"Alien Day" was last Friday, but the celebrations for the 40th anniversary of Ridley Scott's sci-fi horror classic ALIEN aren't over yet. Screen Media and Legion M have partnered up to acquire the North American rights to director Alexandre O. Philippe's documentary feature MEMORY: THE ORIGINS OF ALIEN and are planning to give the film a theatrical release this summer.
"MEMORY" was the first working title for ALIEN. Philippe (who previously dug into Alfred Hitchcock's PSYCHO with the documentary 78/52) has now used the title for a documentary that
unearths the largely untold origin story behind Ridley Scott's cinematic masterpiece, and reveals a treasure trove of never-before-seen materials from the archives of Alien creators Dan O'Bannon and H.R. Giger – including original story notes, rejected designs and storyboards, exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, and O’Bannon’s original 29 page script from 1971, titled Memory. The documentary also takes fans on an exploration of the mythical underpinnings of Alien and dedicates focus on the film’s iconic “Chestburster” scene.
An Exhibit A Pictures production, MEMORY: THE ORIGINS OF ALIEN was produced by Kerry Deignan Roy and co-produced by Annick Mahnert of Screen Division, Chad Herschberger of Milkhaus, and Robert Muratore of Exhibit A Pictures. Diane O'Bannon, Carmen Giger, and Leslie Barany are executive producers.
Philippe had this to say about the acquisition:
With Screen Media’s distribution savvy, and Legion M’s profound understanding of, and access to the fans, our film couldn’t be in better hands. I’m confident that Memory, our fitting follow-up to 78/52, will resonate well beyond Alien fandom, as a deeper, darker, richer contemplation on the magic and mystery of cinema."
Seth Needle, SVP of Worldwide Acquisitions at Screen Media, adds:
Alien – specifically the demise of John Hurt’s chest – is a seminal moment in cinema – one where you remember exactly where you were when you first saw it. Alexandre and Kerry have done an incredible job creating the buzz from that film with Memory: The Origins of Alien, and we know hardcore fans of the series and mainstream audiences alike will love watching this."
I'm looking forward to seeing the ALIEN information Philippe has dug up in MEMORY. We'll let you know when a specific release date is announced.