Good morning ladies and germs and welcome our 2nd edition of Inside the Members Studio for February. Today on tap, we have the infamous
Nightmare Asylum and he has quite the origin story. Enjoy!!
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First, let's begin with the obvious. Which is your favourite film of the franchises and why?Without a doubt, the very first Alien movie. It was the first movie in the series that I had seen (all the way back in the distant year of 2007), and had me captivated right from the beginning. I love the eeriness and creepiness of the the film, the excellent characters, writing, and directing, and probably most importantly, the iconic Alien itself. In this first movie, the Alien was a true force to be reckoned with, the perfect organism, as Ash so perfectly phrased it. This is probably the only movie that I watch that makes me get chills down my spine every single time I view the movie, especially during the scene where Ripley discovers the remains of Parker and Lambert. The atomsphere is excellent.
Give us some insight into the man behind the username. In other words, 'who are you and what do you do?' I don't really know what to say here that isn't already known about myself. I'm pretty much your average guy. I love hanging out with my friends, watching movies, listening to music, and just kicking back and relaxing when I get the chance. I'm very interested in writing and film (I would absolutely love to have a career in either of those two fields in the future). Writing is something that I consider myself to be good at, as is speaking in front of crowds (for presentations and such). I'm also very interested in design, woodworking/construction, and even robotics. Some hobbies of mine include editing video (be it clips for montages on youtube or videos of my friends and I), attempting to learn guitar (really hoping that I end up doing so, and soon), playing the occasional video game, and talking to you guys over here on Galaxy!
How did you come up with your username?At the time I joined the stie, I was reading through the trilogy of Aliens novels (Earth Hive, Nightmare Asylum, and The Female War). If I recall correctly, I was about halfway done with the third one. Anyways, I remember that I really enjoyed reading Nightmare Asylum, so I just rolled with it. And I have to say, I quite like the way it sounds, even if I don't think it fits all too well with my personality (then again, who knows how many people I've gven nightmares to).
Has your love of this franchise influenced you in anyway?Influenced me? Well, in a way, I think it has. I have loved movies all my life, but it wasn't until really getting into this franchise and joining the site that I became a real movie buff. It is through Alien and Predator (and you guys) that I learned a lot about movies and filmmaking that I probably wouldn't have learned otherwise.
We're all here due to our appreciation of these franchises. What about them keeps you interested after all these years of fandom?I think its the ammount of depth that the films have to them. Five years and countless rewatches after my initial introduction to Alien, I still feel that these movies have more to offer every single time I watch them. The great characters, creatures, and mysteries of the films keep me intrigued and always thinking about just what the future of the franchises can have in store.
What are your thoughts on how the series has developed over the years?If I said that the movies got better over the years, I would certainly be lying. That being said, apart from AVPR, there aren't really any movies in the series that I particuarly dislike. Alien is excellent, and one of my favorite movies ever made. I found Aliens to be just as good and an extremely worthy followup (despite me preferring the first film overall). Alien 3 and Resurrection, while not bad films, left a bit to be desired. I loved Predator, and consider it to beone of my favorite action movies ever. The second one, like Alien 3 and Resurrection, wasn't bad, but wasn't as good as it could have been. I felt that Predators was a step up from Predator, but still not as good as the first movie. Predators certainly had an interesting premise that I wouldn't mind seeing explored in future films. The first AVP, despite being very enjoyable, certainly can not hold a candle to its better made predecessors. AVPR can't even hold a candle at all. Well, maybe it tried to, but it was just too dark, and it couldn't find the match to light it.
What is it about the AvP Galaxy community that you enjoy the most?it is without a doubt the people. No where else on the internet (or in person, for that matter) have a met a group of people so diverse and strongly opinionated, yet easygoing and friendly at the same time. I share a lot of the same interests with you guys, and you always make for some really enjoyable conversations. Its a lot of fun visiting the site and chatting with all of you.
If you could change or add one thing to AvP Galaxy, what would it be?Honestly, there's nothing that really comes to mind at the moment. I really like it here the way it is. Sure, there's the occasional heated debate, but such is life, and I feel that the mods do a great job taking care of the site and making it feel like a very friendly place.
Who is your favourite board member and why?Oh man, this really is a tough one. This is going to seem like a cop out (probably because it is) but I'm really torn between two: OmegaZilla and Laufey. They are probably two of the coolest people to talk to on here. Both are very nice and easygoing, and always have something worthwile to add to a conversation. We share a lot of the same interests, and both have introduced me to a lot of new things that I wouldn't have seen otherwise! Honorable mentions go to Sweeps, Marines, Monolith, and all the other great people over here on Galaxy!
What is your favourite curse word?Haha, sometimes I feel like I'm the only person left in the world that actually tries not to swear. Don't think I'd really be able to answer this one, unless "gorram" counts. All you Browncoats reading this will know where that's from.
If Heaven exists, what would you like God to say when you arrive at the pearly gates?"Not to worry, my perimeter is completely Graboid proof."
Ridley Scott's Prometheus is set to be the lastest installment to the franchise. What are your feelings towards the film and the direction they're taking with it?I'm vey, very excited. Definitely my most anticipated movie of the year, that's for sure. I'm glad that the series is back in Ridley's hands, and I'm very anxious to see what he does with it. I'm expecting it do go in directions that I haven't even thought of beofre. The concept of the Space jockey Being a "suit" is already something that I could not have guessed in a million years. And then there's the mysterious giant head... Yeah, there are lots of things to be excited about!
Do you feel AvP is a wasted concept? If so, what could be improved?Kind of, yeah. Like I said before, I find the first AVP to be enjoyable, and I watch it from time to time, but I wasn't very fond of the second one. The movies had the potential to be so much more, and yet somehow I feel like, no matter what direction they are taken in, they will never live up to people's expectations. At this point, I'm rather indifferent about a third one. If it comes out, I'll see it, but I won't be too troubled if it doesn't happen. All my Alien related hype belongs to Prometheus right now, anyways.