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The Wing Commander movie club has sailed the Atlantic with the Titanic and now it's time to get back home… to space! This week's movie is a true classic with some deep ties to Wing Commander: Alien. You can join us this Friday via Discord to watch along.
Alien needs no introduction, but just in case: Ridley Scott's 1979 sci-fi/horror film is about a group of interstellar truckers who must battle a relentless monster in close quarters aboard their starship. From the gritty, realistic environs of the Nostromo to the biomechanical alien itself, the spectacular film earned a level of respect that far outstripped the standards of its genres. Countless aspects of Alien are deeply rooted in most any science fiction film made since.
Wing Commander is, of course, no exception. From the chairs in the spacecraft in the original games through to the characters of the movie itself (with a little creative crossover along the way) Wing Commander has plenty of debts to the film. Here's Chris Roberts writing about how Alien's Ripley should inform Angel in his original treatment for the Wing Commander movie:
The audience should empathize with Blair and Maniac's character growth, get to know and like Angel, admire Paladin's sure will under fire, worry about Linders' impact on his men's morale, etc. I also want to work on developing a stronger female lead (probably Angel) for the picture than the outline currently indicates. Think Sigourney Weaver in Alien.If that sounds familiar it's because Sigourney Weaver has been inspiring Angel's treatment since Wing Commander II. That game's internal character descriptions giver her the shorthand of "Sigourney Weaver mixed with Demi Moore," a definite nod to the Ripley character.
We also share at least one actual actor! Alien's John Hurt, who the production famously tricked audiences into thinking would be the film's lead, had another star turn as Joe the Bartender in Privateer 2: The Darkening.
When it came time to do the lore-filled Booth screens for the game, the designers included some nods to Hurt's legendary Alien character, giving him the same family name!
There was an important behind the screens connection with the movie, too: Chris Roberts had initially hired the great Ron Cobb to develop the vehicle concepts for the film. Cobb was the production designer who concepted much of the intricate detail of the Nostromo for Alien and you can see the influence in what he turned out for Wing Commander. Unfortunately producer Todd Moyer was not a fan and Cobb's work went mostly unused:
… of course great artists steal and the Wing Commander II team had already stolen from Ron Cobb's Alien designs back in 1991! The ejection seat seen in rear views in the game is taken directly from his concept art for the Nostromo:
Where can I find a copy of the movie for the watch party?
Alien is currently available for rent or purchase on all the standard services. If you would like a physical copy, the movie was released on BluRay in 2011 and remains in print around the world. If you are not able to locate a copy please stop by the Discord and ping a CIC staff member before Friday's showing. We will be watching the original theatrical cut, not the later extended version.
How do we watch the movie together?
It's pretty low tech! Simply join the Wing Commander CIC Discord on Friday and we will be chatting (in text) along with the film in the main channel. Everyone who wants to join in should bring their own copy and we will count down to play them together at 10 PM EST. Everyone is welcome and we encourage you to join in the conversation; sharing your thoughts helps make the experience better for everyone!
