Earlier this month I alerted you to an awesome film-happening in Austin, TX as Old Murder House Theater (you need to go “like” that FB page) prepped their biggest effort yet… Aliens On Ice.
It all went down last weekend and now the buzz and reviews are escaping, along with actual footage (that’s already starting to go viral, as it were). As I predicted, everyone fell in absolute love with what they saw and the reactions couldn’t be stronger. Its hard to imagine these guys aren’t going to get an opportunity to do more really great stuff in the near future and, if the rumors I’ve heard of “traveling show” plans are anything to go by, there’s a chance those of us outside of Austin might get to enjoy whatever they tackle next. Until then, enjoy some footage and a few reviews excerpts below.
I couldn’t be more sad I missed out (early Thanksgiving traveling made it impossible for me to catch a standby flight), but there’s not a chance I won’t be there next time…
I don’t know what form it will take, but there was definitely an extensive amount of behind-the-scenes footage captured, as well as good coverage of the show itself. We’ll see how all that turns out and how it gets out there, but keep your eyes peeled. I know the guys hope this eventually ends up in front of James Cameron’s eyes, so hopefully someone out there can make that happen…
Some review chunks:
The show’s strict adherence to to the plot of Aliens only makes the detours, both major and minor, all the more unexpected and hilarious. A chestburster breaks into song and serenades the shocked room with the Black Eyed Peas. The above mentioned sex toy makes a few bizarre appearances. A small joke from the film is extended to absurd sitcom lengths, complete with a comedic trombone sound effect. In the show’s greatest moment, the aliens surround our heroes and instead of killing them, they break into “Be My Guest” from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, dancing, singing and skating up a storm. The shocked marines soon join in and for a few minutes, we’re watching a full-fledged musical number, loose and sloppy in its choreography, but truly joyful and transcendent in performance. There are few things I have seen in 2011 that made me smile more. The extended pause after the song ends and before the marines and the aliens suddenly go for each other’s throat is the biggest laugh in the entire show.
As with their previous shows, so much of the fun is seeing how they’re able to pull off so many insane special effects. This show keeps with their visual modus operandi: cardboard, paper mache and fireworks. Lots of fireworks. So many fireworks that I fear for my life when I’m not fearing for the cast’s. So much cardboard that I watch in wonder as the cast deals with various props and sets as they fall apart in mid-production.
Jacob Hall @ Movies.Com
The mind reeled at the inherent possibilities of this show, but—as it turns out—the final product actually exceeded my wildest expectations: Old Murder House Theater’s Aliens on Ice wasn’t just the best Aliens-related passion project I’ve ever seen brought to life (that includes both of the Alien VS Predator movies), it was also one of the best stage shows I’ve ever attended. Every one of Aliens’ big moments was preserved here, from the nightmarish dream sequence that opens Cameron’s film to the part at the end where Ripley, Newt, and Bishop almost get sucked into space along with the hissing Alien Queen.
Scott Wampler @ Collider.com
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