Podcast # 409 - "Prometheus"

[Rico]

A look at the film, "Prometheus" with guests Al & Bryan.  They cover the movie and try and answer some of the many questions we all have about it.  Like what's with all that weird black goo stuff?!  Thanks guys!

http://www.treksinscifi.com/podcasts/TreksinSciFi_409_Prometheus.mp3

[X]

Love the podcast. Here is what I thought about the crew:

[spoiler] Vickers put them together for the sole purpose of failing. She wanted the company and with that many hand picked screw ups on the crew, there was no way her father would get what he was looking for. Add to that the fact that she had a personal ship ready to go when they screwed up and I think that's why we got this dysfunctional crew in the first place. They were exactly what she wanted them to be.[/spoiler]

[Bryancd]

Love the podcast. Here is what I thought about the crew:

[spoiler] Vickers put them together for the sole purpose of failing. She wanted the company and with that many hand picked screw ups on the crew, there was no way her father would get what he was looking for. Add to that the fact that she had a personal ship ready to go when they screwed up and I think that's why we got this dysfunctional crew in the first place. They were exactly what she wanted them to be.[/spoiler]

That's an interesting take, Chris, I like that and agree it works. Although we only got a glimpse of what her motivation was, perhaps it will be expanded in the sequel..assuming she is still alive...and a human. :)

[M-5]

Downloading it right now. 

Man, I can't wait to listen it. :cheers

[Dangelus]

Great show guys. I'm definately going to check out the movie now. You've put forward some interesting ideas and I like the premise.

[Bryancd]

Thanks Dan! I myself just had a chance to listen to the show and it really came together great thanks to Al. I especially enjoyed the audio interview clips at the end.

[Bromptonboy]

Looking forward to this one. 

[Coda]

Cool!  I'm looking foward to listening to the podcast.  I've already watched the movie 7 times and I discover something new each time, or rather, maybe questions answered.

[Coda]

Spoiler Alert!!!

I'm listening to the podcast now and here are a few of my comments:

To prequel, or not to prequel? - It's 'sort of' a prequel.  I guess a better way of calling it is a "parallel prequel".  I believe he wanted to create a parallel storyline that runs along the Alien storyline.  So in a way, it IS linked to the Alien universe as we know it from the Alien franchise, but c'mon, the galaxy is a big place, there's got to be other Engineer events occurring that is linked to the alien development.  That's why Prometheus takes place on a different planet from the original Alien.  Think of the possibilities of what the movie is starting.  What if EACH Engineer's research ship creates a different story arc in the galaxy?

Vickers: I didn't like her character either, but she was the token representative of the company values, ideals, and image. She is cut throat and wants to take over Weyland Industries.  She's just waiting for Peter Weyland to die, probably because of the way he treats her.  She wants his acceptance of her, and that's probably why she is on the Prometheus.

Fifield and Millburn: They're the token Dallas and Brett characters, they're only there for the money, and want to do as little as possible and still get paid.

Medpod: Everyone's pissed about why it wasn't for a woman especially when it was in Vicker's lifeboat.  The key thing here to know is that the medpod isn't for everybody.  It's there specifically for Weyland.  So they probably customized it to just his physiology in the event that he is left alone with no one to help him.  Heck, the lifeboat was probably created specifically just for him in case he needs to evacuate the ship.

Charlie: is a discovery junkie.  He gets off on taking chances and proven right at discovering things.  He wants to be the 'first' in trying everything.  And I think this is why David infected him with the black goo cause he saw that Charlie had that personality trait who will probably be able to handle anything the goo will do to him.  Like you said, he was a tool.

Life by accident? - I'm on the fence about the reason why the Engineer drank the black goo.  Just as he drank the black goo, it shows the ship leaving.  If it was an experiment, they would have stayed behind to observe what happens to him.  But they just left. This looks like to me, "okay, we dropped you off, you drank the black goo, we're out of here. We'll come back in a few thousand years and see what the place looks like."  Sounds more like a deliberate experiment.

My favorite characters were the flight crew.  Janek, Chance, and Ravel.  Trivia: Benedict Wong was in an episode of the british sitcom The IT Crowd as Prime-the proprietor of the club 8+.  This is a must watch show for computer geeks.

Awesome podcast. Thanks guys!

[ChrisMC]

Nice job, boys. Very though provoking and introspective. I am gonna have to send in a comment for Alien Resurrection, I let A3 slide but not that steaming pile.

[Bryancd]

Fifield and Millburn: They're the token Dallas and Brett characters, they're only there for the money, and want to do as little as possible and still get paid.

You mean Parker and Brett. Yeah, that's a good parallel. I agree with your other observations as well. It certainly is possible the Engineer at the beginning was part of an experiment but I agree since the ship was leaving, I think they knew very well the outcome and have done this kind of terra forming before.

[ChrisMC]

Fifield and Millburn: They're the token Dallas and Brett characters, they're only there for the money, and want to do as little as possible and still get paid.

You mean Parker and Brett. Yeah, that's a good parallel. I agree with your other observations as well. It certainly is possible the Engineer at the beginning was part of an experiment but I agree since the ship was leaving, I think they knew very well the outcome and have done this kind of terra forming before.

Parker and Brett, but not as good and done by actors who aren't as good. Parker and Brett WERE Alien fodder but weren't written obviously that way or acted that way. There's really no comparison in characterizations between Alien and Prometheus as far as secondaries go.

[Rico]

Another well done job guys.  Much of what you had to say I agreed with for the most part.  I still think the movie falls a little short in some key areas - like plot, character, etc.  Frankly one of my biggest issues with the film you didn't mention much and that was how easy they figured out where to go out in space.  Space is big and that little star pattern just wasn't enough for me.  But I still am happy I saw the film in the theaters - it is an amazing looking movie.  Looking forward to the sequel.

[Bryancd]

Space is big and that little star pattern just wasn't enough for me.  But I still am happy I saw the film in the theaters - it is an amazing looking movie.  Looking forward to the sequel.

Yeah, kind of gave them that one. But you know there are actual cave painting of constellations and such and looking form Earth, considering that the observers who drew the paintings were primitive and not using any optical aid, it would likely be a very obvious pattern in the night sky. I suppose we can sort of assume that.

[Vartok]

AWESOME Bryan and Al, almost forgot the yardwork while listening away on the iPod.  You guys are a dynamic duo!

V