The Perfect Clashing of Genres

Rating: 9/10 (31 December 2012)

Throughout the 20th Century, film grew into different genres pretty quickly. Comedies, horror film, science fiction, fantasy... all harvest a different reaction out of audiences. However, enter the nuclear-period of the 1950s and you find that science fiction films were often meant scare audiences. This is what influenced a whole sub-genre of film to stick around, even to this day -- Sci-fi Horror. We've seen science fiction and horror cross many times in many different movies, but one film that stands out as the perfect example is Ridley Scott's Alien.
It makes sense that Alien was released in 1979. Horror was extremely marketable in mainstream cinema throughout the 1970s, and with the release of Star Wars in 1977, it would only make sense that movie interests and goals would collide. Many scenes in Alien are filmed similar to Star Wars - slow and prolonged images of space-craft, close- ups of computer monitors, and slow-motion shots of the interior of the space-craft that allow the viewer to completely realize the futuristic technology that the characters live with. People were fascinated with this stuff in the 1970s, and improving special effects certainly helped. Though the special effects in Alien were outmatched in its sequels, they still hold up even by today's standards. The cinematography is fantastic, and the overall look of the film in stunning.
Perhaps the reason that the film looks so good is the fact that it doesn't allow any opportunity for the audience to see it as cheesy. Alien moves at an extremely slow and dry pace, allowing no room for comic relief. Yet, even in its slow pace, Alien manages to grasp attention for the full run time. Even on re-watches, details or images that you've missed are fascinating, and the feeling that you are on a distressed ship in the middle of space with a crew in danger is convincing. Alien is claustrophobic, but it manages to make use of the small setting of a spaceship work for the full 117 minute run time.
Aside from the fantastic suspense and great special effects, Alien is still a good film on its own. While the story carried along is essentially an over-the-top slasher movie set in space, characters are developed very well. While the whole cast is good, Sigourny Weaver appears in the role that she will forever be remembered for - Ripley. I also liked the characters of Parker and Brett, which brought real world emotion to a situation that none of us have ever dealt with.
Alien, in its serious tone, is also a pretty suspenseful film! The audience actually cares about the characters, the alien actually poses a real threat, and there are several spots which are crafted perfectly to make you jump. The air vent scene and the chest-burst scene stand out in my mind as shocking, but of course the entire climax near the end of the film keeps viewers on the edge of their seats until the credits flash. Again, there is no room for comic relief in this film, so prepare yourself for an intense experience. There is plenty of violence and gore to satisfy the horror fans, and the violence isn't cheesy. However, horror fans SHOULD be warned that this isn't a fun fright flick. People who go into this expecting a lot of action will be disappointed. Alien is slow and proper, yet packs a punch. Like a fine wine with the alcoholic percentage of bourbon.
This is a film made very ahead of its time. In fact, when re-released in 2003, nothing was changed from the original theatrical cut to the 2003 director's cut with the exception of dialouge scenes. A science fiction film that was heavily based on special effects in 1979 STILL shocking audiences in the 21st Century? That is what makes this film a horror classic.