The Ridley Scott film Prometheus currently in production seems to be getting away from the notion of it being a prequel to his legendary Alien film. More like a film taking place in the same universe, the latest news boasts the return of the "space jockey" creature, in a non-CG form.
From movies.sky.com:
There has been a huge amount of speculation over the past months as to what will and won't appear in the movie, but an insider told Sky Movies, "I’ve had further confirmation that the Space Jockey creature is definitely in Prometheus and has been built as an eight foot animatronic.
"I’ve also had it confirmed that HR Giger is working on the project but only in an advisory capacity. By the way, people are going to be in for a shock when they sit down to watch Prometheus and there’s an enormous semi-human head piloting a spaceship."
source.
Here's the original prop from the first film.
An epiphanic moment for sure. Just blown away by the concept of a prop being so untraditional. So massive. Seeing this for the first time a ton of years ago, I can still remember my reaction - and it was exactly what the Nostromo's crew was experiencing. Wonder, confusion, fear...pure movie magic. I had so many questions - Where did it come from? What did it look like alive? How did it move? Was it really growing out of its chair? Was it friendly? How long was it there? Man, it was unlike any prop I had ever seen.... and have ever seen.
When I first heard about the space jockey's cameo in the next Alien film, I was thrilled beyond belief. But now that it's settled in, I'm resisting the concept. I really don't want to know the answers to any of those questions. And I think that was the point of the prop in the first place.
Strangely, it reminds me of the classic moment (at least for me) in Halloween III: Season of the Witch, when Conal Cochran unveils the massive stolen stone from Stonehenge to the captive Dr. Challis. It's sitting in his mask factory, thousands of miles from its home. "Stonehenge! We had a TIME getting it here. You wouldn't believe how we did it!"
Movie magic. Sometimes you're just not supposed to know.
And if Cochran tried to tell me, I wouldn't listen.
