home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
250 Desktop Themes
/
250 Desktop Themes.iso
/
158
/
install.exe
/
_SETUP.1
/
Alien97 Short Essays.txt
< prev
next >
Wrap
INI File
|
1997-01-01
|
9KB
|
205 lines
[Alien97 release v1.0 essay file; best viewed with a monospaced font]
A L I E N
9 7
*
SCI-FI HORROR COMMEMORATIVE DESKTOP THEME
for WindowsNT or Windows95 with MS-Plus!
"In space no one can hear you scream."
______________________________________________________________
SHORT ESSAYS
Table of Contents:
1) Introduction: Alien97 -- A concept desktop theme!
2) Fun and Death with the "Alien"
3) The "Space Jockey" Wins an Oscar
4) Alien97 Design Philosophy
______________________________________________________________
1) Introduction: Alien97 -- A concept desktop theme!
This file contains three essays about what the film "ALIEN" was
all about: Science fiction and horror! I wanted to suggest
these elements in a Windows95 desktop theme as a tribute to
one of best sci-fi horror genre films ever made.
Sci-fi horror makes for an interesting desktop. Hopefully
Alien97 will capture the charm of the original film for you.
Enjoy the experience!
Sincerely,
Tony Varnas
(avarnas@erols.com)
______________________________________________________________
2) Fun and Death with the "Alien"
Although James Cameron's sequel "Aliens" is arguably a better
film, the original Alien movie is unquestionably a classic in
the science fiction/horror tradition. And for good reason:
skillfully constructed with a devilish mixture of gothic horror
and sci-fi tech, "Alien" became an instant box-office hit in
the summer of 1979. Outer space had never been portrayed like
this! The world of the spaceship Nostromo and of the Weyland-
Yutani corporation was undeniably dismal. The addition of a
cold-blooded alien made the place literally mortifying. To
audiences accustomed with the feel-good fantasies of Star Wars
and Star Trek, Alien was deliciously different.
Thanks mainly to the talents of director Ridley Scott (also of
"Blade Runner" fame), and to the eerie "bio-mechanoid" art of
H.R.Giger, the original Alien movie gave us a new and ghastly
world. It was, foremost, an *alien* world, and it worked
beautifully with our natural instincts. When something is
"alien" it is, after all, strange. And strange is frightening.
And when something is both strange and dangerous... well, it
can be positively terrifying.
However in an odd sort of way, the movie was never really
"new" at all! When we looked beyond the clever set designs we
could see all the 1950's sci-fi thrillers that inspired the
Alien. It was all there if we searched deeply enough: the
spooky world of "Forbidden Planet", the solitary rampage of
"The Thing", the parasitic life-cycle of "The Invasion of the
Body Snatchers". In retrospect we had seen it all before; the
Alien was nothing more than a retread of familiar sci-fi tales.
But all this didn't matter: the audiences loved the film
anyway. Alien was no safe fairy-tale. It was a story about a
monster that went bump in the night -- a demon that lurked in
the darkness and prowled for victims to kill. It was, in
short, a thrilling nightmare.
Outer space, our new fantasy realm, would be changed forever.
Space was no longer just "the final frontier"; the Alien had
made it a deadly place...
...a place where no one could hear you scream.
______________________________________________________________
3) The "Space Jockey" Wins an Oscar
"Alien" is named for the predatory creature that kills most
of the Nostromo crew members. But this title is somewhat
misleading. The film actually featured another -- and
altogether benign -- alien being: that of the dead astronaut
pilot whose distress beacon the crew of the Nostromo go to
investigate. Avid "Alien" fans have nicknamed this second
alien as the "Space Jockey." The scenes containing the "Space
Jockey" are some of the most memorable from the movie;
befittingly, his picture also makes for the wallpaper artwork
of the Alien97 desktop theme.
The real story of the "Space Jockey" is as interesting as the
film itself. He was created by Hans Ruedi (H.R.) Giger -- a
Swiss artist renown for his macabre occult/sexual/technological
imagery. In early 1978, Mr.Giger was commissioned to supply
illustrations and models for the upcoming film project. Working
with only a preliminary screenplay, Giger produced over thirty
working paintings for director Ridley Scott and 20th-Century
Fox, the film's studio backer. With their approval, set and
model construction was begun later that year at the Shepperton
and Bray studios in south London, England.
A full-sized 10-foot model of the "Space Jockey" was
constructed out of wood, foam, plaster, and resin. To make the
model appear even larger on film, Ridley Scott resorted to some
clever visual chicanery: he dressed three children in diminutive
4-foot tall astronaut suits and filmed them in front of the
model. Thus the "Space Jockey" was made to appear as a towering
figure with a height of over 15-feet. (Film fact: two of the
diminutive astronauts were actually Scott's own children!)
"Alien" made it's official U.S. release on June 29, 1979 in
Graumann's Egyptian Theater on Hollywood's Sunset Boulevard.
For the gala event, the huge "Space Jockey" model was flown
from England and displayed in front of the cinema. It made for
an impressive sight. Unfortunately tragedy struck when the
model was later destroyed in an arsonist's attack.
However the "Space Jockey" wasn't forgotten. As a testament
to his vision and talent, H.R.Giger was nominated for an Oscar,
the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science's highest award
for excellence. Indeed, on April 14, 1980, the artist won the
Academy Award for "Best Achievement for Visual Effects" for his
work in "Alien." This award was due, in no small part, to his
creation of the "Space Jockey."
______________________________________________________________
4) Alien97 Design Philosophy
In the spirit of the original "Alien" film, I've tried to
recreate the futuristic feel and strangeness of the Scott/Giger
masterpiece. I wanted to capture the two fundamental elements
of any genre film like "Alien": sci-fi and horror.
Ok, first things first...
Sci-fi.
------
The sine qua non of any sci-fi story is futuristic technology.
In keeping with this spirit, I've emphasized a "techy"
(technological) flavor to desktop elements. I've used the OCR
monospaced font to help suggest this. I've also used extensive
mechanical/electronic sound effects for many of the routine
computer functions such as menu commands, program terminations
etc. I've tried to make the desktop hum & clack routinely.
The system icons are also appropriately "techy". The recycle
bin looks as if it should belong on the Nostromo. For an added
treat: empty the recycle bin and listen as the Alien gets
flushed out into space!
Horror.
------
Ok, to be honest, it's rather difficult to make any computer
terrifying. This is especially true of a *personal* computer.
Let's face it: Windows is about as spooky as a fax machine
(unless, of course, you have one of those "newby" aversion
phobias). I suppose the only truly terrifying thing that
happens with computer use is lost data.
In any event, horror can be suggested by making the theme
spooky. I made most elements within the desktop rather dark.
Nothing cute here! No funny icons or wisecracking sound bytes.
Also, I've relied on H.R.Giger's art since it has a naturally
foreboding quality. For the all-important background wallpaper
I've used Giger's famous painting of the dead astronaut pilot.
(see the above essay: 'The "Space Jockey" Wins an Oscar'). This
image is one of the most haunting and memorable scenes of the
film. I think it works well.
Of course, sound effects really help in setting the spooky mood
of this theme. As a tribute to all horror films, Alien97 goes
bump in the night. Be forewarned: this can be a noisy desktop.
Error sounds are especially harsh and jarring. Hopefully they'll
give you a good-natured startle!
And a good startle is what sci-fi horror films are all about...
______________________________________________________________
Alien97 release v1.0 Desktop Theme (C)1997 by Tony Varnas.