Prometheus Review, Symbols and Themes

Prometheus, directed and produced by Ridley Scott, had quite a bit of hype, especially from me. It was great, and had a few plot holes in the second half that didn't quite ruin it, but were unpleasant. Many viewers will not "get it" if they have not seen and remember the original Alien movie. It's not just another shoot-em-up sci-fi movie, it's a pretty big deal for fans of the series. If you plan on seeing Prometheus and don't remember the 1979 Alien film or haven't seen it, I think it's essential that you watch Alien first.

The characters were good. Not phenomenal, but good. And the acting was excellent, for the most part. I felt sorry for the archaeologist, Elizabeth Shaw, and I just wanted to give her a hug the whole second half of the movie. The android, David, was also a memorable character. Elements of Blade Runner were present in this character, specifically the idea of the "tears in the rain" monologue. In fact, the actor for the android avoided watching the original Alien movies, and instead got the inspiration for his character from Blade Runner.

The two screen writers, John Spaihts and Damon Lindelof (co-creator of Lost), did a decent job. Spaihts is somewhat new to the writing scene, but has experience writing sci-fi. He wrote the original script, but then Lindelof rewrote it, probably fixing some things while creating more plot holes. I think it was the script that took away the most from the film. I don't know which writer is more responsible. But I'd be willing to go out on a limb and say Lindelof, considering he's been writing about being stranded on a tropical island for years, and then suddenly jumps into the sci-fi genre. Seriously, someone who once wrote for a MTV show called Undressed--clearly a sign of writing just for money--has no business messing with the Alien universe. I just had to let that out.

The cinematography was amazing. Just as expected from a Ridley Scott movie. The intro shots were especially good, and the imagery provided in the opening scene let me know that Scott had not forgotten that important part of Alien. Most of Scott's movies are deep and full of thematic elements. He did not disappoint with this one.

SPOILERS BELOW

The movie opens with a humanoid, pale alien standing on top of a waterfall on Earth, probably tens of thousands of years ago. He drinks a black liquid (which seems to be alive) and we witness rapid changes in his DNA, as the strands are twisted apart. His skin starts to deteriorate and he falls into the waterfall, with his limbs falling apart. He dies and supposedly plants his DNA in Earth, so it can have life. I think the purpose of this scene is to show that the humanoid aliens are responsible for life on Earth.

The first half of the movie is the best. I appreciate buildup. The two main scientists are trying to discover these "Engineers" on an alien planet, indicated by star maps found across Earth. The Engineers are assumed to be the creators of human life; the humanoid at the beginning scene was an Engineer. I find it funny that Meredith, the Weyland Corporation employee, is so controlling of their expedition. It's allegorical to PhD researchers who have to deal with being controlled all the time.

Throughout the first half especially, it was surprisingly philosophical and spiritual. I know that Ridley Scott wanted to take it this way; he believes that most science fiction films don't cover these topics, when they should. During their transit to the alien planet, which takes two years in cryosleep, David (the android) observes Shaw's (the female archaeologist) dreams. In the dream she is a little girl with her dad on what seems to be a digging expedition. A cross necklace appears over the image in the dream a few times; this symbol becomes important later on. She and her dad discuss what happens after death, and her dad says it's something like paradise. She asks why he says so, and he replies "because that's what I choose to believe."

David, being an android who is troubled by his existence, is the main cause of all the trouble that ensues. At one point he asks Charlie Holloway (Shaw's love interest) why they created him. Holloway replies "because we could." David goes on to ask if Holloway would be satisfied if he asked his creator that question, and got the same answer. There are many points like this in the movie, which help propagate the existential dilemma that exists in the human mind. The whole philosophical part of the movie is based around the "greatest question," regarding who/what created us and why, who created the creator and why, and so on. I think the important conclusion in the movie to this question, is that there is no answer, and never will be. It's about living with existence and enjoying it best you can.

It's not exactly known why David infects Holloway with the black fluid. It's either due to his immense curiosity or receiving orders from Peter Weyland, who is secretly hiding on the ship. After Holloway is infected by taking the drink offered to him by David, he visits Shaw in her room. She's found that the Engineer's DNA is a match to human DNA. Holloway says they've found their creators, and tells her she can take her father's cross off now. She refuses to, saying that they don't know who created their creators.

We learn that Shaw is unable to bear children, and she's quite upset about it. The two proceed to sleep together that night. And it's easy to see it coming that whatever was in Holloway's system would be in her system now. On their next expedition outside, Holloway becomes too sick and ends up volunteering to be immolated, to avoid spreading the infection. The event was traumatic for Shaw, but Holloway's death didn't have much of an impact on the plot.

After Holloway's death, David is checking Shaw for infections in the medical bay. David insists that she takes off her cross necklace for the body scan. She complies and David takes the cross. She learns that she is three months pregnant. It's also revealed that it is "not a traditional fetus." Almost immediately after learning this, she says "I want it out" and screams "get it out of me."Â Just ten hours ago, she was desperate to have a child, and now she wants an abortion. She doesn't know whether or not it's dangerous, but she assumes it is. David reflects on the circumstances and says "it must feel like your God abandoned you." The symbolism here is obvious.

The next scene is one of the most disturbing I've seen in a movie, not just because of the graphic aspect, but the emotion as well. Shaw escapes from the medical bay and finds the emergency surgery pod, in hopes to remove the developing fetus. She finds out that the pod is meant for male patients only, after requesting a caesarean section. I find it odd that it would be calibrated for male patients only. There's a symbolic importance in this, I haven't quite figured it out yet. She proceeds to have a "foreign body" removal surgery instead, and injects herself with painkillers and enters the pod. The painkillers are not enough for anesthesia, and the process is painful. Her lower stomach is slit open and a mechanical arm reaches in and pulls out the alien fetus, which begins squirming violently, trying to get back inside her stomach.

She's now trapped inside the surgery pod with the partially developed alien baby being held above her, as her stomach is stitched back up. She manages to get out of the pod and contain the alien inside. Since it was moving around in her stomach, it was probably gestated enough to survive on its own outside. I think Ridley Scott was referring to this scene and a few others when he was asked about the rating and said "the question is, do you go for the PG-13, or do you go for what it should be, which is R? Financially it makes quite a difference... essentially it's kinda R... it's not just about blood, it's about ideas that are very stressful."

What happened next really threw me off. She re-enters the medical bay and it is revealed that Peter Weyland, the founder of the Weyland company, is alive and aboard the ship. The main reason this threw me off is because the mood set from the last scene was completely lost and forgotten. There is no mention ever made by anyone of the alien fetus that was inside Shaw. But her pain is still clearly presented.

So Peter Weyland is much too old to be alive (obviously being kept alive by technology--transhumanism) and wishes to ask the Engineers to extend his life. His character is someone who has not accepted death, and is desperately clinging to life. In order for him to walk into the buried ship with the Engineers, he must have mechanical assistance from a suit he wears. He doesn't even get to ask his question to the awakened Engineer before being pummeled to death by it. I guess he got his answer.

The Engineer that was awakened doesn't appear that intelligent, even though they are presented as super-intelligent beings. He refuses trying to communicate with the humans and just resorts to killing them. He then readies the ship in order to go to Earth and spread the black liquid among the population, which appears to be a biological weapon at this point, which mutates humans into overpowered monsters. This is the part of the plot that's annoying, it feels like it was just kind of thrown in there.

The captain back on the human ship decides to sacrifice himself to bring down the ship by suicide bombing it, to prevent Earth from being destroyed. The two other crew members on the bridge agree to sacrifice themselves as well. They had previously made a bet, and one agrees to pay up "on the other side." The cinematography at work here is clearly stating the importance of their belief in the afterlife. They raise their hands, as if riding a roller coaster, before they collide with the alien ship. It's noticeable that the daughter of Peter Weyland is also desperately clinging to life. We see her struggling to make it to an escape pod and put on a space suit in time. She makes it out, but is still crushed by the crashing alien ship, revealing that her struggle was meaningless.

Shaw manages to survive the crash and makes it back to the surgery pod room where the alien that she carried is contained. It has grown to be huge and resembles an octopus (which was actually Dan O'Bannon's original idea of the facehugger). David, who has been decapitated but is still functioning, radios her and warns her of the Engineer who is approaching the ship. I'm not sure why the Engineer found it necessary to try and kill her. Maybe he was just angry after his ship crashed, or trying to eliminate all the humans that were left. When the Engineer enters, she opens the containment area and the octopus alien is released. I'm going to call it the Master Facehugger, since it's basically a very large facehugger and starts the whole process of the queen alien, except it resembles a sea monster more than a crab or a spider. So the Master Facehugger grabs hold of the Engineer while Shaw escapes, and latches onto him to begin the process of alien gestation.

After Shaw finds David, she asks him where her cross necklace is. It seems that after finding David and putting the necklace on, she has regained her strength to keep going. Just before this, she was lying on the ground, telling David "I can't do this anymore." After that, she puts David's head in a duffel bag and gets out of the ship (this generated many laughs in the theatre). Most of the ending dialogue between Shaw and David was weak and not well thought out.

Death acceptance and death denial are huge thematic elements. During the dream early in the film, Shaw as a little girl saw a man being carried in a funeral and asked her dad why he died. Her dad says, "sooner or later, everyone dies." It sometimes seems, that part of the crew is clinging to their current life, and the other part may be clinging to the afterlife. It proposes the question--what does it mean to accept death? It's symbolic to the never-ending struggle to find peace with existence.

The theme regarding motherhood and abortion is also important. A friend of mine pointed out an interesting fact in the Aliens film. When Ripley finds the queen alien, it's kind of a horrifying scene, and she has all of her eggs around her and is violent, in a less-than-happy situation. That particular movie was released during a time when feminism was starting to become successful. The Alien franchise has always carried a subliminal message.

For those who don't believe Alien movies have an underlying message, read what the screenwriter for the 1979 movie, Dan O'Bannon, said: "One thing that people are all disturbed about is sex... I said 'That's how I'm going to attack the audience; I'm going to attack them sexually. And I'm not going to go after the women in the audience, I'm going to attack the men. I am going to put in every image I can think of to make the men in the audience cross their legs. Homosexual oral rape, birth. The thing lays its eggs down your throat, the whole number.'"

So, in reality, there's much more going on in movies than most people are aware of. Only certain people will see it, and some will interpret it differently. That's alright, that's what art is meant for.

Another thing worth mentioning are the snake-like monsters they found. Before those appeared, an earthworm was shown in the soil around the area. So after the black liquid was released, the earthworm must have been infected and morphed into the monster.

Also, the ending sequence of the Xenomorph (black colored alien) leaves more questions. It would seem that it is the queen alien, and it proceeds to lay eggs in the crashed ship, which they find in the original movie. If it's not the queen alien, then there's still the possibility of using the other live Engineers that are sleeping for gestation. Either way, it makes enough sense to proceed to the original movie. Although, the Space Jockey scene is not exactly explained. Note: these were my original thoughts on the Xenomorph at the end, right after viewing. It's been confirmed that they are actually on a different planetoid.

There has been some speculation that the pale-skinned humanoid aliens are not the Engineers. I'd consider this a definite possibility, which opens up another great batch of questions. Looks like we'll have to wait for a sequel to Prometheus to know for sure.

Overall, it's a very thought provoking and stunning film. The visual effects and sound were incredible, and the use of CGI didn't take anything away from the movie. In the end, however, the original 1979 Alien will always be the most memorable one.

youtube.com/watch?v=iIJeQNyZ6VE. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Small Towns Without Movie Theaters Show Movies Outdoors

Outdoor movie events bring the movie theater experience outside to create a fun and unique cinema experience. Modern equipment allow outdoor movie viewers to enjoy the same high quality experience enjoyed by traditional movie house patrons. For towns without movie theaters, outdoor movies are a great alternative.

Currently, there are small towns all over the country without cinema complexes. By 2013, more small movie-picture theaters could be closing their doors when the movie industry switches to all-digital technology. Films will no longer be released in traditional 35 millimeter film prints, and theaters without the technology to show digital films will be forced to shut down. The cost of converting to digital in a movie house is around $65,000, leaving this conversion out of reach for many small, older movie theaters.

There are already many towns without a motion picture theater, and this change will lead to more. Residents of towns like this are left with the options of missing out on these movies or traveling to a town with a movie theater. Portable inflatable cinema technology gives these communities another option: outdoor cinema.

Inflatable movie screens are available in a variety of sizes to fit into many different locations, and accommodate small or large crowds. High quality theatrical screens and HD projectors, along with clear sound, bring the movie theater experience to any location. An outdoor movie can be held almost anywhere; holding it at a historic site or downtown can enhance the experience and make it more special for the community.

Going out to see a new movie with friends or family is a completely different experience than watching it at home. Small towns without theaters and those that stand to lose a theater with the digital conversion will be missing out. Outdoor cinema technology can provide a replacement that sometimes proves to be even better than a traditional movie theater.

Movies under the stars provide entertainment and can bring a community together. Event organizers can take their pick of locations, maybe a popular community park, or another location that is special to the community. An outdoor cinema also allows community members to come together and watch a movie all at the same time, rather than being limited by the size of a movie theater. Outdoor movies are being shown in communities all over, to provide a unique cinema experience. For towns without traditional movie theaters, outdoor cinema is even more special. In these towns, outdoor movies replace the movie theater experience by providing another cinema option. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

The Rise To Fame of Classic Zombie Movies

When it comes to classic zombie movies, everyone has their own favorites, and most can still remember the first time they sat in front of the television, watching a black and white portrayal of the undead slowly, but determinedly, chasing down their bumbling prey. Classic zombie movies are still a favorite amongst diehard fans, because they lend an element of gritty morbidity that pop culture based movies seem to lack these days; while this shouldn't take away from the latest releases within this genre, it definitely adds to the authority of the films that preceded them.

The reason why classic zombie movies seem to come with the tag line this is what actual zombies are supposed to look like, is because the archetype for these creatures stemmed from the Voodoo religion, which is, in essence, Haitian. When William S. Seabrook returned from his voyage to Haiti and published his travelogue, The magic island, westerners found themselves enthralled with the concept of a creature that rises from the grave due to the powers of a sorcerer called a Brokor. This fascination led to some of the best classic films on the subject, and all within a matter of a few decades.

Bela Lugosi's 'White Zombie' is perhaps one of the most famous classic films on this subject. It follows the story of a prosperous businessman by the name of Murder Legendre, based in Haiti, who has the power to transform men into zombies. When a man falls in love with a woman who is to marry someone else, he approaches the voodoo master for assistance, who then turns his beloved into a zombie. The movie itself is said to closely follow the writings of Seabrook, even going as far as mentioning the potion that was supposed to turn corpses into the undead slaves of the voodoo priest.

George Romero's 'The Night of the Living Dead' was another classic which altered the face of this genre, and remakes of this film continue to be released up until today. The film was released in 1968 and its reception was marked by shock and outrage, although when this subsided, it quickly became one of the penultimate favorite films on the subject. One of the reasons for its initial negative reception was the fact that it was gory, contained nudity, and the protagonist of the film was ultimately killed in the end. Basically, this film was unlike any other that had been released in the past, and it remains one of the most popular films based on the undead to date.

'The Night of the Living Dead' did not only alter the horror genre; it also added to the lore and myth surrounding these supernatural creatures. In the past, zombies were the creation of dark voodoo priests, but in this feature, they could transfer their supernatural abilities to others through a bite. The film also references methods on how to kill these creatures - shoot them through the head- which has become the first method of defense against the undead in countless films and games to date.

While classic zombie movies might have changed slightly during the first few decades when they began making their debuts on big screens all over the world, one thing remains certain; they inspired a fascination with these creatures that continues to thrive today. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Auf Wiedersehen, Pet Locations

When the show hit our screens in the early 1980's, it was the time before the internet, so finding out information like where the show was filmed was not easy. In modern times, you simply have to type in what you are looking for, and within seconds you have your answer.

Filming for the first 2 series of the show was mostly done in the UK, with London, Newcastle and Nottingham being used for outdoor locations. In series 1, many locations around London doubled on screen for areas of Newcastle, with only keen eyed viewers in 1983 knowing the difference.

In 1986, the show returned to our screens for a second series, and locations such as Newcastle, Wolverhampton and Spain being used on screen. Nottinghamshire was used for almost all of the UK filming, with the exception of a few scenes being filmed in Newcastle. Wolverhampton on screen was actually Beeston, Nottinghamshire and even an indoor scene in a Spanish pub was actually filmed also on location in Beeston.

It does take a very keen eyed viewer to notice that it is not where it says it is on screen, but many die hard fans of the show, will know exact spots where the cast such as Jimmy Nail and Kevin Whately stood and said there lines.

In 2002, the show was revived by the BBC, and places such as Middlesbrough were used. Newcastle was used also this time, and the show spread it's wings wide and filming was also done on location in Page, Arizona, USA.

2004, saw the 4th and also last 2 episodes of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet being shown on UK screens. This time the location on screen was Cuba, but as they could not acquire a license to film their, the Dominican Republic was used instead. At the end of 2004 2 episodes were shown over the Christmas period, and this brought an end to almost 25 years of the show being on our screens. Thailand was used on screen for these 2 final episodes, featuring 5 of the original cast. Sadly in 1986, Gary Holton died whilst filming the second series of the show, and then in 2004 Pat Roach died of cancer, and did not appear in the final episodes.

If you are going to travel around the UK or even the world looking for Auf Wiedersehen, Pet locations, then please remember that many of these places are private property. I have always been welcomed to the places I have visited, and most love the fast that their property or land was used on such an iconic tv show. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Television Influence on Small Children

The Greek and Latin languages are where the word 'television' has its origin. The word is a derivative from 'tele', which is a Greek word translates, to 'far sight' and 'visio' is a Latin word that means 'sight.' In the latter part of the 1930s, the television made its way to the commercial markets. These days, television is the single most popular type of audio-visual in commercial set-ups and home. Merely mentioning the word 'television' calls to mind a medium which assists individuals in keeping abreast with entertainment issues and current affairs. No longer is the television set a single communication unit. The television has evolved in the complexity of the design to transmit recorded material that is stored on Blu-ray discs, laser discs, DVDs and video cassettes.

Television History

The television history spans over time zones and regions, in view of the fact that the technology has evolved in different places and at different times. This communication system, as it is known these days, is not the brainchild of any one specific inventor. The process has taken the endeavours of a number of engineers, over several decades, to develop along various overlapping designs, to utilize commonly accepted electronic and mechanical principles. Despite the fact that electromechanical television sets have been abandoned for the completely electronic, ultra-modern designs, the fundamental design rests on the discovery of selenium photo-conductivity in 1873. That discovery which was made by Willoughby Smith brought about the scanning disk invention from Paul Gottlieb Nipkow in 1884. In 1926, a demonstration of televised moving images was carried out by John Logie Baird, that technology was joined with the image dissector that was designed in 1927 by Philo Farnsworth, to provide viewers with the fundamental principles of the television that we currently know.

These days, the world of television is discovered by children at an incredibly tender age. A number of studies have indicated that kids who are younger than 6 years old watch television, DVD or video on a daily basis, at an average of 2 hours. In a number of instances, watching television can be useful, particularly the wildlife and educational programs that have the capacity to broaden the understanding and knowledge of your child in relation to the world around him or her. In addition, it can introduce them to a variety of communities and cultures of the world. However, at the moment the negative effects are seemingly outweighing the uplifting ones.

The Negative Influences of Television on Children

The formative years in the life of child, particularly the first two to three years, are vital to the mental growth and development of the child. Those are the years in which a child learns by way of interacting, observing, playing and discovering new things. As a result, these first few years are extremely vital for the physical and mental development. Therefore, a pattern of watching television excessively could hinder his or her social activities such as spending quality time with members of the family, reading and playing with friends.

There are a number of television programs that portray extreme violence and this could induce lots of changes in behaviour in young children. In view of the fact that kids can relate easily to what is being shown on the television screen, they will be more prone to imitating the behaviour that is depicted. As a result, you may notice aggressive behaviour in your child. In addition, it could cause the little one to develop sleeping disorders and have nightmares because his or her sense of anxiety and fear has been stimulated by what is shown on the television. In addition to this, it will possibly result in creating confusion in the mind of the young child as it relates to knowing the difference between good and bad. That is because parents most likely teach their kids that aggression and violence is bad but the program on the television will possibly show the heroes or 'good guys' perpetrating violence.

Apart from the violence, drinking and smoking scenes are depicted widely in commercials and television programs, without giving an explanation of the unfavourable consequences. The repeated and continuous exposure to these programs will make children feel as though these activities are quite acceptable and normal. As a result, kids who watch these programs on a regular basis are a great deal more likely to mimic and develop these unhealthy habits from an early stage in their development.

In the developed world, obesity is a widespread problem and television is among the important factors that are responsible for the increasing incidences of obesity among kids. Excessive watching of television decreases physical activities of the kids and simultaneously amplifies the popularity of unhealthy foods, such as potato chips, soft drinks and other snacks that they see on the commercials. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Home Vs Commercial Use Inflatable Movie Screens, Difference In Quality

Since the invention of the first inflatable movie screen by AIRSCREEN of Germany in 1994, many different styles of blowup movie screens have come on the market. While all of the same purpose which is to be a portable means for showing movies outdoors, there are some notable differences in a home use and commercial use outdoor screen system.

HOME USE INFLATABLE MOVIE SCREENS
Home use inflatable screens are usually small in size and are meant for a group showing of 10-15 people which is ideal for a backyard movie night. The quality of materials used on a home use screen is similar to that of a blow up snowman decorations sold in big box stores. To keep the cost down for the personal use market, the manufactures use light-weight thin materials. Light-weight materials also allow for the projection screen to easy to manage and store in small places. Equipped with thin tether ropes, small push stakes, and a fan, the blow screen system is easy to install in minutes in a grassy area of a home yard.

Since the home use portable projection screens have small fans (not blowers) with lightweight materials, the screen frame is not able to stay firm which will case the white projection surface to wrinkle which will affect the picture quality. Starting at a price point of $199, home use inflatable movie screens are affordable for the do-it-your homeowner who desires to host a backyard movie themselves.

COMMERCIAL USE
Consumers looking to buy a screen for home use may find that some manufactures are offering larger sized "commercial screens." Don't be fooled by these larger screens that the manufactures are trying to advertise as commercial. These screens are a lot lower quality than normal commercial screens made of cheaper, thinner materials that may start to have leaks after a short period of time. Typically manufactures selling these screen also sell products such as holiday decorations, and don't have the experience creating a stable, quality commercial movie screen.

One way to tell a true commercial screen is to look for a screen that is made of a heavier weight material such as reinforced PVC. The stronger material with welded or double stitched seams will result in a stronger frame which will be aesthetically wrinkle free as well as be able to withstand wind because of its more solid, stiffer structure. The thicker material and stronger seams also increase the longevity of use of the screen where as after a few uses with a home quality screen you will start to notice leaks which will progressively get worse with every use.

Another area that a commercial screen focuses on is safety. The larger the screen surface, the more impact wind can have on the screen. Similar to a giant sail on a boat, the screen will want to take flight with a strong enough gust of wind. To keep the screen from flying away and potentially injuring the crowd, you will find a minimum of six tether straps with 24? or longer tent stakes on a high quality commercial screen system.

Third a true commercial grade inflatable outdoor movie screen should have a theatrical grade or highly reflective screen surface similar to an indoor movie theater screen. A theatrical grade screen when paired with the correct projection system will produce a vibrant, crisp and colorful picture.

There are many clear, noticeable differences between the quality of a home screen system versus a high quality commercial grade screen system. Although home screens can be alright for using once or twice in a backyard, a commercial screen system will offer an outdoor cinema experience that just can't be matched by a home screen system. From a elegant, highly reflective screen surface, to a safety system that can withhold moderate to strong winds, hiring a professional outdoor movie company will be the correct decision for an unforgettable outdoor movie experience. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Home Vs Commercial Use Inflatable Movie Screens, Difference In Quality

Since the invention of the first inflatable movie screen by AIRSCREEN of Germany in 1994, many different styles of blowup movie screens have come on the market. While all of the same purpose which is to be a portable means for showing movies outdoors, there are some notable differences in a home use and commercial use outdoor screen system.

HOME USE INFLATABLE MOVIE SCREENS
Home use inflatable screens are usually small in size and are meant for a group showing of 10-15 people which is ideal for a backyard movie night. The quality of materials used on a home use screen is similar to that of a blow up snowman decorations sold in big box stores. To keep the cost down for the personal use market, the manufactures use light-weight thin materials. Light-weight materials also allow for the projection screen to easy to manage and store in small places. Equipped with thin tether ropes, small push stakes, and a fan, the blow screen system is easy to install in minutes in a grassy area of a home yard.

Since the home use portable projection screens have small fans (not blowers) with lightweight materials, the screen frame is not able to stay firm which will case the white projection surface to wrinkle which will affect the picture quality. Starting at a price point of $199, home use inflatable movie screens are affordable for the do-it-your homeowner who desires to host a backyard movie themselves.

COMMERCIAL USE
Consumers looking to buy a screen for home use may find that some manufactures are offering larger sized "commercial screens." Don't be fooled by these larger screens that the manufactures are trying to advertise as commercial. These screens are a lot lower quality than normal commercial screens made of cheaper, thinner materials that may start to have leaks after a short period of time. Typically manufactures selling these screen also sell products such as holiday decorations, and don't have the experience creating a stable, quality commercial movie screen.

One way to tell a true commercial screen is to look for a screen that is made of a heavier weight material such as reinforced PVC. The stronger material with welded or double stitched seams will result in a stronger frame which will be aesthetically wrinkle free as well as be able to withstand wind because of its more solid, stiffer structure. The thicker material and stronger seams also increase the longevity of use of the screen where as after a few uses with a home quality screen you will start to notice leaks which will progressively get worse with every use.

Another area that a commercial screen focuses on is safety. The larger the screen surface, the more impact wind can have on the screen. Similar to a giant sail on a boat, the screen will want to take flight with a strong enough gust of wind. To keep the screen from flying away and potentially injuring the crowd, you will find a minimum of six tether straps with 24? or longer tent stakes on a high quality commercial screen system.

Third a true commercial grade inflatable outdoor movie screen should have a theatrical grade or highly reflective screen surface similar to an indoor movie theater screen. A theatrical grade screen when paired with the correct projection system will produce a vibrant, crisp and colorful picture.

There are many clear, noticeable differences between the quality of a home screen system versus a high quality commercial grade screen system. Although home screens can be alright for using once or twice in a backyard, a commercial screen system will offer an outdoor cinema experience that just can't be matched by a home screen system. From a elegant, highly reflective screen surface, to a safety system that can withhold moderate to strong winds, hiring a professional outdoor movie company will be the correct decision for an unforgettable outdoor movie experience. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Small Towns Without Movie Theaters Show Movies Outdoors

Outdoor movie events bring the movie theater experience outside to create a fun and unique cinema experience. Modern equipment allow outdoor movie viewers to enjoy the same high quality experience enjoyed by traditional movie house patrons. For towns without movie theaters, outdoor movies are a great alternative.

Currently, there are small towns all over the country without cinema complexes. By 2013, more small movie-picture theaters could be closing their doors when the movie industry switches to all-digital technology. Films will no longer be released in traditional 35 millimeter film prints, and theaters without the technology to show digital films will be forced to shut down. The cost of converting to digital in a movie house is around $65,000, leaving this conversion out of reach for many small, older movie theaters.

There are already many towns without a motion picture theater, and this change will lead to more. Residents of towns like this are left with the options of missing out on these movies or traveling to a town with a movie theater. Portable inflatable cinema technology gives these communities another option: outdoor cinema.

Inflatable movie screens are available in a variety of sizes to fit into many different locations, and accommodate small or large crowds. High quality theatrical screens and HD projectors, along with clear sound, bring the movie theater experience to any location. An outdoor movie can be held almost anywhere; holding it at a historic site or downtown can enhance the experience and make it more special for the community.

Going out to see a new movie with friends or family is a completely different experience than watching it at home. Small towns without theaters and those that stand to lose a theater with the digital conversion will be missing out. Outdoor cinema technology can provide a replacement that sometimes proves to be even better than a traditional movie theater.

Movies under the stars provide entertainment and can bring a community together. Event organizers can take their pick of locations, maybe a popular community park, or another location that is special to the community. An outdoor cinema also allows community members to come together and watch a movie all at the same time, rather than being limited by the size of a movie theater. Outdoor movies are being shown in communities all over, to provide a unique cinema experience. For towns without traditional movie theaters, outdoor cinema is even more special. In these towns, outdoor movies replace the movie theater experience by providing another cinema option. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Auf Wiedersehen, Pet Locations

When the show hit our screens in the early 1980's, it was the time before the internet, so finding out information like where the show was filmed was not easy. In modern times, you simply have to type in what you are looking for, and within seconds you have your answer.

Filming for the first 2 series of the show was mostly done in the UK, with London, Newcastle and Nottingham being used for outdoor locations. In series 1, many locations around London doubled on screen for areas of Newcastle, with only keen eyed viewers in 1983 knowing the difference.

In 1986, the show returned to our screens for a second series, and locations such as Newcastle, Wolverhampton and Spain being used on screen. Nottinghamshire was used for almost all of the UK filming, with the exception of a few scenes being filmed in Newcastle. Wolverhampton on screen was actually Beeston, Nottinghamshire and even an indoor scene in a Spanish pub was actually filmed also on location in Beeston.

It does take a very keen eyed viewer to notice that it is not where it says it is on screen, but many die hard fans of the show, will know exact spots where the cast such as Jimmy Nail and Kevin Whately stood and said there lines.

In 2002, the show was revived by the BBC, and places such as Middlesbrough were used. Newcastle was used also this time, and the show spread it's wings wide and filming was also done on location in Page, Arizona, USA.

2004, saw the 4th and also last 2 episodes of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet being shown on UK screens. This time the location on screen was Cuba, but as they could not acquire a license to film their, the Dominican Republic was used instead. At the end of 2004 2 episodes were shown over the Christmas period, and this brought an end to almost 25 years of the show being on our screens. Thailand was used on screen for these 2 final episodes, featuring 5 of the original cast. Sadly in 1986, Gary Holton died whilst filming the second series of the show, and then in 2004 Pat Roach died of cancer, and did not appear in the final episodes.

If you are going to travel around the UK or even the world looking for Auf Wiedersehen, Pet locations, then please remember that many of these places are private property. I have always been welcomed to the places I have visited, and most love the fast that their property or land was used on such an iconic tv show. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Prometheus Review, Symbols and Themes

Prometheus, directed and produced by Ridley Scott, had quite a bit of hype, especially from me. It was great, and had a few plot holes in the second half that didn't quite ruin it, but were unpleasant. Many viewers will not "get it" if they have not seen and remember the original Alien movie. It's not just another shoot-em-up sci-fi movie, it's a pretty big deal for fans of the series. If you plan on seeing Prometheus and don't remember the 1979 Alien film or haven't seen it, I think it's essential that you watch Alien first.

The characters were good. Not phenomenal, but good. And the acting was excellent, for the most part. I felt sorry for the archaeologist, Elizabeth Shaw, and I just wanted to give her a hug the whole second half of the movie. The android, David, was also a memorable character. Elements of Blade Runner were present in this character, specifically the idea of the "tears in the rain" monologue. In fact, the actor for the android avoided watching the original Alien movies, and instead got the inspiration for his character from Blade Runner.

The two screen writers, John Spaihts and Damon Lindelof (co-creator of Lost), did a decent job. Spaihts is somewhat new to the writing scene, but has experience writing sci-fi. He wrote the original script, but then Lindelof rewrote it, probably fixing some things while creating more plot holes. I think it was the script that took away the most from the film. I don't know which writer is more responsible. But I'd be willing to go out on a limb and say Lindelof, considering he's been writing about being stranded on a tropical island for years, and then suddenly jumps into the sci-fi genre. Seriously, someone who once wrote for a MTV show called Undressed--clearly a sign of writing just for money--has no business messing with the Alien universe. I just had to let that out.

The cinematography was amazing. Just as expected from a Ridley Scott movie. The intro shots were especially good, and the imagery provided in the opening scene let me know that Scott had not forgotten that important part of Alien. Most of Scott's movies are deep and full of thematic elements. He did not disappoint with this one.

SPOILERS BELOW

The movie opens with a humanoid, pale alien standing on top of a waterfall on Earth, probably tens of thousands of years ago. He drinks a black liquid (which seems to be alive) and we witness rapid changes in his DNA, as the strands are twisted apart. His skin starts to deteriorate and he falls into the waterfall, with his limbs falling apart. He dies and supposedly plants his DNA in Earth, so it can have life. I think the purpose of this scene is to show that the humanoid aliens are responsible for life on Earth.

The first half of the movie is the best. I appreciate buildup. The two main scientists are trying to discover these "Engineers" on an alien planet, indicated by star maps found across Earth. The Engineers are assumed to be the creators of human life; the humanoid at the beginning scene was an Engineer. I find it funny that Meredith, the Weyland Corporation employee, is so controlling of their expedition. It's allegorical to PhD researchers who have to deal with being controlled all the time.

Throughout the first half especially, it was surprisingly philosophical and spiritual. I know that Ridley Scott wanted to take it this way; he believes that most science fiction films don't cover these topics, when they should. During their transit to the alien planet, which takes two years in cryosleep, David (the android) observes Shaw's (the female archaeologist) dreams. In the dream she is a little girl with her dad on what seems to be a digging expedition. A cross necklace appears over the image in the dream a few times; this symbol becomes important later on. She and her dad discuss what happens after death, and her dad says it's something like paradise. She asks why he says so, and he replies "because that's what I choose to believe."

David, being an android who is troubled by his existence, is the main cause of all the trouble that ensues. At one point he asks Charlie Holloway (Shaw's love interest) why they created him. Holloway replies "because we could." David goes on to ask if Holloway would be satisfied if he asked his creator that question, and got the same answer. There are many points like this in the movie, which help propagate the existential dilemma that exists in the human mind. The whole philosophical part of the movie is based around the "greatest question," regarding who/what created us and why, who created the creator and why, and so on. I think the important conclusion in the movie to this question, is that there is no answer, and never will be. It's about living with existence and enjoying it best you can.

It's not exactly known why David infects Holloway with the black fluid. It's either due to his immense curiosity or receiving orders from Peter Weyland, who is secretly hiding on the ship. After Holloway is infected by taking the drink offered to him by David, he visits Shaw in her room. She's found that the Engineer's DNA is a match to human DNA. Holloway says they've found their creators, and tells her she can take her father's cross off now. She refuses to, saying that they don't know who created their creators.

We learn that Shaw is unable to bear children, and she's quite upset about it. The two proceed to sleep together that night. And it's easy to see it coming that whatever was in Holloway's system would be in her system now. On their next expedition outside, Holloway becomes too sick and ends up volunteering to be immolated, to avoid spreading the infection. The event was traumatic for Shaw, but Holloway's death didn't have much of an impact on the plot.

After Holloway's death, David is checking Shaw for infections in the medical bay. David insists that she takes off her cross necklace for the body scan. She complies and David takes the cross. She learns that she is three months pregnant. It's also revealed that it is "not a traditional fetus." Almost immediately after learning this, she says "I want it out" and screams "get it out of me."Â Just ten hours ago, she was desperate to have a child, and now she wants an abortion. She doesn't know whether or not it's dangerous, but she assumes it is. David reflects on the circumstances and says "it must feel like your God abandoned you." The symbolism here is obvious.

The next scene is one of the most disturbing I've seen in a movie, not just because of the graphic aspect, but the emotion as well. Shaw escapes from the medical bay and finds the emergency surgery pod, in hopes to remove the developing fetus. She finds out that the pod is meant for male patients only, after requesting a caesarean section. I find it odd that it would be calibrated for male patients only. There's a symbolic importance in this, I haven't quite figured it out yet. She proceeds to have a "foreign body" removal surgery instead, and injects herself with painkillers and enters the pod. The painkillers are not enough for anesthesia, and the process is painful. Her lower stomach is slit open and a mechanical arm reaches in and pulls out the alien fetus, which begins squirming violently, trying to get back inside her stomach.

She's now trapped inside the surgery pod with the partially developed alien baby being held above her, as her stomach is stitched back up. She manages to get out of the pod and contain the alien inside. Since it was moving around in her stomach, it was probably gestated enough to survive on its own outside. I think Ridley Scott was referring to this scene and a few others when he was asked about the rating and said "the question is, do you go for the PG-13, or do you go for what it should be, which is R? Financially it makes quite a difference... essentially it's kinda R... it's not just about blood, it's about ideas that are very stressful."

What happened next really threw me off. She re-enters the medical bay and it is revealed that Peter Weyland, the founder of the Weyland company, is alive and aboard the ship. The main reason this threw me off is because the mood set from the last scene was completely lost and forgotten. There is no mention ever made by anyone of the alien fetus that was inside Shaw. But her pain is still clearly presented.

So Peter Weyland is much too old to be alive (obviously being kept alive by technology--transhumanism) and wishes to ask the Engineers to extend his life. His character is someone who has not accepted death, and is desperately clinging to life. In order for him to walk into the buried ship with the Engineers, he must have mechanical assistance from a suit he wears. He doesn't even get to ask his question to the awakened Engineer before being pummeled to death by it. I guess he got his answer.

The Engineer that was awakened doesn't appear that intelligent, even though they are presented as super-intelligent beings. He refuses trying to communicate with the humans and just resorts to killing them. He then readies the ship in order to go to Earth and spread the black liquid among the population, which appears to be a biological weapon at this point, which mutates humans into overpowered monsters. This is the part of the plot that's annoying, it feels like it was just kind of thrown in there.

The captain back on the human ship decides to sacrifice himself to bring down the ship by suicide bombing it, to prevent Earth from being destroyed. The two other crew members on the bridge agree to sacrifice themselves as well. They had previously made a bet, and one agrees to pay up "on the other side." The cinematography at work here is clearly stating the importance of their belief in the afterlife. They raise their hands, as if riding a roller coaster, before they collide with the alien ship. It's noticeable that the daughter of Peter Weyland is also desperately clinging to life. We see her struggling to make it to an escape pod and put on a space suit in time. She makes it out, but is still crushed by the crashing alien ship, revealing that her struggle was meaningless.

Shaw manages to survive the crash and makes it back to the surgery pod room where the alien that she carried is contained. It has grown to be huge and resembles an octopus (which was actually Dan O'Bannon's original idea of the facehugger). David, who has been decapitated but is still functioning, radios her and warns her of the Engineer who is approaching the ship. I'm not sure why the Engineer found it necessary to try and kill her. Maybe he was just angry after his ship crashed, or trying to eliminate all the humans that were left. When the Engineer enters, she opens the containment area and the octopus alien is released. I'm going to call it the Master Facehugger, since it's basically a very large facehugger and starts the whole process of the queen alien, except it resembles a sea monster more than a crab or a spider. So the Master Facehugger grabs hold of the Engineer while Shaw escapes, and latches onto him to begin the process of alien gestation.

After Shaw finds David, she asks him where her cross necklace is. It seems that after finding David and putting the necklace on, she has regained her strength to keep going. Just before this, she was lying on the ground, telling David "I can't do this anymore." After that, she puts David's head in a duffel bag and gets out of the ship (this generated many laughs in the theatre). Most of the ending dialogue between Shaw and David was weak and not well thought out.

Death acceptance and death denial are huge thematic elements. During the dream early in the film, Shaw as a little girl saw a man being carried in a funeral and asked her dad why he died. Her dad says, "sooner or later, everyone dies." It sometimes seems, that part of the crew is clinging to their current life, and the other part may be clinging to the afterlife. It proposes the question--what does it mean to accept death? It's symbolic to the never-ending struggle to find peace with existence.

The theme regarding motherhood and abortion is also important. A friend of mine pointed out an interesting fact in the Aliens film. When Ripley finds the queen alien, it's kind of a horrifying scene, and she has all of her eggs around her and is violent, in a less-than-happy situation. That particular movie was released during a time when feminism was starting to become successful. The Alien franchise has always carried a subliminal message.

For those who don't believe Alien movies have an underlying message, read what the screenwriter for the 1979 movie, Dan O'Bannon, said: "One thing that people are all disturbed about is sex... I said 'That's how I'm going to attack the audience; I'm going to attack them sexually. And I'm not going to go after the women in the audience, I'm going to attack the men. I am going to put in every image I can think of to make the men in the audience cross their legs. Homosexual oral rape, birth. The thing lays its eggs down your throat, the whole number.'"

So, in reality, there's much more going on in movies than most people are aware of. Only certain people will see it, and some will interpret it differently. That's alright, that's what art is meant for.

Another thing worth mentioning are the snake-like monsters they found. Before those appeared, an earthworm was shown in the soil around the area. So after the black liquid was released, the earthworm must have been infected and morphed into the monster.

Also, the ending sequence of the Xenomorph (black colored alien) leaves more questions. It would seem that it is the queen alien, and it proceeds to lay eggs in the crashed ship, which they find in the original movie. If it's not the queen alien, then there's still the possibility of using the other live Engineers that are sleeping for gestation. Either way, it makes enough sense to proceed to the original movie. Although, the Space Jockey scene is not exactly explained. Note: these were my original thoughts on the Xenomorph at the end, right after viewing. It's been confirmed that they are actually on a different planetoid.

There has been some speculation that the pale-skinned humanoid aliens are not the Engineers. I'd consider this a definite possibility, which opens up another great batch of questions. Looks like we'll have to wait for a sequel to Prometheus to know for sure.

Overall, it's a very thought provoking and stunning film. The visual effects and sound were incredible, and the use of CGI didn't take anything away from the movie. In the end, however, the original 1979 Alien will always be the most memorable one.

youtube.com/watch?v=iIJeQNyZ6VE. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Television Influence on Small Children

The Greek and Latin languages are where the word 'television' has its origin. The word is a derivative from 'tele', which is a Greek word translates, to 'far sight' and 'visio' is a Latin word that means 'sight.' In the latter part of the 1930s, the television made its way to the commercial markets. These days, television is the single most popular type of audio-visual in commercial set-ups and home. Merely mentioning the word 'television' calls to mind a medium which assists individuals in keeping abreast with entertainment issues and current affairs. No longer is the television set a single communication unit. The television has evolved in the complexity of the design to transmit recorded material that is stored on Blu-ray discs, laser discs, DVDs and video cassettes.

Television History

The television history spans over time zones and regions, in view of the fact that the technology has evolved in different places and at different times. This communication system, as it is known these days, is not the brainchild of any one specific inventor. The process has taken the endeavours of a number of engineers, over several decades, to develop along various overlapping designs, to utilize commonly accepted electronic and mechanical principles. Despite the fact that electromechanical television sets have been abandoned for the completely electronic, ultra-modern designs, the fundamental design rests on the discovery of selenium photo-conductivity in 1873. That discovery which was made by Willoughby Smith brought about the scanning disk invention from Paul Gottlieb Nipkow in 1884. In 1926, a demonstration of televised moving images was carried out by John Logie Baird, that technology was joined with the image dissector that was designed in 1927 by Philo Farnsworth, to provide viewers with the fundamental principles of the television that we currently know.

These days, the world of television is discovered by children at an incredibly tender age. A number of studies have indicated that kids who are younger than 6 years old watch television, DVD or video on a daily basis, at an average of 2 hours. In a number of instances, watching television can be useful, particularly the wildlife and educational programs that have the capacity to broaden the understanding and knowledge of your child in relation to the world around him or her. In addition, it can introduce them to a variety of communities and cultures of the world. However, at the moment the negative effects are seemingly outweighing the uplifting ones.

The Negative Influences of Television on Children

The formative years in the life of child, particularly the first two to three years, are vital to the mental growth and development of the child. Those are the years in which a child learns by way of interacting, observing, playing and discovering new things. As a result, these first few years are extremely vital for the physical and mental development. Therefore, a pattern of watching television excessively could hinder his or her social activities such as spending quality time with members of the family, reading and playing with friends.

There are a number of television programs that portray extreme violence and this could induce lots of changes in behaviour in young children. In view of the fact that kids can relate easily to what is being shown on the television screen, they will be more prone to imitating the behaviour that is depicted. As a result, you may notice aggressive behaviour in your child. In addition, it could cause the little one to develop sleeping disorders and have nightmares because his or her sense of anxiety and fear has been stimulated by what is shown on the television. In addition to this, it will possibly result in creating confusion in the mind of the young child as it relates to knowing the difference between good and bad. That is because parents most likely teach their kids that aggression and violence is bad but the program on the television will possibly show the heroes or 'good guys' perpetrating violence.

Apart from the violence, drinking and smoking scenes are depicted widely in commercials and television programs, without giving an explanation of the unfavourable consequences. The repeated and continuous exposure to these programs will make children feel as though these activities are quite acceptable and normal. As a result, kids who watch these programs on a regular basis are a great deal more likely to mimic and develop these unhealthy habits from an early stage in their development.

In the developed world, obesity is a widespread problem and television is among the important factors that are responsible for the increasing incidences of obesity among kids. Excessive watching of television decreases physical activities of the kids and simultaneously amplifies the popularity of unhealthy foods, such as potato chips, soft drinks and other snacks that they see on the commercials. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

The Rise To Fame of Classic Zombie Movies

When it comes to classic zombie movies, everyone has their own favorites, and most can still remember the first time they sat in front of the television, watching a black and white portrayal of the undead slowly, but determinedly, chasing down their bumbling prey. Classic zombie movies are still a favorite amongst diehard fans, because they lend an element of gritty morbidity that pop culture based movies seem to lack these days; while this shouldn't take away from the latest releases within this genre, it definitely adds to the authority of the films that preceded them.

The reason why classic zombie movies seem to come with the tag line this is what actual zombies are supposed to look like, is because the archetype for these creatures stemmed from the Voodoo religion, which is, in essence, Haitian. When William S. Seabrook returned from his voyage to Haiti and published his travelogue, The magic island, westerners found themselves enthralled with the concept of a creature that rises from the grave due to the powers of a sorcerer called a Brokor. This fascination led to some of the best classic films on the subject, and all within a matter of a few decades.

Bela Lugosi's 'White Zombie' is perhaps one of the most famous classic films on this subject. It follows the story of a prosperous businessman by the name of Murder Legendre, based in Haiti, who has the power to transform men into zombies. When a man falls in love with a woman who is to marry someone else, he approaches the voodoo master for assistance, who then turns his beloved into a zombie. The movie itself is said to closely follow the writings of Seabrook, even going as far as mentioning the potion that was supposed to turn corpses into the undead slaves of the voodoo priest.

George Romero's 'The Night of the Living Dead' was another classic which altered the face of this genre, and remakes of this film continue to be released up until today. The film was released in 1968 and its reception was marked by shock and outrage, although when this subsided, it quickly became one of the penultimate favorite films on the subject. One of the reasons for its initial negative reception was the fact that it was gory, contained nudity, and the protagonist of the film was ultimately killed in the end. Basically, this film was unlike any other that had been released in the past, and it remains one of the most popular films based on the undead to date.

'The Night of the Living Dead' did not only alter the horror genre; it also added to the lore and myth surrounding these supernatural creatures. In the past, zombies were the creation of dark voodoo priests, but in this feature, they could transfer their supernatural abilities to others through a bite. The film also references methods on how to kill these creatures - shoot them through the head- which has become the first method of defense against the undead in countless films and games to date.

While classic zombie movies might have changed slightly during the first few decades when they began making their debuts on big screens all over the world, one thing remains certain; they inspired a fascination with these creatures that continues to thrive today. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.