Dan O'Bannon

Dan O'Bannon famously crafted his screenplays using a self-designed system which he called "dynamic structure." This book outlines how O'Bannon's method differs from those of other well-known screenwriting gurus, and illustrates with examples from classic (and not-so-classic) films how dynamic structure can be applied to craft narrative and character. O'Bannon also includes his insights on subjects such as the logic of the three-act structure, the...

"In 1976, Twentieth Century Fox bought a screenplay by Dan O'Bannon entitled Star Beast. Three years later with Ridley Scott at the helm, Alien was unleashed on unsuspecting filmgoers. En route to back to Earth, the crew of the starship Snark intercepts an alien transmission. Their investigation leads them to a desolate planetoid, a crashed alien spacecraft, and a pyramidic structure of unknown origin. Then the terror begins . . . Writer Cristiano...

The crew of the colony ship Covenant, bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise, but is actually a dark, dangerous world. When they uncover a threat beyond their imagination, they must attempt a harrowing escape.

Quaid is a construction worker in the year 2084 who is haunted by dreams of Mars. Against the wishes of his wife, "Quaid goes to Rekall, a company that implants artificial memories, so he can "remember" visiting the red planet that is now being settled by human inhabitants. However, Quaid is actually an amnesiac secret agent from Mars-or is he?"--Container.

Alien: Terror begins when the crew of a spaceship investigates a transmission from a desolate planet and discovers a life form that is perfectly evolved to annihilate mankind. Species: A beautiful human-alien hybrid escapes from observation to mate with unsuspecting men and produce offspring that could destroy mankind.

"On his first day on the job at an army surplus store, poor Freddy unwittingly releases nerve gas from a secret U.S. military canister, unleashing an unbelievable terror. The gas re-animates an army of corpses, who arise from their graves with a ravenous hunger ... for human brains! And luckily for those carnivorous cadavers, there is a group of partying teens nearby, just waiting to be eaten!"--Container.

On his first day on the job at an army surplus store, poor Freddy unwittingly release nerve gas from a secret U.S. military canister, unleashing an unbelievable terror. The gas re-animates a corps of corpses, who arise from their graves with a ravenous hunger for human brains! Luckily for those carnivorous cadavers, there is a group of partying teens nearby, just waiting to be eaten!

A small Colorado town becomes the battleground between two of the deadliest extra-terrestrial lifeforms - the Alien and the Predator. When a Predator scout ship crash-lands in the hills outside the town, Alien facehuggers are released in the crash. Also released is a hybrid Alien/Predator. A man and his son hunting in the forest near the crash site soon become the first victims of the facehuggers. A Predator receives data about the crash on his home...

Total recall: Quaid is a construction worker in 2084, haunted by dreams of Mars. Against the wishes of his sexy blonde wife, Quaid goes to Rekall, a company that implants artificial memories so he can "remember" visiting the red planet that is now being settled by human inhabitants. However, Quaid is actually an amnesiac secret agent from Mars-- or is he? Terminator 2, judgment day: The Terminator is sent back in time to protect John Connor, the...

The year is 2078. The man is rebel Alliance Commander Col. Joseph Hendricksson, assigned to protect the Sirius 6B outpost from ravage and plunder at the hands of the New Economic Bloc. His state-of-the-art weaponry is known as Screamers: man-made killing devices programmed to eliminate all enemy life forms. Screamers travel underground, their intent to kill announced by ear-piercing shrieks. They dissect their victims with precision, then eradicate...