ALIEN (includes trailer and extended footage)
October 7th 2010 11:59
directed by Ridley Scott
There are very few Science Fiction films that can equal Ridley Scott's Alien. If 2001: A Space Odyssey examined the beauty and possibility of space travel, then Alien is the dark side of that same coin. Alien shows man, out of his element, far in the galaxy and completely vulnerable to things that no one can comprehend - a creature of pure terror, anatomically advanced and without conscience - absent of human weakness or remorse, it's structural perfection met only by it's aggression. Mining into layers of themes and social commentary, Alien is a timeless cinematic achievement that very few films of it's ilk can replicate. Frankly, I feel intimidated to review a film of such superiority, there's really very little that hasn't been said before about it. Aside from Alien's stylish visuals, magnificent design and of course, it's on edge entertainment factor that always goes for the jugular - just below the surface it leaves you with much to dwell on.
When a mining ship, soaring through space, lands on a planet to investigate a possible S.O.S., the entire crew are unaware that they are instead boarding a being of pure evil on to their own ship. After an alien life-form attaches itself to the face of Kane, a crew member, the rest of the team try and separate the two organisms. When Kane finally wakens from his hyper sleep induced by this strange, spidery life form, little does he know that a creature of viscious proportions awaits it's birth, soon splitting open through his chest and beginning it's dance of predator and prey on this crew of blue collared space travellers, all trapped in the same interior together.
The crew aboard this ship are played by an ensemble cast of seven fine thespians, including Tom Skerrit, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm and Yaphet Kotto. The designs of this terrifying, goopy yet almost sensual looking, monstrous being holds the twisted yet perversely eroticised signature of designer H.R. Giger, all encapsulated into this perfect nightmare prepared for us by director Ridley Scott (Blade Runner, The Duelist, Gladiator, Someone To Watch Over Me), who is at the top of his game.
Released in 1979, in retrospect I can't help but compare Alien with John Carpenter's The Thing (even though The Thing was released 3 years later), they both have similar set ups and to a slightly lesser extent similar themes among it's characters, but at the same time, this is exactly what highlights how superior Alien is, as a film, and how much deeper it's multiple sub texts run. Like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Alien is majestic and ground breaking - stunning to witness and meditates on the themes of man, of paranoia and ego, creating allegories of multiple kinds, and the Science Fiction genre is perfectly used to isolate these themes, capturing their essence, as we gravitate towards the darker traits which we recognise in ourselves. I should also mention that it's down right terrifying, holding us firmly by the throat, as we flail about helplessly.
Alien examines the notions of our sense of superiority as humans, and what the main characters encounter is a nightmare which drools on them, toys with them and then finally tears right through them - revealing these humans to be helpless prey as they are terrorised by a creature far superior to them. Whether it's inquisitiveness or just arrogance, it feels like one of these human traits are leading these characters to their maker. The alien which hides in the shadows, waiting for it's doomed prey to meet their fate, one by one, will humble the crew, silencing them in the abyss of space, with their last sound being just another scream.
Alien is a film with several layers of finely crafted perfection, which all gradually fit in together with each other. The first element are the crew aboard the ship, the film opens with these seven people all deep in slumber, peaceful, vulnerable. The first crew member awakes and we immediately notice how familiar they all seem with each other and we with them. We begin to know them all in a very short ammount of time, and this is all achieved through this astute group of actors who bring out observations of behaviour.
These are not characatures but individuals, with their own set of agendas, yet many of them feel like they are in their own seperate, socio-political class system. They all get on, rapport runs deep, camaraderie seems evident, but tension easily arises when conditions become inconvenient for one of them. Like all co-workers or house mates or even a small community, we are immediately aware of their dynamics and where their allegances lie. Alien is at it's very core a film about the traits that cause this bond to become turbulent. Dynamics are explored when tension arises, but above all it's a ferocious foray into survival of the fittest.
A demented and dark vision of giving birth
I suppose audiences would gravitate most towards one of the crew members over the others, but no one is actually safe, the tension mounts as it becomes clear that there may be no survivors left by the end, it's a very real possibility. Each scene is beautifully executed, especially when one character is alone and the horror builds as we watch their inevitable fate unfold. Obviously, Alien would become a franchise, three sequels down the line it naturally includes a built in spoiler, but it's this first film here which designs one of the most exquisit nightmares that any three films would have the enviable opportunity to inherit.
The performances are all equally excellent and there is a spontaneous energy which livens up countless scenes. Director Ridley Scott really out does himself in designing this film, it elegantly astounds. Rich in detail, Alien seems effortless, but the pain staking detail involved in it's creation is plain to see. The film is at once beautiful yet menacing to witness, the film's pacing moves gracefully, taking it's time, but it never feels slow, there's too much confidence fueling the film. Alien clearly speaks to us on many levels at once and it's a film that I find difficult to review simply because of how gorgeously each of it's pieces fit in with each other.
Alien is timeless, very little has dated (perhaps only the computers being used on screen), and it's eerie ability to plug into unconscious fears remains potent. Complimented with it's mixture of beautiful film making and inspired visual design and seemlessly grotesque visual effects that are stil some of the best ever seen, Alien is a film I never tire of and have returned to many times, simply because of how many levels it works on, all at once.
Here's the trailer for Alien
Here's a scene from Alien - it's a lengthier version of an existing scene already in the film, that's normally trimmed down.
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Comment by Matt Shea
I would too. This is such a good film with so many great elements the mind boggles. My pet favourite is the class system on the ship, with Parker and Brett constantly coming up from engineering, pushing for an increased share. You could design a complete fan site just around those two characters.
Have you ever read the script for this, Shaun? A great example of effective screenwriting and a real delight to see how Scott adopted its rhythm.
Just so much to talk about. The original cut is the best, though.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Like many this is one of my favourite science fiction films of all time.
Alien is a truly affecting film that still carries suspense to an extreme and as you said the subtext is so rich that it makes each new screening an experience.
I actually did an event with Tom Skerrit last year and it took all my self control not to constantly address him as Dallas
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
LOL JD
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
A very elegant review for an elegant movie. Great work Shaun.
Thankfully Dan O'Bannon had a brainstorm and came up with Alien as the title, rather than his working title of Star Beast, lifting it out of B-movie trappings.
I love Ron Cobb's production design. Being a frustrated industrial engineer, he came up with truly awesome stuff. And French Heavy Metal artist Moebius contributed as well, providing the look of the spacesuits. But of course its Giger's work that stands out the most.
My only gripe with the movie is I don't like that you see the monster in full being blasted by the engines at the end, it looks like a lightweight toy model, and ruins the frightening artifice that's been sustained for the entire movie. I'd have preferred either more of a closeup, like much of the rest of the movie, or having the airlock doors close and the engines gunned and that's it.
Apart from that Alien is a perfect movie.
And Jerry Goldsmith's music is fantastic too, especially over that sublime title sequence.
If anyone's interested I did a guest article on the use of sexual symbolism within the movie here.
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
Matt - I thought I had already written something about the class system in my review, but it seems I hadn't (I've quickly gone and rejigged a sentence or two around that). It's my favourite part of the film too.
JD - I understand what you mean - I have to apply a huge ammount of self control myself to keep calling you 'JD'
Jason - thank you
BRYN - I KNOW!!! that final shot of it being spat out of the ship - looks so sub-par, almost looks like a man in a suit
Comment by David O'Connell
20/20 Filmsight
Screen Fanatic
Out of my thousands of film scores on CD, Jerry Goldsmith's score is my absolute favourite of all time. Of course Scott butchered it to some extent in the film, using only a small proportion. The original Silva Screen release had a lot of the missing cues, but thankfully just a couple of years ago a full 2 CD restoration was done containing every sweet minute Goldsmith wrote for the film - over 2 hours worth. Talk about avant garde bliss! Dead set masterpiece it is - only one of about 40 or 50 or so the maestro composed in his staggering career..........No great feat.
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
Interesting too about the soundtrack. Tell me....what are your top soundtracks on the whole?
Also, I've been listening to the soundtrack to shutter island recently, what do you think of that?
all the superlatives in the world seem redundant really, Alien is a fantastic film and Scott's best film.
Thanks for the read.
Comment by David O'Connell
20/20 Filmsight
Screen Fanatic
Though Scorsese used all source music in Shutter Island, it works very well in the film, I don't deny it. I think it's the one thing that irks me about his entire career though - that is, how little credence he's given to a great relationship with a composer or composers, even though I know he's a huge fan of film music himself.
So many of his collaborations have amounted to nothing or he's allowed studios to butcher the composers' work and edit their music out for the sake of popular music choices - he's been guilty of those decisions too of course and I think it's hurt many of his films and will probably date them quicker down the track.
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
He also tends to use scores from other films on his soundtrack eg. 'Bringing out the dead' had Elmer Bernsteins music from The Good Son playing in it.
Comment by Matt Shea
I don't have a massive problem with that final shot. It does look slightly dodge, but I find it more than a little cathartic.
Comment by Andy-Hake
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure