Episode 08: Dark Star vs Prometheus
[1. Fem says Prometheus created humans. In the myth, Prometheus didn’t create humans, but gave humans the gift of fire. Like ze says, ze got a C in mythology. In hir defense, the gift of fire is usually interpreted as enabling humans to create civilization so it is really not that much of a stretch. 2. The director of Robocop and Starship Troopers is Paul Verhoeven, not the made up pseudo-European name Meredith’s brain made up. 3. We chronically pronounce “Fassbinder” the German way in unconscious tribute to German queer film icon Rainer Werner Fassbinder.]
NOTES:
“Red Letter Media talks about Prometheus”
Carlos Poon’s helpful Prometheus infographic
The Whorer 
We recorded this podcast before I learned of the “Space Jesus” explanation of the film. Jesus being an alien is a theory I am familiar with, but after seeing Prometheus twice the notion didn’t pop into my head though Shaw’s barren womb impregnated with monster fetus had some obvious irony / symbolism. If, and it is a big if, the Space Jesus hypothesis is what the filmmakers were trying to suggest it feels safe to assume they failed as not many folks seem susceptible to the notion. And, this moralizing theocratic slant only reinforces the aspects of the film I didn’t like.
A good summation of the “Space Jesus” explanation is summed up in the 2nd part of comicbookgirl19’s Prometheus review. (The first part is pretty good too for a pop culture review.)
The live journal post in question, which was ambiguously endorsed on twitter by screenwriter Prometheus Damon Lindelof, can be found here:
http://cavalorn.livejournal.com/584135.html
Again, if correct, Cavalorn’s hypothesis buttresses themes I thought were negative. The “wounded side” metaphor is a bit of a stretch. Having seen the film twice, I don’t think the ceiling mural is discernible to the naked eye without a freezing the picture. And the freezed frame that Cavalorn gives as evidence isn’t convincing to me. I don’t see what he is seeing. The Shroud of Turin does not prove the Cruxifiction. The ceiling mural does not prove existence of Space Jesus.
And right wing super corknut Alex Jones agreeds with me that aliens creating humans is a highly subversive concept: