The M577APC armoured vehicle from the film Alien. How is it made?

Today’s film industry is fascinated by its ability to create incredible pictures. Of course, in most cases, this kind of filmmaking comes from the use of modern technology that wasn’t previously available. But talent also plays a big role.

A gifted team headed by a director was able to create true masterpieces even in the past years. The iconic Alien franchise is a case in point. The second part of the series titled “Aliens”, created by unsurpassed James Cameron, is still in demand among cinephiles, and even among the modern generation, which is more picky about the picture.

A special feature of Cameron’s work is not only colourful graphics used at the expense of current technological boons. He creates a product, which carries a certain idea, the “voice” of it comes from the talented cast, and in addition to top music. But another trick is details in the form of iconic props, such as the M577ARS armoured car in the film Aliens.

The story behind the armoured vehicle

Space fiction not only requires a decent imagination. The creators of such literary works could work on a single novel for years as they tried to work out every detail. A director who undertakes such a work is given less time. Moreover, he conveys the atmosphere not only through words but also through pictures.

Ensuring the proper mood in Aliens is achieved through many attributes. But the M577ARS armoured vehicle was indeed memorable for many. The futuristic planetary vehicle was created without the use of computer modelling, as the latter did not yet exist at the time.

The original idea was to build it from scratch. The sketches showed an entirely different design and “demanded” the creation of a formidable fighting vehicle. But the studio could not afford to make it reality. This is why they made the base model simpler – they used a 9m Hunslet ATT77 tractor, which had already been written off by Heathrow Airport.

Workflow

To build an armoured vehicle, even with a base, was not an easy task. The tractor-trailer had to be extensively rebuilt, removing unnecessary items. The main task was to make it lighter by 30 tonnes. Therefore, unnecessary metal parts were removed, as well as ballast. At the same time guns and design elements were added to turn the tractor into an armoured vehicle.

In the end, the truck was still very heavy and has low ground clearance. It cost $1.5 million to develop, while the film’s budget was $18.5 million. But it was worth it, because the box office was impressive and the armored vehicle is still considered an iconic fighting vehicle and a special feature of the movie.

Filming

The scenes inside the armoured vehicle were filmed in a pavilion. The reason for this was the lack of space. Due to its massive engine, the vehicle could not accommodate 12 paratroopers. But this was not a problem, especially considering the weight and dimensions of the armoured vehicle, dragging it back and forth was inconvenient. Plus the design could have suffered.

Combined shooting was done by using radio-controlled mini-armored models. There were several of them in all. You can see them in the Pinewood Studios garage today. The M577ARS is an example of how such props were previously created for iconic motion pictures.