This Move Review Brought To You By: Sky Forest Inn
It’s hard to believe, but the classic science fiction movie Alien (1979) is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Of course, after the release of increasingly inferior sequels that birthed a movie like AVP: Alien vs Predator in 2004, it would be easy to think that the alien creature that initially seemed so horrifying had become a bit of a cinematic joke. However, revisiting the original Alien movie from 1979 reveals that, yes, this practically indestructible alien creature is in fact a terrifying creation.
Of course, it helps that the original movie was the perfect combination of all its elements. They say filmmaking is a collaborative art, and Alien proves to be a great example of everything coming together beautifully. Dan O’Bannon’s imaginative script, Swiss artist H.R. Giger’s astonishing visual style, an impressive cast featuring Tom Skerritt, Harry Dean Stanton, Yaphet Kotto, Ian Holm, and Sigourney Weaver in her feature film debut combined to create something truly special.
Of course the most crucial element was director Ridley Scott behind the camera, holding the whole project together with a minimalist style and a command of the film’s visuals that is nothing short of breathtaking. Apparently Scott was the victim of endless harassment by the film’s producers constantly questioning the young director’s decisions, causing him to being close to either quitting or being fired from the project several times. Fortunately, the director persevered with the determination of seeing his vision make it to the big screen. The result is one of the most beautifully shot, horrifying science fiction movies ever made.
In a world where previous science fiction movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) had portrayed space travel as full of wonder and hope, Alien represented the flip side of that coin. It gave us a darker, grungier version of that vision that helped make the movie into a unique viewing experience. Rather than a sleek vessel transporting the finest minds our planet can offer in the interest of advancing mankind, The Nostromo’s ragtag crew of inhabitants represented a more accurate representation of human society as a whole. There is constant bickering between the crew, whether it’s over the pay they were expected to receive, or who is actually in charge and responsible for the final decision in any given situation. It quickly reveals that these are no idealistic space travelers, but a motley group of average Joes just looking to finish their mission and get their job done. It immediately gives these relatable characters a level of sympathetic identification that made the horror that slowly unfolds before them that much more meaningful.
It remains true that the movie is guilty of the cliched horror movie scenario of a seemingly defenseless woman in peril battling a dangerous and frightening adversary. However Dan O’Bannon’s script turned this notion on its ear, combining with Sigourney Weaver’s intense performance to portray her resilient character of Ripley as no one’s victim as she faced off against the fearsome alien creature with her wits and courage intact. It helped create an iconic character that became a cultural landmark and earned Weaver an Academy Award nomination in the sequel Aliens from 1986.
One script reader described O’Bannon’s screenplay as, “It’s like Jaws, but in space”, and it’s a telling description of the final film as well. Much like Steven Spielberg avoided giving the audience a clear look at his fearsome monster shark until late in Jaws (1975), Scott similarly allows us little comfort in getting a clear view of the creature that the crew of the Nostromo is up against. The creature doesn’t even make an appearance until halfway into the movie, and even then is seen only in shockingly brief glimpses.
It helps preserves an anxiety-inducing air of mystery about the alien that toys with your imagination and exploits your worst fears
Meanwhile the constant bickering between the crew members only elevates the level of tension and preserves the fearful sense of chaos that is slowly taking over the ship. It’s an atmosphere of impending dread that director Scott exploits beautifully, building it slowly over the course of the movie’s running time until it seems all hope is lost. This expertly controlled atmosphere of nihilism helps makes Alien into a towering achievement in both science fiction and horror movies, and helped turn a low-budget science fiction movie into a film for the ages.
Rated R.
“Alien” is playing for a limited time at Studio Movie Grill in Redlands from Sunday October 13th to Wednesday October 16th.