In celebration of Halloween this year I'm taking a look at a particularly scary movie that still stands up more than thirty years later. It received the most votes (well, one vote!) and here it is, my review of Alien.
Science fiction movies have achieved popularity for decades
with some franchises that have kept a substantial fan following; one of these
is ‘’Alien’’. It all started back in
1979 with an outstanding science fiction film that broke new ground and
elevated director Ridley Scott to super-stardom.
In the future a band of space truckers aboard the Nostromo
are journeying back to Earth towing a mineral refinery for the Weyland-Yutani
Corporation when a distress signal is picked up by the ship’s computer.
Following orders from the company the crew sets down upon a desolate planet and
come across a crashed alien ship. From there a simple exploration mission
devolves into a bloodbath as the crew unwittingly unleashes a grotesque,
demonic and all around unstoppable monster. What sets Alien apart from other
science fiction movies is the slow and steady pacing of its plot; it takes it’s
time to establish the futuristic setting and technology which immerses the
audience into the film before the main action begins. The same applies to
suspense and the film serves as one of the finest examples of this technique;
far too many horror films today utilise jump-scares and skip the suspense
entirely but Alien makes great efforts to conceal the creature through the
film. The fact that the Alien is not seen very often, combined in tandem with
the claustrophobic setting of the Nostromo takes full advantage of the feeling
of uneasiness and gives the impression that the creature could be almost
anywhere, ready to pounce. On top of this the characters are at a huge
disadvantage; they can’t run or hide and they have no conventional weapons to
use; they are forced to rely on each other and their own ingenuity, raising the
unlikelihood of survival in an already bleak situation. Ultimately the plot of
Alien is akin to a nightmare; the scares are frightening and unpredictable, the
gore is hideous and shocking, and the futuristic setting is both fascinating
and richly detailed.
Alien’s cast, far from the often under developed and
lacklustre performances of modern horror cinema is excellent and for its time
it brought together a well-rounded and professional collection of actors to
bring the characters to life. These are incredibly developed characters indeed
with every single cast member bringing their own traits to the table as well as
making the characters quite relatable. Dallas (Tom Skerritt) is the capable
captain, Ash (Ian Holm) is the blunt yet subtle officer, Kane (John Hurt) is
more quiet and logical in his thinking, Brett (Harry Dean Stanton) and Parker
(Yaphet Kotto) are the everyday co-workers who like to banter with one another,
Lambert (Veronica Cartwright) is the more timid one who quickly loses her nerve
when the Alien attacks and finally Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is the strong and
caring warrant officer who at the time of the film’s release, redefined how
women were perceived in films. What makes the characters so developed and
likeable is again down to the film’s slow beginning; it gives ample time for
the audience to get to know them and care about their fates. Bolaji Badejo also
deserves a special mention for delivering a truly sinister and disturbing
performance inside the suit of the Alien itself; the way it crawls around, hides
in the shadows and grips its victims as it comes in for the kill truly sets it
apart as one of the most memorable movie monsters of all time.
Not only are the characters highly developed but so is the
atmosphere; it’s all down to the highly unusual, sexual and mysterious set designs
by H.R Giger. The scene where the crew
journey through the tunnel like caverns of the derelict ship and discover the
huge ‘’space jockey’’ chair is one of the biggest spectacles in science
fiction. The hand painted imagery raises numerous questions that enhance the
film’s lore; what is that dead creature in the chair? What was its mission? How
did the Alien eggs get inside the ship? It’s a mystery that compliments the Alien
itself. The Nostromo also makes an impression through both setting and sound;
most of the spaceship is made up of narrow corridors barely illuminated by
flashing lights. This environment is often eerily quiet and the few sounds we
do pick up are often warning sirens or the rattling of machinery; it paints a
gloomy and isolated setting where the characters are constantly being hunted
and stalked. Outside of these scare tactics the themes of space travel are
explored vividly with the technology being highly interesting but never interfering
with the character’s struggles throughout the film.
Taking the basic premise of a B-Movie and elevating it to
relentlessly terrifying professionalism; Alien, even more than thirty years
later remains the undisputed king of sci-fi horror. Everything from the
suspense, the characters, the sets, and the horrific creature at its center is
masterfully executed to serve as one of the all-time greatest science fiction
movies ever made.
Rating: 5/5 Stars
First up was the Gabrielle Aplin English Rain concert on the 12th. Believe it or not, this was actually my first ever concert; yes, after all these years of missing out back home in Aylesbury I went down the O2 Academy with my flatmates Rebecca and Max. Suffice to say it was a great event and I can't wait to go to more soon. For those of you who don't know, Gabrielle Aplin rose to fame last year when she did a cover of ''The Power of Love'' for the John Lewis Christmas advert. She's an incredibly talented singer with a very soothing voice. You can check out her website here: http://www.gabrielleaplin.co.uk/
