The stuff of nightmares

Rating: 8/10 (17 June 2012)

It's kinda funny, when you get right down to it, "Alien" is just a guy in a monster suit terrorizing a bunch of space truckers. But oh, man, what they do with that premise. It's a revered classic for good reason; it draws you right in and traps you aboard the cramped confines of a dingy space freighter while a horrific twin-jawed best kills off the crew one by one. But this thing just oozes atmosphere, from the Nostromo's claustrophobic corridors to the workaday lives of these characters. "Alien" is cold, frightening and introduces one of the great movie monsters. Supreme craftsmanship, all the way.
But seriously, if there's any doubt as to the impact of this movie, look up the '79 trailer on YouTube. It was a genius marketing campaign ("In space, no one can hear you scream" . . . there's no topping that), and it's got to be the most effective trailer I've ever laid eyes on.
8/10