Alien
“This is Ripley, last survivor of the Nostromo...Signing off” - Ripley
With Alien Romulus coming out soon, I decided that I will watch the entire Alien franchise to prepare myself. This has always been a movie that I thought was a bad, old, cheesy horror flick. Now that may be true for the later ones in the franchise, this film isn’t anything close to that. A film that lets you experience terror in the scariest of ways. Alien isn't just a horror film, but it's a masterclass in dread inducing suspense. Ridley Scott crafts a perfect atmosphere aboard the Nostromo that lets you feel just as helpless as if you were part of the crew. Along with the world that is built, the practical effects are essentially perfect. If you are familiar with my other reviews, I touched briefly on this in my review of The Thing. I think practical effects create a much better horror scene and need to be more prevalent in current cinema, especially horror films. Watching that Alien scurry across the table is one of the more horrifying scenes of all cinema in my opinion.
Another thing I need to add that won't be a surprise, but Signourey Weaver is unbelievable in this movie. It had to be somewhat revolutionary in 1979 having a female lead in a sci-fi horror, but I think she nailed it as the face of the Alien Universe and definitely is a reason the movie is so iconic. The crazy thing about this is it isn’t just one thing that has made this movie a widely renowned film, but everything from the mystery of the crew to learning about these extremely simple yet complex Xenomorphs. Lastly, I know this is now a whole series, but the icing on the cake is how the movie ends. At the time it is apparent there is no need to make a sequel, it lets the resolution feel organic and feel wrapped up. These older movies give me a sense of closure that I am missing in recent cinema, and it is probably my favorite part of watching old films. This isn't just a horror film. I think that it is safe to say that it's a timeless sci-fi masterpiece. So, as you prepare for Alien Romulus, do yourself a favor and revisit, or discover for the first time, the original Alien. It's an experience you won’t regret!
-J
Ellen and I also decided to give Alien and Aliens a re-watch heading into Romulus, and amazingly, though we both watched it for the first time just three years ago, there was much that we did not remember. And that was a blessing, as the suspense could remain nearer to the levels they were meant to. Jord has Aliens (the sequel) higher than Alien in rating (9.5 compared to 9.0), but E and I are in agreement that we both preferred the original. It’s a masterpiece, truly, with my only quibbles being a couple of janky shots of the alien, but it is a movie, that perhaps literally wrote the textbook on what a horror movie should be. The restraint of limiting our visual exposure to the xenomorph, the rich lore that is created and displayed of “the perfect organism”, the character’s decision making that is refreshingly logical; it’s truly a masterclass in horror and cinema. For a practical effect, man-in-a-costume monster to look as good as it did, and truly terrifying, is a work of magic. As Jord mentioned, part of the magic of this movie too, is Sigourney Weaver and her brilliantly acted and written character Ripley. The franchise may have been spawned without her, but it would not have been as iconic.
-Z
