Remembering When

Rating: 9/10 (10 May 2020)

When I was a child, Howard Hawk's "The Thing, From Another World" scared the living daylights out of me. It wasn't just the "creature" played by James Arness, but the atmosphere, the entire setting. "Alien" for me is reminiscent of that. The first time I saw "Alien" was on BETA, at home, around 1983 - 1984. I admit, my use of cannabis also played a part in my attentiveness. The atmosphere, the anticipation, was all so reminiscent of "The Thing," that is, what's around the corner. The characters were "everyday people." People caught up in a situation not previously encountered but one that would test their survival skills and ability to work as a group to survive an encounter with a humanoid, but alien life species. None were super heroic types, they were just everyday people trying to survive an encounter with an alien lifeform, one that was hostile. Had I seen "Alien" at the age I was when I saw "The Thing," the impact would have been just as scaringly profound and impactful. A thrilling horror movie not to be forgotten. Love it still!!