Scarier Then Childhood Nightmares

Rating: 10/10 (7 August 2006)

Ridley Scott's Alien, is probably the most impressive Horror film I have seen to this date. It definitely holds its place among The Exorcist, The Shining, and other great classics. When I first picked up the title at my local Blockbuster, I had heard of it from other people and family, but just figured it would be another great slasher to watch with my girlfriend. So I checked it out and payed about $3.50 for a movie that I should have payed about $1,000 dollars to see. Little did I know that we were about to experience probably the best Horror film (and definitely the best Sci-Fi/Horror) ever made. By the time that the magical 117 minutes were over, we had been through the most stressful movie of our life, but at the end, there was a sigh of relief.
As I watched the film for the first time, I took into notice a few of the most prominent ideas and philosophies of the movie.
Alien tells the story of a crew of seven space "truck drivers". When they are awoken from their deep sleep they realize that they are not in our galaxy (they were on their way home to earth)and that "Mother" has startled them so they can investigate some type of signal on a remote planet. At this point in the film, the story feels very realistic and believable, because of the fact that there is no hokey "magic", or some type of destiny that one of the characters will fall into. These are ordinary people doing their job, and all they want to do is get it done with and be on their way home. This fatal trip to the remote planet will in the end be their undoing. Because the film feels believable and looks realistic, you have a better understanding of the characters and the movie all together.
One of the greatest challenges of creating the film, was designing and making the Alien. If it looked phony and stupid, the whole point of the film would be lost. This was probably the greatest of all the triumphs of the completed film. I am not going to go in detail of what this horrifying creature looks like so you will just have to see for yourself.
The maze-like corridors of the Nostromo make for a claustrophobic feel and this makes the movie all the more terrifying.
Sigourney Weaver's performance as Ripley in this film is probably the best in her entire career (along with "Gorillas In The Mist"). Tom Skeritt is great as usual, and the rest of the acting is phenomenal.
Probably the most prominent philosophy used in the movie, is that within this crew, you as an audience, are facing your worst fears, no matter what they may be. You may be scared of the serial killer across the town, or the wild beast at the zoo. But nothing is more terrifying then the creature in the dark, that is never completely visible, that will grab you, and kill just because it wants to kill. This creature embodies every fear in your mind.
Alien was so close to becoming a stupid B monster film. With the help of talented writers, directors, actors, and others, it became the most popular thriller of our time. See for yourself.