Alien

Horrorphile

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Horrorphile - October 2007

Alien

October 30th 2007 00:35

The original treatment for Alien (1979) by Dan O’Bannon (who had starred in John Carpenter’s sf cult classic Dark Star, and went on to direct the popular mid-80s zombie-comedy The Return of the Living Dead) was called Star Beast and was a homage to B-movies. If you examine Alien as a whole it is very much a B-movie premise - basically a stalk’n’slash flick set in space - but its production values have been elevated to high art.

Directed with the attention to detail with which he has become synonymous Ridley Scott created a genuinely frightening study of humans in extreme claustrophobic crisis: It is 2122, a deep space mineral ore towing ship, Nostromo, returning to earth has its crew interrupted from their hyper-sleep by the ship’s computer Mother. She’s intercepted a distress call from a neighbouring planetoid. Captain Dallas (Tom Skerritt) makes the decision to land the ship on the planet’s inhospitable surface (one of science fiction movies’ rare examples detailing how laborious this can be) and investigate.

The crew of Nostromo are rudely awakened from their hypersleep

Dallas, executive officer Kane (John Hurt), and navigator Lambert (Veronica Cartright) are the scout party. What they discover is out of this world, literally: a very strange-looking derelict, alien spacecraft. They enter and explore, encountering what appears to be the ship’s pilot; a huge space jockey astride some kind of phallic driving console. The long-dead creature appears to have died violently; a ruptured chest plate.

The bizarre-looking derelict alien spacecraft

Inside the alien craft are the fossilised remains of its occupants

Investigating further Kane descends down into the ship’s massive hull and finds a sprawling bed of large leathery eggs. One of which splays open and dispatches an aggressive crab-like face-hugger, which immediately attaches itself to Kane’s helmet and face. Warrant officer Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is reluctant to let the crew back on board with Kane carrying a foreign body, but science officer Ash (Ian Holm) in subordinates her decision.

Removing Kane's helmet reveals a terrifying parasite

Later, after the face-hugger has dis-attached itself and expired, the crew, including a traumatised, but otherwise okay Kane, sit down to a solid ship’s breakfast. And this is when the real trouble begins. It seems the face-hugger had been doing more than simply supplying Kane with oxygen; it had laid an egg which had incubated inside Kane, grown at an exponential rate, and was now ready to leave the nest, which it proceeds to do in spectacular, gory fashion, and in one of horror cinema’s legendary set-pieces.

The alien infant takes an immediate dislike to the ship's food

For the rest of the movie the remaining crew members try and devise ways of trapping and killing the alien creature which within hours has grown to over seven feet tall and is nigh on invincible; a ferocious killing machine which steadily picks off the hapless crew.

Everything about Alien is top notch; it is almost impossible to fault the movie. Sure if you want you can find flaws or inconsistencies, but any film will have these. My only substantial gripe with the movie is that the alien’s physical appearance, when revealed in full near the movie’s end, is too humanoid; not alien enough. There is one shot where the alien is silhouetted against the ship’s rocket exhausts, which looks silly, and Ridley Scott should never have used, but hey …

Acid for blood, a brilliant defence mechanism, you don't dare kill it!

Ron Cobb’s production design of the ship is brilliant. H.R. Giger’s design of the alien and the alien designs on the barren planet are exceptional (Italian special effects make-up whiz Carlo Rambaldi was the man who actually constructed the alien on set making the infamous head-piece with slimy dual jaws so utterly convincing). Jerry Goldsmith’s eerie and very memorable orchestral score sets a superb tone of dread and creeping unknown.

Alien Yaphet Kotto, Signourney Weaver and Harry Dean Stanton

Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), Parker (Yaphet Kotto) and Brett (Harry Dean Stanton) hunt the hunter

The casting is excellent. Director Scott wisely went with mostly lesser known names, apart from established English stage and screen actor John Hurt. It was Sigourney Weaver’s debut and the film’s sequels made her a household name. Originally her character was to be male. In early drafts of the screenplay there were several references to a relationship going on between Ripley and Dallas, but director Scott wisely decided a love interest sub-plot would only distract viewers unnecessarily.

Ash is a robot! Ash is a goddamn robot!

Alien was one of my very early “adult” movie experiences; several mates and I hired it out on VHS aged 12 or so (the movie was restricted to 16 and over). I remember utilising the freeze-frame function on several occasions during repeat viewings to marvel in horror at the blink-and-you-miss-them graphic dispatching of crew members, such as Brett’s fatal head injury and Parker’s chest gouging. I also remember owning a superb promotional pictorial magazine for the movie which featured numerous rare stills, including alternate takes, and mentioned Ripley going down into the hull of the Nostromo near the end of the movie and discovering Dallas in an alien cocoon. This latter scene was cut for the release version and many years later re-inserted for a director’s cut on DVD.

The awesome headpiece of H.R. Giger's alien design

Speaking of Dallas there is a scene of extended jeopardy in Alien which I feel ranks as one of cinema’s scariest, most suspenseful and intense sequences ever put to celluloid. When the crew members realise that the alien is using the ship’s air duct passageways to navigate around Dallas volunteers to enter the cramped space armed with a flamethrower (there are no weapons on board). Ash has built a rudimentary device detecting micro-changes in air density which the other crew members use to let Dallas know when the alien is getting close to him. Dallas steadily makes his way from one air duct junction to the next whilst Goldsmith’s music ratchets up the tension to nerve-wracking levels.

Tom Skerritt as fearless Captain Dallas

To make an unusual analogy, Alien has aged like a fine single malt; what was initially smoky and flavoursome with intense character and finish has become a truly powerful cinematic elixir. It doesn’t get much better than Alien, for mood, tone, atmosphere, mise-en-scene, special effects, cinematography, music, acting. Even the pared-back dialogue never comes across as forced or risible, as often is the case with derivative movies, because Alien does pull from numerous sources, it’s not a wholly original plot. But the emphasis on the visual narrative, the realism, the restraint in humour, these elements make the movie’s calibre like that of a full metal jacket; Alien kicks ass.

Ripley covers her ass during the film's uber-tense final moments

James Cameron made a fantastic sequel, which has its own legion of champions, but Aliens (1986) is more of a space cowboy action movie with horror undertones and will probably date sooner, whereas the controlled viscera, minimalism and inherent moodiness of Ridley Scott’s movie gives Alien a gothic elegance, lean intelligence, and ultimately the longevity of a deeper cult (shockhorrorprobe be the day Hollywood remakes this classic).

I could write a damn thesis on this movie, but I’d best keep it short, this is a blog, not a university paper (been there, done that). I now find myself dangerously close to All Hallow’s Eve, having completed my countdown to Halloween with reviews of seven nightmares of pleasure. Alien and tomorrow’s review are modern horror’s truly seminal movies.

Here's the superb original theatrical trailer:

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews

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Comments

17 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Michaelie

October 30th 2007 01:02

Flick Wit

It's a great movie and everything - but mostly it makes me laugh. The baby alien is hilarious, as are some of Sigourney's lines (I think it overreaches a bit there with the profundity).

Great review, Bryn.

Michaelie

Comment by Bryn

October 30th 2007 03:33

Horrorphile

It makes you laugh?! Are you serious?!! Overreaches?? Wow, you're the first person I've ever encountered who has described Alien in such a way. Perhaps I'm being over-protective of a film I have a very strong bond with

I thought Sigourney's dialogue in Aliens was far more overreaching. But then that's James Cameron for you, he tends to overreach at every opportunity.
Cheers for the props though!

Comment by Michaelie

October 30th 2007 03:45

Flick Wit

Hahaha!

Sorry, now I guess it's me raining on your parade!

Don't get me wrong - I do love it. I just can't help being amused is all. Lol.

Michaelie

BTW, don't know if I've told you this, but your banner is my favourite banner on Orble.

Comment by Bryn

October 30th 2007 06:27

Horrorphile

Michaelie, I appreciate your admittance to a quirky sense of humour. I too possess one, and find myself laughing during movies when no one else is ...
And thank you for the banner props, you're the first person who's said anything about it, let alone champion it! Cheers!!! I'm not sure if you're familiar with the artwork, its a detail from a painting called "Nightmare" (the artist's name escapes me) ...

Comment by Michaelie

October 30th 2007 06:52

Flick Wit

I think such humour is necessary in the world - we are obviously doing a service to society. Lol.

No probs, I have come across it before, at university, when I studied Freud and Mary Shelley, who were both apparently influenced by it. It's by Fuseli, I think? Some name that reminds me of pasta anyway. But not spaghetti.

...I find it very striking, so darkly erotic, and I always think how appropriate it is for your blog whenever your page loads.

Michaelie

Comment by Damo

October 30th 2007 10:52

For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics

Excellent review of an excellent Ridley Scott classic.
The actual movie started the rival that all other movies were to be compared to.
It took the classic B grade and A graded it in every way.

The cliche in horror stories was being done to death (no pun intended) and this operated at an intelligent stylish level.

Firstly acting was top notch with gritty unflattering people that looked actually human. Such a contrast from the Star Wars SciFi where everyone was plastic. You feel as if we are there in the set with people who we know, rather than standing back like passive observers.

I found the whole plot engaging because at no stage did I know who was going to be killed next. There was a whole random cruelty to the Alien rather than a predictable victim Bingo game. The most likeable and bravest character is killed early. The most compassionate turns out to be a cold hearted machine.
The most annoying person (Ripley) ends up being the sole survivor.

I heard one reviewer describe it as The Old Dark House in space and in its creepiness he was right. This could just as well have been a dark castle or deep maze.

Excellent ground breaking movie.

Comment by Bryn

October 31st 2007 00:28

Horrorphile

Michaelie, yes Fuseli it is! I too find it a strangely erotic image as well, but hey, sex and death are inexorably entwined within the horror genre, so there you go. The horse's head in the background (obscured in my banner) particularly perturbs me in just the right way.

Comment by Bryn

October 31st 2007 00:37

Horrorphile

Damo, love your comment!!! I totally agree, especially with the order the characters are killed, from most likeable to most annoying. When I first used to watch it Lambert was pathetic and slightly annoying, but I grew to appreciate, and found endearing, her swift descent into shock ...
And yes, the casting is superb. You do really believe these characters; the griping engineers, the devious robot, the likeable captain, the arrogant warrant officer, and thank God Ridley Scott shunned any love interest sub-plot, that would've ultimately ruined the movie!
One scene that I often think of because at the time I used to find it so unusual, was Brett looking for the cat and walking under the huge chains and all that water, it was like, where's that liquid coming from? Puring over Brett's sweat-stained cap, the splattering sound the water was making on the seude .... Scott is a genius audio/visualist.

Comment by JohnDoe

November 1st 2007 00:57

Film & TV on DVD

Hi Bryn, fantastic review/

We have talked about this one before and the film is in my top 10 horrors of all time for sure.

The minimalist script and thick, daunting atmosphere create a tension long before the monsters arrival. There is a style and class to the project that makes it timeless.

Still remember climbing the walls when I first saw it, that hasn't happened many times.

Comment by Bryn

November 1st 2007 01:19

Horrorphile

JD, yeah, even Ridley Scott admits it to be his most accomplished work.

Comment by Miswanderlust

November 2nd 2007 13:09

Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy

Bryn
After reading this post my son and I watched "Alien". He had never seen it before. I had forgotten how great it is. Thanks for the reminder!
Mis

Comment by Bryn

November 3rd 2007 01:08

Horrorphile

Mis, excellent!! How old is your son? What were his reactions and comments like? I'd love to watch Alien with someone who'd never seen it before, wow, an Alien virgin .... ahhhhhhh!

Comment by Miswanderlust

November 4th 2007 15:58

Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy

Bryn
My son is 22 and he was impressed at how well it has held up. His exact words were it "kicked ass!"
Mis

Comment by Bryn

November 5th 2007 23:30

Horrorphile

Mis, nice, tell your son he has taste.

Comment by Cibbuano

November 7th 2007 04:22

20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak

I wish I had never seen this, so I could have the joy of watching it for the first time again.

I wonder what it would be like to see it at the premiere, in the 70s, at the theatre? Heart-stopping?

Comment by Bryn

November 7th 2007 07:17

Horrorphile

Cibby, I've seen a theatrical screening of the movie, although it was in the 90s. Sooooo good on the big screen. Man, it would've been amazing to have seen it back in 79 though. It would've bene truly out of this world. I mean, I feel privileged to have seen The Thing when it came out in 82.
You going to any of the four Blade Runner Final Cut screenings this Sunday/Monday at the Orpheum?

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