It sucks.
In fairness you are not missing much, last time I was there was to check out a member's story, but looking at the list avp there. Lets just say you are better off not going on that site.
(https://www.punchline-gloucester.com/images/user/4870_schoolkid_bunny.jpg)
Thank you, Voodoo, for conducting that interview. Now that I'm no longer blinded by that spotlight, we can introduce our next guest, who has been giving me anxiety for the last few months because he claims he has direct contact with Mark Rolston after I said I wouldn't pay a certain price for an autograph. Give a warm welcome to Xenomrph.
First up, with the releases of Alien: Covenant and The Predator, has your favorite film in the franchise changed at all?
My favorite across both franchises is definitely 'The Predator' now, without a doubt.
No, neither movie really shook up my favorites; in fact it's hard for me to really pick a favorite because the Alien movies are so different from each other and they each bring something to the table. Gun to my head, if I had to pick a favorite, I'd say 'Aliens', but 'Alien' is an extremely close second after that, with 'Alien3' (Assembly Cut) being extremely close after that.
Who are you, and what do you do outside of AvPGalaxy (that has changed since your last interview in 2013)?
I'm a long-time AvP fan/nerd/shill/apologist, although I participate in other fandoms to varying degrees. Outside of the internet I'm a hotel accountant by trade, although I went to college for criminal justice and philosophy. Yeah, it doesn't make sense to me, either.
When I'm not working, I'm usually watching movies, painting miniatures, or playing video games new and old - I have 13 game consoles hooked up to my television through an elaborate maze of expensive cables, upscalers, and switchboxes.
What are your thoughts on how the franchise has evolved since becoming a fan?
That's a good question. The breadth and depth of non-movie material to dive into has changed, and it's cool to see new movies come out. I got into Alien when I was 9 and it totally consumed my world pretty much until I was in college, but my worldview was a lot narrower and with copious free time, it was easy to laser focus my time and attention towards it. As an adult with responsibilities and new interests, it's a lot harder to do that, and it's harder to find people in "real life" with similar passions for AvP. But I guess that's what the Internet is for.
Has your favorite member/best friend on the forums changed since your last interview?
I don't remember my answers from the last interview, but the forum member I interact the most with outside of the forums is SiL and that's sort of how I gauge "friends" from forums I post on. If we can interact outside of the forums about non-specialty topics, I think that means more than just sharing an interest on a forum because our personalities extend beyond the forums. I've interacted with people in real life who were big Alien fans, but their personalities just didn't mesh with mine and we didn't end up being friends.
I'm all for interacting with people from this forum outside of this forum, though - I'm on a bunch of social media platforms, and I have a lot of interests outside of AvP.
It is solidly not a secret that you have interesting views on Alien/Predator canon. Why is that, and why do you think so many arguments over canon spiral out of control?
Canon is a fascinating topic and my views on it have changed greatly over the years. Canon as a concept wasn't even something I thought about until the late 90s and early 2000s when I first started posting on AvP forums and talking with serious fans, and by and large my views were in line with everyone else's. I'd get in out-of-control canon debates and in a never-ending quest to be Right On The Internet, I'd piss people off or get really angry myself, and it bled into my offline life as well. I finally realized that that was really unhealthy and I took a "sabbatical" from AvP online fandom for a good 5 years or so, and it let me get my priorities in order, gain new hobbies and interests, and in doing so I saw a lot of different approaches to "canon" across different fandoms, and in doing so it got me thinking that there shouldn't be one way of looking at things like that.
I think canon arguments (for any fandom, not just AvP) spiral out of control partly because people want to be "right", and by doing so it makes them feel a stronger connection to what they're a fan of. "Canon" also makes things seem more "real", as if there's a knowable structure to the fiction, with "facts". Facts inherently imply truth or reality, even for something that isn't real. If everyone agrees on what is "canon", it makes it easier to agree on what the "facts" are, and things seem more real. When someone disagrees on what's canon, it starts to break the illusion and people get really defensive as a reaction.
After seeing a lot (reads: like 97%) of canon debates spiral wildly out of control, I think it's a lot healthier for people to believe what they want, enjoy what they want, and let everyone else do the same. Trying to get everyone to agree on what's "real" in an effort to unite the fanbase or something actually ends up dividing people and pissing everyone off, instead of just, like, collectively enjoying what we're allegedly all fans of.
In the thread for the movie Overlord, you made a massive list of books that fall under the "Weird War II" genre. What got you into that?
Probably Wolfenstein3D (I will never, ever get tired of killing virtual Nazis), and a love of WWII history. Seeing how pervasive the Weird War II genre really is, I've gotten more and more involved with it and trying to look at how it's portrayed, how it relates to actual history, etc. I have a running joke that on a long enough timeline, everything will reference Weird War II in some capacity. The Marvel movies got it out of the way early on with Captain America. The video game Outlast does it out of left field near the ending when you learn what's going on. The 5th Transformers movie did it out of nowhere in a flashback. It's a much more pervasive genre than a lot of people realize.
In your opinion, what is the most important part of making a film? Is it the script, the characters, effects, etc.?
For making a film, or making a GOOD film? :p
For making a good film, I think it's a combination of all of those things, and a healthy dose of serendipity - some of the best movies ever made ended up the way they are because of things outside the filmmakers' control, or changes during the filmmaking process for any number of reasons.
I see you around the merchandise thread quite a bit. How big and impressive is your collection?
I have a lot of random Alien and Predator stuff dating back to the 90s Kenner toys, but Alien/Predator stuff isn't the only thing I collect, nor is it the largest of my collections. I've got somewhere around 500 Transformers, for example.
Any advice on getting started with collecting?
Don't look at it as "starting a collection", instead just... buy things you like. If you buy things you like and they happen to all be similar, then all of a sudden one day you'll look at what you've bought and say "oh hey, this is a collection".
Don't just buy stuff to buy stuff, the point isn't to spend money and acquire things but to actually enjoy what you've acquired. Don't spend outside your means - you'd think this would be common sense, but I'm speaking as someone who got themselves in crippling debt because I bought lots of stuff (and they were genuinely things I liked). I'm not in debt anymore, but it was a huge wake-up call and it got me to pay attention to my finances and stay within my budgets.
In all seriousness . . . do you have Mark Rolston on speed-dial? Is my first convention going to be severely awkward because I said I didn't want to pay too much for an autograph? :P
Hang on, lemme call him and ask him if I have him on speed-dial.
Most importantly--more important than anything else I've asked (well, except for the previous question)--what's your stance on the skull?
Honestly? Ambivalent. I think it's a neat design element and I get a giggle when it shows up in creative contexts (the PredAlien in AvPR having a Predator skull, or NECA's Kenner Gorilla Alien remake having a gorilla skull) but I'm also a real big fan of how the Alien head looks without a visible skull. Its presence doesn't bother me, but I don't see it as a necessary component of the Alien design, either.
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 13, 2019, 12:15:55 PM
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Feb 13, 2019, 08:36:05 AM
Really good interview - both of you. It's a shame about the lack of interest in fanfiction, Rabbit. I certainly used to devour the stories on Fanfiction.net but I find I have so little these days for books on my shelf so that's why I don't venture into the fan created side of fiction anymore. It sucks.
If you don't get to it, that's fine. I've learned that it doesn't help anyone if you constantly try to push people to read your stuff. I update my list of work on that thread, but I don't advertise, not unless something comes up like a contest or similar.
I don't think there's anything wrong with advertising. Was just offering why I personally don't read fan-fiction these days, even though I used to read a lot of it. You need to advertise it for people who do read it.
I still can't get over the "Fifty Shades of Grey" books were originally Twighlight fan-fiction, slightly altered into original works.
* hint, hint *
Wabbit, I look forward to reading your original adventures featuring space commandos Brake, Licks and Spudson in bookstores soon!
Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Feb 13, 2019, 03:42:22 PM
I still can't get over the "Fifty Shades of Grey" books were originally Twighlight fan-fiction, slightly altered into original works.
Everything on the website Quotev is Twilight fanfiction, slightly altered into either Harry Potter fanfiction or Lifetime movies.
Well who doesn't love Lifetime movies!
(https://media2.giphy.com/media/8P1f5QvIsmlCbiNJBP/giphy.gif?cid=19f5b51a5c643d374f775553456a518b)
(https://media0.giphy.com/media/QmFkSn2jMjlC2f4vmv/giphy.gif?cid=19f5b51a5c643d374f775553456a518b)
Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Feb 13, 2019, 03:54:52 PM
Well who doesn't love Lifetime movies!
https://media2.giphy.com/media/8P1f5QvIsmlCbiNJBP/giphy.gif?cid=19f5b51a5c643d374f775553456a518b
https://media0.giphy.com/media/QmFkSn2jMjlC2f4vmv/giphy.gif?cid=19f5b51a5c643d374f775553456a518b
People who play drinking games.
:laugh:
So, any interview recommendations?
Another solid interview! @SailingRabbit How long are you're fan fiction pieces? I'll be sure to take a gander when I get some spare time.
Quote from: Xiggz456 on Feb 13, 2019, 10:46:57 PM
Another solid interview! @SailingRabbit How long are you're fan fiction pieces? I'll be sure to take a gander when I get some spare time.
The first two are short (around 40 pages). The first one is only six chapters, and they get longer as the series goes on.
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 13, 2019, 06:56:39 PM
So, any interview recommendations?
I would say SM but we may have to tie him up first and give him truth serum, also a hypnotist won't hurt.
:laugh:
Quote from: Xenomrph
I think canon arguments (for any fandom, not just AvP) spiral out of control partly because people want to be "right", and by doing so it makes them feel a stronger connection to what they're a fan of.
Interesting perspective. Maybe!
Quote from: Xenomrph
After seeing a lot (reads: like 97%) of canon debates spiral wildly out of control, I think it's a lot healthier for people to believe what they want, enjoy what they want, and let everyone else do the same.
Until then, if you try to read the
back-and-forths as if they were performed by bad actors on a bad soap opera, it helps. It definitely helps. :)
Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Feb 14, 2019, 02:10:42 PM
Quote from: Xenomrph
After seeing a lot (reads: like 97%) of canon debates spiral wildly out of control, I think it's a lot healthier for people to believe what they want, enjoy what they want, and let everyone else do the same.
Until then, if you try to read the back-and-forths as if they were performed by bad actors on a bad soap opera, it helps. It definitely helps. :)
I don't venture into those threads, but I think I will now to do a dramatic reading.
Now you're talking! :laugh:
Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Feb 14, 2019, 02:23:30 PM
Now you're talking! :laugh:
You'll have to let me know who all is British and Australian, so I can picture accents.
How about French? It is the language of love.... and it is Valentine's Day. ♡
Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Feb 14, 2019, 02:43:42 PM
How about French? It is the language of love.... and it is Valentine's Day. ♡
I can't do French accents.
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 14, 2019, 02:48:10 PM
Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Feb 14, 2019, 02:43:42 PM
How about French? It is the language of love.... and it is Valentine's Day. ♡
I can't do French accents.
Start with repeating the words "cellar door", but relax your mouth and soften your pronunciation of the consonants.
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 14, 2019, 02:48:10 PM
Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Feb 14, 2019, 02:43:42 PM
How about French? It is the language of love.... and it is Valentine's Day. ♡
I can't do French accents.
Merde. That's all I know.
So you only know the French word for "feces"...
(https://media0.giphy.com/media/deNPNTjrAysuY/giphy.gif?cid=19f5b51a5c65fb1f2e44546263610e5b)
Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Feb 14, 2019, 11:36:14 PM
So you only know the French word for "feces"...
https://media0.giphy.com/media/deNPNTjrAysuY/giphy.gif?cid=19f5b51a5c65fb1f2e44546263610e5b
Shit, I believe, is the word.
(https://media2.giphy.com/media/3oKIPAGZzx2PY1wYjC/giphy.gif?cid=19f5b51a5c65ffbb2f472e4b6b50b09b)
It should enable me to blend in for five or six minutes.
Baron wants to also teach you the French words for "on me".
I told him no.
Way to skip over my interview, Huggs. :laugh:
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 15, 2019, 12:11:46 AM
Way to skip over my interview, Huggs. :laugh:
I'm tired and upset, and saw an excuse to act French. But it was a good interview rabbit.
Quote from: Huggs on Feb 15, 2019, 12:16:22 AM
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 15, 2019, 12:11:46 AM
Way to skip over my interview, Huggs. :laugh:
I'm tired and upset, and saw an excuse to act French. But it was a good interview rabbit.
My bad. :(
Quote from: Huggs on Feb 15, 2019, 12:16:22 AM
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 15, 2019, 12:11:46 AM
Way to skip over my interview, Huggs. :laugh:
I'm tired and upset, and saw an excuse to act French. But it was a good interview rabbit.
And even a better interviewer!
Voodoo magic, mun'. ;D
I guess I'm hiring Voodoo as my assistant. You seem a lot braver, so you can talk to the members I feel intimidated by.
Right now, I'm tempted to ask Baron, and some of the guys that hang around the figure customization threads.
Ask Ahab Wabbit. I'm certain he'll be up for it.
The worse anyone can do is say no.
- The Cruentus
- Corporal Hicks
- Voodoo Magic
- Huggs
- Vermillion (? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?)
- MudButt
- HuDaFuk
- Necronomicon II
- Xenomrph
- AhabPredator (in progress)
- JokersWarPig
Updated schedule.
(https://www.punchline-gloucester.com/images/user/4870_schoolkid_bunny.jpg)
Sorry for the wait, but, fear not; I have brought an interview straight from the messy and satisfying depths of figure customization. Welcome, AhabPredator!
First up, what is your favorite film in the franchise and why?
That's a tough call. But I have to say that if I narrowed it down to two... it would be Predator (1987) and Aliens (1986). Both of these films did some ground-breaking things for cinema history and have been culturally defining films since they came out. They have been the inspiration for countless scifi movies, videogames, and books. Ultimately Predator takes the win for me. Stan Winston's designs are among some of the very best costumes that have been on the big screen.
How did you come up with your username?
It's based upon the main Predator character from the Fire & Stone/ Life & Death comic book series from Dark Horse Comics.
Who are you, and what do you do outside of AvPGalaxy?
Well, I can tell you some of what I do. Right now, I do private corporate security. Originally I was a deputy for a Sheriff's Office in Florida. I would like to get back to policing sometime soon but would prefer working at a Police Department this time around. If not that, I am also working on my MBA/Human Resources degree.
How has the franchise, and fandom in general, influenced you?
That's an interesting question. I would say I've grown up the with AvP series... I've watched it evolve from movie to movie and game to game. I originally started with AvP 1994 on PC. I played the campaigns and the multiplayers until the game shut down and no longer became popular. I also watched every movie in the franchise. Some movies I loved, some I tolerated, and others I hated. But at the end of it all, I developed a passion and respect for all 3 intellectual properties (AvP, Alien, and Predator).
Who is your favorite member/best friend out of everyone you've met on these humble forums?
This is a weird one. I guess you could say originally I had the wrong impression on certain people. Mainly Voodoo Magic and The Old One. I thought they were something else when I first interacted with them, but have found they are actually nice people. Even if I don't always agree with their points of view (and vice versa) they are forum members who preach respect of other backgrounds. That's something almost admirable. Especially lately with some of the scraps that have been going on lately. Also the rabbit. TheSailingRabbit is good people. A fitting apprentice for figure customizing.
(Awww, thanks.) What drew you to use Ahab as your digital avatar and cosplay subject?
It's weird. Something just... clicked. With Ahab - he was the first predator (yautja) to actually do miraculous things, develop as a character, and survive his story. This is something of a rare occurrence with our favorite alien hunters. He had a sense of humor as well, which was something we don't really see often with a Predator. Also his bond with Galgo Helder in the comics was something interest. I think this quote best defines it.
"You have a bond? An agreement?"
"Nah. There ain't a word for it. "Bond" is overstating. Ahab'd gut me soon as look, if he had to. An understanding, maybe. But let's call it bond for simplicity."
―Cpt. Paget and Galgo (from Alien vs. Predator: Life and Death)
In regard to cosplaying, I have ALWAYS wanted to cosplay a Predator. It's just something that hasn't been possible... until now. Mostly due to money.
What inspired you to start collecting and customizing action figures?
It's something I always wanted to do. When I was younger, I used to read Yak_Chewie's Star Wars photonovels on Yakface.com and thought I wanted to do that one day! So I slowly got into the practice... collecting figures first. Then buying additional ones... customizing slowly and surely over time. The hardest part was learning techniques. This was mainly gathered from YouTube tutorials and figurerealm.com.
You mentioned in the Fan Section board that you are planning on making a film about Ahab. How far along are you in creating a plot?
As I mentioned there, I don't want to give a whole lot away. But I have come to the conclusion they will be episodic encounters of past hunts. Ahab will walk through the trophy room of his ship, admiring past relics and trophies he encountered from his hundreds or perhaps even thousand years of life? As he walks through the room, he will touch them... and that will initiate a flashback sequence that shows us how obtained that trophy and what was sacrificed to obtain it. No hunter leaves un-scarred. Something especially true in his physical traits. Each of these flashpoints will feature his memories. You never know who might show up in such sequences. We know that Yautja are bound to live a long time.
What are your thoughts on how the franchise has evolved since you became a fan?
This is a reflective and difficult question. I would say there have been a lot of good and bad... but as of late, more bad than good. I don't want to sound like a pessimist but that's the truth in my mind. Predator 2018 was a complete disaster for me... I absolutely hated about 85% of that movie. BUT it did have some merits. The special effects in the first five minutes were incredible (especially when watched in D-Box movie theater seating). The lab escape scene was mostly brilliant, but a lot of what happened didn't make sense. It did look pretty. It was interesting to see Fugitive utilize human weaponry to fight back until he could reclaim his own weapons. This is something I don't see being out of character for a Yautja. But the rest of the movie...? I'd avoid talking about it. As for the Alien franchise... oh man, what a mess. I'm not impressed with the various ret-cons that have occurred in it with Ridley's decision making about the plot. A lot of the actors, ships, and scenery were incredible... but re-writing the whole mythos was not necessary. I'm more confused than disappointed. Michael Fassbender definitely carries Prometheus AND Covenant.
When can we expect the next episode of AvP: Grit and Glory?
Hopefully soon! I have been building a lot of dioramas for this lately and doing some custom figures. These pieces take a lot of time to craft and get right. Every shell casing, explosion mark, and floor tile has to look real. Tell a story. If I don't do that, I can't do it justice! The background scenes are as much of a character as the characters themselves. I also might go back and re-do a couple sections for the purpose of making a better product.
Finally, in your opinion, what is the most important part of creating photo-comics/novels?
Imagination. If you can think it, you can make your dreams come true. I know that's really corny, but there is merit in that. I never thought I would ever have a photonovel to my name. Granted it's not the best looking one out there, but I feel it's an ever-evolving piece of art. And I will get better with time and do amazing things down the line. That is assured... a lot of the new dioramas I have been working on have been huge in scale. I even recently got the schematics for a 7" scale Neca-figure friendly Aliens APC. I would very much like to make my own, put my own spin on some of the artistic parts of it and make it something special. But that will have to be down the road! Right now my Ahab suit is my main investment...
Thank you for the compliment AhabPredator!
Excellent interviews BTW!
Nicely done Ahab and Wabbit. (Clap,Clap)
QuoteAs I mentioned there, I don't want to give a whole lot away. But I have come to the conclusion they will be episodic encounters of past hunts. Ahab will walk through the trophy room of his ship, admiring past relics and trophies he encountered from his hundreds or perhaps even thousand years of life? As he walks through the room, he will touch them... and that will initiate a flashback sequence that shows us how obtained that trophy and what was sacrificed to obtain it. No hunter leaves un-scarred. Something especially true in his physical traits. Each of these flashpoints will feature his memories. You never know who might show up in such sequences. We know that Yautja are bound to live a long time.
That actually sounds really damn cool! Love the idea! Love it! That would make a really cool web series, and even a great limited comic series too!
QuoteIt's something I always wanted to do. When I was younger, I used to read Yak_Chewie's Star Wars photonovels on Yakface.com and thought I wanted to do that one day! So I slowly got into the practice... collecting figures first. Then buying additional ones... customizing slowly and surely over time. The hardest part was learning techniques. This was mainly gathered from YouTube tutorials and figurerealm.com.
We appreciate you sharing them. I dig the creativity!
QuoteI guess you could say originally I had the wrong impression on certain people. Mainly Voodoo Magic and The Old One. I thought they were something else when I first interacted with them, but have found they are actually nice people.
Thanks brother.
To be honest, you had no choice in the matter. Ask Hicks... no one can resist my voodoo spell forever! ;)
(https://media1.giphy.com/media/P3q5bmBBhPEyc/giphy.gif?cid=19f5b51a5c2655e0797048314dd09fa9)
(https://i.gifer.com/24ME.gif)
Quote from: The Old One on Feb 19, 2019, 01:18:00 AM
Thank you for the compliment AhabPredator!
Excellent interviews BTW!
No prob. 8)
And this was a pretty cool idea. Never really seen a forum that interviews it's own people before.
Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Feb 19, 2019, 02:20:33 PM
Nicely done Ahab and Wabbit. (Clap,Clap)
QuoteAs I mentioned there, I don't want to give a whole lot away. But I have come to the conclusion they will be episodic encounters of past hunts. Ahab will walk through the trophy room of his ship, admiring past relics and trophies he encountered from his hundreds or perhaps even thousand years of life? As he walks through the room, he will touch them... and that will initiate a flashback sequence that shows us how obtained that trophy and what was sacrificed to obtain it. No hunter leaves un-scarred. Something especially true in his physical traits. Each of these flashpoints will feature his memories. You never know who might show up in such sequences. We know that Yautja are bound to live a long time.
That actually sounds really damn cool! Love the idea! Love it! That would make a really cool web series, and even a great limited comic series too!
QuoteIt's something I always wanted to do. When I was younger, I used to read Yak_Chewie's Star Wars photonovels on Yakface.com and thought I wanted to do that one day! So I slowly got into the practice... collecting figures first. Then buying additional ones... customizing slowly and surely over time. The hardest part was learning techniques. This was mainly gathered from YouTube tutorials and figurerealm.com.
We appreciate you sharing them. I dig the creativity!
QuoteI guess you could say originally I had the wrong impression on certain people. Mainly Voodoo Magic and The Old One. I thought they were something else when I first interacted with them, but have found they are actually nice people.
Thanks brother.
To be honest, you had no choice in the matter. Ask Hicks... no one can resist my voodoo spell forever! ;)
https://media1.giphy.com/media/P3q5bmBBhPEyc/giphy.gif?cid=19f5b51a5c2655e0797048314dd09fa9
https://i.gifer.com/24ME.gif
You are nuts. :D
He is nuts, but we love him anyway. :')
Quote from: AhabPredator on Feb 19, 2019, 02:26:25 PM
You are nuts. :D
Hey!!!
I
resent resemble that remark!
;D
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 19, 2019, 02:31:36 PM
He is nuts, but we love him anyway. :')
(https://media2.giphy.com/media/NkYaOSHAibaZa/giphy.gif?cid=19f5b51a5c6c26da69447a5859a8842f)
Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Feb 19, 2019, 03:58:11 PM
Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Feb 19, 2019, 02:31:36 PM
He is nuts, but we love him anyway. :')
https://media2.giphy.com/media/NkYaOSHAibaZa/giphy.gif?cid=19f5b51a5c6c26da69447a5859a8842f
This gif.
It's now next to the Michael Biehn hugging Lance Henriksen gif in my favorite gifs ever.
Great interviews!
I'm sorry getting the next interview is taking so long. It shouldn't be. Just not motivated to work on it right now.
- The Cruentus (complete)
- Corporal Hicks (complete)
- Voodoo Magic (complete)
- Huggs (complete)
- MudButt (complete)
- HuDaFuk (complete)
- Necronomicon II (complete)
- TheSailingRabbit (complete)
- Xenomrph (complete)
- AhabPredator (complete)
- Vermillion (in progress?)
- JokersWarPig
Updated schedule.
I finally received the interview answers from Vermillion. Will be posted shortly.
Wasn't this vermin guy the second person you asked?
Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Apr 01, 2019, 02:46:47 PM
Wasn't this vermin guy the second person you asked?
Hicks was the second person I asked.
Don't call him that. He'll rain down his wrath upon you.
(https://media.giphy.com/media/Co5fUWLLwzIY0/giphy.gif)
(https://www.punchline-gloucester.com/images/user/4870_schoolkid_bunny.jpg)
Sorry for the long wait, folks. Give a warm welcome for our resident Hudson impersonator, Vermillion.
First, what's your favorite film in the franchise and why?(https://thumbs.gfycat.com/SpicyPeskyGardensnake-size_restricted.gif)
How did you come up with your username?(https://media.giphy.com/media/YAxFciMMtqcV2/giphy.gif)
Who are you and what do you do outside of AvPGalaxy?(https://66.media.tumblr.com/7b0418fd67ab3a9b2c921e05a18f33e3/tumblr_nrnh0x9xR81u2ragso1_500.gif)
How has the franchise, and fandom in general, influenced you?(https://media.giphy.com/media/3MGvl1TtEDuaQ/giphy.gif)
Who is your favorite member/best friend out of everyone you've met on these humble forums?(https://media.giphy.com/media/oOaluhasrTllu/giphy.gif)
Call me biased, but I like the Hudson . . . what's the right word? . . . aura, I guess we can call it, of your avatar and signature. What made you choose the Ultimate Badass as your digital persona?(https://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-Ch81cYpAJjY%2FWQFd5xqKZQI%2FAAAAAAABBOg%2FjQeFiqNaNIoy6cGvrWOsNFsfvIha2jroQCK4B%2Fs1600%2Fgiphy%252B%2525283%252529.gif&hash=3c79a3f5dc533e81428e586105130fabba34bfd8)
I see you around the Star Wars thread a lot, and it's no secret you're not fully thrilled with the direction the franchise has taken. What would you rather have seen happen with the new movies?(https://66.media.tumblr.com/76cbf75d1644c178b76a064de4558f23/tumblr_inline_p6z7fkneNO1qmdxm5_540.gif)
In the AvPGalaxy Dating Compatibility thread, you mentioned you wanted to see NECA make a Spunkmeyer figure. Give me one good reason why Spunkmeyer should come before Drake.(https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1461722329ra/18901766.gif)
What are your thoughts on how the Alien franchise has evolved since you became a fan?(https://media.giphy.com/media/SH4sAbjL8LoGc/giphy.gif)
Would you rather see Scott complete David's story, or some kind of Alien 5 (regardless of who directs it)?(https://media.giphy.com/media/eazHFXDcInC2A/giphy.gif)
Why do you and Local Trouble hate the skull so much?(https://media1.tenor.com/images/c720db758570f01348aff6411c214803/tenor.gif?itemid=5407130)
Spoiler
Happy April Fool's Day. By the way, these are the actual questions I sent him.
So these are not his real answers?
Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Apr 01, 2019, 03:41:24 PM
So these are not his real answers?
No, they're not. This is my prank: a Hudson gif orgasm.
You fooled me. I expected exactly those kinds of answers from him.
I think this would have fooled me if it didn't include Vermillion and Answering Questions.
Vermillion doesn't answer questions so much as he reacts to stimuli.
He just needs a good facehugging.
Quote from: Local Trouble on Apr 01, 2019, 03:46:57 PM
Vermillion doesn't answer questions so much as he reacts to stimuli.
I included the skull and Star Wars in my questions. Surely, that'd be enough stimuli for him.
There's always Robotech (https://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/index.php?topic=46883.msg2186528#msg2186528) and royal jelly too.
Quote from: Local Trouble on Apr 01, 2019, 04:04:55 PM
There's always Robotech (https://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/index.php?topic=46883.msg2186528#msg2186528) and royal jelly too.
Consider my mind blown.
Spoiler
I really thought his username origin would be simpler.
(https://www.punchline-gloucester.com/images/user/4870_schoolkid_bunny.jpg)
Once again, I'm sorry for the long delay. I know this is not a job I'm getting paid to do, but I treat it like it is. Despite that, I needed to step away when it started becoming frustrating.
Without further ado, I honestly don't know if we'll get a legit response from Vermillion, but I was able to get an interview from a fellow Marine fan. Let's hear a round of applause from JokersWarPig.
First up, what's your favorite film in the franchise, and why?
My favorite film is definitely Aliens. My dad showed it to me when I was younger (probably a little to young lol) so it was my introduction to the movies.
How did you come up with your username?
Oh man, my username goes back to when I was playing Battlefield Vietnam in 2006. Its a combination of the main character from full metal jacket and War Pigs by Black Sabbath and I've used it for just about everything.
Who are you and what do you do outside of AvPGalaxy?
I'm Mike and I'm just a guy with one to many hobbies and not alone of time for them because of work and the gym :laugh:
How has the franchise, and the fandom in general, influenced you?
I'd say that the biggest thing the franchise did influence me on was that horror isn't easily defined and doesn't need to follow the same tropes all the time. In most horror or monster movies the cops/soldiers/gun toting individual is usually the savior. They take the big bad out and thats that. Aliens and Predator took that and flipped it on its head, and to me there's not very many things scarier than a tough SOB who is both armed and trained, but completely at the monsters mercy. That scenario makes the monster scarier in my mind.
Who is your favorite member/best friend out of everyone you've ever met on these humble forums?
Honestly I don't directly interact with a lot of members very often :laugh: but I'd have to say some of the better interactions I've had have been with AhabPredator, The Old One and Hicks
I've noticed that, like me, you're a big fan of the Colonial Marines. Got any specific favorite Marines or weapons?
While I will always love the Pulse Rifle, more recently the Smartgun has become my favorite weapon. I'm not sure what it is exactly, everything about it, from its look to how its held just screams cool.
You're one of several figure-customizers I've encountered here on the forums. What got you into it?
I've kind of done it my whole life to be honest, it's just taken a few different forms over the years. I like to keep my hands busy and I also like to make characters so it's slowly evolved into this.
I will say one thing that did it was getting the old McFarlane Hicks, Alien and Alien Queen when I was younger. For a lot of years though my focus was mainly on 1:6 Vietnam stuff, but when AVP2010 came out it kind of reignited my interest in Alien and Predator figures. I had managed to get some 1:6 USCM armor and make a single marine with it, but for the most part the 1:6 AVP stuff was way out of my price range. I shelved it for a little bit before buying some McFarlane Hick's to customize (badly). Thankfully though Neca announced their marines not long after I'd started those. Thankfully I've gotten slightly better at customizing since my first attempts :laugh:
What are your thoughts on how the franchise has evolved since you became a fan?
I don't think either franchise has evolved in a good way, at least not in my humble opinion. the Alien franchise peaked at Aliens and then never hit anything better, entertainment wise or story wise. As much as I don't like Alien 3 due to it's bleakness and other issues, it was the last decent movie involving an alien. I don't hate Prometheus, I actually like it as it's own entity set within the universe.
I thought Predator - Predators felt like a very natural progression and it definitely could have gone to some really cool places, but then The Predator happened and things nose dived.
In your opinion, what is the most important part of making a film? Is it the script, the characters, effects, etc.?
I would say the script and the characters are the most important part of a film. Without a good script and good characters a movie has no substance. I'd rather remember a scene or a plot point that made me say "holy ****" than some fancy visuals.
Would you rather see Scott complete David's story, or some type of Alien 5 (regardless of who directs it)?
I would much rather see someone do a take on Alien 5. Covenant had some visuals and ideas I liked, but the over all direction and everything involving David just wasn't for me.
What is your stance on the skull?
I have no problems with the skull.
I'll answer the questions if there's any interest.
Quote from: [CANCERBLACK] on Apr 24, 2019, 11:49:35 PM
I'll answer the questions if there's any interest.
Absolutely! Expect them Friday or Saturday.
Awesome
Those of you who know me should contribute some pointed questions so it's a fun interview. Make me defend one of the "bad" movies i have a soft spot for or something.
Have you ever stumbled across a tunnel leading to 14th century England?
Quote from: Local Trouble on Apr 25, 2019, 03:55:37 PM
Have you ever stumbled across a tunnel leading to 14th century England?
I fell in a hole near the river once.
Alas, no such luck.
But you're not in New Zealand.
True.
Might've run into some goblins or sexually frustrated androids.
Quote from: Local Trouble on Apr 25, 2019, 03:55:37 PM
Have you ever stumbled across a tunnel leading to 14th century England?
Yes, I was briefly tried for heresy.
Quote from: [cancerblack] on Apr 26, 2019, 12:06:46 AM
Quote from: Local Trouble on Apr 25, 2019, 03:55:37 PM
Have you ever stumbled across a tunnel leading to 14th century England?
Yes, I was briefly tried for heresy.
"Its quite amazing your holiness. By looking through this glass, I can almost see Uranus".
"Seize that man!"