Topic: "God doesn't build in straight lines!"

[Obsequious]

Actual line from the film Prometheus, spoken when somebody first catches sight of ancient, alien artifacts.

Another line from the film:

"Don't be such a skeptic!"

Hoagland would be pleased.

[Xptical]

Didn't Niels Bohr tell Einstein to stop telling God what he can and cannot do?

Or is that just apocryphal?

[mindme]

Was it "god" or "nature"? In any case, that's not quite true. The scientists in that movie were written as if the writer had never heard of scientists before and had about 15 minutes to google "scientist" to try and figure out what the job was all about.

[IrishJazz]

Was it "god" or "nature"? In any case, that's not quite true. The scientists in that movie were written as if the writer had never heard of scientists before and had about 15 minutes to google "scientist" to try and figure out what the job was all about.

It is not true at all. 

The movie did answer the question of how an alien lifeform could be parasitic on a species it had never encountered before.  On the downside, it made no real sense and created a far worse set of implausibilities.

(click to show/hide)

Question... why was a classic alien/xenomorph carved into the door into the chamber with the giant head?  Why did they need a giant head statue on a spaceship?  Why did then need so much goo?

[Obsequious]

Was it "god" or "nature"? In any case, that's not quite true. The scientists in that movie were written as if the writer had never heard of scientists before and had about 15 minutes to google "scientist" to try and figure out what the job was all about.

It is not true at all. 

The movie did answer the question of how an alien lifeform could be parasitic on a species it had never encountered before.  On the downside, it made no real sense and created a far worse set of implausibilities.

(click to show/hide)

Question... why was a classic alien/xenomorph carved into the door into the chamber with the giant head?  Why did they need a giant head statue on a spaceship?  Why did then need so much goo?

(click to show/hide)

1. Because the "classic" alien/xenomorph already existed, just not on this particular planet. 2. The giant head statue was in their underground complex, but not in the spaceship. It was probably there for ritualistic reasons. Remember, we know from the robed Engineer's ritual suicide at the beginning of the film that ritual is important to these beings. 3. It is explained in the film that they are manufacturing weapons of mass destruction. They needed lots of goo to kill lots of people.

[Obsequious]

Was it "god" or "nature"? In any case, that's not quite true. The scientists in that movie were written as if the writer had never heard of scientists before and had about 15 minutes to google "scientist" to try and figure out what the job was all about.

But Hoagland says regularly repeating straight lines are evidence of Martian civilization! Surely he can't be wrong!

[Soldier of FORTRAN]

Was it "god" or "nature"? In any case, that's not quite true. The scientists in that movie were written as if the writer had never heard of scientists before and had about 15 minutes to google "scientist" to try and figure out what the job was all about.

I think they were stupid on purpose.   There seemed to be a lot of nihilism to this film.

[Obsequious]

I groaned when they decided it was OK to take their space helmets off because there was breathable air. Don't worry about any kind of sane quarantine procedure, just fuckin' do it 'cause it feels good!

[Soldier of FORTRAN]

That's hubris.  Every character was stupid except David and every character was crushed by an uncaring universe according to their hubris.  We were portrayed as the apocalyptic horsemen of the Dunning-Kruger affect.  I'm not sure, but I think I was supposed to the movie as a straight-faced comedy.

[Karyn]

uh...shouldn't this be in the Prometheus thread, or at least add "Prometheus Spoilers" to your thread title.


Not that I have any plans on seeing this movie any more.

[IrishJazz]

Was it "god" or "nature"? In any case, that's not quite true. The scientists in that movie were written as if the writer had never heard of scientists before and had about 15 minutes to google "scientist" to try and figure out what the job was all about.

It is not true at all. 

The movie did answer the question of how an alien lifeform could be parasitic on a species it had never encountered before.  On the downside, it made no real sense and created a far worse set of implausibilities.

(click to show/hide)

Question... why was a classic alien/xenomorph carved into the door into the chamber with the giant head?  Why did they need a giant head statue on a spaceship?  Why did then need so much goo?

(click to show/hide)

1. Because the "classic" alien/xenomorph already existed, just not on this particular planet. 2. The giant head statue was in their underground complex, but not in the spaceship. It was probably there for ritualistic reasons. Remember, we know from the robed Engineer's ritual suicide at the beginning of the film that ritual is important to these beings. 3. It is explained in the film that they are manufacturing weapons of mass destruction. They needed lots of goo to kill lots of people.

My response.

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1. I don't think so.  The timeline in "Prometheus" antedated "Alien" by a half century.  It is possible that it was a known mutation, but it seemed to go through a very different process- coming from a facehugger the size of a small bus.  And human-engineer.  Also the xenomorph at the end was nothing like the newborn xenomorph in "Alien."
2.  OK.  Still not getting the giant head in the room full of badly sealed jars.  This is where the Engineers were running- supposedly a safe place.  The whole timeline seemed pretty confused to me.
3. One of the advantages of a biological weapon is that a little goes a long way.  A small amount of that material would have launched the equivalent of a Zombie Apocalypse. 

[Neon Genesis]

Does God build in gay lines?

[Karyn]

nope.  no straight lines there   

[arthwollipot]

I groaned when they decided it was OK to take their space helmets off because there was breathable air. Don't worry about any kind of sane quarantine procedure, just fuckin' do it 'cause it feels good!

Dr Flexi Jerkoff: *inhales* Good! There's oxygen on this planet.