Review of Alien

Introduction

A few days ago, I watched Star Trek: The Motion Picture and was somewhat unimpressed at the picture quality. Scratches and flecks of dirt were apparent throughout and the deterioration in the film was quite shocking. Now you may be wondering exactly which film I`m supposed to be reviewing but please bear with me. You see, Star Trek was made in 1979 and I, being the generous chap that I am attributed the poor picture quality on 23 years of wear and tear. But yesterday I watched a film that laid that little fallacy to rest. Back in 1979 another sci-fi film was clearing up at the box office, a little Ridley Scott picture simply called Alien.

The spaceship Nostromo is returning home to Earth, when its computer intercepts a message from a desolate barren world. Following standard company procedure regarding distress calls, it alters the ship`s course towards the planet and sets about reviving the ships crew from suspended animation. When the Nostromo`s crew make planetfall, they find a mammoth alien vessel crashed on the surface. The captain, Dallas and two other crewmembers, Lambert and Kane go to explore the source of the transmission while the rest of the crew remains to make repairs to the Nostromo. In the alien ship, they find a massive alien skeleton with a shattered chest. Exploring further, they come across a carpet of leathery eggs. When Kane examines one closely, it opens up and a creature attaches itself to his face, breaking through his helmet. They rush back to the ship, desperate to get Kane some help. At the ship, warrant Officer Ripley refuses to let them back in fearing contamination. However the ship`s science officer, Ash overrides her and lets them back in. After some inconclusive medical treatment, the creature falls off by itself and a shaky Kane seems to make a full recovery. Then the crew sits down for a hearty meal…

Video

Alien is presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic format. The transfer is ideal, with no flaws. The image is sharp and well defined. The colours are strong and the dark shadows are truly ominous. This film is in amazing condition after 23 years. There is no sign of print damage and the only dirt I saw was on the title sequence. I must mention the special effects. This film was made well before CGI and on a low budget. The effects pioneered by Star Wars were only a year or so old however the effects in this film in addition to Ridley Scott`s brilliant direction make a truly ageless picture. Effects shots are few and far between, and when they are used they are understated. The alien itself is accomplished more through inference and suggestion rather than any overt visual shots. The film design is still groundbreaking. The alien ship and creature based on H.R Giger`s artwork is so effective, but that tends to diminish the other aspects of the design. The Nostromo itself is very well accomplished as a future world. Taking its cue from the Star Wars films, we get a lived in spaceship, a little rough around the edges, but wholly consistent in of itself. As a result, this film stands up against any effects spectacular or CGI wizardry made nowadays.

Audio

The sound is a DD 5.1 English track. As for Star Trek, Jerry Goldsmith provided the soundtrack, and the result is a peerless score. The music is almost subliminal and truly chilling. This is a truly immersive film and you feel as if you are aboard the ship yourself. I like the way that Ridley Scott handled the crew interactions. When they are sat down in communal situations, either a meal or for a meeting, he has their voices drown each other out. The result is a naturalistic feel increasing the realism and the audience tension.

Features

This disc is loaded with extras accessible from some very well designed menus. There is a brilliant commentary by Ridley Scott that is informative and fascinating. All commentaries should be this good. There are some 10 deleted scenes totalling 18 minutes in running time, one of them is particularly worth watching. The theatrical trailers and some TV spots are on the disc. What is quite interesting is the Art and Photo Gallery. You get some storyboards from Ridley Scott, some Production Photos and some Promotional Art and Photos. There is some brilliant conceptual art from H.R Giger, Ron Cobb, Jean `Moebius` Giraud and Chris Foss. There are 2 outtakes that are from unused scenes and finally the option to watch the film with two isolated audio tracks, one with the original film score and one with Alternative Music and production sound. These are both in 2.0 stereo. Finally there are two Easter Eggs that access the crew log and the Alien lifecycle. All that is missing is a making of documentary.

Conclusion

A brilliant cast and some excellent performances help make this movie what it is. Sigourney Weaver is brilliant as Ripley, creating one of cinemas most enduring and powerful characters. Yaphet Kotto and Harry Dean Stanton as Parker and Brett, the loafing repairmen make an entertaining pairing in constant conflict with the higher ups. Veronica Cartwright is spot on in her portrayal of Lambert. Her fear and terror is so genuine that you can`t help but empathise. In fact that is something notable about all the actors, Ian Holm, Tom Skerritt and John Hurt included. They all play their parts with such realism and so naturally, that you don`t feel that you are watching characters at all. There is no hero, no villain, and no comedian. They all look like any people in a work situation, that you probably experience day to day yourself. That makes the appearance of the alien even more shocking and because you empathise with the characters, you are all the more frightened.

Classic, groundbreaking and seminal are superlatives that are all too readily applied to films, but few films truly merit such accolades as much as this one film. It took a tired and worn out horror genre and transposed it to a sci-fi setting. At its heart, Alien is a slasher movie, but set in deep space, with a relentless xenomorph stalking hapless humans it creates a visceral chill. The way that the alien reproduces is so invasive and violating, it`s birth throes so shocking and devastating to the host that it touches on some universal fear that we all share. Every time I sit down to watch this film, I am reminded of the spoof Spaceballs and I am sure that the film won`t affect me. Yet 40 minutes in, I`m jumping out of my skin again in terror. However, Alien doesn`t exist in a vacuum (no pun intended) and you must acknowledge its forebears. The opening shot of the Nostromo is surely a tip of the hat to Star Wars, and the computer, Mother must be a close relation of 2001`s Hal. Rather than ape these films, Aliens takes certain elements and twists them into something fresh and unique. Ridley Scott is a master director and his horror tale is powerfully told in a way that has been often imitated but never equalled. The film is ideally presented on DVD with a wealth of extras. This film transcends genre and is truly a classic. If you are a fan of cinema, then this film is an essential ingredient in your collection. Watch and be afraid.