Alien
Details
The silence of space is often a harbinger of the greatest threat. Ridley Scott's 1979 classic turned this silence into an atmospheric tool, building something completely different at the intersection of science fiction and horror genres: a pure, rootless existential anxiety. As the cargo ship Nostromo continues its journey through the depths of space, it transforms from an ordinary commercial vessel into a vessel of destiny. The crew emerges as a realistic and human-sized group with distinct personalities. There is hierarchy among them, there is friction, there is fatigue. This human fabric sets the stage for tension; for the real horror arises not from an abstract evil but from the helplessness of these people. Throughout the film, Scott steadfastly maintains his preference for making us feel rather than showing us. The dark corridors, the hum of machinery, the narrow passages, and the ship's interior design, which resembles organic architecture, leave the viewer struggling to breathe. H.R. The biomechanical universe created by Giger not only offers a visual feast, but also blurs the boundaries of the familiar and the unfamiliar, the organic and the artificial. This ambiguity is one of the film's deepest sources of anxiety. Ripley, portrayed by Sigourney Weaver, emerges in this film as one of the most powerful female characters in cinema history. What makes Ripley particularly meaningful is that the qualities that make her a hero are not extraordinary, but consistent and principled. His adherence to rules, composure, and belief in logic make him the only true reference point against the chaos around him. The film's theme is not limited to mere survival. The placing of corporate interests before human life, the fragility of the trust relationship established with technology and the cost of facing the unknown also flow quietly under the story. All these layers transform Alien from being merely a horror film into a kind of allegory. Even though decades have passed, the anxiety evoked by the film feels as if it has never faded. Because what it describes is much more than just a monster in space: it's the feeling of gradually realizing you can't escape anywhere.
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Reviews
Patrick E. Abe
September 21, 2016
8/10
Described by Roger Ebert as a "trapped in a haunted house" movie, this movie set the bar for Horror in the Summer. The "Nostromo," like "Star Wars" spacecraft, looks worn and in use, compared to the "just out of the box" look of "Star Trek" spacecraft. (And I'm a fan of the "Star Trek" universe!) The claustrophobic feel of the "Nostromo" is due to "filming inside of a tube" location shooting next seen in "Das Boot." A band of "space truckers" are awakened from hibernation, and are shocke...

John Chard
May 13, 2019
10/10
There is a clause in the contract which specifically states any systematized transmission indicating a possible intelligent origin must be investigated... Alien is directed by Ridley Scott and written by Ronald Shusett and Dan O'Bannon. It stars Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, John Hurt, Yaphet Kotto, Ian Holm and Harry Dean Stanton. Music is by Jerry Goldsmith and cinematography by Derek Vanlint. The space merchant vessel Nostromo receives an unknown transmission as ...

Repo Jack
October 28, 2020
10/10
The standard bearer of horror in space, Ridley Scott's masterpiece still thrills new generations of fans. The Giger-inspired alien induces a claustrophobic nightmare that still carries on in sequels and prequels.

r96sk
February 21, 2022
8/10
<em>'Alien'</em> isn't as eventful, and as such as entertaining, as I had anticipated, though it is still an enjoyable near two hours. It's a strong cast, with newbie Sigourney Weaver putting in a great performance. Tom Skerritt, Harry Dean Stanton, Yaphet Kotto and John Hurt are good too. I wanted to see more of them, though that's normal given the tightness of the setting - there's only so much they can do, of course. Other positives include the neat set design, solid special effects and...

GenerationofSwine
January 14, 2023
10/10
Horror in Space, that's what this is. It's a space monster movie, and the thing is, if you see Aliens, or most of the other Alien related films BEFORE you see this one, you're going to be expecting something completely different. But what you have is a horror movie set on a space ship with an atmosphere so thick that you could cut it with a knife. You can taste the eerie tension when you watch it...and, at least in my eyes, that makes it better than the over-the-top Space Marines that you ...

Filipe Manuel Neto
April 21, 2023
9/10
**One of the great founders of modern sci-fi.** Anyone who knows me already knows that I don't really like alien-themed movies, because I don't strictly believe in intelligent life outside our planet. However, the theme has already yielded many quality horror or thriller films. “Alien” is arguably the best, best-performed, and most enshrined and culturally significant of them all. It's one of those films that has already gone beyond cinematic issues to become a piece of art and culture that w...

CinemaSerf
June 05, 2023
7/10
Back in the day before Sir John Hurt took to being little more than a highly paid cameo-man, he was a great actor and here is a prime example. His merchant ship is travelling through space when it receives a distress call. They stop to help and one of their number becomes infected with a... well, now you have to watch it. Sigourney Weaver is superb as the feisty, no-nonsense "Ripley" who leads the defence against a beastie that has brute strength, determination, intelligence and an astonishing a...

James
October 20, 2023
7/10
The baby xenomorph looks like a muppet.

Christian Butoi
December 10, 2023
10/10
A masterpiece! Can be rewatched indefinitely!
HappyPagan
August 29, 2024
10/10
This is a classic for a reason. It's one of those movies where technical flaws are completely overshadowed by the story and the atmosphere.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Alien was released in 1979.
Alien has a runtime of 1 hr 57 min (117 minutes).
Alien belongs to the following genres: Horror, Science Fiction.
Alien has a rating of 8.2/10 from 16,445 votes on TMDB.
In the United States, Alien is available to watch on: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.