“Memory: The Origins of Alien” is an upcoming documentary which tells the largely untold origin story behind 1979’s Ridley Scott-helmed “Alien.” I caught ‘Memory’ back in January at the Sundance Film Festival. In my review of the film, I stated, “This is a hearty, four-course meal for film fans, which, once again, demonstrates that the study of a film can be just as invigorating an experience as the actual film itself.”
Here’s the synopsis:
Memory: The Origins of Alien unearths the largely untold origin story behind Ridley Scott’s cinematic masterpiece, and reveals a treasure trove of never-before-seen materials from the archives of creators Dan O’Bannon and H.R. Giger – including original story notes, rejected designs and storyboards, exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, and O’Bannon’s original 29 page script from 1971, titled Memory. The documentary also takes fans on an exploration of the mythical underpinnings of the film and dedicates focus on the film’s iconic “Chestburster” scene.
“Memory: The Origins of Alien” is directed by Alexandre O Philippe. The French-born Phillipe previously helmed “78/52,” which analyzed, on multiple fronts, the famous Alfred Hitchcock shower scene in “Psycho.”