How could they have known? They weren’t the highest profile project (Star Trek), they did not have the highest profile cast (Meteor), and not with the most money and high profile studio riding on it (The Black Hole). They were in an area of movie-making that was barely getting respect after Star Wars, but not artistically, and quite frankly, the script was a horror script that gets even less respect.
I have also been told when I was there that when you make a movie, you actually never know if it will work. You just don’t. You bank on professionals and safety and track records, but whether it gels and you end up with something passable or a total piece of misfire (again, see The Black Hole–you have seen it, right?) is something you can only really tell halfway in, and even then it can still be botched.
Could they have known it would have been so good? Not until editing and score. That it would have lasting power? Not until Cameron turned it into a franchise, ALIEN itself was not that insanely much of a hit at the time itself.
Can you imagine telling her then “You’ll be playing this character–well, ‘versions’ of her–well into your fifties.” The laugh you’d get?
Check this URL:
http://www.imdb.com/search/title?genres=sci_fi&sort=moviemeter,asc&title_type=feature&year=1979
How could they have known? They weren’t the highest profile project (Star Trek), they did not have the highest profile cast (Meteor), and not with the most money and high profile studio riding on it (The Black Hole). They were in an area of movie-making that was barely getting respect after Star Wars, but not artistically, and quite frankly, the script was a horror script that gets even less respect.
I have also been told when I was there that when you make a movie, you actually never know if it will work. You just don’t. You bank on professionals and safety and track records, but whether it gels and you end up with something passable or a total piece of misfire (again, see The Black Hole–you have seen it, right?) is something you can only really tell halfway in, and even then it can still be botched.
Could they have known it would have been so good? Not until editing and score. That it would have lasting power? Not until Cameron turned it into a franchise, ALIEN itself was not that insanely much of a hit at the time itself.
Can you imagine telling her then “You’ll be playing this character–well, ‘versions’ of her–well into your fifties.” The laugh you’d get?