A masterclass in sci-fi horror filmmaking

Rating: 10/10 (17 March 2015)

There's no doubt that ALIEN is a classic of the science fiction genre. It's a film that came along at just the right time, proving to be an antidote to the kind of kiddie-friendly sci-fi that was popularised by STAR WARS during the period. While this first film in the long-running series has since been overshadowed by a superior sequel (Jim Cameron's ALIENS, one of the best sci fi/horror/action films ever) and a third film that nearly equalled the highs found here, it's nevertheless a hugely entertaining movie that works thanks to a simple, straightforward plot line that offers maximum terror, all of the time.
One thing it isn't is original. The likes of this go back to the 1950s and earlier. Essentially it's one of those 'old dark house' films of the '30s, transferred to a futuristic spaceship. One film, a '50s B-movie - IT! THE TERROR FROM BEYOND SPACE - has almost exactly the same plot as this film, while Mario Bava's sci-fi outing PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES has the same visual look. Yet ALIEN isn't about originality, just old-fashioned scares executed in a clean, professional manner. This is a film of shadowy corners and dark spaces, of menaces and monsters lurking in air ducts, ready to kill and do worse to you at a moment's notice. It's still terrifying to this day, and the atmosphere is helped no end by an effective soundtrack that includes a beating human heart to up the tension.
Technical qualities are superior and the cast is great. There's a pleasing tendency to kill off random actors regardless of their status which means you can't second-guess who's going to bite it next. Stand-outs include Sigourney Weaver, transforming here from a faceless crew member to a tough heroine, a remarkable progression that carried on into the sequels. Tom Skerritt is perfectly cast as the good-natured captain while Yaphet Kotto steals the show as the hard guy engineer. In fact, all of the cast give excellent turns and a role for Ian Holm early on in his career is a real standout.
Another plus is the scary, sexual design of the alien stuff by H. R. Giger. The facehugger is the stuff of nightmares while the alien itself is probably the pinnacle of man-in-a-rubber-suit technology; there's certainly been nothing scarier than the creature you'll see here. Great pacing, excellent effects, and an underlining realism combine to make ALIEN a genre classic and a film that's been rarely touched by the rip-offs that followed. One for the collection.