Best book on Alien?

I am looking for a good book with lots of information and photos/artwork on the production of the first Alien film. I would like one that primarily focuses on the first one. I hear there are several good ones out there, but I thought I'd ask if anyone here owns any or has any favorites. What should I pick up?

Depends. If you want some good photos and information on the Alien itself as well as the facehugger, derelict and chestburster, plus concept sketches, get 'Giger's Alien'. It's pretty much Giger's diary written during his involvement of the film and is still available from amazon. 'The Book of Alien' covers some of this plus the other behind the scenes stuff; sketches by Ron Cobb and Chris Foss, the set design etc; but probably the best resource is actually a dvd not a book, and that's the Alien Quadrilogy box set. With that you get pretty much everything covered; from set designs of the Nostromo, Acheron/LV-426 and the derelict; cast info including Sigourney Weaver's screen test and info on the guy originally slated to play Kane; loads of behind the scenes info and countless stills. The Quadrilogy box-set includes disk nine which also has alot of extra material that was previously issued on laserdisc.

Yeah, the Quad is the way to go. I would never trust a non movie sorce for my Alien facts. If it aint in the movies...it doesnt exist.

Yeah, the DVD extras are great. But you can't read that sitting on the can!

Get the original 1979 Book of Alien, it's awesome. I got mine on eBay for relatively small beer.

Looks like it has also been re-printed:

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2004-Book-of...rkparms=72:12|39:1|65:12&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

I've also just bought the Movie Novel from around the same time. This is a large format book with the movie told in still frames, with bits of dialogue etc as captions. Not so hot as a visual reference guide, but nice to have.

DSD said:

Yeah, the DVD extras are great. But you can't read that sitting on the can!

Get the original 1979 Book of Alien, it's awesome. I got mine on eBay for relatively small beer.

Looks like it has also been re-printed:

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2004-Book-of...rkparms=72:12|39:1|65:12&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

I've also just bought the Movie Novel from around the same time. This is a large format book with the movie told in still frames, with bits of dialogue etc as captions. Not so hot as a visual reference guide, but nice to have.

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I tried to get every book on ALIEN. I was fortunate to get the original book of ALIEN. Sorry I dont have a pic. But it has the artwork drawings.

The original pops up fairly regularly on eBay. Worth keeping an eye out for it in my opinion. It's a lovely coffee table book.

Thanks for all of this information! After careful consideration, I've decided to pick up Aliens Love Underpants first.

I also picked up Book of Alien and Giger's Alien. I agree with you that the DVDs have a wealth of information. I'm a high school English teacher and I cover Alien in my senior Science Fiction course so I am looking for books on the matter to keep in my classroom.

If you were my teacher sir, i'd bow before you.

ozzfan84 said:

Thanks for all of this information! After careful consideration, I've decided to pick up Aliens Love Underpants first.

I also picked up Book of Alien and Giger's Alien. I agree with you that the DVDs have a wealth of information. I'm a high school English teacher and I cover Alien in my senior Science Fiction course so I am looking for books on the matter to keep in my classroom.

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Damn if only I was a teen again..well maybe not but that will be one hell of a class!

Thanks for the compliments on the course! It ran last year for the first time and the kids really liked it.

As for the books, it looks like other people on this board must have checked out this thread and picked them up themselves! Amazon is showing one as sold out now and another as only 4 left. They were both in stock this morning. Who else got em?

ozzfan84 said:

Thanks for the compliments on the course! It ran last year for the first time and the kids really liked it.

As for the books, it looks like other people on this board must have checked out this thread and picked them up themselves! Amazon is showing one as sold out now and another as only 4 left. They were both in stock this morning. Who else got em?

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If u are refering to the book of alien. i do have the an extra copy the book w/the egg on the cover. i will let you know once i get home to check. if that's ok? thanks.

shockwave said:

If u are refering to the book of alien. i do have the an extra copy the book w/the egg on the cover. i will let you know once i get home to check. if that's ok? thanks.

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I snagged one off amazon. But thanks for looking, I appreciate it!

ozzfan84 said:

I snagged one off amazon. But thanks for looking, I appreciate it!

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Oh good!

BOOK OF ALIEN
and
GIGER's ALIEN are my two faves.

I don't think it's still in print, but I would highly recommend the "ALIEN" movie novel by Richard Anobile. It's cover to cover photos from the movie along with all the dialog. I still have my first edition from 1979.

Ask a scientologist what the best book is.

ONEYE said:

Ask a scientologist what the best book is.

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Battlefield Earth.

I don't think I should start a new thread....However was there ever an ALIEN souvenir movie book that came out? I thought I saw one in an old Starlog magazine. But for the life of me I can't seem to find it on the net. Or am I just seeing things....

shockwave said:

I don't think I should start a new thread....However was there ever an ALIEN souvenir movie book that came out? I thought I saw one in an old Starlog magazine. But for the life of me I can't seem to find it on the net. Or am I just seeing things....

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Yes, there was a movie program book. I'll dig mine out if you want to see some pics.