Under the lens takes a deep look at films by focusing in on one or two particular areas of the picture that helped to define it for better or for worse. Spoilers will be included in this review.
Alien: Is a 1979 horror picture starring Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, and John Hurt and is directed by Ridley Scott. It followed the crew of a merchant vessel that gets an unknown distress call, upon landing on the moon one of the crew attacked by a mysterious Alien lifeform, little do they know this is just the start of a living hell as the creature is far from friendly.
Under The Lens: Atmosphere & Design
Atmosphere: Alien is a very atmospheric picture when viewing it, the audience feels the close quarters and the horror as it unfolds. There is a feeling of close dread as the creature stalks through its halls and compartments. Even the now-famous “Chest bursting” scene was unlike anything seen in film before! It was horrifying to watch, and even more terrifying for the actors (As they did not know it would happen!). Alien took the rather hokey and tired Aliens vs Humans trope seen in dozens of sci-fi pictures and turned it on its head by creating a hellish world.
Design: This picture sought to bring horror and terror to the world of aliens and sci-fi, whereas before a lot of horror and sci-fi was campy or cheesy. Alien brought a stark grimy aesthetic to the ship and crew, it was an immersive and chilling experience for an audience that was not expecting most of the twist that came out.
Highlights
The egg room was creepy and dank in such a way as to make the viewer uncomfortable.
Weaver playing a badass was a fresh twist on the horror movie trope of the running and screaming woman.
The practical modal effects were a lot of fun and make the picture age well, as well as add realism to the creature effects.
Something to think about
How did you feel watching this film for the first time? Was it horrifying for you?
Conclusion
Alien, is a groundbreaking picture that changed the face of modern cosmic horror. It was full of terror, gore, and great characters. The Xeno was pure nightmare fuel as it pulled the most horrific images from one’s mind and played on those primal fears that are inside every human. Its effects hold up rather well, and its acting is on point and better than most horror pictures. Overall every fan of horror or sci-fi should see this picture.
