Dan O'Bannon dead

[arcadian]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2009/dec/18/dan-obannon-alien



Yesterday, following a short battle with an undisclosed illness, Dan O'Bannon sadly passed away aged 63. While his name should be vaguely familiar to cinemagoers as the writer and creator of Alien, to fans of genre films it should be tattooed somewhere on their person. O'Bannon was part of the fabric of genre films, a fixture. Though his star never rose above a certain elevation, in his own unassuming fashion he was a game-changer in more ways than Avatar will ever manage.

I've always had as much an interest in the nuts-and-bolts technical and artistic side of the movie-making process as in the finished films themselves. In the 1980s I wasn't alone: there were plenty of magazines, such as Cinefantastique, Fantastic Films and Starburst that were full of interviews with behind-the-camera workers. O'Bannon quickly became a familiar and welcome name in these circles – frequently interviewed, always fascinating and generous with information and opinion. Not only that, he had a great track record to back up such prominent standing.

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[MrScorpio]

1. The Year of Death rolls on

RIP, Dan

[Richardo]

2. Dark Star

Hilarious movie - the proto-Alien.

RIP Dan.

[Call Me Wesley]

4. I never get tired of watching it.

It's on my what-movies-would-sou-take-to-an-island-with-you-list.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjvNQJ8Rd9g (I know, I know, no youtube for you yet - it's Joe Bethancourt singing Benson Arizona.)

"When I brought you on this ship, I thought you were cute."

[Richardo]

5. I have not seen it in decades.

But I did see it in the theater. Must. Rent.

[Call Me Wesley]

6. Must. Buy. Keep. ;)

"I do not like the men on this spaceship. They are uncouth and fail to appreciate my better qualities. I have something of value to contribute to this mission if they would only recognize it. Today over lunch I tried to improve morale and build a sense of camaraderie among the men by holding a humorous, round-robin discussion of the early days of the mission. My overtures were brutally rejected. These men do not want a happy ship. They are deeply sick and try to compensate by making me feel miserable. Last week was my birthday. Nobody even said "happy birthday" to me. Someday this tape will be played and then they'll feel sorry."

[Richardo]

7. hahahahaha!

My one memory is the shot of everyone on the bridge headbanging to some music.

[Call Me Wesley]

10. Couldn't find it on youtube,

but I know the scene you're talking about.

Also Pinback on the elevator, initiating the cleaning mode ... :rofl:

[Richardo]

14. This might be the beginning of it.

It's making me laugh regardless. :D

[Kali]

17. 20 years with no toilet paper

chicken again? oh ham.

[Kali]

15. and from one of a couple DUers that live right near Benson, AZ

:hi:

[Call Me Wesley]

16. Here's for you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5Og_YsaXt4#t=0m39s

:hi:

[Orsino]

8. Yep. I didn't realize he was also on Alien. n/t

[redqueen]

11. It was indeed...

I need to see it again.

[seemunkee]

12. Sorry to interrupt your recreation, fellows

but it is time for Sgt. Pinback to feed the alien.

[Call Me Wesley]

18. Awww, I don't wanna do that!

;)

[Kali]

13. that is my connection to him

RIP

[Call Me Wesley]

3. Safe passage, Dan!

May you be free from suffering.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYeTckI-nzI

[Swede]

9. RIP Dan.

I loved his work.

[CBGLuthier]

19. Friend and I were talking about his work just yesterday

How Sigourney Weaver is crediting James Cameron with creating great female characters when O'Bannon was the man who created Ripley. Fucking credit taking hack Cameron.

We decided, if nothing else, he was major for adding the "we want to eat your brains" motivation to the zombie mythos. Plus Alien was a truly great SF film with grit and real human characters unlike, say, a certain space fantasy of a few years earlier.