Alien: Ore

Last updated
Alien: Ore
Directed byThe Spear Sisters [1]
(Kailey & Sam Spear)
Written byThe Spear Sisters [2]
(Kailey & Sam Spear)
Based on
Alien
by
Produced byVictoria Burkheart
Synnöve Godeseth
StarringMikela Jay
CinematographyGraham & Nelson Talbot
Edited byDaniel Jeffery
Production
companies
Distributed by IGN
20th Century Fox
Release dates
  • April 19, 2019 (2019-04-19)(IGN)
  • May 3, 2019 (2019-05-03)(Fox)
Running time
11 minutes
CountryUnited States

Alien: Ore is a short film based on the science fiction action media franchise Alien . Released via IGN on April 19, 2019, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the franchise, the film was written and directed by the Spear Sisters, through Tongal Studios and 20th Century Fox. [3] Starring Mikela Jay as Lorraine Hawkes, the film follows a group of Weyland-Yutani miners at the colony of Bowen's Landing who encounter a Xenomorph within the mine where they work.

Contents

The nineteenth short film in the Alien franchise, it received a generally positive critical reception. [4] [5] The 2022 novel Alien: Inferno's Fall follows on from the events of the film, with the father of secondary protagonist Toru McLintock-Riley having lost his life at Bowen's Landing. [6]

Plot

In 2122, [7] following the events of Alien , miner Lorraine Hawkes longs to make a better life for her daughter and grandchildren. [8] But when her shift uncovers the death of a fellow miner at the hands of a xenomorph, Lorraine is forced to choose between escape or defying the orders of Weyland-Yutani management and facing her fears to fight for the safety of her family. [9]

After blinding her android supervisor Hanks, Lorraine ventures into the mine shaft alone, armed with a rock drill, to face off against the xenomorph, joined by her fellow miners wielding their mining tools, as the xenomorph lunges forward. [a]

Cast

Christian Lagasse portrays the titular Xenomorph.

Production

In July 2018, it was reported that 20th Century Fox had joined forces with Tongal Studios to produce a series of Alien short films to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the franchise. [10] [11] [12] By March 2019, the details of the short films were released, Tongal co-founder and CEO James DeJulio describing the joint-production as "reflective of Tongal's mission to bring creative opportunities to the next generation of talent." [13] [14] The fourth short released and the nineteenth overall in the franchise, Alien: Ore was written and directed by the Spear Sisters (Kailey & Sam Spear), one of three different stories they pitched, using a xenomorph model built by Image Engine, and storyboarded by Kaitlyn Hunter, pre-production having lasted three months from July 25 to October 22, 2018, filming in the Britannia Mine Museum copper mine outside of Vancouver, British Columbia from October 22 to November 2, 2018. [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21]

Release

Alien: Ore was released on the IGN website on April 19, 2019, after which it was uploaded to the Alien Universe website, and all Alien social media pages on May 5, 2019, the short film then premiering alongside five others at the Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle, [13] and as a Movies Anywhere-exclusive bonus feature accompanying the digital release of Alien.

Reception

Alien: Ore received a positive critical reception. Brian Silliman of Syfy complimented the film for "do[ing] a good job of not showing too much [like] the first Alien film [while] celebrat[ing] it in style", [4] with John Squires of Bloody Disgusting! describing it as "feeling quite true to everything the Alien franchise has become known for. Think Aliens meets… My Bloody Valentine !". [5]

Notes

  1. ↑ The 2022 novel Alien: Inferno's Fall reveals the miners to have all died fighting the xenomorph.

References

  1. ↑ Meet the Filmmakers | Alien: Ore | The Spear Sisters | Alien Anthology. Alien Anthology . 20th Century Fox. April 19, 2019. Retrieved April 19, 2019– via YouTube.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ↑ Squires, John (April 16, 2019). "[Teaser] New Short Film 'Alien: Ore' Brings More 40th Anniversary Space Terror This Friday". Bloody Disgusting! . Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  3. ↑ Perkins, Martha (June 22, 2019). "Video: Spear Sisters Release New Film While They Bask in Leo Win". Bowen Island Undercurrent . Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  4. 1 2 Silliman, Brian (April 19, 2019). "Corporate Greed Puts Workers in Danger Yet Again in New Alien Short Film, Ore". Syfy . Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  5. 1 2 Squires, John (April 19, 2019). "[Video]'Alien: Ore' is the Most Must-Watch 40th Anniversary 'Alien' Short Film So Far". Bloody Disgusting! . Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  6. ↑ Ballantine, Philippa; Carija, Clara (July 26, 2022). Alien: Inferno's Fall (1st ed.). Titan Books. ISBN   978-1-7890-9994-2 . Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  7. ↑ Wilson, Angel (March 29, 2024). "The Ultimate Guide to the 'Alien' Film Franchise". The Geekiary. Retrieved March 29, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ↑ "Ore"| Alien Anthology. Alien Anthology . 20th Century Fox. April 16, 2019. Retrieved April 16, 2019– via YouTube.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ↑ Flowers, Maisy (July 11, 2020). "Every Alien Prequel Short Film & What They Revealed". Screen Rant . Retrieved July 11, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Alien 40th Anniversary Shorts Project on Tongal.com". Tongal Studios . March 29, 2019. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  11. ↑ Squires, John (July 26, 2018). "Pre-Production Has Begun On Six 'Alien' Universe Short Films". Bloody Disgusting! . Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  12. ↑ Banks, Nick (July 28, 2018). "20th Century Fox Selects Six Filmmakers to Create Short Films Set Inside the 'Alien' Universe". Horror News Network - The Horror News You Need!. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  13. 1 2 McMillan, Graeme (March 13, 2019). "'Alien' Celebrating 40th Anniversary With 6 Short Films". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  14. ↑ Billington, Alex (March 13, 2019). "A Quick Teaser Trailer for Fox's Six New 'Alien' Universe Short Films". First Showing. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  15. ↑ Van der Waard, Nick (May 24, 2019). "Alien: Ore (2019) Q & A, Kailey and Sam: Making Alien: Ore, Part One". Nick's Movie Insights. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  16. ↑ Mindling, Maddie (April 23, 2019). "Creator Interview: Kailey and Sam Spear on the Making of Alien: Ore". Tongal Studios . Retrieved April 23, 2019.
  17. ↑ Van der Waard, Nick (May 31, 2019). "Alien: Ore (2019) Q & A, Kailey and Sam: Making Alien: Ore, Part Two". Nick's Movie Insights. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  18. ↑ Image Engine VFX Studio [@ImageEngine] (August 30, 2019). "C R E A T U R E S – Image Engine artists built and animated the alien asset of Alien: Ore, using the design and performance seen in the original films as inspiration. https://vimeo.com/339395280" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  19. ↑ "Alien: Ore Xenomorph VFX Breakdown Reel". Image Engine . August 30, 2019. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  20. ↑ Van der Waard, Nick (September 20, 2019). "Alien: Ore (2019) Q & A, Ambrose Gardener, Part 2". Nick's Movie Insights. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  21. ↑ Spear, Lauren (August 3, 2023). "On the Value of Working as a Team". The Creative Independent. Retrieved August 3, 2023. Our biggest VFX short so far was Alien: Ore. We worked with the company Image Engine and they did an absolutely amazing job creating the Xenomorph and building out our world to extend beyond what we could actually shoot live. It allowed us to expand our ideas and form the unique setting of Bowen's Landing.
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