Doc Edge 2019 Presents: Memory – The Origins of Alien

Doc Edge Festival 2019 in association with RNZ presents a series of documentary screenings at the auditorium at The Auckland Art Gallery, Toi o Tāmaki, as part of the 2019 Auckland Festival, May 31 - June 9

Memory – The Origins of Alien
US | 2019 | 94 mins | English | Dir. Alexandre Philippe | NZ Premiere

On the eve of Alien's 40th Anniversary, Memory (the title of the script's first draft) unearths the largely untold origin story behind Ridley Scott’s cinematic masterpiece: its roots in Greek and Egyptian mythology, underground comics, parasitology, H.P. Lovecraft, the art of Francis Bacon, and the symbiotic genius of Dan O’Bannon and H.R. Giger.

From conception to craft, to execution on set, to a critical read of the finished product, the sequence symbolises director Ridley Scott's vision for Alien.

But, especially, director Alexandre O. Philippe's film focuses on the chest-busting birth of its eponymous creature.

Philippe has been honing his examinations of popular film culture over several titles - several of which have played previous editions of Doc Edge. The People vs George Lucas opened the festival in 2011. His zombie-loving Doc of the Dead and dissection of the shower scene from Psycho in last year's 78/52 also screened at our festival.

Part of Doc Edge Festival 2019, visit docedge.nz for more information & the complete 2019 Festival Programme