Quote from: SiL on Apr 02, 2014, 09:14:15 PM
Okay, so your entire argument is "They're space truckers". That's not actually an explanation for why it's illogical.
The logic, or lack of logic, is borne out in the actual film... they all died because they were not equipped or experienced enough to deal with the situation. Ergo it's not a logical policy to expect untrained, unskilled employees to check out alien transmissions. I can't think of a single situation in 'real' life where people hauling cargo, transporting fuel would be expected to do such things. Whereas I CAN name several PHD's, whom I personally know, who are not gifted with common sense.
Quote from: SiL on Apr 02, 2014, 09:14:15 PM
They're not at all similar and that comparison is really, really thin.
"Thin" in so much as space truckers having that remit stretches belief and the fact that there are scientists who do silly things. This is about willing suspension of disbelief... and the associated tolerance levels.
Quote from: SiL on Apr 02, 2014, 09:14:15 PM
It was pretty obviously the latter, and it does make sense. Rerouting a ship that's already on its way and replacing the science officer is a lot less work than putting together an entire crew and dedicated ship for what might be nothing. There aren't any complicated logistics involved; crew transfers clearly aren't that uncommon, as Ripley was also put aboard the ship at the same time.
So remember the Nostromo was rerouted
after Ash was put on board, not before, right? So how did the company know to put Ash onboard
before the Nostromo picked up an alien transmission? And common sense tells you that (giving the film the benefit of the doubt) if they had previous Intel on alien transmissions, and had the ability/time to get Ash to a location to board the Nostromo, they'd have the ability to get, you know, a 'professional/professionals' out there? Why wouldn't they? What would they lose 48hrs??? Just to send ill equipped, unskilled people out?
Quote from: SiL on Apr 02, 2014, 09:14:15 PM
They can, as they're prospectors. The SE makes this clear. The planet isn't owned by anyone, the colony and AP station are. Anything found on the planet is up for grabs. The Alien universe never implies that entire planets are owned by corporations.
There's nothing in the film that states that LV426 isn't owned by the company. Weyland are an aggressive, greedy corporate organisation right? They are not terraforming for the love of it. What would be the point of having presence there if not to claim the resources etc?
Why refer to the colonists as "planet engineers", build huge atmosphere processors if it only applies to Hadley's Hope colony?
Quote from: SiL on Apr 02, 2014, 09:14:15 PM
What part did he leave out? "Go check this out" was all they needed to do. Burke didn't even know if there was something there.
And the point being is that there was no reason why Burke wouldn't have been cautious, or at least used his brain, because if Ripley's story were to be true, the person "checking it out" would be fecked... and he'd be back at square one. It would be a bit like hearing a noise downstairs at night, not knowing if it were an intruder, waking up your wife and asking her to get you a coke from the kitchen.
Quote from: SiL on Apr 02, 2014, 09:14:15 PM
The subterfuge only came in after Burke and the Marines got stranded next to a ticking nuclear bomb.
That's not accurate. The subterfuge started when he asked someone to "go check it out" knowing that it was dangerous, and continued when he didn't disclose this information to the company, Ripley or the marines. That information would have probably resulted in a different approach.
Quote from: SiL on Apr 02, 2014, 09:14:15 PM
Would've been very easy for one of the security guys to be in that scene -- just have him walk off with Fifield. Milburn being there didn't serve the story other than to kill him off.
Not really because, as it stands, Milburn and Fifields characters had both been established by that point... so it would have been difficult to just force someone else into that situation. I agree though, Scott could have established another character earlier on that wasn't Fifield or Milburn and have them encounter the Hammerpede alone... which could have led to a more scary scene. Remember, I'm not arguing against the notion that the scene could have been made more effective, I'm arguing that it has little to do with how believable Milburn is as a character.
Quote from: SM on Apr 02, 2014, 10:40:33 PM
Quote"Space Truckers" would be no more contractually obliged to investigate alien signals/life forms than would a trucker in the Mid West of the US be contractually obliged to recover specimens of snakes, poisonous flora and fungi on the way back to the depot.
But as the film clealy points out, they ARE contractually obliged.
Quote2) That the company put Ash there in order to report on/protect anything coming back from the Nostromo's detour. Which again wouldn't make any sense given the logistics of putting Ash on board prior to the Nostromo leaving dock (wherever that was). If the company had time to supplant Ash, then they surely had the time to send a dedicated crew and vessel instead of the Nostromo.
Your argument could not be more ridiculous.
QuoteBurke: "Hey Simpson - there's possibly a big find, a crashed ship, at coordinates X,Y and Z. However, it could be very dangerous, so find it, take some aerial shots and we'll make a joint claim... 50/50... But whatever you do, do not go inside. We'll leave that for the specialists once we have the rights".
Simpson: "Sounds sensible to me... I don't like taking risks".
You really need to pay more attention to the films. Burke clearly outlines why this conversation would never have taken place.
If you are going to try and respond, at least engage the brain a little... Prometheus "clearly points out" that Milburn and Fifield get lost. It also establishes that Milburn is a biologist and is happy to try and pet an alien snake. So by your reasoning, that's a perfectly fine because the film establishes the points in question. Fine - case closed then.