This rocks in theaters

Rating: 10/10 (31 October 2003)

I've seen Alien before on TV, DVD and VHS, but there is absolutely no comparing that small screen experience with the drama of seeing everything larger than life.
In the theater, I was amazed how much I had missed watching the movie on TV. Facial expressions, use of light, etc. were all amplified in the darkness of the theater.
Some scenes that translated particularly well were:
* The med lab. Dallas, Ash and Ripley searching for the now missing face hugger was even more tense. Again, the great use of different camera angles (low, high, trailing behind, etc.) made me believe the face hugger was ready to spring and attack from anywhere.
* Dallas in the air ducts. Scott saw how the use of very little light in the middle of the screen - bordered by all of that black - would give an overwhelming impression of claustrophobia and funnel the viewer right to the middle of the frame. Genius.
* The ten-minute self destruct countdown. Chaos reigns with lights and sirens, hissing mechanicals, etc. I've seen the movie at least 20 times, but the countdown was so gripping, I was literally sitting forward in my seat waiting to see if Ripley made it.
Of course, I'm leaving out dozens of other scenes that make this movie a classic and a MUST SEE while it's out in theaters.
Now, I'm looking forward to Alien vs. Predator...