The Book of Alien

The Book of Alien
by Paul Scanlon and Michael Gross
Heavy Metal Books 
May 1, 1979

Forty years ago, 20th Century Fox was kicking off a major marketing campaign for the movie Alien, which was going to premiere on May 25, 1979. 

By today's standards the campaign was rather modest, but remember, Fox was just beginning to learn the lessons of the success of Star Wars two years previously.

As well, Alien was rated R, which meant that Fox couldn't tap the children's market with its lucrative franchises for toys, thermoses, lunch boxes, bedsheets, clothing, dishware, etc. Kenner did release an 18" Alien toy, but it prompted an outcry from angry parents. 

Ahhhh, those were the days.............

Which brings me to 'The Book of Alien'. I purchased the original book back in '79, but lost it over the ensuing years. During that time the book went out of print and used copies in good condition became quite exorbitant.

And so, for this post, I'm relying on a copy that was published in the UK by Star Books. These copies can be purchased for a modest price at your usual online vendors. 

In May, 2012 Titan Books reissued the book, and these copies also are quite affordable.

'The Book of Alien' (112 pp) contains a wealth of behind-the-scenes photographs and artwork, with remarks about the process of making the film from Ridley Scott, Dan O'Bannon, Ron Cobb, Roger Christian, and H. R. Giger, among others.

There are sure to be at least some tidbits and anecdotes within the pages of 'The Book of Alien' that are new to you, and illustrate some of the complexities and challenges that had to be overcome back in the days when computer-generated special effects really didn't exist. Indeed, it's a testament to the skill of the producers that forty years later, the film retains its effectiveness as a sci-fi horror feature.

'The Book of Alien' will be worth its while to Baby Boomers and sci-fi fans who remember the excitement associated with the film back in those long-ago days...........but even if you weren't around back then, it's a good way to see how far things have come since 1979. But the craftsmanship used in the making of Alien has its lessons even for film-makers of today, in my humble opinion.

Tying in with the film's 40th anniversary, Titan will be releasing a deluxe hardcover volume titled 'The Making of Alien' that goes above and beyond 'The Book of Alien'. 'The Making of Alien' is scheduled for a July 23 release, and is priced (tentatively) at $37.