Alien Vault: The Definitive Story of the Making of the Film - Hardcover

Nathan, Ian

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0760341125 ISBN 13: 9780760341124

Publisher: Voyageur Press (MN), 2011

Synopsis

For over thirty years, audiences have been simultaneously captivated and appalled as the spaceship Nostromo is invaded and its crew stalked by a terrifying parasitic creature. From the gore of the infant alien bursting from Kane's chest to the mounting claustrophobia as Ripley discovers the monster has followed her into the escape shuttle, Alien is a chilling masterpiece.

Now, Alien Vault: The Definitive Story of the Making of the Film opens a portal into the making of this legendary film, tracing its path from embryonic concept to fully fledged box office phenomenon.

Featured herein are director Ridley Scott's own annotated storyboards, Polaroids and script pages; the elegant but disturbing concept artwork of H.R. Giger; sketches and construction blueprints for the Nostromo; costume designs by Moebius; a treasure trove of never-before-seen photographs of the cast and crew; and ten meticulously reproduced artifacts, enclosed in vellum envelopes, for readers to remove and examine more closely.

Fully authorized and illustrated throughout, Alien Vault is the ultimate tribute to a movie that changed cinema forever.

About this title

Review

FEAR.net, October 11, 2011
The problem with most "vaults" -- scrapbooks, if you will, offering a variety of paper ephemera devoted to a specific genre franchise -- is that the bulk of any such franchise is pretty lame. (If I'm paying top dollar for a Star Wars boutique item, I'd prefer that eighty percent of it not be devoted to prequels and spin-offs.) Fortunately for fans of Ridley Scott's sci-fi horror masterpiece, such is not the case with The Alien Vault, a handsome, lavishly illustrated slipcased book packed with concept art, designs, photos and info on the original classic (no AvP nonsense here, thank you very much). While at 176 pages I'm not sure it is, as it boasts, the "definitive story of the making of the film," it's certainly the most gorgeous; and the first vault I've seen that -- though affordably priced -- is worth every penny one puts into it. Now I just need an Aliens Vault and my life will be complete. SUVUDU.com, October 1, 2011
This is the single most comprehensive volume on the making of the original classic film that I ve ever seen. Author Ian Nathan s beautifully packaged book begins with the film s embryonic stage to its final explosive burst into the horrified psyche of the American public. Full of exclusive interviews, never before seen script notes, photos, behind the scenes stories and more, this is the definitive guide to this groundbreaking film. I imagine that this is going to be on a lot of fans Christmas lists this year. Cinema Spy, October 8, 2011
Finally, somebody took on the task of chronicling the production, from script to final cut: author and executive editor of Empire Magazine Ian Nathan. In it, Nathan has collated interviews and anecdotes, and amassed a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes material that has rarely been seen before and Voyageur Press Alien Vault is the result. How does it fare? Well, the writing is clear, concise, and makes for an entertaining and informative read, and the pages are illustrated with a good number of never-before-seen photos, paintings and screen captures. Particularly interesting is the description of how the project came to be, from the initial inspirations to the studio green light. I especially liked the on-set accounts of the filming of key scenes... Making the Movie (blog), October 10, 2011 Part book, part fetish object, Alien Vault lives up to its subtitle. I cannot imagine a more definitive tome on the seminal sci-fi/horror film Alien. With creature concept art by H.R. Giger, scads of intimate behind-the-scenes photos and duplicates of script pages cramped with director Ridley Scott's handwritten notes, author Ian Nathan and publisher Voyageur Press amply illustrate the making of the film.

"

The Retroist, October 21, 2011
This book I truly believe lives up to it s title, this is the definitive source on the making of Alien. It is superbly written and I can say that for any fan of the film they need to add this book to their collection.
YES! Weekly (print and online), October 26, 2011
Even the most jaded and knowledgeable Alien aficionado will be amazed by the breadth and depth of research Nathan has done. The book truly is everything you ever wanted to know about Alien but were afraid (for whatever reason!) to ask. In addition to conducting extensive interviews with the film s creative team, Nathan has also packed the volume with behind-the-scenes photographs (some never-before-seen) and a variety of inserts and enclosures, including reproductions of Ridley Scott s storyboards, HR Giger s conceptual art, sketches, blueprints, advertising materials and more.

"

Topless Robot, October 17, 2011 All in all, the Alien Vault is a fitting testament to a film that has not only fresh and frightening in the 30-plus years since its original release, but has rightfully become a cinematic classic.

"

io9, October 20, 2011

The new book Alien Vault gives you a terrific insight into the insane amount of craftsmanship -- and the craftsmanlike touches of insanity -- that went into Ridley Scott's Alien. Ian Nathan's new book is a ridiculously comprehensive and beautifully assembled tribute to one of science fiction's all-time great movies. Portland Mercury (online), November 1, 2011For those who've watched all the Blu-rays and dug through every yellowed issue of Starlog, much of this info will be familiar, but as a total experience--combining the stories of writing, producing, shooting, and editing the film, right alongside rare and frequently striking images from its preproduction, production, and marketing phases--Alien Vault feels more unified and cohesive than previous looks at the making of the film. Here's hoping Nathan has plans for a similar book--an Aliens tome in this format feels like the obvious next step, but I'd almost rather see Nathan follow Scott to the set of his follow-up to Alien Another damn-near perfect film, 1982's Blade Runner. Book Legion, November 1, 2011The vault is a hardcover book with a nice slipcase that features the iconic image of the alien egg with the green burst coming from the crack. The book opens up to reveal page after page of in-depth and detailed information about the film, along with reproductions of various affirmia and collectibles from the era. This book is without a doubt our favorite book of the fall and is a MUST have for any respectable sci-fi nerd! This one is a complete WIN!

FEAR.net, October 11, 2011
"The problem with most "vaults" -- scrapbooks, if you will, offering a variety of paper ephemera devoted to a specific genre franchise -- is that the bulk of any such franchise is pretty lame. (If I'm paying top dollar for a Star Wars boutique item, I'd prefer that eighty percent of it not be devoted to prequels and spin-offs.) Fortunately for fans of Ridley Scott's sci-fi horror masterpiece, such is not the case with The Alien Vault, a handsome, lavishly illustrated slipcased book packed with concept art, designs, photos and info on the original classic (no AvP nonsense here, thank you very much). While at 176 pages I'm not sure it is, as it boasts, the "definitive story of the making of the film," it's certainly the most gorgeous; and the first vault I've seen that -- though affordably priced -- is worth every penny one puts into it. Now I just need an Aliens Vault and my life will be complete." SUVUDU.com, October 1, 2011
"This is the single most comprehensive volume on the making of the original classic film that I've ever seen. Author Ian Nathan's beautifully packaged book begins with the film's embryonic stage to its final explosive burst into the horrified psyche of the American public. Full of exclusive interviews, never before seen script notes, photos, behind the scenes stories and more, this is the definitive guide to this groundbreaking film. I imagine that this is going to be on a lot of fans' Christmas lists this year." Cinema Spy, October 8, 2011
"Finally, somebody took on the task of chronicling the production, from script to final cut: author and executive editor of Empire Magazine Ian Nathan. In it, Nathan has collated interviews and anecdotes, and amassed a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes material that has rarely been seen before... and Voyageur Press' Alien Vault is the result. How does it fare? Well, the writing is clear, concise, and makes for an entertaining and informative read, and the pages are illustrated with a good number of never-before-seen photos, paintings and screen captures. Particularly interesting is the description of how the project came to be, from the initial inspirations to the studio green light. I especially liked the on-set accounts of the filming of key scenes..." Making the Movie (blog), October 10, 2011"Part book, part fetish object, Alien Vault lives up to its subtitle. I cannot imagine a more definitive tome on the seminal sci-fi/horror film Alien. With creature concept art by H.R. Giger, scads of intimate behind-the-scenes photos and duplicates of script pages cramped with director Ridley Scott's handwritten notes, author Ian Nathan and publisher Voyageur Press amply illustrate the making of the film."

The Insider.com (CBS Television online), September 28, 2011
"As the excitement builds towards the release of Prometheus, a brand-new book on the making of Alien has arrived: Alien Vault: The Definitive Story of the Making of the Film. Written by Empire magazine executive editor Ian Nathan, the book is a film geek's dream, with amazing, never-before-seen photos and insightful, new details about one of my all-time favorite films in crisp detail with a colorful layout. The handsome hardcover also features the added interactive element of vellum envelopes containing cool, meticulously recreated artifacts -- "show-and-tell" style sleeves containing posters, storyboards, blueprints, Giger art, a Nostromo logo sticker and much more -- to enhance the experience. "As I sponged up page after page of revelations from the Vault, it dawned on me that with all the time I spend time web surfing, watching movies and TV, reading magazines and just being social, that I haven't actually read a book cover to cover in years. Scarier than the Facehugger itself, I know. But I broke that streak with Alien Vault, and for good reason. "I guess in space, no one can hear you read?" AVPGalaxy.com, September 20, 2011
"Ian Nathan writes with a passion that only a fan can. It almost felt as if I was sat across from him, talking to him and hearing the excitement in his voice as we discussed his favorite movie. If Nathan considers this a biography of Alien then he a very close friend determined to tell its story...It collates plenty of information from multiple sources (all indexed at the back of the book) and is quite probably the paper equivalent of the Quadrilogy set in that it's detailed but not quite "definitive" yet. Ian Nathan has written with so much passion and love you can't help but want to go pop that disc in the Blu-ray player again. If you can spare the pennies or find a good deal it's definitely worth picking up." (4 out of 5 stars)

Topless Robot, October 17, 2011"All in all, the Alien Vault is a fitting testament to a film that has not only fresh and frightening in the 30-plus years since its original release, but has rightfully become a cinematic classic."

The Retroist, October 21, 2011
"This book I truly believe lives up to it's title, this is the definitive source on the making of Alien. It is superbly written and I can say that for any fan of the film they need to add this book to their collection."
YES! Weekly (print and online), October 26, 2011
"Even the most jaded and knowledgeable Alien aficionado will be amazed by the breadth and depth of research Nathan has done. The book truly is everything you ever wanted to know about Alien but were afraid (for whatever reason!) to ask. In addition to conducting extensive interviews with the film's creative team, Nathan has also packed the volume with behind-the-scenes photographs (some never-before-seen) and a variety of inserts and enclosures, including reproductions of Ridley Scott's storyboards, HR Giger's conceptual art, sketches, blueprints, advertising materials and more."

About the Author

Ian Nathan is a film critic, author, producer, broadcaster and journalist based in London. Previously the executive editor of Empire, the world's leading film magazine, Ian has regularly contributed to books, newspapers such as the London Times and Independent and various magazines. He is the author of the Alien Vault, Tim Burton and Terminator Vault for Aurum Press.

Edition details

• Publisher: Voyageur Press (MN)
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0760341125
• ISBN 13: 9780760341124
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 176