VHS : Alien [1979]

Rating: - Incredibly good suspense film
This is an amazing film that has so much suspense and atmosphere it truly pulls the viewer in. There's plenty of shocks which are excellently timed, and when the alien does appear it doesn't disappoint in the least. The cast are all superb and the direction is incredible.

A fantastic film.

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Rating: - What is out there?
A ship heading home is sent on an SOS to an unidentified planet where the crew discover the planet's mysterious creatures.

Ridley Scott's epic Sci-Fi has now become a landmark in the genre with a gruesome and horrific look at outer space and its mysteries.

Scott's direction is exceptional in capturing the right mood for the horrific scenes involving the Alien but more so, the sweeping shots of outer space when the crew lands on the unknown planet. The dark lighting and the chilling fog help create that creepy feeling and when entering new realms of the planet do we see an unknown universe, and plenty of unanswered questions, which is what Alien is all about.

Many scientists, and people in general, have debated whether there are other life forms in space, and Scott's look is a horrific fantasy, a dark and dangerous view of extra terrestrial life, which is brought to vivid life.

For a 70's film, the effects match those of 2001: A Space Odyssey, and are made effect through the chilling atmosphere and the choice of settings which together, make the ultimate fear and unknowing factor, which was vital to the plot.

The slow narrative takes a while to get going but once all the characters are established do we get the true sense of their mission and the situation, and when the Alien is introduced does the plot up the ante and dives into the thriller genre with fast extremely nerve wracking action, and terrifying suspense, and a couple of heart stopping moments.

The ideology of the unknown helps move the narrative along, and we see a look at how people react when choosing professional and personal decisions, which is denoted through some good lead performance.

The plot is strong with the intensity running the show. However there are lapses and the dialogue from the characters isn't always the sharpest.

Sigourney Weaver stands out as Ripley, the strong female lead of the picture and has created an icon of her character by starring in 3 sequels of the series. Her heroin is a true character, a strong female in the Sci-Fi genre is hard to find whatever year it is, and Ripley is possibly the most recognized female Sci-Fi character of the 70's alongside Princess Leia from Star Wars.

John Hurt cements one of the most gruesome sequences in cinematic history down in a telling and unforgettable manor.

8.5/10

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Rating: - A Superb film and a superb DVD
Alien is one of the finest science fiction/horror films ever made and this DVD release certainly does it justice. The transfer is simply stunning - it looks sharper and clearer than most films released today and it's almost impossible to believe it's nearly 30 years old. The picture is flawless and as clear as crystal. The inclusion of a 'Director's Cut' along with the original theatrical release is a big plus factor, althoug while very interesting, the original version is still better. And the extras are simply amazing. Over 3 hours of documentary charting the development and production of the film, it covers absolutley everything but is never boring and is an example of how a documentary should be made. I cannot recommend this DVD enough, the film itself is a masterpiece and this is one of the best DVD releases of any film ever. A must buy without a doubt.

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Rating: - the best sci-fi ever?
This film has been subjected to so much analysis that it is now part of cinematic folklore. Alongside Blade Runner (another Scott classic) it is probably sci-fi's answer to Citizen Kane. And that's only the first cliche. From media/film studies analysis to Freudian interpretation, Alien fascinates as much as it terrifies (and for some reason, it does terrify - despite being set in space) possibly due to the fact that it didn't really cause much of a stir at the box-office.

It was its first TV outing that made it famous. Who else remembers growing up in the eighties, going to bed early cos you had to and going to school the next morning and having to hear all the cool kids talking about how they'd stayed up to see Alien? Listening to parents talk about the creature with two mouths? And the parasitic chest-burster? And the thing that covers your face and then impregnates you with its young? How many of us remember watching Aliens - because we were old enough and a whole legend had grown around HR Giger's creation? How many of us remember getting to watch the original AFTER Aliens and thinking it was a bit dull by comparison? And how many of us went back to the original 'cos there was just something about it that made us want to? And how many of us realised that, actually, that sombre soundtrack and the excrucitaingly slow pace made for what is a cinematic classic - compared to the bombast of the sequel?
For years I had to put up with reviewers stating that Aliens was the better film. Years. I never understood how any paid reviewer worth their salt could make such a claim. Yes, Aliens has a certain impact and yes, it was good to see Ripley return and kick ass. But the original and best did something that the sequel could not manage. And that is, put seven ordinary people in an ordinary situation and make them try and muddle through an extraordinary series of events. It is their ordinariness that makes the film so compelling.
This issue is the best by far because it gives you the option of watching two versions of the same film. Interestingly, the lengthier version allows you to see the scene with Dallas which explains the "coccooning" of Aliens. It is down to personal preference as to which version is best. I can watch either, depending on my mood. It was, however, a ghoulish revelation to me that the idea of coccooning had been mooted prior to Cameron's sequel.
What makes this the cinematic masterpiece it is, however, is still the fundamental basics of any film - make the characters and their reactions seem believable. That, and include a scene where, due to unbelieveably brilliant pacing and an excellent score, the audience is petrified because a green dot is advancing inexorably toward another green dot and then inexplicably disappears. And then comes back, moving faster and with more purpose than before. It is, without doubt, one of the most genius pieces of cinema ever created.
Forget the chest-burster scene. Forget the first kill. And for God's sake forget the hideous episodes 3 and 4. Remember the hang-dog expression on Veronica Cartwright's face as the crew are told they will have to spend more time in stasis. "Well how about a little something to lower your spirits" she opines. And while Cameron may have tried to re-create her in Bill Paxton form, he never quite managed it. The character so out of their depth that all they want to do is sit in a puddle of their own urine. Much is made of Sigourney Weaver, but it's Cartwright who makes the film for me.
Put simply, what Scott managed to do was convince seven actors to convince generations that they were genuinely in space being terrorised by a xenomorph. No small feat. No small feat at all. Such a shame it got turned into a franchise.

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Rating: - "In space no-one can hear you scream"
Edge of the seat stuff from Ridley Scott in one of the finest suspense films of all time. The alien itself is perfection, looks great, is mean as hell and is virtually impossible to destroy. The actors are great, in a cast led by Sigorney Weaver, John Hurt and Harry Dean Stanton you carnt really go wrong. So if you've not seen it, where have you been? And if you have then you know that i dont really need to say anymore..!