Nice to be back working with friends again and to be working on one of my favorite films for a second time. After they gave me Blade Runner I couldnt imagine what could top it, untill they suggested Alien. I hadn't given the film much thought in years and didnt even get caught up in the hype with the new Prometheus film, seeing it a separate from the originals, but after being asked to produce the poster watched them all again. As a result this poster was born and I will tell ya'll why.
I like the first film the most above and beyond all the others, it was and is the greatest of them all. The style and seminal film making is beyond words so I wont even try...But I will say this: the alien is nothing without Ripley. Without her the alien is at best a cool looking monster in a long line of cool looking monsters, stylized, different, scary, but just another monster. Ripley is the one that defines the beast, without her its just an emotionless monster to be feared but its through Ripley we learn about its threat to humanity, its unfeeling nature, its soul purpose is to destroy...us. Its Ripley that reflects everything we need to know and fear about the monster and she is there throughout; stood side by side warning others, protecting others, giving birth to it and ultimately being part of it "I'm the monsters mother". I have drawn the alien 3 times now and I really wanted this to be different so with all I believed about the films I tried to show in this poster: Ripley and the monster are one. Without each other the films are nothing but stereotype, but a strong female heroine that never once loses her femininity up against the creature from the darkness.
I also attempted to use a bit of film knowledge and squeeze the monster up against the frame to try and create a sense of unease and claustrophobia. I was very nervous about doing it and wondered if anyone would question it being so tight against the edge. In films if the character in shot has no 'looking space' the shot tends to feel claustrophobic, given that the Ridley Scott had created this vibe for the entire film and for the set of the Nostromo was meant to feel that way too I thought I would attempt it. I hope you think it works.
Or if all of this sounds like bullshit arty farty stuff I can just say I wanted to draw a cool Alien poster.
P.S. For the nerds that spotted it- well done; the Alien is from Aliens yet the title says Alien. This is because its a double bill so mixed the two up. P.P.S. For the uber-nerds you may have spotted that they type face I used at the top is the exact type face that was used for the ships computer 'mother'. 10 points to Gryffydor if you spotted that.
