I think Prometheus is worth studying for a few reasons.
First it is a holllywood blockbuster film that will be seen by millions
and was anticipated by many for a long time. People wanted it to fulfill
something they were lacking. Hollywood is the dream/myth factory for people
on this planet and a film can influence and continue to influence people in a myriad
of subtle ways for a long time. If you study the lives of many revolutionaries in every
realm of human endeavor you see how much certain literature/drama/music influenced
their developing worldview, which they then turned around and made the reality that
we carry around in our heads now for the most part without question.
The budget alone was around $120-130 million. Like it or not this is one of the
major works of art of civilization so far. Maybe we don't want to thinks so critically, or spiritually,
or even aesthetically, but the fact is this film, like the new crap star wars films, will influence
the worldview of the human race for a period of time. Film is a shared dream and the very least
the youth who see this film will be influenced in some way.
Also I think because this is a mainstream popular horror film, and horror is basically an inversion of the sacred,
its a good insight into what may resonate (or not) with mass numbers of people and what they hold to be
profane or not. Honestly I think it is telling that the original film I would, with many, classify as Horror/Sci Fi while
the new one I would classify as Thriller/Sci Fi. I don't think the original is more scary (it is done a bit better, sure)
or more gory, I just think there has been a cultural shift to where the darkness in the original is more
everyday.
Of course it is "just a film". But if you think of the religious/political/scientific tracts that are "just books"
which have more plot and logic holes then swiss cheese and have had, and continue to have, an immense influence
over people's consciousness then I think it bears to pay attention to popular entertainment. These films
leave the screen and live somewhere. I'd just as soon innocently stick my face up against a charming cobra/vagina alien
then underestimate the memes that the latest blockbuster is mixing and matching.
If I knew all mysteries and all knowledge, and have not charity, I am nothing. St. Paul
I hang onto my prejudices, they are the testicles of my mind. Eric Hoffer