Dan O'Bannon has died aged 63.

Amongst his writing/story credits were:

Dark Star
Alien (original script)
Blue Thunder
Total Recall

Yeah, I saw that, too.  Too bad.

He also had a hand in the awesome "Heavy Metal".  I love that movie.

I got it from Netflix a few months back -- excited to show it to Ross -- and he indulged me, only to deem it dated and dull.  I couldn't believe it!  I thought it was still great.

I wonder which of us is right?

Even though the finished product ended up vastly different from his first screenplay, Dan O'Bannon Will alwas be remembered for Alien. As he should. Rest in peace.

Quoted from bert I wonder which of us is right?

You're right Bert. You always are. Oh just call me Brown-nose then.

Quoted from Rob Even though the finished product ended up vastly different from his first screenplay, Dan O'Bannon Will alwas be remembered for Alien. As he should. Rest in peace.

Hear hear.

I do remember Drak Star being a low budget classic piece of cinema. Brilliant.

Sadly another one leaves. Oh dear. RIP.

Ren

It has been a long time since I saw "Dark Star", but I remember it being very funny - AI bombs that had to be talked out of detonating (which I am pretty sure was later nicked by an episode of Star Trek Voyager!).

O'Bannon's "Alien Script" was called "Star Beast" - it was substantially rewritten by Walter Hill and others, but the core - especially the alien itself - remained, and he was credited ever more with the creation of one of the most iconic sf/horror creatures since Frankenstein's monster.

Brilliant, a tad underestimated and under used writer... I've looked up to him for some time and this is terrible news.  

As for Heavy Metal, great for nostalgia but weak as hell in every other area but his short little Zombie Short about WWII.  I love the flick for what it was and own a superbit copy of it, along with an HD version I DLed for the Ps3 from some "unknown" source "looks around" ... But as a whole it is HannaBarbera dated and most of the stories flow in and out of bordem to tedium too many times.  I love the orb and the WWII one but the rest can Kiss f***, cos' they suck.  

Anyways, he was one of the only "real" screenwriters left in Hollywood... By that I mean one of the only ones who actually knew how to writer a screenplay the writer way.

Sad days, man.

And let us not forget his wonderful little zombie film called "The Return of the Living Dead".

Quoted from mcornetto And let us not forget his wonderful little zombie film called "The Return of the Living Dead".

Tar Man FTW.

Needless to say, Alien is legendary. I think H.R. Giger is more responsible for the creature itself but O'Bannon really brought something fresh to the table with the whole concept of "space truckers." Without him, Alien would never have had the minimalist and realisitic qualities that made it so great.

His Heavy Metal segment is ace as well. Very sad indeed.

Quoted from mcornetto And let us not forget his wonderful little zombie film called "The Return of the Living Dead".

Glad you remembered this one Michael, it's one of my favorite zombie films! The humour'a brilliant.