classic horror

Rating: 9/10 (19 December 2009)

In one word, dread. Pure, visceral dread. If you are the kind of person who is adverse to feeling uneasy watching horror movies, this is probably your worse nightmare. The 'chest bursting' scene is really not what the movie is all about. It's not about cheap scare tactics and hysterical screaming, but what goes on in the shadows. It taps right into the instinctive fear of the darkness. The tension builds and builds and never lets go until the very end.
This movie as a 'Goldilocks Principle' quality to it, where everything is just right. The characters, the actors, the designs, the score, the atmosphere, the script, the direction,... Snobs may scoff at the simple plot (People in space! scary monster!), but the execution is masterful.
Giger's vision of an alien civilisation is really inspired. The derelict spaceship is a work of art. Its screen time is rather brief, and in a way, it is an inspired move (possibly down to budget constrains!), which removes the banality element of constant exposure (the sequel, Aliens), and leaves a lot to the imagination. Who were these aliens? What are the eggs for?
His creature is downright terrifying, both in looks and purpose. As Ash puts it, "A survivor unclouded by conscience, remorse, or delusions of morality".
There is one weak moment in the entire film, and it is the ending. Like Jaws, for me, it looses its appeal once the beast is revealed and dispatched. And similarly for Alien, the end is a tad disappointing once the creature is exposed in full. And as usual, the hero(ine) wins and the beast is slained. I think a darker ending would have made the movie even stronger. The sequel is a good film, but goes in a totally different direction. Alien stands on its own merits.
Pitch Black had a go at the same premise (stranded handful of characters, monsters emerging from the dark...), but really cannot hold a candle to the original. This will make your blood run cold and you WILL turn on the lights at night!