Aliens: An Analysis

[Scorpio]

This youtube video gives an in depth unbiased analysis of the themes of Aliens and some of the background behind them.

Rejoice in the conservative family values of the Reagan era. 

[SM]

[ralfy]

The weird thing is that even as officials claim not to have discovered indigenous life forms in numerous worlds, the marines also referred to having to deal with "another bug hunt." Also, if the colonists were sending reports to the company even as more of their people were being killed or captured by the aliens, then all the officials had to do before sending the Sulaco was connect those reports with what Ripley said.

[SM]

They said there was no indigenous life specifically on LV-426 - not numerous worlds.

There's no indication any reports were sent about the Aliens.  Contact was lost beforehand.

[D88M]

Are there are other videos/essays like this of every Alien/Predator movie? I need to know more about their subtext/metaphor/symbolism/allegory/themes so i can make my AVP story

[SM]

There's ones for Alien and Alien 3 that I saw.

[whiterabbit]

This was a pretty interesting analysis and then they made Alien³. 

Shit I digged the Alien³ one as well. No matter how much time has passed somebody's always finding new ways to prove that this is one of the best trilogies ever made.

[ralfy]

They said there was no indigenous life specifically on LV-426 - not numerous worlds.

From what I remember, one of those members in the meeting said that found no beacons nor ships nor the creature Ripley describes "in over 300 surveyed worlds". It's not clear if the member is simply referring to those three things or any type of beacon, ship, or creature or to any beacon, ship, or creature. If it's the former, then that explains the marine's remark about going on another "bug hunt." Otherwise, that's a plot hole.

There's no indication any reports were sent about the Aliens.  Contact was lost beforehand.

Burke transmitted to them a message ordering the colonists to investigate the site. One returns with a facehugger, and later others are facehugged. They even manage to capture one alive and put it in the lab for study. And yet throughout all that time (including finding out how to capture the first alien, and more colonists captured) they failed to transmit any message, report, or call for help? That makes no sense unless all of their transmitters were damaged immediately after Newt's family returns from the site or only Burke had access to all transmissions from the colony. Both are for me highly unlikely.

[JungleHunter87]

From what I remember, one of those members in the meeting said that found no beacons nor ships nor the creature Ripley describes "in over 300 surveyed worlds". It's not clear if the member is simply referring to those three things or any type of beacon, ship, or creature or to any beacon, ship, or creature. If it's the former, then that explains the marine's remark about going on another "bug hunt." Otherwise, that's a plot hole.

The board member was specifically talking about the Xenomorph.

RIPLEY: Did IQ's just drop sharply while I was away? Ma'am, I already said it was not indigenous, it was a Derelict space craft. It was an Alien ship. It was not from there. Do you get it? We homed in on it's becon.

FEMALE BOARD MEMBER: And found something never recorded once, in over three hundred surveyed worlds. A creature which gestates inside a living human host. These are your words. And has concentrated Acid for blood.

RIPLEY: That's right. Look, I can see where this is going. But, I'm telling you those things exist.

[Scorpio]

In the deleted scene 'The Last Supper' of Alien Covenant, Rosenthal says:

"I heard about these crazy bugs just outside this colonial oupost.  Apparently they look like cockroaches the size of a giant poodle."

[SM]

They said there was no indigenous life specifically on LV-426 - not numerous worlds.

From what I remember, one of those members in the meeting said that found no beacons nor ships nor the creature Ripley describes "in over 300 surveyed worlds". It's not clear if the member is simply referring to those three things or any type of beacon, ship, or creature or to any beacon, ship, or creature. If it's the former, then that explains the marine's remark about going on another "bug hunt." Otherwise, that's a plot hole.

There's no indication any reports were sent about the Aliens.  Contact was lost beforehand.

Burke transmitted to them a message ordering the colonists to investigate the site. One returns with a facehugger, and later others are facehugged. They even manage to capture one alive and put it in the lab for study. And yet throughout all that time (including finding out how to capture the first alien, and more colonists captured) they failed to transmit any message, report, or call for help? That makes no sense unless all of their transmitters were damaged immediately after Newt's family returns from the site or only Burke had access to all transmissions from the colony. Both are for me highly unlikely.

You've misread/ misheard the enquiry scene as JungleHunter87 detailed.

As for the loss of contact - it was a loss of contact.  If there was more to it, Ripley would've found it going through the colony logs.

[PredBabe]

I thoroughly enjoyed this guy's take on the Alien franchise. The Alien 3 analysis video isn't getting enough love as it should.

[ralfy]

The board member was specifically talking about the Xenomorph.

RIPLEY: Did IQ's just drop sharply while I was away? Ma'am, I already said it was not indigenous, it was a Derelict space craft. It was an Alien ship. It was not from there. Do you get it? We homed in on it's becon.

FEMALE BOARD MEMBER: And found something never recorded once, in over three hundred surveyed worlds. A creature which gestates inside a living human host. These are your words. And has concentrated Acid for blood.

RIPLEY: That's right. Look, I can see where this is going. But, I'm telling you those things exist.

Which makes their disbelief odd, for if they found other indigenous lifeforms in those worlds, then what Ripley reported should be considered possible. Besides, if they had been investigating the issue for some time after they had received initial statements from Ripley, then they could have easily contacted the colony to check the site. If they did, then the coverup would have been considerable, with top officials from the authorities and maybe even those tasked with security involved.

Odder still is Burke's remark when Ripley discovers what he did: "I didn't know. So now if I went and made a major security situation out of it, everybody steps in, administration steps in, and there's no exclusive rights for anybody. Nobody wins. So I made a
decision, and it was wrong. It was a bad call, Ripley. It was a bad call."

So only Burke bothered to contact the colony?

You've misread/ misheard the enquiry scene as JungleHunter87 detailed.

As for the loss of contact - it was a loss of contact.  If there was more to it, Ripley would've found it going through the colony logs.

Of course, not. What JH mentions contradicts your claim they were only talking about LV-426 and not other worlds.

As for loss of contact, it's possible that Ripley didn't have to mention the rest of them. All she needed to prove is that Burke sent them to their deaths.

Also, you didn't address my point: from the time the first colonist was infected to the time all of them were killed or captured by aliens, they didn't transmit anything to the company or even the authorities? Were all transmitters destroyed or disabled right after the first infected colonist was brought back?

[PsyKore]

His Alien videos are brilliant. I especially loved Alien 3's. I would say they are a must see because they give you a lot to think about and you end up appreciating certain things more.

[SM]

Which makes their disbelief odd, for if they found other indigenous lifeforms in those worlds, then what Ripley reported should be considered possible.

They're not saying it's impossible.  They're saying the creature she's describing has never been encountered by mankind on any of the over 300 planets they've surveyed.

So only Burke bothered to contact the colony?

Yes.

What JH mentions contradicts your claim they were only talking about LV-426 and not other worlds.

I don't believe I made such a claim.  There's two aspects.  One; the Alien has never been encountered before and two; LV-426 has no indigenous life.

Also, you didn't address my point: from the time the first colonist was infected to the time all of them were killed or captured by aliens, they didn't transmit anything to the company or even the authorities? Were all transmitters destroyed or disabled right after the first infected colonist was brought back?

Based on what the film shows us - yes and yes.  As I said above.

As for the loss of contact - it was a loss of contact.  If there was more to it, Ripley would've found it going through the colony logs.