Alien Review (Updated)

Alien

Release Date: 6th December 1979 – Australia

Production Companies

Brandywine Productions

Distribution
20th Century Fox Australia

Genre: Sci-Fi/Horror

Rating: M

Runtime: 117 minutes
                139 minutes
                (director's cut)


Budget: $14,000,000

Box Office Gross: $188,034,787 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
After a routine mission, the crew of the spaceship Nostromo are on their way back to Earth when they receive a distress call from an alien planet. They land on a world so desolate that they begin investigating an abandoned spacecraft, and one picks up a life form that proves deadly. Soon, the creature on board the ship wreaks havoc with dire consequences.


Cast

Tom Skerritt – Dallas

Sigourney Weaver – Ripley

Veronica Cartwright – Lambert

Harry Dean Stanton – Brett

John Hurt – Kane

Ian Holm – Ash

Yaphet Kotto – Parker

Bolaji Badejo – Alien
Helen Horton – Mother (Voice)

Crew

Director – Ridley Scott

Story/Screenplay/Visual Design Consultant – Dan O'Bannon

Story/Executive Producer – Ronald Shusett
Associate Producer – Ivor Powell

Producers – Gordon Carroll,
David Giler and Walter Hill

Casting Director: USA – Mary Goldberg

Casting Director: UK – Mary Selway

Production Designer – Michael Seymour

'Alien' Design – H.R. Giger

Concept Artists – Ron Cobb, Jean 'Moebius' Giraud and Chris Foss

Art Directors – Leslie Dilley
and Roger Christian

Assistant Art Directors – Jonathan Amberston and Benjamín Fernández
Set Decorator – Ian Whittaker

Costume Designer – John Mollo

Director of Photography – Derek Vanlint

Camera Focus: Main Unit – Adrian Biddle

and Colin Davidson

Production Manager – Garth Thomas

Production Executive – Mark Haggard

First Assistant Director – Paul Ibbetson

Assistant Directors – Raymond Becket

and Steve Harding
Stunt Coordinator – Roy Scammell

'Alien' Head Effects Creator – Carlo Rambaldi

Special Effects Supervisors – Nick Allder
and Brian Johnson

Special Effects Technicians – Guy Hudson,

Phil Knowles, Dennis Lowe, Roger Nichols,

Neil Swan, David H. Watkins, John Hatt

(Uncredited) and Philip Sharpe (Uncredited)

Small 'Alien' Forms Co-Designer and Maker –

Roger Dicken

Supervising Model Makers: Miniature Effects –

Martin Bower and Bill Pearson

Director of Photography: Miniature Effects –

Dennis Ayling

Special Graphic Effects – Bernard Lodge

Editors – Terry Rawlings,
Peter Weatherley and David Crowther

(Director's Cut)

First Assistant Editor – Les Healey

Sound Editor – Jim Shields

Re-Recording Mixer – Bill Rowe

Re-Recording Assistant Mixer – Ray Merrin

Advertising and Publicity Consultants –

Stanley Bielecki and Charles Lippincott

Music – Jerry Goldsmith

Conductor – Lionel Newman

Awards

1980 Academy Awards
Best Visual Effects – H.R. Giger, Carlo Rambaldi,

Brian Johnson, Nick Allder and Dennis Ayling (Won)
---------------
Best Art Direction – Michael Seymour,
Leslie Dilley, Roger Christian and Ian Whittaker

(Nominated)

Review
ALIEN is the first instalment of a franchise that started with a big scream. However, Ridley Scott's interpretation of an alien life form known as the Xenomorph was hell-bent on destroying humanity until the main character, Ripley, arrived to fight against it. This character was Sigourney Weaver's breakthrough role in a big hit that launched her stellar acting career. ALIEN features the famous and probably the most gruesome scene involving John Hurt's character and the Xenomorph. If you believe me, I'll leave you to see the movie yourself.

The film boasts excellent cinematography, well-written characters, and top-notch performances from the actors (with a special mention for Weaver, who truly embodies the resilient, down-to-earth Ripley). The creature's design is instantly recognisable and terrifying. H.R. Giger's influence is evident in the film's unforgettable, memorable appearance, which remains as striking today as when it was first released.

Jerry Goldsmith's score was highly effective in the scenes the composer intended. However, the absence of music is also noteworthy. Even without music, the film manages to hold the audience's attention and build tension. When Goldsmith's score comes in, it intensifies the sense of paranoia.

The film is a landmark for science fiction, taking the genre to a new level not explored since the 1950s. It is a fine example of slow-burning horror, featuring likeable, competent characters, an awesome monster, and a chilling atmosphere. For this, I considered ALIEN a terrific, terrifying feature. If you enjoyed it, try James Cameron's action-oriented sequel, Aliens.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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