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Mike Rush
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 Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 9:55 am Post subject: OUTLAND and the logo designs of John Mollo |
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Since we're all on this Outland kick lately 
I was discussing the recurring themes in Mr Mollo's work with Fred and thought I would raise it here.
First, an obvious one:
From Alien:
From Outland:
The use of the rainbow colours is no coincidence. Mr Mollo told me in a letter that the latter is a 'direct follow-on' from the former.
Now something a bit less well-known perhaps.
From Outland (department insignia):
From Alien (department insignia):
Apart from the obvious fact that they're (mostly) circular, the designs within them share a common theme: rotational symmetry. In fact almost all of the designs above have a rotational symmetry of six (or three).
What does this tell us? Maybe nothing, except that Mr Mollo returns again and again to the same design style that has served him well before. Personally I like to think of it as the product of a well-ordered mind. 
Finally, this design theme can be traced back even further than Alien, all the way to Star Wars.
The Imperial logo:
Yet again, six-way symmetry. (It's interesting/ironic that for the Star Wars prequels someone adapted this logo into one with eight-way symmetry, to represent the Republic.)
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Gaff87
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| Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 10:01 am Post subject: |
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Awesome post Mike.
Neil |
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SKIN JOB 66
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| Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 10:09 am Post subject: |
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Thank you Mike for posting this !
Something came back to my mind while reading your post : IIRC, Mr Mollo told in an interview that he took inspiration in Napoleonic era uniform buttons for his A L I E N rank insignias. It could at least explain his obsession for round shapes !
fred
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joberg
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| Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 4:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Great info Mike and cool pics as well |
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FenGiddel
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| Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 6:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks, Mike! I always enjoy seeing this kind of production art analysis. |
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Mark Sheppard
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| Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 6:39 pm Post subject: |
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Thats cool Mike! There is so much as far as detailing and sets in this film, I am sure we will spend a couple years just picking it apart. It really is a pretty incredible cinematic work.
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Mark Sheppard
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| Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 12:56 am Post subject: Re: OUTLAND and the logo designs of John Mollo |
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| Mike Rush wrote: | Since we're all on this Outland kick lately
I was discussing the recurring themes in Mr Mollo's work with Fred and thought I would raise it here.
First, an obvious one:
From Alien:
From Outland:
The use of the rainbow colours is no coincidence. Mr Mollo told me in a letter that the latter is a 'direct follow-on' from the former.
Now something a bit less well-known perhaps.
From Outland (department insignia):
From Alien (department insignia):
Apart from the obvious fact that they're (mostly) circular, the designs within them share a common theme: rotational symmetry. In fact almost all of the designs above have a rotational symmetry of six (or three).
What does this tell us? Maybe nothing, except that Mr Mollo returns again and again to the same design style that has served him well before. Personally I like to think of it as the product of a well-ordered mind.
Finally, this design theme can be traced back even further than Alien, all the way to Star Wars.
The Imperial logo:
Yet again, six-way symmetry. (It's interesting/ironic that for the Star Wars prequels someone adapted this logo into one with eight-way symmetry, to represent the Republic.) |
MIke, From what I can see the Consolidated Amalgamate insignia you have posted seems to be
Security, Maintenance, transport/supply, and from what I can tell on the last one would be communications from the seemingly radio-dish type design. Can you confirm this from your sources?
If I am perceiving the transport/supply (?) emblem correctly, It is particularly fascinating because it looks like 3 Soyuz/ or apollo type craft docked and a propeller superimposed over it.... Do you see it as well?
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Mike Rush
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| Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 2:54 am Post subject: Re: OUTLAND and the logo designs of John Mollo |
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| Mark Sheppard wrote: | Security, Maintenance, transport/supply, and from what I can tell on the last one would be communications from the seemingly radio-dish type design. Can you confirm this from your sources?
If I am perceiving the transport/supply (?) emblem correctly, It is particularly fascinating because it looks like 3 Soyuz/ or apollo type craft docked and a propeller superimposed over it.... Do you see it as well? |
Close, but the third one is actually 'mining'... the logo is simply three pneumatic drills (or 'jackhammers') superimposed.
The fourth one is 'admin'... as worn by one Mark Sheppard!
I'll check tonight and quote the exact titles here.
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Mark Sheppard
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| Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 3:24 am Post subject: |
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Ok Thanks for that Mike!
I see how they could be Pneumatic hammers... what I mistook for the solar panels could be handles. great info!
The Admin one I remember seeing on his uniform. Now I see it as a subliminal spiders web type design, which makes sense.
Fantastic info, and thanks again Mike. 
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Mike Rush
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| Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 2:32 pm Post subject: |
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Okay, the stated departments are, l-r:
Security / Mechanical Engineers / Mining Engineers / Admin
I quite like the distinction 'Mining Engineer' - as in, maybe not the guys in the spacesuits who do the mining, but rather support staff who take care of the hardware etc. The spacesuits themselves I don't think carry a department patch as such, but then if you're wearing a spacesuit I guess you're a miner!
There's one more that I know of, which is
Medical.
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SKIN JOB 66
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| Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 3:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Mark Sheppard wrote: | The Admin one I remember seeing on his uniform. Now I see it as a subliminal spiders web type design, which makes sense.
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As far as I can recall, this one always made me think of a Panopticon.
From Wikipedia :
The Panopticon is a type of prison building designed by English philosopher and social theorist Jeremy Bentham in 1785. The concept of the design is to allow an observer to observe (-opticon) all (pan-) prisoners without the incarcerated being able to tell whether they are being watched.
More after the jump :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panopticon
I think it makes sense since the Con-Am mining facility is almost a prison on a remote world (you can't escape it) and the company executives almost act like a prison administration.
Fred
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joberg
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| Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 7:31 am Post subject: |
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| Or the Pentagon in Washington D.C....the watchers being watched good stuff Fred as always. |
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Gaff87
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| Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 7:35 am Post subject: |
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| joberg wrote: | | Or the Pentagon in Washington D.C |
My thoughts exactly J
Awesome work Fred.
Neil |
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SKIN JOB 66
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| Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 4:20 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you JB and Neil !
BTW, did you notice they also have a CON-AM 27 logo on their beers ???
The name of the company they work for on the beer they drink, hu ? Just another similarity with the A L I E N universe I guess...
Fred
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Mark Sheppard
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| Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 5:22 pm Post subject: |
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I saw that, I have been trying to find a source for picture of that, He pulls one right out of the refrigerator and pops it open... "now they call the programmer daddy.."
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SKIN JOB 66
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| Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 5:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Mark Sheppard wrote: | | I saw that, I have been trying to find a source for picture of that, He pulls one right out of the refrigerator and pops it open... "now they call the programmer daddy.." |
As Brett would say : "Right !"
Fred
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Lanboy
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| Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 6:08 pm Post subject: |
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| If we ever get a decent DVD or Blu-Ray of Outland, maybe we can glean enough detail to put the beer can graphics on a shirt or even cans... |
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Mark Sheppard
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| Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 7:16 pm Post subject: |
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I can actually see a whole section on propsummit devoted to Outland.
Guess we better make the whole con am 27 installation diorama, and lots of Fabrique Nationale Browning sawed off shotgun pics... I can do one of those, now who wants to tackle the assassin's cool scopes?
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SKIN JOB 66
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| Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 12:56 am Post subject: |
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| Mark Sheppard wrote: | and lots of Fabrique Nationale Browning sawed off shotgun pics... I can do one of those, now who wants to tackle the assassin's cool scopes?
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Believe it or not, Morganthirteen is working on one of these guns... (saw pics on the RPF)
Fred
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