Looking at the similarities between Alien and Outland

Originally published at: Looking at the similarities between Alien and Outland | Boing Boing

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Outland doesn’t take place in the Alien universe. Alien takes place in the Outland universe.

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I think an edit may be necessary. (Now I am trying to picture a xenomorph in a kilt)

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What was interesting to me is that they both take place in the Laddie-verse, an incredibly diverse place. Alan Ladd Jr. really had his finger on what about American moviegoers not so much wanted as needed, even if (or especially if) they didn’t know it themselves. If your script or project got the “Laddie Loves It!” mark of approval (always second-hand, since he was notoriously laconic) the resulting picture automatically stood a better chance of being a box-office and/or critical hit.

In the case of these two movies (and “Blade Runner”), he knew that people in the early '80s were primed to understand that corporate skullduggery wasn’t necessarily going to vanish into some shiny future.

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I recall watching Outlander for the first time some years ago and loved it. Highly recommend checking it out if you haven’t seen it, it’s basically a detective type story that happens to be in space.

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I guess I stopped watching before the alien burst out of Jamie’s chest.

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I’ve never seen this movie and would like to.

I also want to read the movie adaptation that was done by Steranko. I’ve seen some of it and it looks amazing.

I wish he still did more comic art.

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One has Sean Connery, and well the other don’t.

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When i watched it i mostly went into it blind, i was kind of expecting a crappy B movie that i could make fun of. Was pleasantly surprised that it was not what i had pictured in my mind

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I thought Outlander took place in the Dr. Who universe?

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Well you could go watch Zardoz if you want a bad movie to make fun of. Also - boobs.

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And Sean Connery in a bikini.

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The last time I watched “Outlander”, I noticed something with hats, of all things. It looks like when characters have focus or are pursuing their goals, they have a hat on.

o The marshal has his hat on when he is focused. Aimless when not wearing one.
o The outpost director always wears a hat. Never wavers.
o The doctor never wears a hat.
o And if you’re a miner without a helmet on-- certain death.

I need to rewatch it and confirm this theory.

Kudos!

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Ah yes, I remember that with pleasure

OutlandPic

no not that one.
Seriously, I remember watching both on the big screen and thinking, gritty-future sf is now a thing, well why not. It’s a change from the all-white, spanking-new look at least. And they were both original stories, so the interest was there, even if I am a sucker for any plausibly depicted future.
And BB’s Outland was great also.

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“You wanna get a xenomorph? Here’s how you get him. He pulls an extendable mandible, you pull a flamethrower. He sends one of yours to the brig, you send one of his out the airlock. That’s the Nostrormo way. And that’s how you get a xenomorph!”

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I was ecstatic when I scored a DVD of Outland at a used book store! Saw that film in the theater and LOVED it!!!

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I’ve seen Zardoz multiple times because i’m a glutton for punishment. That movie is truly something, what that is i can’t say.

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Outland is a great movie, and a continuation of the whole space western idea. Sheriff gets sent to a company mining town only to find it being run by outlaws. No Dean Martin and Ricky Nelson duets, sadly.

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But, what about Saturn 3?

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That’s all about the Farrah.

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