Rating of
4/4
*Sarah* - wrote on 12/29/08
The crew of the deep space mining ship Nostromo are awaken from hypersleep to investigate a strange signal from a nearby planet. While investigating the signal, they discover it was intended as a warning, and not an SOS. What follows are some grisly and inventive special effects based on the work of H.R.Giger
I can't believe I haven't got round to watching this absolutly superb film nor the rest of the series. So Let this be the start of my Alien Marathon. All I can say is thank god I've watched it now.
This is the one I think most of my friends on here remember, the one that started it all. I obtained yet another director's cut of Scott's film but I decided to watch the orginal '79 theatrical version. Superisingly, because I haven't watched it beefore there are very few flaws even 29 years on since it was made. Despite numerous Alien oe teenage horror films adopting a similar plot, I still could feel the suspense in every single scene and in some cases I did indeed scream. What is still brilliant about Scott's masterpiece is the fact it still feels very modern even almost 30 years on. The bleak and empty atmopshere is still prevelant even to this day.
The opening credits I thought were absolutly spectacular. Complete with Jerry Goldsmith's haunting score before the film has even begun, you are given a little something as to what's to come. Mangnificent. Godsmith#s score adds to the huge amount of tension within a scene and without it, we are left helpless as we have no ides of what's to come.
What's amazing to me is that the idelogy of Alien's exsisting in this film seems all the more real. Scott creates this believable enviornment that will leave you feeling at the end of the film that Aliens really do exsist. Alien's narrative is paced perfectly. at no point do you feel that the film has suddenly moved forward way too much, you are left engrossed in the story. What is also prevelant is the fact that after an hour of the film, I felt like so much has happened, yet I've only seen two or three instances of "Alien attacks." Which is a testemant to the supern direction and tension filled in the scene by Ridley Scott.
The set-designs reminisent of Kubrick's 2001, peerfectly depict the environment and also so well presented in the opening shot. The gorgeous cinematography even in the '79 theatrical version still seemmed absolutly spectacular to me. Oddly thought Alien only achieved two Academy award nominations at that time.
What stops alien from becoming a less than perfect picture is the incredible cast and their performances. Weaver, in her first lead role realistically depicts her character well without any over-exaggeratuons, the legendry Ian Holm is just perfect and John Hurt just as brilliant. Also worth noting Live and Let Die's Yaphet Kotto, who I Didn't think was in anything else.
Along with Blade Runner, both are Scott masterpieces of his career. Alien is a film which I highly recomend to anyone who enjoys cinema.
10/10
