113 | Alexandre O. Philippe (Memory – The Origins of Alien)
My Summer Lair Chapter #113:When Did The Xenomorph Come Into Your Life?
We’ll start with what it’s not rather than what it is. And I’m talking about Memory: The Origins of Alien Alexandre Philippe’s latest documentary screening during Hot Docs and not the Xenomorph. (It’s now streaming on Crave in Canada or on YouTube movies.)
Memory is not a behind the scenes DVD extra; rather is a dense and deft film essay that documents the fortuitous symbiotic relationship of Dan O’Bannon (screenwriter) and H.R. Giger (Alien designer) and Ridley Scott (director). Somehow these gentlemen were able to mind meld with each other and the universe or wherever creativity comes from and fashion a horror sci-fi movie that tapped into the collective unconscious to generate a significant pop culture conscious altering moment. Whew.
See why we needed 40 years to fully understand what’s happening and what we’ve seen? The feelings you have about your divorce evolve from the moment it begins to decades later right? You have a better sense of what you’ve experienced.
Another important question: Is 1979’s Alien horror sci-fi or sci-fi horror? hmmm.
So 40 years later we have Alex’s Memory a documentary that deconstructs how we got here because when we look back there is a clear path; often employing unseen materials like original story notes, rejected designs and storyboards even incorporating exclusive behind-the-scenes footage all reveal that path.
Beyond that is the mythology that potent mixture of highbrow and lowbrow culture including comic books and paintings that hang in the Tate.
Memory which’ll wrap up its Hot Docs run will be seen on screens throughout 2019 especially during San Diego Comic Con. It’s recently been acquired by Screen Media and Legion M so you will get a chance to see it and I highly recommend it.
One error in this episode: I said 1955 when talking about Guillermo del Toro’s Hellboy (2004). The correct date and line is: “1958: the Occult Wars finally come to an end with the death of Adolf Hitler.” So fired!
Recorded: Friday April 26, 2019 at 6:30pm at WeWork
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043 | Alexandre O. Philippe (78/52)
My Summer Lair Chapter #43: After Seeing Psycho How Scared Were You To Take A Shower?
Director Alexandre O. Philippe lives at the intersection of pop culture and cinema…his work has produced documentaries like The People vs. George Lucas, Doc of the Dead and now…78/52. Easily his strongest work.
78/52 is an in-depth investigation of the iconic shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho: composed of 78 setups and 52 cuts. That grisly scene not only murdered Janet Leigh but also killed off some of cinema’s earliest movie rituals; creating a fertile soil for new movie rituals (many of which we continue to employ i.e. Spoiler Alerts!).
It’s no surprise Alexandre circles a 4 minute scene in a 109 minute movie…as he describes his work and focus as: “cinematic experiences that celebrate the importance of those moments.”
While preparing for this interview I struggled to remember the first time I watched Psycho. Hitchcock’s always been there, on tv I watched his show Alfred Hitchcock Presents along with The Twilight Zone, Amazing Stories (which does not hold up!!), Night Gallery and The Outer Limits. (Now that was the true golden age of tv!).
While I can’t remember when I saw Psycho I did however see it among it’s aftermath. I watched many slasher movies back in the day from Freddies and Jasons to Myers’ etc. and Psycho with its creepy house, dead mother, dude dressing up like his dead mother to stab women qualified. Truthfully at the time Janet Leigh’s murder was no different than anybody else’s…that’s what you get for camping at Crystal Lake. Suckas.
Still even as a punk kid there’s something about Psycho; it was so different (and it had nothing to do with the black and white). It was the craft; the quality…the strength of the work. Deep calls to deep and I instantly recognized and appreciated that even as a punk kid. That craft clearly captured Alexandre’s attention…hence this outstanding doc.
Released in 1960 Psycho continues to resonate Alexandre mentioned 2 recent Psycho exhibitions: Psycho Barn James Franco’s Psycho
Recommended Comics from Alexandre O. Philippe during our conversation: Preacher Chew Transmetropolitan His own comic book! Fried Comics
78/52 is played at Hot Docs 2017…and is now on Hulu and other similar streaming services.
My Summer Lair Chapter #43: After Seeing Psycho How Scared Were You To Take A Shower?
Director Alexandre O. Philippe lives at the intersection of pop culture and cinema…his work has produced documentaries like The People vs. George Lucas, Doc of the Dead and now…78/52. Easily his strongest work.
78/52 is an in-depth investigation of the iconic shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho: composed of 78 setups and 52 cuts. That grisly scene not only murdered Janet Leigh but also killed off some of cinema’s earliest movie rituals; creating a fertile soil for new movie rituals (many of which we continue to employ i.e. Spoiler Alerts!).
It’s no surprise Alexandre circles a 4 minute scene in a 109 minute movie…as he describes his work and focus as: “cinematic experiences that celebrate the importance of those moments.”
While preparing for this interview I struggled to remember the first time I watched Psycho. Hitchcock’s always been there, on tv I watched his show Alfred Hitchcock Presents along with The Twilight Zone, Amazing Stories (which does not hold up!!), Night Gallery and The Outer Limits. (Now that was the true golden age of tv!).
While I can’t remember when I saw Psycho I did however see it among it’s aftermath. I watched many slasher movies back in the day from Freddies and Jasons to Myers’ etc. and Psycho with its creepy house, dead mother, dude dressing up like his dead mother to stab women qualified. Truthfully at the time Janet Leigh’s murder was no different than anybody else’s…that’s what you get for camping at Crystal Lake. Suckas.
Still even as a punk kid there’s something about Psycho; it was so different (and it had nothing to do with the black and white). It was the craft; the quality…the strength of the work. Deep calls to deep and I instantly recognized and appreciated that even as a punk kid. That craft clearly captured Alexandre’s attention…hence this outstanding doc.
Released in 1960 Psycho continues to resonate Alexandre mentioned 2 recent Psycho exhibitions: Psycho Barn James Franco’s Psycho
Recommended Comics from Alexandre O. Philippe during our conversation: Preacher Chew Transmetropolitan His own comic book! Fried Comics
78/52 is currently playing at Hot Docs 2017…look for it to be distributed real soon.
