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Alien Vault: The Definitive Story of the Making of the Film
For over thirty years, audiences have been simultaneously captivated and appalled as the spaceship Nostromo is invaded and its crew stalked by a terrifying parasitic creature. From the gore of the infant alien bursting from Kane’s chest to the mounting claustrophobia as Ripley discovers the monster has followed her into the escape shuttle, Alien is a chilling masterpiece.
Now, Alien The Definitive Story of the Making of the Film opens a portal into the making of this legendary film, tracing its path from embryonic concept to fully fledged box office phenomenon.
Featured herein are director Ridley Scott’s own annotated storyboards, Polaroids and script pages; the elegant but disturbing concept artwork of H.R. Giger; sketches and construction blueprints for the Nostromo; costume designs by Moebius; a treasure trove of never-before-seen photographs of the cast and crew; and ten meticulously reproduced artifacts, enclosed in vellum envelopes, for readers to remove and examine more closely.
Fully authorized and illustrated throughout, Alien Vault is the ultimate tribute to a movie that changed cinema forever.
Now, Alien The Definitive Story of the Making of the Film opens a portal into the making of this legendary film, tracing its path from embryonic concept to fully fledged box office phenomenon.
Featured herein are director Ridley Scott’s own annotated storyboards, Polaroids and script pages; the elegant but disturbing concept artwork of H.R. Giger; sketches and construction blueprints for the Nostromo; costume designs by Moebius; a treasure trove of never-before-seen photographs of the cast and crew; and ten meticulously reproduced artifacts, enclosed in vellum envelopes, for readers to remove and examine more closely.
Fully authorized and illustrated throughout, Alien Vault is the ultimate tribute to a movie that changed cinema forever.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2011
8 people are currently reading
482 people want to read
About the author
Ian Nathan
27 books109 followersIan Nathan is the popular, London-based author of Anything You Can Imagine: Peter Jackson and the Making of Middle-earth, The Coen Brothers: The Filmmakers and their Films, Alien Vault, Terminator Vault, and many other books, many of which have really long titles.
He is the former editor of Empire Magazine.
If you live in the UK, you may also know from from the Discovering Film series on Sky Arts television extolling the virtues of classic film stars and directors, and he can also be heard on Talk Radio every Friday afternoon, mostly berating the state of current movies. He is just about younger than this makes him sound.
He is the former editor of Empire Magazine.
If you live in the UK, you may also know from from the Discovering Film series on Sky Arts television extolling the virtues of classic film stars and directors, and he can also be heard on Talk Radio every Friday afternoon, mostly berating the state of current movies. He is just about younger than this makes him sound.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
April 11, 2022
I have been fascinated, horrified, and obsessed with Alien since my dad let me watch the movie when I was 13. My mom was notably out of town and none-too-happy when she returned to learn that her daughter had just watched such a gnarly movie. A year later, she gave me the money to take my dad to see Alien3 in the theater for Father’s Day. These were the movies that made my dad realize that I was more like him than he had previously thought. His sweet daughter had a dark edge and we went on to enjoy lots of scary movies together.
This book explores the movie from the seeds of inspiration, to the script changes, to the history of the making of the movie, including an analysis of the characters and the long-lasting effects on the sci-fi genre. Ian Nathan weaves interviews with Ridley Scott, Sigourney Weaver, H.R. Giger, and others. The artwork and photographs are great editions to the story-telling. I loved hearing about the initial inspiration and early concepts and scripts. Ridley Scott, his creative team and the actors turned a “B-movie” into something much more profound and interesting. The set and costumes provided challenges in the extreme. But even with all of the issues this movie faced, it has lasted the test of time and is still considered one of the top ten best sci-fi movies. Nathan’s analysis and commentary are engrossing. I thoroughly enjoying reading about one of my favorite movies. I just wish I could talk about it with my dad. He and I would have loved that.
This book explores the movie from the seeds of inspiration, to the script changes, to the history of the making of the movie, including an analysis of the characters and the long-lasting effects on the sci-fi genre. Ian Nathan weaves interviews with Ridley Scott, Sigourney Weaver, H.R. Giger, and others. The artwork and photographs are great editions to the story-telling. I loved hearing about the initial inspiration and early concepts and scripts. Ridley Scott, his creative team and the actors turned a “B-movie” into something much more profound and interesting. The set and costumes provided challenges in the extreme. But even with all of the issues this movie faced, it has lasted the test of time and is still considered one of the top ten best sci-fi movies. Nathan’s analysis and commentary are engrossing. I thoroughly enjoying reading about one of my favorite movies. I just wish I could talk about it with my dad. He and I would have loved that.
November 5, 2019
*This is for the 2019 edition*
So many moving parts, coincidences, and geniuses at work to form this wonderful, wonderful film. I'm grateful to Nathan for this comprehensive history, as it's never bogged down by superfluous details that would bore the casual reader, but entices you at every page to either watch it for the first time or to revisit it with new perspective.
Fantastic set photos, good reminder that Dan O'Bannon was so incredibly influential despite his apparent constant battles with the industry, a definitive spot to point out how H.R. Giger's name is supposed to be pronounced, and oodles of especially important tidbits to pay tribute to one of the richest films ever made--full stop.
It's a film history book that'll have you cherishing each page. Well done.
I haven't read the first edition, but I suppose that this adds some extra nuggets regarding the most recent films Scott has helmed (and it's very kind of Nathan to explain just what happened to Blomkamp's involvement just before PROMETHEUS) as well as what the future might hold for the series.
If you're on the fence about buying it, don't fret. It's everything you hoped it would be.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Quarto Publishing Group, becker&mayer!, and Epic Ink for the advance read.
So many moving parts, coincidences, and geniuses at work to form this wonderful, wonderful film. I'm grateful to Nathan for this comprehensive history, as it's never bogged down by superfluous details that would bore the casual reader, but entices you at every page to either watch it for the first time or to revisit it with new perspective.
Fantastic set photos, good reminder that Dan O'Bannon was so incredibly influential despite his apparent constant battles with the industry, a definitive spot to point out how H.R. Giger's name is supposed to be pronounced, and oodles of especially important tidbits to pay tribute to one of the richest films ever made--full stop.
It's a film history book that'll have you cherishing each page. Well done.
I haven't read the first edition, but I suppose that this adds some extra nuggets regarding the most recent films Scott has helmed (and it's very kind of Nathan to explain just what happened to Blomkamp's involvement just before PROMETHEUS) as well as what the future might hold for the series.
If you're on the fence about buying it, don't fret. It's everything you hoped it would be.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Quarto Publishing Group, becker&mayer!, and Epic Ink for the advance read.
December 30, 2019
I discussed Alien, Ridley Scott's seminal science fiction masterpiece, on a Mythgard podcast last year. Alien is one of my favorite films. No matter how many times I watch the film, I can't help but be drawn into Scott's dark, dreary vision of our future. Like Star Wars, another science fiction classic from that era, the story behind the scenes is almost as interesting as the film itself. In Alien Vault, Ian Nathan chronicles what it took to make a film unlike anything else before or since.
Alien is very much Scott's vision and the movie would have been very different without him, but Alien Vault undermines the auteur approach to understanding the film. Many of the key figures - from scriptwriter Dan O'Bannon to artist H.R. Giger - were already attached to the project before Scott. I was fascinated to learn just how much some of these individuals contributed to the project. I wasn't aware of just how much David Giler and Walter Hill were responsible for taking O'Bannon's script and infusing the characters with a sense of world-weariness and verisimilitude. Ron Cobb's ship designs also tend to get overlooked. Alien Vault is filled with concept art, set photos, and shots from the movie to help bring the story behind the story to life.
Alien Vault was originally published more than a decade ago - the version I read is the rerelease for the 40th anniversary of the 1979 film. For the most part, the book was not update for the rerelease (it even refers to Giger as alive at one point). However, the book does contain an epilogue that covers Ridley Scott's two prequels: Prometheus and Alien: Covenant. I actually found this chapter quite interesting, even if it was based more on publicly available interviews and less on unpublished behind the scenes information. The book does a good job acknowledging the mixed reception to those films while not getting bogged down in the fan reaction.
Alien Vault does its job and provides an overview of the making of the classic film. However, it's hard to call it the definitive book about the subject given the release of J.W. Rinzler's The Making of Alien earlier this year. For fans wanting an incredibly detailed look behind the scenes, I'd recommend Rinzler's book. For fans wanting a more concise account, Nathan's book is more than sufficient.
[Note: The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.]
November 26, 2019
In 1977 a science fiction movie took the world by storm, blowing away the minds of children everywhere and firmly placing itself in pop culture forever. That movie of course was Star Wars. Two years later, another science fiction movie did its own damage to people's minds, albeit in a much darker way. That film was Alien, and it smacked the idea that scifi was Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon, Luke Skywalker and the like right in the mouth. There was more to space than lasers and light sabers. There was death, evil and a perfect killing machine. Author Ian Nathan explores the making of Alien in Alien Vault: The Definitive Story of the Making of the Film.
You can read Steve's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
You can read Steve's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
October 26, 2019
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Eeeeeeh!
Okay, sorry, but I never thought my wish would be granted for this book and I'm so thrilled I got to read it!
Alien is one of my all-time favorite movies and this book is an absolute treat to read.
It's a great behind the scenes look with wonderful pictures and illustrations!
Eeeeeeh!
Okay, sorry, but I never thought my wish would be granted for this book and I'm so thrilled I got to read it!
Alien is one of my all-time favorite movies and this book is an absolute treat to read.
It's a great behind the scenes look with wonderful pictures and illustrations!
December 8, 2019
This was so cool!! Fans of Aliens need to read this!! I even showed my husband. I need to purchase this now.
October 10, 2011
Alien Vault is an in-depth behind-the-scenes look at the making of what is, by any earthly standard, the ultimate sci-fi horror film, Alien. I know, because my neck still hurts from my girlfriend choking me in terror, screaming as the chest-burster bathed the genuinely surprised cast in movie blood as it emerged from John Hurt. And that was just the beginning of the terror.
So I've been aware of the Alien phenomenon since the beginning and have read a number of books detailing the film, as well as seeing all the documentaries about it. Ian Nathan's addition to this ever-growing mountain of evidence has the advantage of being erudite (he's a capable, if adjective-heavy writer) and insightful. Nathan fleshes out the background of the gothic/dirty production design, the raging controversies over the script, the budget battles with the studio, and really bores into what has always been for me the most fascinating aspect of the film: how did Ridley Scott, a newcomer to features, manage to remove the haunted house to outer space, and do it with so few B-movie things-jumping-out-at-you-in-the-dark horror movie staples?
As a filmmaker myself, I know that the setting of the story is also a character in itself, as well as an additional layer on the character of the actors. The grimy, bee-smoke choked, claustrophobic set interiors, the lack of budget for model exteriors which allow the audience to metaphorically step back--if just for an instant--, the lack of "motivation" discussions with the actors, the incredibly terse script (I have a copy and the writers sure weren't getting paid by the word), and Scott's incredible eye for detail (he probably shot too many food commercials) all serve to place the viewer in a place from which there is no escape from an implacable enemy.
From there on, it's just: How do you kill 'em? And though the ways the characters are killed are not very inventive (Nathan's research yields a fact I'd not heard: Lambert (Veronica Cartright) was supposed to be bodily and bloodily sucked out through a hull breach but budget constraints yielded the even more terrifying (to women at least) rape-like sequence in which the monster's tail slowly rises from between her petrified legs. Necessity truly is the mother of mayhem.
Nathan's fine writing style is ably abetted by beautiful book design: hardback with a glossy four color interior, with a half-dozen interior pockets containing loose script pages, decals, production drawings, etc., none of which I've seen before. A nice and clearly expensive touch, considering the reasonable price for a book with a MSRP of $35 (Amazon: $23).
All in all, Alien Vault is a welcome addition to any Alien enthusiast's memorabilia library. But more than that, it is a procedural for those who wonder How They Do It. The answer, ably supplied by Nathan, et al., is unyielding perfectionism and searing vision. Ridley Scott is one of the half-dozen film directors currently working who knows what he wants. Happy is the studio exec who gives him the raw materials to realize his ideas. And happy is the audience that views the results.
And I was happy to read this remarkable book and glean new insights into the process.
So I've been aware of the Alien phenomenon since the beginning and have read a number of books detailing the film, as well as seeing all the documentaries about it. Ian Nathan's addition to this ever-growing mountain of evidence has the advantage of being erudite (he's a capable, if adjective-heavy writer) and insightful. Nathan fleshes out the background of the gothic/dirty production design, the raging controversies over the script, the budget battles with the studio, and really bores into what has always been for me the most fascinating aspect of the film: how did Ridley Scott, a newcomer to features, manage to remove the haunted house to outer space, and do it with so few B-movie things-jumping-out-at-you-in-the-dark horror movie staples?
As a filmmaker myself, I know that the setting of the story is also a character in itself, as well as an additional layer on the character of the actors. The grimy, bee-smoke choked, claustrophobic set interiors, the lack of budget for model exteriors which allow the audience to metaphorically step back--if just for an instant--, the lack of "motivation" discussions with the actors, the incredibly terse script (I have a copy and the writers sure weren't getting paid by the word), and Scott's incredible eye for detail (he probably shot too many food commercials) all serve to place the viewer in a place from which there is no escape from an implacable enemy.
From there on, it's just: How do you kill 'em? And though the ways the characters are killed are not very inventive (Nathan's research yields a fact I'd not heard: Lambert (Veronica Cartright) was supposed to be bodily and bloodily sucked out through a hull breach but budget constraints yielded the even more terrifying (to women at least) rape-like sequence in which the monster's tail slowly rises from between her petrified legs. Necessity truly is the mother of mayhem.
Nathan's fine writing style is ably abetted by beautiful book design: hardback with a glossy four color interior, with a half-dozen interior pockets containing loose script pages, decals, production drawings, etc., none of which I've seen before. A nice and clearly expensive touch, considering the reasonable price for a book with a MSRP of $35 (Amazon: $23).
All in all, Alien Vault is a welcome addition to any Alien enthusiast's memorabilia library. But more than that, it is a procedural for those who wonder How They Do It. The answer, ably supplied by Nathan, et al., is unyielding perfectionism and searing vision. Ridley Scott is one of the half-dozen film directors currently working who knows what he wants. Happy is the studio exec who gives him the raw materials to realize his ideas. And happy is the audience that views the results.
And I was happy to read this remarkable book and glean new insights into the process.
November 20, 2019
Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group- becker&mayer Epic Ink for granting my wish via NetGalley of a temporary digital edition of ‘Alien Vault: The Definitive Story Behind the Film’ by Ian Nathan with Foreword by Veronica Cartwright in exchange for an honest review.
This is the complete story behind the creation of Ridley Scott’s SF masterpiece, ‘Alien’, and its legacy updated and reissued on its 40th Anniversary.
This is a fabulous book with many anecdotes and details about preproduction and filming and contains many on-set photos, storyboards, sketches and other documentation including H.R. Giger’s concept artwork, blueprints for the Nostromo, and costume design.
The majority of the book is dedicated to ‘Alien’ though the final chapters look at its legacy in terms of the original follow-up films and continuation in books and comics and graphic novels; and finally the ‘reverse engineering’ as Scott returned to explore the origins of the alien universe with ‘Prometheus’ and ‘Alien: Covenant’.
As a lifetime fan of SF in film, I have had a long relationship with this film, so it was amazing to learn more of its origins. I first saw ‘Alien’ during its original U.K. release and was stunned by it. ‘Alien’ was my first owned DVD and I have lost count of the number of times I have watched it over the years. Back in the late 70s, I had already discovered the unique vision of H.R. Giger, so it proved interesting to read more of the background to his involvement in this project.
I consider this would make a brilliant gift for any fan of ‘Alien’ and of SF film in general. While I was reviewing a digital edition I could imagine how polished the hardback would be especially with its stunning cover artwork.
This is the complete story behind the creation of Ridley Scott’s SF masterpiece, ‘Alien’, and its legacy updated and reissued on its 40th Anniversary.
This is a fabulous book with many anecdotes and details about preproduction and filming and contains many on-set photos, storyboards, sketches and other documentation including H.R. Giger’s concept artwork, blueprints for the Nostromo, and costume design.
The majority of the book is dedicated to ‘Alien’ though the final chapters look at its legacy in terms of the original follow-up films and continuation in books and comics and graphic novels; and finally the ‘reverse engineering’ as Scott returned to explore the origins of the alien universe with ‘Prometheus’ and ‘Alien: Covenant’.
As a lifetime fan of SF in film, I have had a long relationship with this film, so it was amazing to learn more of its origins. I first saw ‘Alien’ during its original U.K. release and was stunned by it. ‘Alien’ was my first owned DVD and I have lost count of the number of times I have watched it over the years. Back in the late 70s, I had already discovered the unique vision of H.R. Giger, so it proved interesting to read more of the background to his involvement in this project.
I consider this would make a brilliant gift for any fan of ‘Alien’ and of SF film in general. While I was reviewing a digital edition I could imagine how polished the hardback would be especially with its stunning cover artwork.
June 30, 2023
Great book to start off 2012 with, for me at least. Why? Well I should probably state my bias off the bat. I'm now 27 and I watched Alien when I was five years old. Crazy to some that a "child" would be allowed to watch "such a thing" but I loved it! It mesmerized me, made me fascinated with film and want to be a movie critic, and more importantly it was a breakthrough in film (particularly sci-fi), a classic and even the word "classic" does not do it justice. I'm a fan of the series as a whole. Alien and Aliens are a close tie with me but even then they are similar but different. Alien falls under straight horror/suspense where Aliens is Action/Horror/Thriller. Yet they did that because not only the Alien grew and adapted but Ripley did too. I can quote almost all of Aliens as I've seen it dozens of times and I still stare in awe as I watch Alien.
Okay okay back to the book. Definitive, no, but I'm certainly not going to get caught up in one word of the title, like the few did who gave it a poor rating, stating that one thing. It certainly taught me more than I knew about Alien, about Ridley Scott, H.R. Giger, Dan O'Bannon. I now bow to those people that much more. I admire their level of creativity, tact, and finesse with such a topic and genre. They took a B-movie genre and dare I say broke the trend and made it epic at many levels.
Ian Nathan showed me how the idea of the Alien came to fruition, where it came from, the number of adaptions it went through. I learned more about Sigourney Weaver and her role in it. I knew some from a documentary I watched but learned even more. The props needed, the money needed, the time, the people, and the absolutely incredible sets and the details of all of these just blew me away. The pictures and handouts were incredible and those visuals helped me to really grasp the "behind the scenes" aspect.
Does the book have some information that Alien fans may already know, yes. Yet it is still filled with new information and boy does Ian have a way with prose. After reading this book I'm ready to watch the movies again and again and again. Granted I'm always ready for that but it will allow me to appreciate them that much more.
Oh and quotable is the word for this book. Every other page I would read a sentence and then write it down because I loved it so much. Then I lost the paper that I wrote it down on.
For starters and this is a bold statement but in many ways I agree: "Alien's influence on film making is arguably greater than that of Star Wars, particularly in terms of setting a new visual template for science fiction: the clanking industrial tech, or space noir. Add blade Runner, and Scott is probably the most influential science-fiction director in history- based on just two films" and later stated, which I loved "Star Wars was The Beatles, and we were The Rolling Stones" grins David Giler (producer of Alien). Note that there were a lot of Star Wars references because Star Wars came out two years before Alien and was also a breakthrough in sci-fi.
And I'll end with the quote that spoke the most to me and one of the biggest things I got out of the film. It's very simple, "Ripley gives us hope."
Review can be found on Cognizant Dreamer
Okay okay back to the book. Definitive, no, but I'm certainly not going to get caught up in one word of the title, like the few did who gave it a poor rating, stating that one thing. It certainly taught me more than I knew about Alien, about Ridley Scott, H.R. Giger, Dan O'Bannon. I now bow to those people that much more. I admire their level of creativity, tact, and finesse with such a topic and genre. They took a B-movie genre and dare I say broke the trend and made it epic at many levels.
Ian Nathan showed me how the idea of the Alien came to fruition, where it came from, the number of adaptions it went through. I learned more about Sigourney Weaver and her role in it. I knew some from a documentary I watched but learned even more. The props needed, the money needed, the time, the people, and the absolutely incredible sets and the details of all of these just blew me away. The pictures and handouts were incredible and those visuals helped me to really grasp the "behind the scenes" aspect.
Does the book have some information that Alien fans may already know, yes. Yet it is still filled with new information and boy does Ian have a way with prose. After reading this book I'm ready to watch the movies again and again and again. Granted I'm always ready for that but it will allow me to appreciate them that much more.
Oh and quotable is the word for this book. Every other page I would read a sentence and then write it down because I loved it so much. Then I lost the paper that I wrote it down on.
For starters and this is a bold statement but in many ways I agree: "Alien's influence on film making is arguably greater than that of Star Wars, particularly in terms of setting a new visual template for science fiction: the clanking industrial tech, or space noir. Add blade Runner, and Scott is probably the most influential science-fiction director in history- based on just two films" and later stated, which I loved "Star Wars was The Beatles, and we were The Rolling Stones" grins David Giler (producer of Alien). Note that there were a lot of Star Wars references because Star Wars came out two years before Alien and was also a breakthrough in sci-fi.
And I'll end with the quote that spoke the most to me and one of the biggest things I got out of the film. It's very simple, "Ripley gives us hope."
Review can be found on Cognizant Dreamer
November 13, 2019
Alien Vault is a great addition to anyone’s collection who loves the Alien franchise, especially the original movie that started it all.
I happen to love Alien, and was excited to be able to read this as an eARC from NetGalley. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.
Alien Vault is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Alien, complete with pictures detailing the set, makeup, deleted scenes, and more. As much as I enjoy the movie, I didn’t know too much of the making of the movie, so for me this was a fascinating read. For a more die-hard Alien fan, this may be old territory being covered.
The book also (briefly) covers the other movies in the franchise. This part wasn’t quite as interesting just because it was a brief overview of the other movies. Since they were being included in the book, I’d have liked to see more behind-the-scenes details for those movies as well, or not included in the book at all.
I am assuming this book will be a coffee table size book, so this would be a great addition for someone’s collection. I think it would need to be that size for the pictures to make the best impact. This would make a great gift for a fan of the Alien franchise!
I happen to love Alien, and was excited to be able to read this as an eARC from NetGalley. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.
Alien Vault is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Alien, complete with pictures detailing the set, makeup, deleted scenes, and more. As much as I enjoy the movie, I didn’t know too much of the making of the movie, so for me this was a fascinating read. For a more die-hard Alien fan, this may be old territory being covered.
The book also (briefly) covers the other movies in the franchise. This part wasn’t quite as interesting just because it was a brief overview of the other movies. Since they were being included in the book, I’d have liked to see more behind-the-scenes details for those movies as well, or not included in the book at all.
I am assuming this book will be a coffee table size book, so this would be a great addition for someone’s collection. I think it would need to be that size for the pictures to make the best impact. This would make a great gift for a fan of the Alien franchise!
November 27, 2019
I received an advance reading copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Alien Vault is a great, comprehensive account of Alien's production history, giving the film its cultural context - in late-70s film, where science fiction had become cool again - and going on a deep dive into the making of the film itself before capping the journey with a brief look at its legacy both on- and off-screen.
I'm hardly an Alien purist - I love the films, but tend to stick to Alien and Aliens more than any of the others - so perhaps some of the information in the book won't be as much of a surprise as it was to me, but I really enjoyed the journey that Nathan brings you on. I didn't know much about the creation of the Alien story - the name Starbeast was familiar, but that was it - and it was so interesting to see the machinations and rewritings at work at the heart of a classic.
The book is filled with great pictures - very important! - of concepts, behind the scenes shots and other related images, all of which transferred nicely to a digital print. This is rarer than you would think.
A lovely little read for Alien fans, with enough detail to keep momentum up until the last page.
Alien Vault is a great, comprehensive account of Alien's production history, giving the film its cultural context - in late-70s film, where science fiction had become cool again - and going on a deep dive into the making of the film itself before capping the journey with a brief look at its legacy both on- and off-screen.
I'm hardly an Alien purist - I love the films, but tend to stick to Alien and Aliens more than any of the others - so perhaps some of the information in the book won't be as much of a surprise as it was to me, but I really enjoyed the journey that Nathan brings you on. I didn't know much about the creation of the Alien story - the name Starbeast was familiar, but that was it - and it was so interesting to see the machinations and rewritings at work at the heart of a classic.
The book is filled with great pictures - very important! - of concepts, behind the scenes shots and other related images, all of which transferred nicely to a digital print. This is rarer than you would think.
A lovely little read for Alien fans, with enough detail to keep momentum up until the last page.
December 19, 2019
There is a wonderful photograph in the book showing a shocked and terrified audience reaction during an early screening of the movie. This brought back fond and still remarkably clear memories from 1979 of my own viewing in one of the old ABC cinemas (long demolished) in suburban London. It's hard to overestimate the effect and lasting influence Alien has had on the movie industry, not bad for a film that many viewed before production as just another Sci-Fi B movie.
In this marvelous book, the reader gains a thorough understanding and appreciation of all things Alien. From concept, to production, to legacy. What makes this book so special are the glorious photographs, script pages, artwork of H.R. Giger and promotional posters. There is a lot more behind the making of Alien than one may have initially thought and the book goes into detail regarding this. It is split into six chapters, Birth, Nostromo, Ripley, Legacy and Reverse Engineering. I think there is enough here to satisfy both the real hardcore Alien fan or more general cinema goer. Overall the book would make an excellent Christmas or birthday present for a film or Sci-Fi fan.
In this marvelous book, the reader gains a thorough understanding and appreciation of all things Alien. From concept, to production, to legacy. What makes this book so special are the glorious photographs, script pages, artwork of H.R. Giger and promotional posters. There is a lot more behind the making of Alien than one may have initially thought and the book goes into detail regarding this. It is split into six chapters, Birth, Nostromo, Ripley, Legacy and Reverse Engineering. I think there is enough here to satisfy both the real hardcore Alien fan or more general cinema goer. Overall the book would make an excellent Christmas or birthday present for a film or Sci-Fi fan.
November 5, 2019
With behind-the-scenes photos, production art, and text that draws on interviews with principals including Sigourney Weaver and Ridley Scott, Alien Vault details the collaborative creation of a masterpiece. Images in the book include continuity Polaroids of the Nostromo galley table after the chest-burster makes its bloody debut; an exterior shot of the immersive ship’s set; Tom Skeritt and Veronica Cartwright taking a smoke break in their spacesuits; and a sequence showing how Scott used his children as body doubles to enhance the apparent scale of the deceased “space jockey” pilot on the ship holding the alien eggs. (That prop, built at enormous expense, looks much less imposing in a photo of its appearance in a promotional installation where prospective ticket-buyers could walk right up and touch it.) I reviewed Alien Vault for The Tangential.
December 4, 2019
Bordering on the semi-official status, this tie-in to the problematic space horror series rightly concentrates on the initial film, especially as it manages to tie in with its 40th birthday. It's not really able to offer much that's brand new, although a lot of the key players get interviewed in 2016/2017, and the writer is one of the head honchos of Britain's Empire magazine. So it all boils down to a retread, if one that is certainly of the authoritative kind. Here the history of the film's production is heavily detailed, and fans will relish what they don't know, or haven't seen amongst the images. Bizarrely yacking on about the modern prequels more than it does the "Aliens" effort from Cameron, it is never really able to let rip and say how pants many of the sequels' ideas actually were. And such is its glorification of the original that the idea of a wooden setting for the third film gets about one sentence. But if you are in the market for a detailed documentary about the birth of the death of great monster movies, this is probably it.
January 10, 2020
A must buy for any enthusiasts of film, sci-fi, and horror.
Ian Nathan has put together a fantastic behind the scenes look at Ridley Scott’s groundbreaking film, including how the film was put together, set designs, production art, photographs, and actor/character arcs.
As an addition, Nathan finishes the book with details on the film's multiple sequels and prequels.
This was provided by Netgalley for an honest review.
Ian Nathan has put together a fantastic behind the scenes look at Ridley Scott’s groundbreaking film, including how the film was put together, set designs, production art, photographs, and actor/character arcs.
As an addition, Nathan finishes the book with details on the film's multiple sequels and prequels.
This was provided by Netgalley for an honest review.
January 22, 2020
Impresionante documento, he leido muchos libros sobre Alien, película de la que soy fan absoluto, y lo cierto es que los textos y fotos que acompañan este lujoso libro están a mucha distancia de cualquiera de esos libros. Explica el proceso de guión, su creación, las distintas versiones y visiones que confluyeron en su génesis. Una maravilla de detalles que harán las delicias de cualquier admirador de la película
December 18, 2020
Beautifully made book on the Alien series. Most of the book is on how the first Alien movie was created and produced but it also touches on all the movies that came later in the series (as of 2020). Some very interesting photographs and documents from production. Well written. As a bonus gimmick, theres two pages of "Ridleygrams", two prints of work by Giger and a deck schematic of the Nostromo in an envelope attached to the book cover.
October 5, 2021
Alien is one of my favourite movies and has been since my teens so I'm always keen to spend more time in this universe. This is a good book but it felt a little under-developed. I've read a lot about the movie over the years (and watched various documentaries, behind the scenes bits etc) and there was little in here I hadn't heard. If you've never delved into the film before then this is still worthwhile but I needed more.
December 20, 2019
Alien Vault is a fantastic book companion to the Alien movie with some information and pictures from subsequent movies too.
Definitely worth a read and recommended to fans of the Alien movie and want to see the behind the scenes pictures, drawings and information..
I received this book from Netgalley in return for a honest review.
Definitely worth a read and recommended to fans of the Alien movie and want to see the behind the scenes pictures, drawings and information..
I received this book from Netgalley in return for a honest review.
January 4, 2025
It is hard to give an impartial review as Alien is one of my favorite movies of all time. This is a fascinating look at some of the behind the scenes production and how Alien affected the moviegoers' psyche. It's had a lasting effect on me since seeing it first with my big sister during the initial run at an Apache Mall movie theatre in Rochester, Minnesota, in 1979. Highly recommended.
January 5, 2025
If you like filmmaking or simply the alien films, this is a must have for your collection. Pages of draft scripts, hand written scribbles on them of ridly scott's notes, big fold out posters of storyboards and concept art from him and context to the behind the scenes, branding and cultural landscape when it came out. This also gave me a profound respect for Ridly Scott, his work ethic and craft.
May 6, 2017
Una maravilla de libro, repleta de curiosidades, fotografías y documentos que me han permitido conocer un poco más del proceso creativo de esta gran película. Lo he leído de carrerilla y lo he disfrutado mucho. Muy recomendable para aficionados a la saga "Alien".
November 8, 2019
Alien Vault by Ian Nathan, Veronica Cartwright is the ultimate read for any Alien film fan. It features lots of information about the film and lots of behind the scenes pictures.
Thanks to netgalley for letting me read this.
Thanks to netgalley for letting me read this.
December 1, 2019
This book is a must have for any fan of the Alien series. Filled with on set and behind the scenes photographs and sketches, the authors bring that one-of-a-kind experience that most movie goers never get to have.
May 7, 2023
Possibly the best behind the scenes/making of book I’ve ever read , fascinating insights great quotes and epic photos. Became a fan of Ian Nathan through watching the discovering film series on Sky Arts , think I’ve learned more from him and the other presenters than any other source
December 28, 2019
A great overview of one the best sci-fi horror films ever made.
August 19, 2020
Fantastic companion to the Alien movie - recommended if you're a fan of the movie and want to see some behind the scenes information and pictures!
January 7, 2024
Very awesome 🤘
February 20, 2012
Alien is basically my favourite film (well occasionally it’s Blade Runner but mostly it’s Alien). With Prometheus not far away it’s almost inevitable that publishers will be going back to the source material, the mother load, again. Alien Vault bills itself as ‘The Definitive Story of the Making of the Film’. Is it?
Well, for a start, it looks gorgeous – it’s almost ten inches square and a good inch thick. It’s in a slip case that’s made from really solid card. The pages themselves are thick and stitch bound. It’s lavishly illustrated throughout with photographs and conceptual artwork. There are also a number of removable items in wallets – H. R. Geiger paintings, some of Ridley Scott’s storyboards or ‘Ridleygrams’, designs for the space ship Nostromo, mini posters etc.
It’s written by Ian Natham who is probably best know as an editor on the film magazine Empire and is a pretty good writer. The actual text, once past the introduction where Natham describes his introduction to the film, consists of a number of themed essays: ‘Birth’ – starting with the chest-burster sequence and killing the urban legend that the cast didn’t know is was going to happen – they did, just not how shocking it was going to be – then going to explore the origins of the film; ‘Nostromo’ – on the design of the spaceship and the filming of some of the sequences that take place within it; ‘Perfect Organism’ – on the alien itself and the derelict; ‘Ripley’ – on Weaver and her character and finally ‘Legacy’ on the initial reaction to the film plus a brief overview of all that came after, the film sequals, comics and books etc. Natham has used a variety of contemporary material for reference – he has scoured the Fox picture archives for instance – plus a number of new interviews.
So do you need to buy it? If you’ve not got anything similar already and want to know more about the film I’d totally recommend it. For real hard core fans it’s probably not essential and to be honest most of the material is covered in the DVD extras of the Quadrilogy or the different commentary on the older single film dvd release (yeah, I’ve got both, I know that makes me pretty sad). Though there were several bits and bobs mentioned that I did not know – speculation by Scott on Ripley’s sexuality and that the ‘company’ Weylan-Yutani only became Weyland in Aliens and the original name came from a spin on the names of car manufacturers, Leyland and Toyota.
At one point Nathan makes the claim that Alien has been more influential than Star Wars. It’s a bold claim but I think he may just be right… it’s certainly a lot better film. In fact the best film. If you’re not convinced then just step into the Alien Vault.
Well, for a start, it looks gorgeous – it’s almost ten inches square and a good inch thick. It’s in a slip case that’s made from really solid card. The pages themselves are thick and stitch bound. It’s lavishly illustrated throughout with photographs and conceptual artwork. There are also a number of removable items in wallets – H. R. Geiger paintings, some of Ridley Scott’s storyboards or ‘Ridleygrams’, designs for the space ship Nostromo, mini posters etc.
It’s written by Ian Natham who is probably best know as an editor on the film magazine Empire and is a pretty good writer. The actual text, once past the introduction where Natham describes his introduction to the film, consists of a number of themed essays: ‘Birth’ – starting with the chest-burster sequence and killing the urban legend that the cast didn’t know is was going to happen – they did, just not how shocking it was going to be – then going to explore the origins of the film; ‘Nostromo’ – on the design of the spaceship and the filming of some of the sequences that take place within it; ‘Perfect Organism’ – on the alien itself and the derelict; ‘Ripley’ – on Weaver and her character and finally ‘Legacy’ on the initial reaction to the film plus a brief overview of all that came after, the film sequals, comics and books etc. Natham has used a variety of contemporary material for reference – he has scoured the Fox picture archives for instance – plus a number of new interviews.
So do you need to buy it? If you’ve not got anything similar already and want to know more about the film I’d totally recommend it. For real hard core fans it’s probably not essential and to be honest most of the material is covered in the DVD extras of the Quadrilogy or the different commentary on the older single film dvd release (yeah, I’ve got both, I know that makes me pretty sad). Though there were several bits and bobs mentioned that I did not know – speculation by Scott on Ripley’s sexuality and that the ‘company’ Weylan-Yutani only became Weyland in Aliens and the original name came from a spin on the names of car manufacturers, Leyland and Toyota.
At one point Nathan makes the claim that Alien has been more influential than Star Wars. It’s a bold claim but I think he may just be right… it’s certainly a lot better film. In fact the best film. If you’re not convinced then just step into the Alien Vault.
February 1, 2012
Good book. I think that it is a pretty good book by any standards, whether you are a hard-core fan or a casual one. If you are looking into a book based on a movie made over 30 years ago, then my guess is that you are a hard-core fan (no offense to the casual ones). AND, if you ARE a hard-core fan, then you have probably come across most of the information at least once in the commentaries and behind-the-scenes features on the DVD/Blu-Ray discs. Even still, I found it to be entertaining.
The change of pace between watching a documentary and reading a book at you own pace is night and day. You can let the information actually sink in, and the pictures that accompany each section are well picked and support the writing in a way that you won't find on disc.
The memorabilia, sketches and patches were sometimes well done and other time not so much. Some of the items could have simply been printed in an index and I would have been fine with that. They were neat to hold, but I don't know if they were all worth the extra bulk that they gave the book. And they had the annoying feature of behaving like a bad magazine with too many pull-outs, forcing you to flip the book sections at a time. To access some of the pages close to the pull-outs, you had to flip page-by-page. All in all, this section of the book was not the main pull for me purchasing the book, so anything that it lacks doesn't truly reflect negatively on my experience.
There were a few facts and photos that I had not previously seen, though this does not mean that they haven't already been published, just that I found a way to miss them the first time around. These items made the book worthwhile for me, along with the above-stated reasons. A five star would have had to knock my socks off from start to finish with new material, and that is just too much to ask a movie that is over a quarter of a century old.
If you are a casual fan, then there is plenty of information for you to absorb. If you are hard-core, then the book and pull-out material is worth a place in your collection though you will already know what to expect from this book.
The change of pace between watching a documentary and reading a book at you own pace is night and day. You can let the information actually sink in, and the pictures that accompany each section are well picked and support the writing in a way that you won't find on disc.
The memorabilia, sketches and patches were sometimes well done and other time not so much. Some of the items could have simply been printed in an index and I would have been fine with that. They were neat to hold, but I don't know if they were all worth the extra bulk that they gave the book. And they had the annoying feature of behaving like a bad magazine with too many pull-outs, forcing you to flip the book sections at a time. To access some of the pages close to the pull-outs, you had to flip page-by-page. All in all, this section of the book was not the main pull for me purchasing the book, so anything that it lacks doesn't truly reflect negatively on my experience.
There were a few facts and photos that I had not previously seen, though this does not mean that they haven't already been published, just that I found a way to miss them the first time around. These items made the book worthwhile for me, along with the above-stated reasons. A five star would have had to knock my socks off from start to finish with new material, and that is just too much to ask a movie that is over a quarter of a century old.
If you are a casual fan, then there is plenty of information for you to absorb. If you are hard-core, then the book and pull-out material is worth a place in your collection though you will already know what to expect from this book.
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