A lifetime memory... relived.

Rating: 10/10 (4 August 2008)

*** A TINY SPOILER IN HERE, BUT ONLY IF YOU'VE NEVER SEEN THE ORIGINAL VERSION, LET ALONE THE "DIRECTOR'S CUT" *** In 1979 I was 22 years old.
For months prior to its opening I watched the TV ads for "Alien" in fascination. I thought, "WOW, this looks TRULY scary!" NEAT!
Back then they didn't have presale tickets available except at the box office itself. As I lived in a pretty far away 'burb of Hollywood at the time I didn't get a chance to get my ticket until long after ALL of the other showings EXCEPT ONE had sold out on opening weekend at the BEST theater in which it was playing in town, the Egyptian, in Hollywood. (Long before its conversion into the American Cinematheque). Due to studio-predicted demand, on opening weekend "Alien" played at the Egyptian from around 6 am Friday morning all the way thru the weekend CONTINUOUSLY! All day, all night showings, on the biggest screen there.
So when did I go? The Saturday 3 am showing! BY MYSELF! Afterwards I walk out, and a cop immediately happens upon me. There I am, 6 am on Hollywood Blvd, just standing in shock outside the theater entrance. He asked "Are you OK? You look ill!" I said "Yeah!", went to my car, looked for "eggs" in the backseat, drove home, and had nightmares that night. (You might say I was impressionable even at that age in those days! LOL) True story.
OK, so now I'm long over the shock of "Alien". And tonight the AFI showed "Alien" at a great theater near where I live, the ArcLight in Sherman Oaks. Yup, I'm still in a 'burb of, albeit closer to, Hollywood. It played on one of the two biggest screens in the complex. And I went.
It was glorious to see it again on a big screen, first time since that opening weekend! Altho the additions to this, the "director's cut", were interesting, I think I prefer the version I saw way back then (and later, repeatedly on the tiny TV screen when they showed it on HBO, etc, over the years). Much more "clostrophobic" in feeling. But it still does a fantastic job to awe and frighten. Standouts (outside of the story, script and direction) are the fantastic lighting, beautiful soundtrack (especially all the noises), great acting by newbies at the time, and more.
So if you ever get a chance to see "Alien" on the big screen, DO, no matter how many times you may have seen it at home.
And what's there next week? "Aliens". I saw that film opening weekend too, again at the Egyptian! (I feel like one lucky boy!)