Star Beast - Alien Grindhoused

[Gieferg]

The guy works on vfx apparently and did a short animation of alien, but it's unofficial, so fanmade. I've been lookin for some usable material and found it.
It's here:

 

[The Scribbling Man]

Oh, that's cool. The shot was so brief in your trailer, I genuinely thought it was a guy in a suit. I thought it might have been a deleted scene or something but now I can see it's def CGI lol

 

[Gieferg]

Looks like it will be released during next 48 hours.

 

[Gieferg]

It's up & submitted.

Thread can be moved to Fixes & Mixes.

 

[The Scribbling Man]

Done.

 

[Gieferg]

My only real qualm is that the first "MUTHER" segment seemed to have no processing whatsoever when showing the computer screen - no grain etc.

It has the exact same filter as shots around it, it just happens that it isn't that visible on the black computer screen. It also seems that the contrast gamma levels were different in next scene with the computer so the effects were more visible there.

but some of the audio just seemed too full and crisp and then not at other times.

One of the reasons for difference may be that parts of the audio is on set audio from 20th anniversary DVD (used mostly in first half), but only some scenes as that track is only partially on-set audio (the rest of the track consists of music-only parts). The rest of the audio is based on central channel from the blu-ray audio track, so it sounds different.

Some interesting stuff going on here (particularly toward the end), and I'm curious where some of the footage was from.

All sources are listed but if you'd like some details, just ask in spoiler tags or via PM

I would have loved to have seen more narrative bending ala the final act.

Honestly, me too.
But with the films like this, this isn't easy to find usable materials for it.

Glad you enjoyed those alterations that I've managed to implement and thanks for the detailed review

 

[Gieferg]

Link under Latest Trailers described as Star Beast trailer doesn't lead to Star Beast trailer.

 

[The Scribbling Man]

^^ you'll need to notify TM2YC.

 

[Gieferg]

Done.

Also, just got some new ideas for Grindhouse trailers that will be attached to Star Beast :>
Started workin' on them this morning.

 

[Gieferg]

I'm preparing updated version of Star Beast which will have grindhouse trailers attached and additional audio track (s?) with some added noise etc, and remixed to sound more "damaged" (and probably in mono). It will be optional and included along with the track that was available in first version. There may
be three audio tracks in total.

The Scribbling Man's review has something to do with it

 

[Captaingio]

That edit was an absolute blast. The ending with the music choice killed me.

 

[Gieferg]

That edit was an absolute blast. The ending with the music choice killed me.

Which music choice exactly if I may ask?
Cause there's one quite divisive (which I expected).

----

The audio tracks for updated edition are:

1. Stereo, added noise (rather quiet)
2. Mono, added noise (louder), a little distorted
3. Stereo, as it was

 

[Captaingio]

Which music choice exactly if I may ask?
Cause there's one quite divisive (which I expected).

----

The audio tracks for updated edition are:

1. Stereo, added noise (rather quiet)
2. Mono, added noise (louder), a little distorted
3. Stereo, as it was

Oh it killed me as in I was laughing from it, and loved it. It was the fake out with Space Oddity into Thriller.

 

[Gieferg]

Nice to hear that, that's one of my favourite parts of the edit but it looks like some people don't really like it.

EDIT:

Just added one new shot to ver. 1.1 and replaced another one with better quality version.

 

[Gieferg]

Updated version is up.

 

[Gieferg]

also would have preferred sticking with music from the 60’s and 70’s"

When editing JLG at first I tried to do it. But even creator of the works that inspired me the most, TMBTM, didn't stick to it.
My general rule is - if I have something from 60s/70s then I'd prefer to use it, but if a song from later decades works in the context, and doesn't feel too modern at the same time, then I will use it. It's no real grindhouse anyway, just something inspired by, bordering on a parody sometimes.

 

[Gieferg]

The biggest sore thumb I came across was the inclusion of Lenny Kravitz's "Fly Away" in the final 15 minutes. Regardless of what your thoughts are on the artist, why is that in here? I'm guessing that Gieferg was running low on song picks

Well, actually, it is there, because:
1) fits perfectly lyrics-wise
2) this song is one of the main reasons this edit even exists as it was first soundtrack idea which basically started the whole thing (just like certain Queen song started JLG). Even if it is way more modern that majority of the music used, I couldn't discard something that is basically the reason the edit exists in the first place, Especially when
3) it's one of my two favorite music moments of this edit ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

---

Few more words about my approach to re-scoring aspect: Picking songs is probably the most time consuming part of the whole process of doing these edits, and If there's a song with lyrics in any scene, that means that I was entirely happy with it*. And when I lost my patience trying to fit something with lyrics into a scene, or when I am not completely convinced, then I would usually use something without lyrics instead.

* I should note here, that sometimes I am not entirely happy from the beginning, just after I try a song for a first time. This is often a matter of getting used to it. After some shifting, trying to fit it, there usually comes a moment when I suddenly like how it works in the scene (or the moment when I know that I don't like it and abandon the idea). Sometimes I watch those scenes tens of times before I made a decision (and many more after I do). So, it's rather obvious to me, that something that I've seen many times before it ultimately "clicked" may not work for someone who is watching it for a first time. There's also the "expectations aspect" that may affect the reception in significant way (I suppose that's the reason i like some movies more, after second watching, when that aspect goes away). Finally, there's something about songs being "out of place" that makes me want to use them, just for a complete change of the mood of the scene (as in JLG in Barry saving Iris sequence, Fogerty's "I will walk with you" in Machete Sharpened and "Fly Away" or "Thriller" here).

So, any more "sore thumbs" to be pointed out? Cause from the review I know only about one song. And that makes me scratching my head, wondering if poor Lenny may be the sole reason for the lowest score this edit got so far...
For example, I dont really know on what exactly narrative score is based on.

so it's a fair assumption

Assumption is the mother of all F-ups

To me, putting Lenny Kravitz in a grindhoused version of Alien is like putting a Britney Spears song in The Wizard of Oz.

I could do that :>

Another interesting aspect of "grindhouse-fanediting" that was touched upon in your review is - what exactly "grindhousing" means:

For me, the grindhousing of the film begins at around the second half

let's see. There are entirely new opening titles with totally different feel, the picture looks different, and almost all music is changed to something different, some scenes are cut, some scenes were added, but the grindhousing starts in second half? That would mean, that only plot modifications (that start before cherstbursting scene btw) or some additions in the form of those bloodier outtakes / deleted scenes or bits from other movies are considered as "grindhousing".

If that's the case, then JLG has no grindhousing at all, cause apart from cutting almost half of the movie (and some little additions from theatrical cut), there are only visual and musical changes - altering the vibe & the mood, not the plot. And that is another thing that is tied with the "expectations aspect". I am almost afraid that with "Three Bears" I might just set the expectations for my next planned edits that I am not even intend to fulfill, as some of the planned installments in that series of edits are based mostly on audiovisual changes, not the plot modifications.
Well, we'll see about that.

Anyway, thanks for the review that provokes some reflections.

PS. out of curiosity - which one did you watch first - Star Beast or Three Bears?

 

[Eyepainter]

Boy, this took a painful turn.

(Takes deep breath) Okay, here we go!

I'm a firm believer in the phrase "murder your darlings," and it's common for filmmakers and editors to cut out very personal things in order for the film to work. One book on film editing that I read a lot from is Walter Murch's "In the Blink of an Eye." There's a powerful story in the book where Walt was editing Julia (1977) for director Fred Zinnemann, and the beginning of the film was too hard for audiences to follow. This was mainly because the beginning had a lot of flashbacks and there were one too many. Murch suggested cutting out one scene that occupied a unique timeframe in order to solve the issue, and Zinnemann approved. As Murch was removing the splices, Zinnemann said, "You know, when I first read this scene in the script, I knew I could do this film." Walt hesitated for a second, then continued, and the scene was cut. Adrian Lyne made a similar heartbreaking decision for Fatal Attraction, as the intro from the 1992 Director's Series VHS reveals:

Look, I get it. My criticism struck a nerve, and you're free to listen or ignore as you please. I'm not the one who edited this, and all I can do is provide my own feedback, whether it's positive or negative. I've been given some rough criticisms myself, and I had to make a hard decision a few months ago by taking out Max von Sydow's conversation with Poe (A scene I loved, especially as an Ingmar Bergman fan) in order for my Episode VII fanedit to work. However, when you're willing to let your feelings subside, I suggest taking a walk in my shoes. All I know is that it's called "Star Beast: Alien Grindhoused", and there are a lot of reviewers who seemed to enjoy it. I try to avoid looking at the changes list as much as I can, so that I can be surprised when I see a change that's been made. Those are my expectations of the edit, and that's pretty much what I have to go on when I'm watching a fanedit. You're free to criticize my idea of what grindhousing means, but that doesn't change my thoughts on the edit itself.

And between the two, I watched Star Beast first.

 

[Gieferg]

You're free to criticize my idea of what grindhousing means

Well, I am not really criticizing it, I am just curious what is the idea exactly.
Because all I really know from the review (about the negatives) is that you don't like Fly Away in there. Many questions, no answers.
And the post above doesn't really make anything clearer to me.

Boy, this took a painful turn.

Not really sure what is painful about it.

 

[Eyepainter]

Well, I am not really criticizing it, I am just curious what is the idea exactly.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary Term

Wiktionary Definition

Lexico Definition