Alien

Finally, after many failed attempts this past week, I put my blu ray of Alien in. Now, the atmosphere wasn't quite what I wanted it to be; I had hoped to watch it at night time with all the lights off for the full effect, but I finally had the time and the means today so I put it in at about noon, with the blinds closed tightly so as to allow as little light in as possible.

Of course, I was a fool for trying so hard to set the atmosphere, as Alien is just as frightening and suspenseful no matter the time of day you watch it. Pure masterclass film-making, I tell you.

Alien is not a movie I have seen dozens of times, though I have seen it more than a few times, but there was something about this particular viewing that dawned on me. The true secret weapon of this film is the cast. Granted, this isn't exactly a new or earth-shattering revelation, but for some reason is really stood out to me. First off, having Harry Dean Stanton in your movie already makes it better, and this isn't even one of his best roles, but just like everyone else, he makes the character feel real, like he has been living and breathing in their ship Nostromos for months which adds that much extra to making the sci-fi environment feel real. Throw in folks like Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, Veronica Cartwright, Ian Holm, and duh, Sigourney Weaver and you have a crew that feels as though they belong there, making every decision and reaction completely believable. Of course, credit where credit is due; none of this would be possible without a solid script in place. But Director Ridley Scott allowed the actors to improvise a bit in the early scenes, which I believe helps sell the audience on the camaraderie these guys have, thus making their deaths all the more painful.

The not so secret weapons of this movie are, of course, Ridley Scott and Ms. Weaver herself. In my correct opinion, Scott made one of, if not the scariest film of all time with Alien. By choosing to use silence and taking time to set up the characters and the threat, he manages to build a sense of dread and suspense that runs through to the very last frame. My body is literally tense during the entire viewing time. It makes for an exhausting experience, but one I gladly endure, as horror and sci-fi just don't get better than this.

It's incredible that an entire franchise ended up being built around Ripley. In this first entry, you could argue that there really isn't a lead character, which increases the threat that truly nobody could survive. However, Ripley makes her mark as a badass early on, when she ignores her commanding officer's order to let them in when a fellow crew member has been attacked by an alien. Ripley knows protocol is to quarantine said crew for at least 24 hours so as not to risk the rest of the crew. Now, if things had gone her way, there would be no movie. Still, it's an important moment for the character, and for the audience as well. We know she's right. Her decision makes sense, and thus we are able to believe in her ability to out smart the alien in the end.

Seriously guys, I realize this isn't the most amazing analysis of Alien around, but if you haven't experienced this film yet please do so immediately. Your movie loving mind will be changed forever.


Obviously, this viewing was in anticipation of Prometheus. I may not be seeing it as soon as I hoped, as Men in Black III seems to be holding on to most IMAX screens for another week or so, and I really want to wait for that because I want the absolute best picture and sound as well as great 3D presentation since that is the way Ridley meant for the film to be seen. Rest assured, whenever I see it I will come here and discuss.

Before that though, I should be able to squeeze in a few more movies for My Mission, so until then dudes. Suck it.