The Art of Literary Misinterpretation in Alien: Covenant

[MU-TH-UR 6000]

A really good read from my favorite aspect of Covenant:
https://25yearslatersite.com/2018/08/15/the-art-of-literary-misinterpretation-in-alien-covenant/

I had no expectations going into Covenant and then came out pleasantly surprised by the gothic approach that I never knew I needed in an Alien movie (you could dispute 3 had some but never explored as they were in Covenant). If the rest was as solid as this, we could've had a really great Alien movie.

[The Old One]

Fantastic article.

[bb-15]

A really good read from my favorite aspect of Covenant:
https://25yearslatersite.com/2018/08/15/the-art-of-literary-misinterpretation-in-alien-covenant/

I had no expectations going into Covenant and then came out pleasantly surprised by the gothic approach that I never knew I needed in an Alien movie (you could dispute 3 had some but never explored as they were in Covenant). If the rest was as solid as this, we could've had a really great Alien movie.

Thanks for the link.
I was aware of the Gothic horror references in "Covenant" which have their foundation in "Prometheus".
My experience with this genre is based on "Frankenstein", "Dracula" (in film especially the 1931 Lugosi version) and several films based on Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" which has led to many B horror/mystery films like "The House on Haunted Hill" (1959), and "The Haunting" (1963). I'd add Roger Corman's "The Fall of the House of Usher" (1960) as a variation of this.

From that in "Prometheus", David (as well as the rest of the crew) is a pawn to Weyland's manipulations.
Recognizing that puppet master character is important imo.
Weyland paid for the mission. He didn't care about the science. He only cared about a cure for death.
And Weyland pushed David to find that 'cure' summed up as "Try harder."
- True David holds a grudge by picking Holloway for a black goo experiment. But that kind of reckless action was at the urging of Weyland to do something. Casualties definitely were not Weyland's concern.
- David was not "free" as stated in "Prometheus".

* In gothic horror Count Dracula has Renfield as his pawn (this is clear in the Lugosi film version).
- In the 1932 "Island of Lost Souls" (based on HG Wells' novel "The Island of Dr. Moreau", the puppet master character (the doctor) has many pawns.
In the end these slaves turn on the doctor, their creator. 

* But David cannot turn against Weyland (due to programming).
- Once Weyland is dead however (in "Covenant"), David gets to explore being completely in charge. In a way similar to a Sith / apprentice relationship (paraphrasing Darth Vader), David was once the learner and now he has become the master.   
- In "Covenant" David now takes the classic gothic manipulator role (reminding me of Vincent Price performances).

* The linked article does a nice job connecting "Covenant" to "Paradise Lost" (an influence for Ridley with "Prometheus" as he stated in an interview).
- And the discussion about Byron and the "Ozymandias" poem is interesting.
That leads to the theme of drastic over confidence which is usually a core part of villain characters in gothic tales. Which typically leads to a Fall if the story is allowed to play out. 

[Baron Von Marlon]

Good read indeed.
Some stuff I didn't know. Those extra layers make the movie all the more interesting.

[whiterabbit]

It's a great read and clearly spells out Ridley's intentions. However it pretty much means the story is over. The Covenant, along with Daniels are David are all doomed.

[The Old One]

We're all doomed, Walter White was doomed from the start- it doesn't make the story not worth telling.

[Baron Von Marlon]

Characters are possibly doomed so let's quit making movies all together.

[whiterabbit]

Well anybody could jettison the bodies and make up any story they'd like. However it's not required. Alien Covenant is a complete story.

[SM]

Good read that.

[Xenomrph]

Characters are possibly doomed so let's quit making movies all together.

On a long enough timescale, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero.

[MU-TH-UR 6000]

Yeah the article kinda hints at what the next movie could deal with and I think it's the right way to handle it. David will surely get his comeuppance but that doesn't mean the ride isn't gonna be great.

[Immortan Jonesy]

Good read. Btw, the gloomy David's castle-like structure has some nice William Blake's imagery.





Honorable mentions

[PsyKore]

Really good article, cheers!

I didn't know a lot about William Blake before seeing Covenant. The chestburster scene, for instance, was pointed out to me to be like his "Satan calling up his legions" painting, which is pretty cool. I think a lot of these references would be lost on most people, but it's fun to discover them.

[The Cruentus]

Interesting read.

[bb-15]

Really good article, cheers!

I didn't know a lot about William Blake before seeing Covenant. The chestburster scene, for instance, was pointed out to me to be like his "Satan calling up his legions" painting, which is pretty cool. I think a lot of these references would be lost on most people, but it's fun to discover them.

Glad to see the art of William Blake being brought up.
While the art of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance had nightmarish art about Hell.
But the Romantic era produced Gothic literature and art.
- Imo Blake's artistic nightmares have had a major influence in what we call horror.

- You mentioned the "Satan calling up his legions" painting. Here it is.



- More disturbing art by Blake.
"Job's Evil Dreams"; This can connect to the Alien universe where the Xenomorphs capture their victims.     



"The Web of Religion" for its time (around 1800) has a lot of body distortion. And body distortion is a hallmark of Giger.