For the third installement in the Alien franchise, producers chose young novice David Fincher to take the reigns. Fincher had never before directed a feature film, but had created the visually stunning and critically acclaimed Freedom 90 video for George Michael, and Oh Father, Express Yourself and Vogue videos for Madonna.
Throughout production, Fincher was plagued by production interference, and was, in fact, ousted before the film entered the editing stage. To this day, having gone on to direct massive successes including Fight Club, The Social Network and, most recently, the American adaptation of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, he disowns the film. Yet, despite the questionable work inflicted on the film in post production, Fincher’s genius shines through. Alien3 is aesthetically stunning, with delicate pacing and powerhouse performances. Its script, continuing from Cameron’s discussions of human issues of maternity, femininity and machismo, continues to pull out and focuses on universal questions of birth, life and death. In a fatalistic move, Ripley transcends her previous concerns and becomes a saintlike prophet to a group of millenerians, giving their lives the meaning they seek and coming to peace with the devil that hounds her to a fiery grave. Fincher’s handling is strongly felt as he brings the series to what would have been a loyal and moving close.
