Arguably the most satisfying combination of science-fiction and horror in the history of cinema

Rating: 10/10 (12 May 2007)

Almost thirty years have passed since Alien made its first appearance, becoming an instant classic, opening the doors of Hollywood to director Ridley Scott and starting one of the best-known franchises to have ever graced the screen. Thirty years, and the movie is still as fresh, brilliant and scary as it was back in 1979, perhaps because no other film (with the exception of James Cameron's superb sequel, Aliens) has yet been able to match its claustrophobic mood and moments of sheer, unadulterated dread.
Of course, by now everyone knows what the alien looks like, but when he inadvertently started the series Scott made the wise decision of keeping it mostly unseen: the ghastly creature is almost never shown in its entirety, preferring to lurk in the shadows as the unaware human characters gradually realize what's happening. In fact, the first half-hour or so of the film is spent to introduce the protagonists and get a better understanding of their relationship, which, as in many other similarly themed movies, is tense. Justifiably, since the nine astronauts have been together on the Nostromo for a lot of time, sent on a mission in outer space by a mysterious Company. Suddenly, they receive a distress signal from a remote planet and decide to take a better look at what's going on. Within hours, they will regret it. Hopefully, the people watching this film won't.
Some parts of the movie could be dismissed as clichés, but the truth is, of course, that Alien actually CREATED many of the stereotypes of recent sci-fi (crew being wiped out from within, no one out there to help them, et cetera). Plus, the film is so solid and consistently captivating it is hard to stop and think of possible leaks in the plot. As a pure exercise is suspense and horror, Alien has no rivals, Scott's clever use of lighting and camera angles ensuring the claustrophobia and tension never drop. He is also helped in this by choosing to keep the villainous creature in the dark most of the time, perfectly adhering to the old principle of "the less you show, the better" (something Spielberg and Carpenter applied with equal success on Jaws and Halloween). And while the characters may have been developed better in the sequels, what we have here is enough to qualify as convincing and likable, thanks mainly to a spot-on cast: Sigourney Weaver, a complete unknown at the time, is mesmerizing in the role that made her an A-lister and finally put an end to the Hollywood tradition of women being no good other than when it comes to running and screaming. The supporting cast is every bit as strong, with John Hurt (who is the unsung hero of the entire franchise's most celebrated sequence) and Ian Holm in particular adding to the film's unsettling atmosphere.
Briefly, one of the Top 10 greatest science-fiction/horror (it fits equally well on either list) films ever, and, Blade Runner and Gladiator aside, the high point of Ridley Scott's career. Just remember: on Earth, people CAN hear you scream...