#481 - Alien & The Thing - WatchThis W/RickRamos

Souls Dead, Eyes Dilated: Darren Aaronofsky's Requiem for a Dream

On this week's episode Mr. Chavez & I sit down for a re-watch of Darren Aaronofsky's second feature, Requiem for a Dream, based on the 1978 novel by Hubert Selby Jr. Aaronofsky's adaptation is a tragic and often times painful viewing of heroin addiction and the victims (Jared Leto, Marlon Wayans, and Jennifer Connelly) it leaves in its wake. Aaronofsky and Selby contrast heroin addiction with the more "acceptable" and less recognized addiction of prescription diet pills embodied in the struggles of Ellen Burstyn's Sara Goldfarb character as she struggles to lose weight and slowly slips into madness.

With brutal and traumatizing imagery, Aaronofsky's film is a chilling look into the world of addiction. This week Mr. Chavez & I are thrilled to discuss this difficult, painful, and enlightening film. Take a listen and let us know what you think. We continue to be open to messages - gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks for your continued love and support. 

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a donation at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos   - Anything and Everything is appreciated from you Cheap Bastards.

Mima's Room: Satoshi Kon's Perfect Blue 

This week we thank long time listener and Buy Me a Coffee supporter, Cornelius Burroughs with a viewing and discussion of Satoshi Kon's Perfect Blue. Mr. Burroughs was kind enough to gift me a blu-ray copy of this Classic Japanese Anime many years ago . . . I have finally made the time to watch it and am eager for listeners to hear our admiring, problematic, and conflicted opinions of this film. This is a great discussion that has forced - at least this moviewatcher - an intense critical and psychological understanding of cinema, genre, format, and expectations. Mr. Chavez and I dive head first into this wonderfully telling and suprising (for us at least) experience. Take a listen and let us know what you think (gondoramos@yahoo.com), and - once again - thank you Mr. Burroughs, You Are Appreciated. 

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a donation at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos - Anything and Everything is appreciated from you Cheap Bastards.

From Cute & Cuddly to Killer: Joe Dante's Gremlins and Gremlins 2: The New Batch

This week Mr. Chavez & I continue our stroll through the 1980s with a look at a stange kind of Comedy/Puppetry/Action/Horror hybrid, Joe Dante's Gremlins (1984). Dante - a graduate of the Roger Corman School of Low-Budget Filmmaking - is one of the most criminally underappreciated directors of the 1980s and 1990s. The Howling, Explorers, The 'Burbs, Matinee, Innerspace, and Looney Tunes: Back in Action . . . Joe Dante has been a reliable, solid, and inventive filmmaker. Gremlins is what he calls, "the movie I'm going to be remembered for. If I get hit by a bus tomorrow, the headline is going to be 'Gremlins Director Hit By Bus'. I'll never do something that'll outlast that in terms of the public image of who I am – which is fine with me." Dante shouldn't be limited to this, but I will say that the both Gremlins films are exceptional and it was a thrill to return to them and have one of our wonderfully insightful talks. Take a listen and let us know what you think. As always, you can reach us at gondoramos@yahoo.com. 

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a donation at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos  - Anything and Everything is appreciated from you Cheap Bastards.

What's Out There: Ridley Scott's Alien and John Carpenter's The Thing

This week we take a look at two of the greatest Science-Fiction/Horror films in the History of Cinema: Ridley Scott's Alien (1979) and John Carpenter's The Thing (1982) We've talked about both of these films throughout the history of the podcast, however on this go-around we take a slightly different approach, looking at the similarities between the films, the differences, the influences, and how each film has adhered to and expanded the genres. Take a listen as we go back to a well that never seems to go dry. It's a fun talk that we think you'll enjoy. You can reach us at gondoramos@yahoo.com with your comments. Many Thanks. 

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a donation at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos - Anything and Everything is appreciated from you cheap bastards. 

A Safe Alien for the Box Office: Steven Spielberg's E.T. The Extra Terrestrial

This week Mr. Chavez & I shift our focus from the dangers of extra terrestrial life to the cute and cuddly alien that captivated audiences in 1982 - Steven Spielberg's E.T. The Extra Terrestrial. At the time, the biggest box office hit in the history of cinema (a title it would hold until Spielberg's own Jurassic Park eleven years later), E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, is a film that has stayed in the public consciousness for the better part of four decades . . . But is it really as good as we remember? This week we look back and answer that question with an examination of the film, the time in which it was made, and its standing among other films of the genre, year, and culture. Take a listen - it's a fun discussion. Hit us up at gondoramos@yahoo.com to let us know what you think. Many Thanks.

We continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. 2024 is promising to be an incredible year filled with great discussions. Help us make this possible. We appreciate anything You Cheap Bastards can give. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos 

Paradise Lost - Ridley Scott's Alien: Covenant

This week brings us to the end of our look into the Alien franchise with a discussion of Ridley Scott's final journey into the world he introduced audiences to in 1979. 2017's Alien: Covenant did a great deal to explain the origin of the xenomorphs and the space jockey, however an equal number of questions arose. As we await the release of Alien: Romulus in the summer of 2024 it's our duty to look at Ridley Scott's conclusion and discuss this multi-layered and beautifully textured film. From the production design through the cinematography and performances, Alien: Covenant is a wonderful coda to Ridley Scott's direction in this series. Take a listen as we dig deep into this film, Scott's previous film - Prometheus - and our theories on the final film and the series as a whole. It's a good talk. Let us know what you think at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

We continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. 2024 is promising to be an incredible year filled with great discussions. Help us make this possible. We appreciate anything You Cheap Bastards can give. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

F*cked Around and Found Out: Ridley Scott's Prometheus 

It's rare that a director can tell a story, go on to fabulous critical and commercial success, and return to his origins, answering questions that have hovered around a franchise for decades, while doing so in an exciting and innovative way. Ridley Scott's Alien introduced one of the great Science Fiction/Horror creatures. In 2012 Scott would return to the world he created in 1979 with his prequel Prometheus. A film that confused and angered a great many audiences for taking an unexpected direction in storytelling, Scott's prequel would focus on the origin of the "Space Jockey" first seen in the original film. From that jumping point Scott would fashion an exciting and  action-packed narrative rare (for a major studio release) in the questions it would ask regarding human origins and purpose. Take a listen as Mr. Chavez and I go back and forth with our impressions of the film. It's a good talk that we're sure you'll enjoy. As always, we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Our Continued Thanks. 

We continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. 2024 is promising to be an incredible year filled with great discussions. Help us make this possible. We appreciate anything You Cheap Bastards can give. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

Dead on Arrival: John-Pierre Jeunet's Alien Resurrection

Closing in on the end of the month brings us to the end of the original Alien franchise. 1997s Alien Resurrection is a ridiculous mess of a film that is a final disappointing period to one of the greatest Horror/Sci-Fi franchises in the history of cinema. From a script by Joss Whedon and direction from Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Alien Ressurrection badly fumbles the beauty, intensity, and  legacy of the first two films and the potential of what the third film should (and could) have been. There's a whole lot to get out in this discussion. We hope that you listen with an open mind and an understanding of our mutual disappointment in the final curtain call of Lieutenant First Class, Ellen Louise Ripley. She deserved better. Take a listen and let us know what you think. As always, we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com.

We continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. 2024 is promising to be an incredible year filled with great discussions. Help us make this possible. We appreciate anything You Cheap Bastards can give. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

Dragon, Mother, Queen: Not David Fincher’s Alien 3 

Continuing our descent into the world created in 1979's Alien and continued with 1986's Aliens, this week Mr. Chavez & I find ourselves crash landing on Fiorina "Fury" 161 - a foundry and maximum-security planet prison. David Fincher (in his feature directorial debut) takes the helm for 1992's Alien 3. Arguably the most beautifully photographed and intricately detailed entry (production design wise) in the Alien series, Fincher's work in commercials and music videos greatly influenced the look of this film. There's a whole lot going on here and therein lies the problem. Alien 3 is a troubled result of studio interference, Fincher's in-experience as a first-time director, budgetary problems, and a lack of a finished and complete script. There are ideas that are not clearly realized, storylines that are problematically resolved, a theatrical cut and an "assembly cut" (note: not a "director's cut"), cut scenes, and re-shoots that hinder and deviate from Fincher's original vision for the film. It's a film with a troubled history and, yet, one that has developed a following and hinted at the genius that would evolve in Fincher's later films. It's a thrill for Ibrahim & myself to sit down and re-visit this film. Take a listen and let us know what you think. We can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Thanks for the continued love. 

A New Year brings with it The Same Old Needs . . . We continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. 2024 is promising to be an incredible year filled with great discussions. Help us make this possible. We appreciate anything You Cheap Bastards can give. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

Unfinished Business: James Cameron's Aliens 

This week Ibrahim & I return to LV-426. 57 years later - but feeling more like seven - James Cameron takes over the reins for the masterpiece created by Sir Ridley Scott. 1979's Alien would change the Sci-Fi genre. An incredibly influential work of cinema, the film would influence any number of directors, with James Cameron springboarding off of the world created by Scott and moving the genre from Horror/Sci-Fi to Military/Sci-Fi. Analogous to the Vietnam War, Cameron's film is a brutal and unrelenting rollercoaster ride that -although not surpassing the original film - is nonetheless an incredible piece of practical filmmaking, utilizing miniature work, puppetry, animatronics, forced perspective, and rear projection. Thirty-eight years later Aliens continues to captivate, compel, frighten, and entertain. Mr. Chavez and I are thrilled to continue diving into this great Science Fiction series. Tell us what you think - We can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com. 

A New Year brings with it The Same Old Needs . . . We continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. 2024 is promising to be an incredible year filled with great discussions. Help us make this possible. We appreciate anything You Cheap Bastards can give. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos