The beginning of a memorable series

Rating: 10/10 (2 March 2006)

Alien was the first film that started it all. It gave us Aliens in 1986 and then two lesser sequels in the proceeding years. One can not review Aliens and not review Alien because both films go together so perfectly. Even though both films had their different styles, they both had Sigourney Weaver and one of the most fearsome creatures to ever grace the big screen. It's also my second most favorite horror movie of all time behind Jaws, a film I saw when I was just a wee lad.
The crew of the Nostromo, a large space freighter that looks immense and incredibly scary thanks to director Ridley Scott's camera work, is awaken early from hyper sleep to investigate what seems to be a distress signal coming from a nearby planet. After a rough landing on the desolate planet, three of the crew members go out to investigate and find a large spaceship. However this is not all they find. Soon one of the crew members, who gets a little too curious, finds himself in a coma-like state with something attached to his face. He is soon brought back to the Nostromo by his shipmates, where they go about analyzing him to see what has happened. But this crew of working men and women have no clue what grisly horrors soon await them because they are no longer alone. Something dark and dangerous with no remorse for humankind will soon be stalking them one by one, and there seems to be nothing on board that is able to stop it.
This movie was fantastic in every way. Ridley Scott uses mood and shadows as well as size to make the Nostromo look like the biggest, scariest haunted house ever. He also uses fabulous camera work to get his points across as well.
The suspense in this movie builds and builds, and the creature is kept mostly in the shadows until when it attacks. And it attacks with a lethal efficiency. It is never seen for long periods of time, and this works perfectly. Like Spielberg with Jaws, Scott realizes that what is unseen is always more terrifying. One of the most effective murder scenes in this film is unseen, but we clearly hear the horrifying screams and panting of the victim and know that something horrible is happening.
I can go on in on about this movie. I can talk about the music score which adds more dread to this film, and I can talk about the acting which was superb, but it would take up way too much space. I can also go on about the Oscar worthy special effects which are probably the best ever for 1979, but I won't. Lets just say this. If you like horror movies that build suspense and are not filled with senseless gore that looks unrealistic, then you are in for a treat. By the way this film does have some bloody scenes. One of the best involves sitting around a dinner table while everybody is eating. Yuk.
Many people always compare Alien and Aliens. Some like Aliens the most and some like Alien the most. Both are classic sci-fi horror films by two different directors, and both get my highest marks, but if I had to chose, Alien would be my first choice, followed closely by Aliens.