Saturday, June 02, 2012

Book Review: The Book Of Alien by Paul Scanlon & Michael Gross

I love movie 'The Art Of' books, and have several on my bookshelf, as I like the behind the scenes look at some of my favourite films, much like I enjoy watching the bonus features on blu-rays and DVDs. I also love concept art from films, and the way they can set the scene and the vibe for the entire movie. So when I saw this I had to get it.

The Book of Alien by Paul Scanlon and Michael Gross was originally published in 1979 as tie in for the original film. And with Ridley Scott’s Prometheus sparking a renewed interest in the Alien saga, this reprint from Titan Books takes you behind the scenes with the key people involved, including director Ridley Scott, scriptwriter Dan O'Bannon and the creative stages featuring conceptual designs and illustrations from HR Giger, Ron Cobb, Chris Foss and Jean 'Moebius' Giraud plus models and costumes demonstrating why the movie won an Oscar for it's visual effects and would come to be classed as a science-fiction classic.

The book also gives you a brief grounding of the genesis of the film, from Dan O'Bannon's collaboration with Ron Shusett on the first draft entitled 'Star Beast' and to Ridley Scott's involvement. Although running at only 112 pages, it may not be as detailed as other behind the scenes books like 'Alien Vault: The Definitive Story Behind the Film' it is a visual feast of superb illustrations by some of the best artists in science fiction.

If you're a fan of the film, looking forward to seeing Prometheus or just interested in conceptual art then I would definitely recommend this book!

****1/2 out of 5

No comments:

Post a Comment