In space no-one can hear you yawn

Rating: 9/10 (1 September 2009)

Often copied and inspiring countless knock off's and direct to video/DVD dross. Ridley Scott's 'Alien' is arguably one of the most notorious sci-fi chillers out there. Now I know It's very easy to jump on the bandwagon and call select movies a classic and given It's high rating here on IMDb. I could be insecure enough to believe that there is something sorely wrong with my personal taste in movies. But to be quite frank I've never been able to appreciate what it is about 'Alien' that so many other fans adore. Indeed It's exceedingly well directed and the set design, production values are mesmerising and the Alien is the pinnacle of inspired, visual terror. But while it Carred the tag line "In space no-one can hear you scream". A more fitting one should have been "In space no-one can hear you yawn". So why did I find this picture to be such a monumental bore? Well, while the movies plotting is a simplistic and It does deliver what must have been a genuinely ingenious 'shock' about a third or so in to the movie. It's the picture's precision, lengthy slow pacing. A gimmick you could label it I suppose. Utilised to crank up the tension as the crew members of the mining ship Nostromo. Comprising of a cast of talented character actors answering a distress call from what appears to be a derelict vessel on a near by planet. Among the cast are the now legendary Sigourney Weaver as the heroic, feisty Ellen Ripley who would go on to star in the movies three sequels (Alien's bearing the distinction of being the only decent outing). And Tom Skerrit as Dallas who sadly didn't quite have the same success as his female co-star. But is arguably best remembered for his career defining performances in "Steel Magnolias" and and the deceptively cosy mid-nineties television drama series "Picket Fences".
When one of the crew Kane (The excellent John Hurt) descends in to a chamber within the enigmatic space craft. He soon emerges from within. With an arachnid like creature locked firmly to his face. Once back on the Nostromo. Attempts are made to surgically detach the beast but to no avail. As doing so would result in Kane's death. When the creature, unseen by the other crew members relinquishes It's all too powerful grip on the incapacitated member of the crew and It is revealed to have mysteriously died. All seems to be well. Paticualrly when Kane awakens from his short lived coma. But he or anyone else are prepared for what is yet to come.
It all sounds very well and good. And as said before, on paper this did have the potential makings for what could have been a tremendous exercise in nail biting terror. But with It's lengthy exposition, and all too heavy reliance on building up tension rather than relying on more confrontational encounters with the menacing Alien of the title. It fails to really be the roller coaster ride of emotion and fear that the imperfect but superior follow up 'Aliens' (1986) managed to be thanks to James Cammeron's talents as an action/sci-fi director and screen writer.
And while there is the odd flourish of inspired creativity which include an eerie crawl through a labyrinth of air vents as the Alien slowly but surely hunts down It's prey, an ingenious twist which would be expanded upon in the movies sequels and a final "surprise confrontation". It's never quite enough to compensate for the abysmal, tiresome monotony.
I'm sure I'm not alone in my thinking as I write this review and although I'm not alone in that thinking I'll have to belong to the tiny few who fails to comprehend what makes this such an iconic, cult treasure. Each to their own I say. But just let me say this. At least it also featured the brilliant Ian Holm as the cool minded, thoughtful scientist Ash. Another fine actor that this film probably didn't deserve.