Alien (1979)

Rating: 8/10 (1 March 2012)

It seems to me almost criminal the fact that I went for nearly twenty years after 'Alien' was filmed before I even got around to watching it, especially when I remember the countless toys/action figures that were made when I was a kid, probably around the time the third movie came out? I don't know because I haven't gotten around to the sequels yet, but even just from watching 'Alien' it's quite clear to see how Ridley Scott set the scene for countless other films that this one would inspire. We don't even need to get into it, but this film can be felt most definitely in 'Independence Day', some of Cronenberg's shlock, 'Pandorum' perhaps as some people have been saying, although I'd say 'Pandorum' owes more to 'Resident Evil' than it does 'Alien', but we'll see.
To me, this comes off as kind of like the 'Jurassic Park' of it's time. Sure, the special effects are dated when you look hard enough, but most of the time it works well and the cinematographer doesn't let you focus enough on the creature to make it look fake at all. Before you even really know the plot, you know the plot because of the formula that the film follows in the sense that everyone is going to wind up dead, mutilated, maimed, eaten, burned, whatever. It's also nice to see Ian Holm as a young actor, and the special effects involving him were pretty decent I'd say. I can't wait until Ridley Scott's 'Prometheus' is released, it is going to be like his 'Avatar' which we all know will be less friendly for the masses, and more dark and sinister. Scott is a brilliant director, and that is clear to me now really because even in 1979 he knew how to get it done right.
ALIEN ----- 8/10.