“MEMORY: THE ORIGINS OF ALIEN”

The iconic scenes and sequences from seminal sci-fi horror ALIEN are firmly embedded in film history and popular culture: the creepy eggs and HR Giger designed spacecraft on a long dead planet; the pivotal facehugger attaching itself to one of the crew of the Nostromo; the shocking chest-bursting sequence and much, much more…

But while we may all now know that “in space, no-one can hear you scream“, how did Ridley Scott and the creative team come up with the ideas for a blockbuster that changed both the horror and sci-fi genres and truly terrified audiences around the world?

As we approach the 40th Anniversary of the game-changing film a fascinating feature documentary MEMORY: THE ORIGINS OF ALIEN, from writer/director Alexandre O. Philippe (78/52: Hitchcock’s Shower Scene), uncovers the origin story behind Scott’s cinematic masterpiece, which arrives in cinemas on 30th August 2019 followed by DVD and on demand on 2nd September from Dogwoof.

A contemplation on the symbiotic collaborative process of moviemaking, the power of myth, and the collective unconscious, MEMORY unearths the largely untold beginnings of a movie-masterwork rooted in Greek and Egyptian mythology, underground comics, the art of Francis Bacon, and the dark visions of Dan O’Bannon and H.R. Giger.

It reveals a veritable treasure trove of never-before-seen materials from the O’Bannon and Giger estates, including original story notes, rejected designs and storyboards, exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, and most importantly Dan O’Bannon’s original 29-page script from 1971, titled MEMORY.

‘Demonstrates that…the study of a film can be as exciting as the film itself’ – The Wrap

‘An absolutely crucial entry in the about-ALIEN canon…lovingly demonstrates the alchemical creative process among O’Bannon, Scott and artist H.R. Giger’ – Bloody Disgusting

‘This is a hearty, four-course meal for film fans that will likely burst through your chest’ – The Playlist