‘Alien’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey
April 18, 2023 · Alien (1979) · Horror · Sci-Fi · 1:56:22 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsWaking up scene, alien jumping on Kane's face, and the dinner scene (chest-burster)▶ 32:41
Sean FennesseyGetting the SOS, deciding to land on the planetoid, seeing the space jockey and arriving at the eggs▶ 36:05
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsSpeculates Kane's last bite could be lo mein or mung beans, agrees it looks gross▶ 59:54
Butch's Girlfriend Award
Bill SimmonsThey didn't have quite enough money to pull off some of the action stuff in the best possible way▶ 1:01:18
Chris RyanTime crunch that prevented reshooting scenes like the ash scene where the latex didn't look great▶ 1:01:24
Ron Burgundy Flute Award
Bill SimmonsWhen they're getting off the spaceship to jump on the planet / when they first land on the planet▶ 1:08:50
Sean FennesseyAgrees with Bill's pick of when they first land on the planet, acknowledging it's slow▶ 1:09:17
Apex Mountain
Chris RyanRidley Scott — Agrees with Ridley Scott's apex mountain, focusing on his detailed directorial approach and visual craftsmanship that makes movies rewatchable▶ 1:13:30
Sean FennesseyRidley Scott — Ridley Scott - this movie made Ridley become 'Ridley' and established him as a patron saint of sophisticated mainstream filmmaking▶ 1:12:01
Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Bill SimmonsKill the fucking cat - movie cats are the worst and never help movies, specifically criticizing Jonesy in Alien▶ 1:14:14
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsMeryl Streep — Discusses multiple casting alternatives: Meryl Streep almost got Ripley role instead of Sigourney Weaver, Harrison Ford turned down Captain Dallas, Cartwright thought she was cast as Ripley but got Lambert instead▶ 1:18:23
Chris RyanMeryl Streep — Says it's hard to imagine without Sigourney Weaver but acknowledges Meryl Streep would have been close to his choice; fine with Harrison Ford turning down Dallas since he went on to other great roles▶ 1:19:29
Sean FennesseyHarrison Ford — Thinks Meryl Streep could have played Ripley but notes Sigourney Weaver is more physically imposing; believes Harrison Ford would have improved the movie over Tom Skerritt as Dallas▶ 1:19:15
Dion Waiters Award
Bill SimmonsYaphet Kotto — Suggests Yafet but acknowledges he's essentially the second lead, making him ineligible▶ 1:24:00
Chris RyanJohn Hurt — Initially suggests Hurt but then agrees Hurt doesn't qualify due to screen time▶ 1:23:56
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsDead face hugger made of oysters, sheep kidney, and shellfish; four cats played Jones; James Cameron criticized the underwear scene; Sigourney found through Mad Men connection; director's cut from 100 boxes of footage found in London vault▶ 1:29:08
Chris RyanShared trivia about spacesuits lacking oxygen causing actors to pass out, including Ridley Scott's kids; discussed the underwear scene as a misdemeanor in context of 1970s objectification▶ 1:28:36
Sean FennesseyDiscussed Walter Hill filmography and defended the underwear scene as showing vulnerability; noted Sigourney's Apex Mountain as mid-80s with Ghostbusters then Aliens▶ 1:29:20
Racehorse Name Award
Bill SimmonsSpace Jockey (his top pick from three options: Nostromo, Jonesy, and Space Jockey)▶ 1:36:16
Sequel/Prequel/Limited Series/Remake
Bill SimmonsSuggests all formats are possible - sequel, prequel, prestige TV, all black cast version, compares it to an EGOT situation, specifically mentions 'Tyler Perry's Alien'▶ 1:39:34
Chris RyanDiscusses existing sequels and prequels (Covenant, Prometheus), mentions upcoming prestige TV show by Noah Hawley and Fede Alvarez movie, supports all black cast version▶ 1:39:43
Sean FennesseyRemake with the roster of the 2022 Brooklyn Nets, and references it as 'a distant sequel to the color purple but set on the ship'▶ 1:39:38
Is This Movie Better With
Bill SimmonsLists Wayne Jake, Katie Treo, Katherine Odd, Steve Buscemi, Samuel L Jackson, JT Welsh, Phil Baker as options; enthusiastically engages with Wayne Jake scenario involving the cat▶ 1:40:19
Chris RyanWayne Jake - creates detailed scenario of him reacting to Ash being revealed as android and interacting with other characters▶ 1:40:31
Best Double Feature
Chris RyanAliens — Agrees with Aliens but also mentions Dark Star as an alternative because O'Bannon worked on it and it influenced Alien's aesthetic▶ 1:49:01
Sean FennesseyPrometheus — Prometheus - the movie he most wanted to watch after Alien because it answers a lot of questions▶ 1:49:09
Who Won the Movie
Bill SimmonsRidley Scott — Ridley Scott, though acknowledges there's a case for Sigourney Weaver as runner up▶ 1:51:33
Chris RyanRidley Scott — Ridley Scott - praises his directorial vision and execution, calling him a 'five tool guy'▶ 1:51:40
Movies Referenced (59)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 12 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | ▶ 5:06 |
| Jaws (1975) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 5:06 |
| Halloween (1978) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 7:39 |
| Prometheus (2012) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 16:38 |
| Blade Runner (1982) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 6:42 |
| Midnight Run (1988) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 17:53 |
| Ghostbusters (1984) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 16:13 |
| Escape from New York (1981) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 6:32 |
| He Got Game (1998) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 12:55 |
| Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 56:55 |
| Predator (1987) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:17:52 |
| Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 5:19 |
Directors Referenced (9)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ridley Scott | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 23 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | The Martian, Blade Runner | ▶ 3:51 |
| Robert Altman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | Gosford Park | ▶ 34:22 |
| Walter Hill | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | 48 Hrs., Aliens | ▶ 5:26 |
| Ivan Reitman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Up in the Air, Ghostbusters | ▶ 21:12 |
| Jack Daniels | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:26:32 | |
| John Carpenter | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Halloween | ▶ 1:47:47 |
| John Colorado | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Hancock | ▶ 42:51 |
| Martin Scorsese | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Taxi Driver, Killers of the Flower Moon, Mean Streets | ▶ 1:48:17 |
| Steven Spielberg | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Schindler's List, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Saving Private Ryan | ▶ 1:12:46 |
Actors Referenced (33)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sigourney Weaver | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 22 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Avatar, Alien | ▶ 16:13 |
| John Hurt | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Alien, The Elephant Man | ▶ 14:58 |
| Meryl Streep | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Out of Africa | ▶ 17:12 |
| Tom Skerritt | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Alien, Top Gun | ▶ 17:35 |
| Harrison Ford | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, The Fugitive | ▶ 23:30 |
| Paris Texas | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 5:19 | |
| Elephant Man | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 26:07 | |
| Veronica Cartwright | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Chris Ryan | Alien, The Witches of Eastwick | ▶ 18:34 |
| Harry Dean Stanton | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Alien, The Green Mile | ▶ 17:39 |
| The Game | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | Street Kings, The A-Team, Coach Carter | ▶ 6:01 |
| Eddie Murphy | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | The Nutty Professor, Beverly Hills Cop II | ▶ 38:50 |
| Gerry Kodo | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan | Jurassic Park, Pacific Rim | ▶ 17:39 |
Writers Referenced (8)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Cameron | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey | Avatar, Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgment Day | ▶ 21:18 |
| James Kahn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:24:29 | |
| Dan O'Bannon | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | Alien, Aliens | ▶ 4:52 |
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 12:03 | |
| Agatha Christie | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 30:41 | |
| Jesse Armstrong | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | In the Loop | ▶ 1:27:35 |
| Paul Schrader | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | First Reformed | ▶ 27:17 |
| Ronald Shusett | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Alien, Aliens, Total Recall | ▶ 28:02 |