“Alien” (1979)
3.5/5 ***
This summer, the ninth film in the “Alien” franchise, “Alien: Romulus” (2024), was released. In honor of the newest installment, it’s a good time to revisit the one that started it all. “Alien” is a 1979 sci-fi horror film directed by Ridley Scott. The film follows the crew of a commercial spaceship called the Nostromo as they struggle to survive after a seemingly invincible alien monster infiltrates their ship. As the film goes on and the creature gets larger, the seven members (plus a cat) of the crew slowly dwindle. The film is often described as one of the most influential sci-fi films of all time.
Despite the film being from the late ‘70s, the suspense and effects for the most part hold up. When we are first introduced to the xenomorph, it is implanted into Kane’s (John Hurt) body via face hugger. While Kane’s fate is now forever a pop culture staple, the suspense is still there. The concept of a creature latching its body to someone’s face in order to impregnate is a terrifying concept. Neither Kane nor any of his crewmates know how to help him, and therefore they have no control over what the creature does to him. There is then a false sense of security when the face hugger detaches itself on its own. Then, the xenomorph suddenly bursts out of Kane’s chest in a spray of blood.
As it grows, Scott makes sure to hide the xenomorph creature in the shadows and not show its full body until the very end. Not knowing what the creature looks like allows the audience to fill in the blanks with all sorts of horrors. Whenever skin appears, evidence of the xenomorph molting, another “oh shit” goes across the audience’s mind. It has gotten bigger, and no one is any closer to catching it. Another aspect of the horror of not seeing much of the xenomorph is the fact that we are unsure what it exactly does to its victims. While it is more because of the limitations of the effects, it adds to the horror. After a character gets attacked, for example, the only evidence that someone was there was their weapon. The audience can only guess what the xenomorph did to the body and the blood.
What really ties the horror up in the film is how Scott makes the audience familiar with the envi- ronment. The opening scenes in the film are just establishing notable places in the ship that will be important later. By familiarizing themselves with the space before the horrors begin, the audience feels the invasion along with the rest of the characters. The xenomorph infiltrating the Nostromo feels more like a violation of the safe space that the ship is supposed to be. Another aspect of the horror that is unique to the film’s setting: because the crew is in a ship in the middle of space, the setting is actively both claustrophobic and agoraphobic. They’re trapped in the ship with the monster, and yet they cannot leave the ship.
My favorite aspect of the film, however, is Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver). Ripley is the Warrant Officer of the ship, third in command. She is easily the smartest character in the film, for none of the issues in the film would have happened if people had just listened to her. Ripley being the main character of a sci-fi film was also revolutionary in the late ‘70s. Instead of acting like a victim, like most women in horror at the time, Ripley takes charge and fights back. She is in command of the “Nostromo” for the majority of the film and takes an active role in trying to kill the xenomorph. This theme continues in the other installments of the series. The sequel “Aliens” has Ripley become even more of a badass, something not commonly seen in action films of the ‘80s.
Overall, “Alien” is a great film. The pop culture impact of the film is iconic, with the chest bursting scene being parodied ever since (Mel Brooks’ “Spaceballs” (1987) having the best parody scene). The film is also revolutionary with its female lead in Ripley, its timeless practical effects and just genuinely a good horror film with lots of suspense. The film is true to its tagline: “In space, no one can hear you scream.”