201. Alien (1979)
You are my lucky star. Lucky. Lucky. Lucky.
Title: Alien
Date Watched: 2/23/2013 - 2/24/2013
Original Ranking Out of 10: 7
Revised Ranking Out of 10: 7
Synopsis: An alien finds its way onto a spacecraft and kills off the passengers one by one.
The Good: Good atmosphere. Scary moments. Iconic.
The Bad: Probably too slow, though, I guess, the horror genre is supposed to be kind of slow.
Why Do I Own This Movie?: Really cheap on Amazon during Black Friday week.
Should I Still Own This Movie?: Yeah.
What Did I Notice That I Didn't Notice Before?: Using flamethrowers on a spaceship? Probably not a great idea. Smoking: also not smart.
Other Impressions: It doesn't do it quite as well as Jaws or E.T., but Alien starts with the same kind of Ordinary World elements that I've found myself fascinated with as of late. The crew members just talk and banter amongst themselves in ways that don't necessarily contribute to the plot, but really make it clear that they're just ordinary people called into action on an assignment they didn't sign up for.
From there, the movie turns into a genre-colliding horror/sci-fi movie, combining elements of Halloween and 2001 into something that, surprisingly, works pretty well. There's no awkwardness like we normally get with the "in space" genre and, though this is pretty much just Michael Myers in space, director Ridley Scott takes it seriously and generates some genuine thrills.
Obviously, one can look at the movie cynically and pick it apart (is the cat on board just so it can jump out and scare people?... why is the self-destruct system so far away from the escape pod -- and why can't it be operated remotely?... Is splitting up ever a good idea?), but it works. The darkness also adds atmosphere to the material and, though we never get a particularly good look at the alien, it's probably scarier that way. I also like the little nuggets that run throughout the movie but aren't explained (though, many were ultimately explained in the sequels and Prometheus) -- part of the joy of this kind of sci-fi is the discovery and the other is the mystery.
Ultimately, though, despite its iconic nature, Alien doesn't do a whole lot for me. It's a very simple movie and, while some of the model shots look great, the creature effects are often kind of cheesy. It doesn't help that sequel, which upped the tension, terror, special effects, and scale, overshadows the original.
But, you know, I still kind of like it. And I think I like it more than I did when I first saw it.
The List
Title: Alien
Date Watched: 2/23/2013 - 2/24/2013
Original Ranking Out of 10: 7
Revised Ranking Out of 10: 7
Synopsis: An alien finds its way onto a spacecraft and kills off the passengers one by one.
The Good: Good atmosphere. Scary moments. Iconic.
The Bad: Probably too slow, though, I guess, the horror genre is supposed to be kind of slow.
Why Do I Own This Movie?: Really cheap on Amazon during Black Friday week.
Should I Still Own This Movie?: Yeah.
What Did I Notice That I Didn't Notice Before?: Using flamethrowers on a spaceship? Probably not a great idea. Smoking: also not smart.
Other Impressions: It doesn't do it quite as well as Jaws or E.T., but Alien starts with the same kind of Ordinary World elements that I've found myself fascinated with as of late. The crew members just talk and banter amongst themselves in ways that don't necessarily contribute to the plot, but really make it clear that they're just ordinary people called into action on an assignment they didn't sign up for.
From there, the movie turns into a genre-colliding horror/sci-fi movie, combining elements of Halloween and 2001 into something that, surprisingly, works pretty well. There's no awkwardness like we normally get with the "in space" genre and, though this is pretty much just Michael Myers in space, director Ridley Scott takes it seriously and generates some genuine thrills.
Obviously, one can look at the movie cynically and pick it apart (is the cat on board just so it can jump out and scare people?... why is the self-destruct system so far away from the escape pod -- and why can't it be operated remotely?... Is splitting up ever a good idea?), but it works. The darkness also adds atmosphere to the material and, though we never get a particularly good look at the alien, it's probably scarier that way. I also like the little nuggets that run throughout the movie but aren't explained (though, many were ultimately explained in the sequels and Prometheus) -- part of the joy of this kind of sci-fi is the discovery and the other is the mystery.
Ultimately, though, despite its iconic nature, Alien doesn't do a whole lot for me. It's a very simple movie and, while some of the model shots look great, the creature effects are often kind of cheesy. It doesn't help that sequel, which upped the tension, terror, special effects, and scale, overshadows the original.
But, you know, I still kind of like it. And I think I like it more than I did when I first saw it.
The List