Review: Alien (1979) · 3:39am Jun 21st, 2015
This movie is fucked up man.
So I finally saw Ridley Scott's iconic sci-fi/horror landmark of claustrophobic horror and nightmare fuel Alien.
And dear God is it is possibly the most unadulterated horrifically terrifying films I've ever seen.
Ridley Scott did an exceptional job at building the tension and extracting every ounce of pure horror out of the simplistic narrative. His camera work is dynamic, and when coupled with Derek Vanlint's beautifully stark cinematography, it helps create an atmosphere of pure, undiluted menace and fear, one that creeps under your skin and makes everything in the environment feel alive with malevolent evil. The art direction, centered around H.R. Gieger's perversely horrific organic designs, helps feed this sense of disturbing horror.
The screenplay is straightforward, delivering both plot and character information in a swift and accessible way, while still being enough to flesh out the characters so that we care about them. The film takes a good 40 minutes to get to the alien itself, but those 40 minutes are well spent and help create the atmosphere that Scott helms so well.
The acting is equally utilitarian yet effective, with Sigourney Weaver's career launching performance being effective yet understated, and her chemistry with the rest of the cast is real and organic. Bonus points for the film not even for a moment making a big show of her gender, instead treating everybody as complete and total equals, and with no hidden agendas or statements, which is a relief in contrast to Scott's later, far more heavy handed works.
The score by Jerry Goldsmith, most of which Scott left on the cutting room floor, is an equally excellent cauldron of fear, combining his trademark horns and sharp strings with an array of synthesizers and mysterious avant garde elements. Its incredibly effective, and the 2 disc complete score release by Intradia is totally worth seeking out.
So yeah, Alien is simply one of the best sci-fi AND horror films ever made. Its one of the most frightening and disturbing movie experiences I've had, and it goes without saying its key viewing, albeit for those with strong constitutions.
5 out of 5
And this launched a very large franchise...
With the latest being an incredibly and equally terrifying game.
~Skeeter The Lurker
3167314 Funny thing is? I've seen places list it as JUST sci-fi.... THIS IS ONE OF THE SCARIEST MOVIES EVER MADE!!
It's got the perfect setting. In space. No way out.... Trapped with a creature birthed from the deepest pit of some horrific nightmare realm... THIS is how you do a proper monster movie.
Here a something you might not know, this movie was the idea for the first Metroid Game! In other words Metroid was base off the Aliens movies.
3167389 well how about that...
I watched a 2 hour documentary on Hans Giger about a month ago and it was very interesting.
I have also noticed you blog about movies more recently, and while it isn't a crime...
Do you write ponewords anymore?
3167394 Its become far more difficult to write ponywords, mostly because my interests have shifted to other fandoms (namely Gravity Falls and FMAB), and therefore my interest has wained. Add to that quite a bit of mental exhaustion that came from writing up to five stories at the same time, and trying to keep track of everything, and you have a recepie for greatly decreased ponywords
3167392 Yeah, all four Aliens Movies made up the first four Metroid games.
3167446
I know Gravity Falls and I've been trying to keep interested in that...Why does it take so long between episodes?
It happens and I feel better with your intentions stated. Just gonna miss Captain Applejack.
3167788 didn't say i was STOPPING entirely.
Simply put, the update rate is much, MUCH slower.
I promised Harmony's Warriors Assembled, so I shall give you Harmony's Warriors Assembled
3167389 So in other words, the Alien movies are about the closest things we've ever gotten to good video game movies? Even though the influence was the other way around? Huh.
I hate to say it, but it bored the shit out to me.... then again, i am a bit of a loon.
Movie was tooo sloooow.