Alien – An Absolutely Amazing Adventure in Another Andromeda

Rating: 10/10 (9 April 2012)

With this film's much-awaited prequel, 'Prometheus', set for release at the start of this June, I thought that now would be a perfect time to re-visit the fantastic, first-class film that is 'Alien'.
First things first, let's get this out of the way – 'Alien' isn't quite as scary as it was back in 1979. Since then there have been hundreds of horror films which have re-defined what we as a whole consider 'scary'. As much as the classic tag line, "In space, no-one can hear you scream" is plastered across the DVD case, whether you're in space or not, no-one will hear you scream. Because you won't be screaming. Nevertheless, there are still some very jumpy moments in the film – the leaping face hugger, and the chest-bursting scene, for instance – but on the whole it isn't what it was.
That's not to say the overall package has declined in quality. Quite the opposite, for, instead of watching this film from behind the sofa, like many seventies folk did, you soak up all the drama, the adamant emotion, and are impressed by a perfect performance by Sigourney Weaver as Ripley. This film still grasps onto its incredible mood throughout, bursting with enthralling emotion from start to end. The film starts off with a perfect image of grogginess as the crew members of the deep space mining ship, the Nostromo, awake from hyper-sleep. The crew are woken to investigate a strange signal from a nearby planet. While investigating the signal, they discover it was intended as a warning, and not an SOS. From here on the film bursts with wonderful emotion, hurling a feel of gritty survival and impending doom at the audience, as the crew fall apart.
Now, the film feels retro-futuristic, a seventies' view of the future, and it still gives you that same sense of overwhelming awe, just as Star Wars IV, V and VI still do, even after all these years. As director and writer Ridley Scott's spaceship-of-the-future vision hums by in the vast black wilderness, lit only by the distant twinkling stars, you are left in absolute amazement. What really adds to the incredible feel of this film is how slow-paced it is, how tense, making it uniquely... chilling. Technically brilliant and visually breathtaking, there is not one single moment in this movie that doesn't excel well beyond the usual genre trappings, yet sticks to the original B-Movie plot formula.
Speaking of B-Movies, Alien's production costs were only an estimable estimated eleven million U.S. Dollars, which is just under seven million quid. It may sound a lot of money to you and me, sure, but in terms of films, this is almost unheard of. A film of this calibre made on this budget? Remarkable. Yet despite this setback, the film grossed an incredible $185m, a staggering figure. In comparison, recent horror film, The Thing (2011), on a much greater budget of $35m produced only a measly $17m, despite being okay.
Intelligent, unsettling, and distinctly adult, 'Alien' was part of a series that never lived up to the original, the classic. James Cameron's 'Aliens' was too Hollywood-y, and 'Alien3' and 'Alien- Resurrection' are just plain rubbish. A shame really, simply showing that nobody else will be able to pull off what Ridley Scott did. Not even James Cameron and his fancy crew. 'Prometheus', which is the prequel to 'Alien' is directed by Ridley Scott, which is fantastic news. Who knows? Maybe another classic is on the way...