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Alien (1979) 8.5
Ratings:
8.5/10 from 334,434 users
Metascore: 83/100
Reviews: 953 user | 329 critic | 22 from Metacritic.com After investigating an S.O.S. signal on a near-by world, the crew of an industrial spacecraft must fight for survival when a highly aggressive bioform is born in the ship and begins hunting them one by one. Director:Ridley Scott |
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Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Tom Skerritt | ... | ||
| Sigourney Weaver | ... | ||
| Veronica Cartwright | ... | ||
| Harry Dean Stanton | ... | ||
| John Hurt | ... | ||
| Ian Holm | ... | ||
| Yaphet Kotto | ... | ||
| Bolaji Badejo | ... | ||
 |
Helen Horton | ... |
Mother
(voice)
|
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
Storyline
The crew of the deep space towing vessel 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. Written by Colin Tinto <cst@imdb.com>
Taglines:
A word of warning... See more »Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
Rated R for sci-fi violence/gore and language | See all certifications »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See more »
See full technical specs »
Details
Release Date:
25 May 1979 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Alien: The Director's Cut See more »Box Office
Budget:
$11,000,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend:
£208,081 (UK) (31 October 2003)Gross:
$1,983,690 (USA) (28 November 2003)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
| (director's cut)Color:
ColorAspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
Edit
Brett: This is the worst shit I've ever seen, man.
Parker: What you say? You got any biscuits over there?
Ripley: Here's some cornbread.
Parker: Cornbread. Yeah.
Lambert: I am cold.
Parker: Still with us, Brett?
Brett: Right.
Kane: Oh, I feel dead.
Parker: Anybody ever tell you you look dead, man?
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Ridley Scott's 2003 director's cut largely came about when over 100 boxes of footage of his 1979 original were discovered in a London vault. See more »Goofs
When Dallas is first entering Mother, as he passes through the last doorway... when he is seen outside the door, one of the lights on the door-frame is burned out (on his left) but in the next shot, it is lit. See more »Quotes
[first lines]Brett: This is the worst shit I've ever seen, man.
Parker: What you say? You got any biscuits over there?
Ripley: Here's some cornbread.
Parker: Cornbread. Yeah.
Lambert: I am cold.
Parker: Still with us, Brett?
Brett: Right.
Kane: Oh, I feel dead.
Parker: Anybody ever tell you you look dead, man?
See more »
The further we go in special effects, the more movies show us and ignore the unseen, the more people will return to dark horrors like this one.
It's hard to look at this film without considering the sequels and knowing the alien itself, however when made the alien was mostly unseen and a mystery. It's difficult to forget what you've seen, but it's important to approach this film first if possible rather than joining the series late.
It's amazing that this is over 20 years old - apart from the actors looking so young, the film doesn't feel dated at all. The sci-fi visions here are still bleak and futuristic as they were then - this is not the Star Trek vision of the future. The foreboding exists long before John Hurt spills his secret, Scott's direction is excellent throughout. Once the alien is "born" the tension is cranked up and the characters dispatched one by one (a formula we know oh-so well now!)
However here the characters are not merely alien-food but have some dimension to them. Weaver is excellent, while the support cast is full of great support actors (Stanton, Kotto, Hurt, Skerritt, Holm), but of course the real star is the one we see least of.
We barely see the alien in full detail, most of the time it is set in shadows, moving with deadly intent.The alien here is not simply a killing machine as seen in later films but is cruel with it. Witness the alien trap a female crew member and slowly rub up her leg, moving with slow seductive movements before moving with terrifying speed to kill another crew member sneaking up behind it. The slow movements betray the alien's pure cruelty.
The film is a study in terror. It may not be as action packed as the other films in the series but it brings the claustrophobia of being hunted to a new level.