Countdown To Prometheus Part 6: Alien vs. Predator Requiem

It seems only right that my last Countdown was delayed until after Prometheus was released.  I suspect the aftertaste would have hindered my anticipation or perhaps have given the prequel an unfair advantage.  Comparing the two most recent Alien films will answer any questions as why 20th Century Fox sought out Ridley Scott’s return. 

AVP-R picks up immediately after the conclusion of the first AVP.  The corpse of the original hero predator (if you call him that) is being returned to the race’s home planet.  On route, an newborn alien–a hybrid of alien and predator–erupts from the corpse, kills off the remaining passengers, and somehow reroutes the ship back to Earth.  Was one of the predators gripping a large steering wheel, and in its dying state, tugged the wheel 180 degrees?

The predator world send a lone warrior to obliterate the alien threat and destroy any evidence of the xenomorphs presence.  (Would leaving proof of their existence somehow make humans a less appealing prey for future hunts?  Why are they concerned about PR?)

Meanwhile, the aliens begin to multiply rapidly.  Like the first AVP, there’s no waiting time during the alien gestation cycle.  After the facehugger releases its human captive, they regain consciousness and the infant explodes from their chests.  AVP-R must hold the record for the number of disgusting alien chest-burstings. Seconds later, fully grown aliens are in kill-mode 

AVP-R pushes into the Friday the 13th philosophy of horror.  A dozen cardboard characters are introduced–many of which will be slaughtered.  There’s not one interesting human face in the bunch.  Even the cute child is devoid of any sympathy.  And like most of these films, when one character is killed, there is little remorse or sense of loss–just blood and guts. 

Unlike the first AVP, the annoying humans are completely disengaged from the main plot.  A good chunk of the film follows each character through a series of Dawson’s Creek obstacles.  What’s the point?  They’re as good as dead–and I’m fine with that.

The other half of AVP-R follows the lone Predator’s hunt for increasing horde of Aliens, who are preoccupied rotating between destroying skulls or capturing them to carry alien fetuses.  At this point, I believe the audience deserves an explanation on the alien host selection process.  Do the xenomorphs have mood swings?

In the brief 90-minute running time, there is not one single moment that’s original.  At this stage, I’ve witnessed enough demolished chests and skulls.  The Predator uses a familiar bags of tricks.  There is no mystery; the predator even takes his mask off early in the feature to show its usual Stan Winston design–remaining the same ugly mother fucker who appalled Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Glover.  Yet the predator has a dramatic unmasking in the finale.  Why?  We know what it looks like.  Are the Predator fans that nostalgic?  Apparently so.  The film-makers re-construct sounds and visual cues from all seven Predator and Alien features.  Even the sparse unique qualities of the first AVP have been reused.

The Alien leader and “son” of the dead predator–the Predalien–is nothing more than a steroid-induced version of the xenomorph with an ability to impregnate humans directly (and disgustingly) rather than lay eggs.  Is this some hint at the predator’s own breeding capabilities?

Most bizarre is that the film takes place in a small community in Colorado.  Although the first AVP took place on Earth, the setting was reserved to the tight, dark corridors of a buried temple.  AVP-R had an opportunity to unleash the monsters in a surrounding that did not involve dark, claustrophobic quarters.  Yet, all of the monster scenes occur in long, dark corridors. 

I hated this movie.  Despite the faults of the latter Alien prequels, none have given me the displeasure as AVP-2.  There’s no singular element that’s worth praising.  Even the technical capabilities are hindered by the overly dim lighting that negates any of the details in the special effects and visual qualities.  The fast editing disallows any comprehension of the action to say nothing of leaving anything to our imaginations.   There is not one glimmer of suspense or terror.  At not one moment did I care about anything that transpired–I just sat patiently waiting for the pain to stop.

AVP-2 was rated R for returning the disgusting factor that was omitted from from the first AVP, which was rated PG-13 rating.  The film, however, won’t even appeal to gore-hounds who love seeing heads explode.  The editing is too fast and the light is too dark to appreciate any of the bloody recesses.   The film is called subtitled “Requiem”, meaning funeral, for no reason other than to highlight the letter ‘R’ as a sign that the franchise has return to its depraved roots.  How about we just call the damn thing “Alien vs. Predator: The Return”!  “Requiem” is a term used for a Fox Searchlight Picture.   Perhaps the film-makers pontificated the end.  The “Requiem” was a final trumpet call for a franchise that would end with fans mourning the depreciation of once great–and respectable–franchise.    

Final Thoughts…

The Alien franchise has endured for over thirty years mainly due to its two initial features and the iconic imagery of the many monsters the films introduced.  Although the saga has had more downs than ups–including the disappointing Prometheus–the saga continues to captivate hearts and minds based on the brilliant storytelling of the Ridley Scott and James Cameron.  The first two films are classics in their respectable genres.

Despite the numerous flaws I’ve found with the latter installments, each film has been entrusted to different film-makers, some notable, others no-so-much.  The series has unfortunately chased the formula of the first and second films too often, but each film–even the AVPs–were bestowed their own vision.  Even in face of failure, many of the writers, directors and stars were given opportunities to reach great heights.  Each Alien film also represented a certain period in the history of cinema as the average period between features was five years.

Despite the technological barriers from 1979 and 1986, Alien and Aliens remain the saga highlights due to their reliance of the audiences’ imaginations.  Even with Prometheus, this philosophy has not been practiced since.

The aliens themselves remain a scary, iconic image whose imprint on medium is undeniable.  Regardless of where the saga heads after the smoke of Prometheus clears, the saga will continue and I will remain longing for another great scare. 

Prometheus–Review

Prometheus can be narrowed down to two still frames, both of which involve its main star, Noomi Rapace.  In the first 30 minutes, a shot captures Rapace’s awe and wonder as she stares at writings that hint of the true origin of the human race; the other–from the final 30 minutes–is of Rapace’s face in sheer terror as she peeks around the corner, cradling an ax in her hands.  What began as a thought-proving sci-fi film of Creationism and Darwinism has devolved (pun intended) into a typical horror movie that buries its ideas under a barrage of sandstorms.

The film is a prequel to Alien, but promises no grande appearance of the villainous xenomorphs, which is as confusing as promoting an Exorcist prequel that is devoid of demon possessions.  Yet, Prometheus is able to drift away from the Alien formula and stand on its own–and suffer its own set of issues.

The film is one of compromise, clearly fulfilling its obligation that all blockbusters must either connect to an established franchise or spawn a new one.  Prometheus accomplishes both–inserting enough references to appease the Alien crowd, while leaving many of the connections unresolved; promising that future installments will fill in the gaps.

The first half of Prometheus is astounding in its craft and execution.  Ridley Scott, who helmed the original Alien, is a master of establishing mood.  The opening credits engage us in a beautiful series of helicopter shots of a vacant planet, which we believe is a primitive Earth.  Unlike Alien, the music here suggests intrigue, not horror.  

Fast-forward to the year 2089, a group of scientists discover an ancient archeological writing which reveal the planetary location of a species believed to have created humankind.  The scientists set off on a two-year journey on board the star ship, Prometheus.   The passengers include archeologists Elizabeth Shaw and Charlie Holloway (Rapace and Logan Marshall-Green), corporate mastermind Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron), and the ship android David (Michael Fassbender).  Their final destination is a desolate gray planet where a buried spaceship holds many secrets.

An early highlight of the movie is a loving tribute to 2001 as the lonely David (playing both the Hal and Dave roles here) patrols the ship during the two year voyage, monitoring the sleeping passengers and ship operations.   He bounces a basketball and rewatches Lawrence of Arabia (on one impressive video display) over and over.  He even combs his hair to match Peter O’Toole’s.  Fassbender’s understated performance is the best in the film; his insatiable curiosity in human-kind never abates.  Movies love to give the robots the most human characterizations.

Also impressive is the set design of the Prometheus and the cryptic ship.  The vastness of the latter is haunting.  The scientists use nifty floating probes that scout the far corners of the ship while returning a 3D schematic back to the Prometheus.  The victims of the earlier Alien films would have saved a lot of heartbreak if they possessed such tools.

To reveal more of the plot would be to hinder the surprises.  Prometheus’s story (a hushed secret since its announcement) unravels with some unpredictable turns.  The discovered ship is the same (we assume) from Alien, but the origins of the crew and its purpose are not as obvious. 

The first half of Prometheus is filled with wonder.  I soon began to forget the Alien connections and sought the same knowledge as the scientists.  At the film’s end many of the questions go unanswered.  Some of the conclusions are left to our own imaginations, while others feel like a cheat.  It’s forgivable the leave the knowledge of our origins ambiguous.  But I left the theater unsure what happened to the damn alien ship.

There are many unresolved subplots such as Vickers (Theron) role in the expedition.  Another involves David’s nefarious motives.  Is he serving the company or himself?  There is also a pointless romantic subplot involving Theron, which will have nerds using a pickup line in singles bars that won’t mirror that same results.  “Are you a robot?” 

Even with a two-hour running time, Prometheus feels rushed.  It attempts to squeeze elements of philosophy, horror and jeopardy into one package.  The plot’s surprises lead to some unwarranted conclusions and a even one heroic sacrifice that feels unsatisfying.

The tension is a mixed bag, which mainly involves Rapace fending off a threat in the last half an hour.  Does Scott refuse to reuse his back of tricks from Alien or has he simply misplaced them?   An earlier scene proves that Scott can still deliver the goods when Rapace learns that she is pregnant with an alien creature and self-performs a nail-biting, horrific surgical procedure.  The tension elevates as the removed fetus gains consciousness while Rapace is still trapped in the surgical chamber.   

Prometheus is an ambitious mess.  In the past, Scott’s movies have fallen victim to heavy editing and changes in post-production.  Something tells me that this theatrical cut is not Scott’s preferred vision and an elongated version will make its way on the blu-ray that will flesh out characters and fill in holes.  A film this magnificent in scope and imagination lends itself to a three-hour epic.  (If Transformers can do it, why can’t this?) Instead, Prometheus feels unfinished and we’re stuck with two disparate images that don’t gel into one package.  If you don’t believe the film was compromised, then all you have to do is take a third still of film’s final shot.   

Despite its problems, Prometheus is the prequel that no one expected and stretches beyond the limits of the franchise.  Scott and company keep the Alien-connection at bay for the sake of making an more original (and expensive) science-fiction film akin to 2001 or Close Encounters.  The film does raise questions and broadens the imagination, which is a greatly appreciated refuge from contemporary summer fare that just want to show spaceships go boom.  I’m positive Scott would agree that the still shot of Rapace’s wonder is more enticing than the one of her carrying an ax.  And I’d also wager the final shot was not his idea.   

Countdown to Prometheus Part 4: "Alien Resurrection"

Those who have read my earlier countdowns may recall the back-story behind the original Alien–which was planned as a cheap B-movie Roger Corman knockoff.  Although that idea was tossed, its degraded recesses did manage to trickle all their way down onto Alien Resurrection.  Devoid of thrills or suspense, the franchise has mutated into a glorified monster-fest.  And even the aliens themselves look bored.

The actual script–plagued with many flaws–does provide a novel approach to resuscitating the tired franchise.  Picking up 200 years after Alien 3, a secret government organization clones Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) in order to retrieve the alien queen fetus she carried during her demise.  After several failed attempts, both are successfully reincarnated, save for each carrying hints of the others DNA–Ripley has black finger nails and acidic blood and the queen now possesses, well, bizarre human capabilities. 

Meanwhile, a renegade squad–which includes Ron Perlman (Hellboy) and co-star Winona Ryder (Beetlejuice)–dock at the military spaceship to deliver their cargo order: unconscious human hosts for the new alien embryos.

After two centuries, the government still hasn’t learned from the mistakes of earlier films.  (I was always curious why the evil corporation and military wanted the aliens so badly.  In an era where star ships can reach the far corners of space, how beneficial would uncontrollable creatures be as combat tools?)

The moment the aliens escape and lay rampage on the ship, the armed guards (those who aren’t eaten) flee in escape pods without stopping to consider battling the threat or rescuing the other passengers.  (Was the science vessel assigned the Gomar Pyle crew?)  The remaining survivors include most of the renegades and the ship’s chief scientist–whose glaring eyes and evil smirk blatantly imply “evil” to comical effect.  Ripley soon joins the group as they make way to vacate the ship.  (Why do the aliens always attack when the humans are located far away from an escape route?)

The film follows the ragtag survivors as they banter and probe corners for alien attackers, albeit without any genuine humor or suspense.  The one-liners, reserved mostly for the buffoonish Perlman, are pain-inducing.  “Must be a chick thing.”

The design of the ship’s interiors lack the level of imagination found in earlier installments.  There are moments of deja vu as the survivors seem to walk around the same sound-stage multiple times.  Are they moving in circles?

One saving grace is Weaver, who is more interesting here than in Alien 3, instilling Ripley 2.0 with an ambiguity and cynicism.  Her alien genes give her a feeling of connection to the alien villains, distilling her vindictiveness toward them.  However, the script never allows Ripley to reveal exactly what she’s thinking or how much she remembers.
    

Weaver’s co-star for Alien Resurrection is Winona Ryder, as Cole, a tag-along member of the mercenaries who is turns out to be a mole assassin wanted to prevent the cloning project.  She and Ripley form a unlikely alliance.  Sadly, this golden opportunity to create a mother-daughter dynamic is lost; the bond which might have recalled Ripley’s previous life and her relationship with the little girl, Newt, is underdeveloped.  Everyone’s just too preoccupied running from monsters. 

There are two noteworthy sequences.  The first involves the groups’ dangerous swim through the completely submerged kitchen area.   During their 100-foot trek and three minutes without oxygen (I counted.  Amazing lung capacities.), a pair of swimming aliens give chase.  The fleeing group reach surface, but the other side is blocked, as well as infested with alien eggs, waiting to latch onto the first head that surfaces.

Underwater aliens aren’t the only new element.  In the third act, the queen reveals she possesses Ripley’s reproductive abilities and gives birth to a flesh-colored creature who believes Ripley is his mother, adding a humorous touch to the otherwise flat feature.   

In contrast to Alien 3, the fourth incarnation strives for something new, but inevitably subsides into standard horror fare–an unassuming victim looks in the opposite direction just as the monster strikes. The characters constantly engage in loud outbursts and juvenile one-liners that deprive the film of any sense of danger.  (Who yells when killer monsters lurk around the corner?)  The creatures are displayed in full force thanks to the relatively new CGI technology, which reveals their uninspired, velociraptor-like walking patterns.  Their ominous breathing and squeals heard in Aliens have been replaced with less creepy lion roars.    

Like Alien 3, there were major players involved, including director Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amelie, The City of Lost Children) and writer Joss Whedon (writer-director the small indie flick, The Avengers).  Like David Fincher from the earlier film, both would survive the critical backlash.  Unfortunately, the poor box office prevented the series from progressing further and would lay dormant for seven more years, until the aliens would be demoted to a co-starring role with another movie monster.  

Next…


Whoever wins, we lose!!

Countdown to Prometheus Part 1: "Alien"

“In space, no one can hear you scream…”

Recently, a close friend of mine had just watched Alien for the very first time in order to build anticipation for next’s month’s Prometheus.  He confessed that, although he enjoyed it, the film did not scare the crap out of him.  He was aware that a disgusting creature would erupt out of John Hurt’s chest well before he popped in the DVD.
  

Alien‘s success has become a double-edged sword: Its popularity has diluted its impact.  The film is now so deeply embedded in the cultural spectrum that it no longer carries the same surprise element that sent movie-goers into shock convulsions during its debut in 1979.  Many copycat horror films have followed (monster discovered, runs ramped, wipes out a bevy of people, and is finally destroyed by a lone survivor before the credits roll) hoping to repeat its success.  The monster-loose-on-a-spaceship soon became cliche’ as masked killers with knives.  Even the film’s most famous sequence–the “birth”–has been parodied and referenced in almost every conceivable medium.  Unless you are blind, deaf or an alien yourself, you know this sequence.   

Despite the now-predictable grandiose entrance of the antagonist, Alien remains a classic above almost all films in the genre.  Originally conceived as a cheap B-movie, Roger Corman knockoff, Alien was given the red carpet treatment after an earlier sci-fi epic, Star Wars, soared past box office records.  However, the director, Ridley Scott, borrowed more ingredients from 2001: his outer space is desolate, slow, lonely, and frightening.  Even the ship’s central computer, MU-TH-ER, hearkens back to HAL.

Scott took an already familiar monster-movie premise and invigorated it with a new sense of realism, seriousness and dread.  Also, very few horror features–then or now–contain the same consideration for the human cast or the build-up between attack sequences. 

Let’s consider the film’s opening–which wouldn’t pass with today’s studios lack of faith in audience attention spans.  Alien doesn’t start with a bang, but with a subtle hum.  A huge space carrier is shown trans-versing the bleakness space.  Jerry Goldsmith’s eerie credit music is suggestive enough to reveal that this will be a horror movie.

The camera creeps slowly around ship’s foreboding passages, establishing the vastness of its interior and establishes many possibilities where the not-yet-introduced villain could hide.  With a whisper, the ship’s hyper sleep chamber opens and the seven members of the crew begin to wake up, after months of slumber during their return voyage.  When Kain (John Hurt) slowly rises, it’s subtlety communal, almost symbolic when you consider his ultimate fate. 

In a standard Hollywood film, each of the seven characters would be presented in series of closeups and brief dialog that touches on their histories.  Scott wastes no time on that.  The crew is introduced eating breakfast in a series of long-shots having a mundane conversation on the imbalance in pay distribution.  Even in outer space, class warfare exists. These folks aren’t glorified heroes–they’re grunt workers, eager to get home and take some R&R. 

Before the payment debate is settled, MU-TH-ER reveals that the ship hasn’t returned to earth, but was diverted to investigate an alien transmission from an uninhabited planet.  When the crew investigates, they unknowingly carry an intruder–gestating inside Kain’s chest.
 

Alien has one of the finest ensembles in a genre that typically limits the characters as fodder for the monster.  Although the film doesn’t establish individual story arch or backgrounds, Scott allows the brief interactions between the characters to invoke remarkable realism and intrigue.  In one scene, Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) makes promises to the technical grunts (Yaphet Kott and Harry Dean Stanton) that they will earn a share of the bonus, much to their doubt and bemusement.  The moment she’s out of earshot, they talk shit.  When the alien appears and begins taking out crew members, they sure as hell listen to Ripley.

The seven castmates should be familiar to today’s audiences: Ian Holm, as the cryptic medical officer, Tom Skerritt, as the laid-back commander, Hurt as Kain, Kotto and Stanton (recently scene-stealing the “Avengers” by warning Bruce Banner of his “serious condition”) as the ship’s disgruntled tech crew.

If Weaver was not the poster child for the Alien franchise, most first-time viewers would not easily guess that she would become the ultimate “hero”.  Weaver’s presents Ripley as a thorn in the side of her crew, arguing for following quarantine rules rather than allowing the unconscious Kain (possessing the alien fetus) into the ship.  If the other crew members listened, they would be alive–and there would be no franchise. 

Although the actual alien doesn’t make an “appearance” until the film’s mid-way point, the anticipation and suspense builds.  Scott leisurely hints at the characters’ worries without having them explain themselves.  When the space ship first arrives on the planet, the crew are making plans to walk on foot and explore the planet.  However, Lambert (Veronica Cartwright) is shown in a close-up sitting and smoking a cigarette while in deep thought.  What is she thinking?  Most directors would concentrate the camera on their conversation between the characters talking, but Scott constantly cuts back to Lambert, suggesting her inhibitions–suspecting that something bad is going to happen.

When Kain, Dallas and Lambert explore the planet surface, the atmosphere is eerie.  There are no fake scares, just the suggestion that danger lurks.

When the alien finally appears (in the most famous of birth sequences), he quickly vanishes, leaving the surviving crew members look for it.  At one point, Brent wonders alone (we know what happens next).  Although, this scene is the most obvious and cliched, it’s still effective due to the suspense Scott instills.  He again takes his time.

Brent moves further in the bowels of the ship.  The dripping moisture, clinking of chains and the subtle sounds of a racing heartbeat suggest that he’s in danger.  Scott invokes the Hitchcock formula: The audience knows something bad will happen, but the suspense comes from waiting and the build until it actually occurs.     

After the alien dispatches of three crew members, the survivors begin to unravel.  The actors react in realistic behavioral patterns: one wants to flee, another wants revenge, and another a secret motivation entirely.

Alien stands apart from the films that follows the most.  It’s formula has been copied, but never replicated.  No film today would allow a monster movie to invoke as much patience and suggestions of terror without actually showing it.

Scott allowed Alien to build–the suspense boils over at the point when alien finally strikes.  Many elements of fear are effectively invoked, such as the sense of claustrophobia as Dallas hunts the alien through the dark, cramped venting system, or the double jeopardy when Ripley rushes to evacuate the ship before it self-destructs, except the alien is lurking somewhere between her and the escape pod.    

If Alien were made today, the film-makers would forgo the opening credits and ambiance in order to tease a few seconds of Ripley running in terror in the third act.  There would be no faith in the audience’s patience or the capacity of their imagination.

As for the creature itself, it has become as iconic as Dracula or Frankenstein.  The original poster artwork reveals nothing of the alien’s appearance (in any of its incantations), which serves the story better.  Even throughout the course of the film, we never really see the alien, except for quick cuts.  It’s origins, weaknesses and motives are not explored–it’s just a perfect killing machine. Once again referencing Hitchcock, we don’t care about any of this information.  All that matters, is that if it spots you, it will kill you!  Our imagination does the rest.

The Prometheus Factor

Like many, I am eager to see Ridley Scott return to the Alien saga.  I have doubts that the film will compare to the original in terms of imagination and suspense.  There will be many moments that harken back to the original feature.  Of course, the film takes place on the planet where the Alien was discovered in the original film. The cast of this new film features many beautiful actors.  Sigourney Weaver was no dog in Alien but she was still  believable as a space trucker.  Charlize Theron is not so believable.  But this isn’t 1979.

Up next…

“They mostly come out at night…mostly…”

Men in Black III–Review

Despite my earlier reservations about Men in Black III, my longing to continue the Memorial Day “movie date” tradition was more crucial.  Also, the film selection was so meager this year that my wife and I almost entertained the idea of rewatching The Avengers instead. 

Men in Black III exceeded my expectations, albeit by a margin (it wasn’t bad).  As in prior installments, MIB III works best when Agents K (Mr. Jones AND Mr. Brolin) and Agent J (Mr. Smith) engage in comical interchanges that beget from their disparate personalities.

Their characterizations remain intact from 1997: Smith’s Agent K is direct, no-nonsense and Smith remains the wise-cracker and outsider, even though he’s considered a veteran after 14 years.  Their chemistry has continuously offset the lackluster plots–a constant issue I have had with The Men in Black series.
In this installment, a vengeful alien goes back in time to kill Agent K and stop a protective shield from forming around the earth so his fellow species can conquer the planet in the present.  When history is changed, K disappears from existence and the Earth is about to be attacked.  Why would they wait 40 years to attack the Earth anyway?

J is the only one who remembers K was alive, which is partially explained, but doesn’t make a lick of sense.  K travels back to 1969 to preserve history and save his friend.

The villain is portrayed by non other than Jermaine Clement, the songwriter and performer from Flight of the Concords.  His villainy lacks any real originality and Clement’s comic appeal is lost beneath the makeup and uninspired dialog. 

Men in Back III was originally plagued by script issues during production–the script wasn’t finished!  Surprisingly the story never falls apart, but there are still some plot holes and elements that remain unexplained.

In fairness, the whole purpose of the script was to place Will Smith in 1969.  There are some funny moments such as the secret behind Andy Warhol’s true identity and the additional purpose of the moon landings.

Like the prior two, MIB III excels when it showcases the inner workings behind the Men in Black organization, such as the secret pathways, the true identities of famous people, or the methods the organization takes to keep its secrets.  None of this incarnation’s in-jokes beat my favorite gag of the entire series: the revelation that The National Enquirer is the most legitimate news resource.  Also, a Men in Black film set in 1969 that doesn’t feature at least one equality-preaching alien hippie seems like a waist.

There aren’t even funny references to celebrities who are revealed to be aliens incognito, unless you look real very closely at the MIB video monitoring systems in the background.  (My wife and I took turns noticing that Lady Gaga and Tim Burton are both aliens.  Duh!)

It’s a shame that much of the obvious gags to come from the 1969 setting are brushed aside to push the uninteresting plot forward.  Men in Black III seems rushed and settles on amusing audiences just enough so they can leave the theater happy and get screeners primed for the next showtime.  The characters are fun, but there is never any sense of growth, even when one interesting tidbit of J’s past is revealed.  However, MIB III has its share of funny and even one touching moment.   It’s just good enough to recommend, but my original feelings remain.  I left the theater forgetting most of what I witnessed and remain convinced that Mr. Smith and Mr. Jones can put their glasses away.