Ridley Scott’s classic sci-fi horror Alien is one of my all time favourites, and I would even argue to be one of the best films of all time, mainly due to its interesting yet very unsettling themes of sexual aggression and forced pregnancy, its subversion of expectations and the sense of sheer terror I felt the first time I watched it.
From the opening scene alone, I knew what I was in for; the shots of empty seats, hallways and helmets set up an eerie atmosphere that lingered even far after the crew awakens and start to wander the ship. This unsettling feeling was only heightened when the crew discover the eggs and unknowingly bring back what would lead the majority of them to their doom.
Horror, in my opinion, should be the seemingly contradictory mix of realisation and confusion, and Alien does this perfectly; we know the Xenomorph is lurking somewhere, we just don’t know where that somewhere actually is. In one of the most tense parts of the film, Dallas enters the shadowed vents of the ship to search for the Xenomorph. Both us as the audience and Dallas know that the alien is in the vents with him, yet we have no idea where. This scene stills makes me shiver, and leaves me with a chilled dread after the alien eventually leaps from the shadows, taking Dallas to his fate.
The dark themes that Alien manages to paint across itself are some of the most fascinating yet horrifying uses of symbolism I have ever seen put to film. From the phallic shape of the Xenomorph, to the horrendous way that the Facehuggers plant their young inside their victims, Alien touches its audience on a deep, psychological level to further enhance the dread that the film was already achieving, and to also ensure that the film sticks with the viewer long after they have stopped watching the film, like only the best horrors can do.
Speaking of which, the iconic Chestburster scene is one of the best feats of film-making I have ever watched; down to John Hurt’s convincing performance, the rapid angles and editing heightening the sense of panic as the crew scramble to save him, even the great use of props. Not to mention the fact that nobody told the cast that this would even happen, with the script simply stating “the alien emerges” in order to have the actors’ genuine reactions captured on camera. Sly? Maybe, but effective without a doubt.
One of the best things that Alien has to offer is the way it subverts the expectations of its viewer; typically, the rugged, handsome male figure is usually the one who is the main protagonist of the film, the one who leads everyone to safety and protects them from danger. This is not the case in Alien, as the previously mentioned Dallas meets his demise relatively early on, leaving the other members of the crew lacking a leader. This is when Sigourney Weaver steps in, in what is her best role, hands down. Alien provides us with a strong female lead played by the perfect actor, and Weaver really does play this role excellently. She is vulnerable enough to be feel human, but not so much to the point where we see her as being weak, yet she is tough enough to push herself through the horrid scenarios she is put through. The character of Ellen Ripley has aged very well, with many being able to look up to her even today. I can imagine typical audiences sat in the cinema in 1979, simply expecting someone like Dallas to spring to action and save the day, only for this to be taken away from them, and instead have a strong female lead take the reins instead.
Another performance in this film that has stuck with me ever since I saw Alien for the first time is Ian Holm as Ash. This man is unnerving to say the least, a strange presence who is always silently lingering, just waiting for the right opportunity and unafraid to stab his fellow crew in the back. The close-up shot of Ash’s face with the white fluid dripping past his eye, revealing him to have been an android has always given me chills and was a shot that was as simple as it was effective.
One tiny complaint I have about Alien are that a few shots involving props have not aged particularly well. One of which being a shot of the alien walking towards a member of the crew which looked as if the alien was being pushed along on an unseen trolley, nothing looking particularly natural about the way it was moving. Another shot being that of Ash’s decapitated head on the table which keeps switching back between a prop and Ian Holm’s actual head, and it takes some of the believably away from this moment.
Despite a tiny minor complaint, Alien is nearly a flawless film in my opinion. It is a significant and revolutionary piece of film for horror and film in general. I often wish I was around to watch Alien when it first came out in cinemas, and be overtaken by the amazing feeling of dread in a dark cinema room. That would be an amazing experience.
My Cinematic Ramblings 