As someone who has followed the Alien franchise since its inception, I must admit that my initial reaction to seeing Ian Holm’s likeness in Alien: Romulus was a bit jarring. However, upon learning that it wasn’t an exact recreation of the original Ash but rather another synthetic named Rook, I found myself intrigued by Fede Álvarez’s decision to use AI to bring this character to life.
The following article contains MAJOR spoilers for Alien: Romulus.
Fede Álvarez, director of this year’s highly acclaimed horror film “Alien: Romulus”, has addressed the most debated aspect in the sequel. Being part of the cherished “Alien” series, “Romulus” unfolds between the occurrences of the 1979’s “Alien” and the 1986’s “Aliens”. As thrilling as some nods to the past were, one facet has sparked intense disagreement in “Alien: Romulus”. Indeed, we are referring to the movie resurrecting a significant character from the original “Alien”.
After watching Alien: Romulus, it may seem that the character is a continuation of the original, but that’s not entirely correct: The character appearing in the film isn’t the same as the one played by Ian Holm in the first Alien. While some viewers were delighted to see Ash reappear, others might have been puzzled. In truth, the character in question is named Rook, who resembles Ash, but is not a direct continuation of him. As director Guillermo del Toro explains, “The only similarity they share is their likeness.” Essentially, what appears on screen is not Ash, but rather the remnants of an android from the same series.
Despite some viewer criticism, the approach taken for portraying Ian Holm, who played Ash in the original film and passed away in 2020, has been a blend of animatronics and CGI. To accurately represent his voice and synchronize it with the movements of the puppeteers, generative AI and computer modeling were utilized. In response to the apparent criticism from some viewers about bringing Ash back through AI, Álvarez is addressing these concerns while promoting his latest film.
Speaking with the Los Angeles Times, Álvarez goes on the record to defend his decision:
Instead of attempting to replicate that actor’s unique talent on screen, we recognized that our task was to bring a new character to life – not to mimic the original talent. We knew from the outset that we would be using an animatronic figure, and planned to incorporate CGI for the mouth and eyes in different shots. The question then became, ‘What should this mechanical being’s appearance be? Who does it represent?’ In the end, they chose Ian Holm for his role, as he had not been featured in previous films among the androids.
It’s crucial to note that Álvarez didn’t act alone in making this decision. He sought advice from Sophie de Stempel, the widow of Holm, and Ridley Scott, director of ‘Alien’ and franchise creator. Both approved of his idea, leading him to develop a new android character named Rook, who works for Weyland-Yutani and poses a threat to the colonists of Romulus. Álvarez found it challenging to create a convincing artificial character, as he elaborated.
“The degree of completion varied by shot among the puppeteers… We aren’t resurrecting Ian and instructing him on how he would have done it. He would have undoubtedly approached it differently. However, we did have an actor present who contributed to the dialogue, worked with other actors, and was not a replacement for hiring an actor.”
In full collaboration and under the approval of his family, including his children and his widow, we brought his image back to life. They expressed their wish for this, saying they longed to see his likeness once more.
The Use of AI Is Still as Divisive as Ever
The debate surrounding AI usage in movie and TV productions remains intense, with some viewing it as an aid while others consider it a shortcut or deception. At present, AI-generated imagery and machine learning don’t reach the level of realism we’d expect, but deepfakes come close. It is essential to establish boundaries in this regard. In the case of Álvarez, he could have employed a deepfake, but it’s crucial to remember that the new synthetic version is not Ash, and the director opted for a more challenging approach rather than choosing the simple or economical path.
“The method we chose is significantly costlier; it would be more budget-friendly to simply engage an actor instead. This approach necessitates a large team and numerous components, making it inconvenient and impractical in the long run.”
The ethical guidelines for AI application remain unclear, but one point that stands firm is the necessity to examine its purpose and how it contributes to the overall story before jumping to negative conclusions. In the movie Alien: Romulus, the AI’s usage can be seen as reasonable due to Rook’s character in the film. Here, we are dealing with an android that is designed to have flaws and imperfections. However, it becomes more problematic when corporations employ AI as a cost-effective labor force, leading to subpar outcomes.
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2024-08-19 20:31