Customer Reviews

Alien

5 star:		(387)
4 star:		(102)
3 star:		(20)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

Amazon's reviewer calls this movie overrated and drawn out, while the Leonard Maltin movie guide review seems a bit baffled that some people like this kind of entertainment. Don't listen to either of them. Alien is, quite simply, one of the best movies ever made in both the sci-fi and horror genres. Those who complain that the film takes too long to get going suffer from some kind of cinematic attention span disorder; Ridley Scott draws his scenes out because he wants to build tension and establish a sense of realism before introducing H.R. Giger's terrifying creation. Unfortunately we can all see that the monster is just a guy in a suit during the closing sequences when Scott finally lets us see what the big slimy nemesis really looks like, but otherwise the film hasn't aged a bit since it came out two decades ago. The DVD is great too, with excellent picture quality and a really great commentary track, despite some disastrously inappropriate menu screens (the interfaces are all CG-rendered glitz, which really doesn't go with a movie known for its slow, elegant, quiet suspense). Anyone with any interest in horror or science fiction films in general should pick up this classic immediately.

"Alien" is one of the most intense Sci-Fi thrillers to have ever graced the silver screen or the home theater in any format! It is the film's intensity that provides such an incredible draw to this extraordinary film. If you're looking for a lot of action, this film is not really what you're looking for; "Aliens" is where the intensity and action comes into play in the line of Alien movies; the whole theme behind "Alien" is to scare to pants off of you with extremely intense scenes and if you've never seen this movie before, it may very well do just that! Never before in the history of this genre had there been a film of this magnitude and few have matched it in it's intensity since.

Now, with this latest release, fans of "Alien" are treated to the best release of this film yet. The very first thing you'll notice when you put this DVD into your player is that you have the option of playing either the 1979 Theatrical Release or a 2003 Director's Cut. The 2003 Director's Cut is preceded by an interesting introduction by Ridley Scott himself. This cut is put together seamlessly and the additions to the film add just that much more flavor to the film, making it that much better. The only downside to this edition and I believe this just stems from the time in which this film was made, was the audio. Despite having the options of THX and 5.1 Dolby Surround or 5.1 DTS, the audio playback just isn't what it should be.

Copious amounts of credit and accolades go to the incredible cast for this outstanding cinematic treasure! Although I wouldn't go so far as to say that "Alien" is "the" movie that made Sigourney Weaver a star, I would say that it was the one that made her a superstar! And since the release of this film and the following three in the Alien legacy, she will forever be known for these roles and probably very few others, except maybe her role in "Ghostbusters."

Director Ridley Scott, who has directed some of the most influential films in just over the past quarter century, deserves high praise and acclaim for "Alien" and the direction he took this film in. There are several directors out there that may have made as many or more films than he has but few have enjoyed the success he has had and a lot of that success can be directly attributed to the work he did on this film!

The Premise:

Although never clearly defined as to when, it is the future and America has expanded Earth's atmosphere and is sending mining ships out there... The Nostromo, a civilian mining vessel is making the return trip home from an expedition and the crew is in cryo-freeze for the trip home but "Mother" the ships computer wakes them up to investigate what appears to be an alien SOS message.

As the crew goes through the necessary steps to investigate the signal on a small planetoid, the tension builds right to the moment that Kane (John Hurt) is deep within the bowels of the alien ship and is leaning over what appears to be an egg...

What follows from there is most certainly one of the most intense Sci-Fi thrillers ever to have been brought to the silver screen. I highly recommend this exceptional film to any and all who're fans of movies in this genre. {ssintrepid}

Special Features:

For those that have been waiting for a special edition DVD of "Alien" with all of the bells and whistles, this edition is most assuredly it!

-1979 Theatrical Version (Deleted/Extended Scene Index) (Alien Vs. Predator Teaser Trailer)
-2003 Director's Cut (Ridley Scott Introduction) (Deleted Footage Marker)
-Full Length Audio Commentary with Director Ridley Scot, Writer Dan O'Bannon, Executive Producer Ronald Shusett, Editor Terry Rawlings, Actors; Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton and John Hurt (Both Versions) +
-Behind the Scenes Featurettes:
*"Star Beast: Developing the Story"
*"The Visualists: Direction and Design"

*"Truckers in Space: Casting"
*"Future Tense: Music and Editing"
*"Outward Bound: Visual Effects"
*"A Nightmare Fulfilled: Reaction to the Film"
*"Fear of the Unknown: Shepperton Studios, 1978"
*"The Darkest Reaches: Nostromo and Alien Planet"
*"The Eighth Passenger: Creature Design"
*"The Chestburster" Multi-Angle Sequence with Optional Commentary by Ridley Scott
-Sigourney Weaver Screen Test with Optional Commentary by Ridley Scott
-Still Photo Galleries
-Deleted & Extended Scenes

ALIEN received mixed reviews when it debuted in 1979--largely from science fiction critics, who accused it of being little more than a sort of "Friday the 13th in Outer Space," a blood-and-gore horror flick given a futuristic twist via some problematic special effects. But while these accusations have more than a little truth, it has been an incredibly influential film--and even today, in the wake of CGI effects, it still holds up extremely, extremely well.

The story is well known: the crew of an interstellar craft responds to what seems a distress signal, only to encounter a remarkably lethal alien life form that boards their ship and sets about picking them off one by one. Some of the special effects are weak (the alien spacecraft and the android "revival" are fairly notorious). There is little in the way of character development, the film has a fairly slow pace, and the story itself is predictable; you can usually guess who is going to die next.

BUT. The art designs are incredible: the entire look of the film, from the commercial nature of the spacecraft to the iconographic alien itself (brilliantly envisioned by Giger) is right on the money. Director Ridley Scott encouraged his cast to ad lib from the script, and the result is a shocking sense of realism--and the somewhat slow pace of the film and the predictablity of the story gives it a sense of relentless and ever-mounting paranoia that is greatly enhanced by the tight sets and camera set-ups. With its odd mixture of womb-like organics and cold mechanics, ALIEN is a film calculated to send even the most slightly claustrophobic viewer into a fit of hysteria.

The entire cast, led by Tom Skerrit and Sigorney Weaver, is very, very good--and the film abounds with memorable images and scenes ranging from John Hurt's encounter with the alien egg to Skerrit's search of the ship air ducts to Weaver's terrifying race against time as the ship counts down to self-destruct. Seldom has any film been so consistent in design, cast, direction, and out-and-out fear factor, and although certain aspects of ALIEN are open to legitimate criticism the end result is powerful enough to bring it in at a full five stars. A word of warning, however: you'll need to send the kids to bed for this one. And you'll probably be up half the night afterward yourself! Recommended.

Many have tried and failed to repeat its success, but nothing can beat the masterpiece that is Alien. Unleashed at cinemas in 1979, the film is a flat-out classic sci-fi horror flick, using extreme moments of suspense to build up the scary scenes. Directed by Ridley Scott, the film is a ground-breaking classic that still holds up amazingly well today, and made an international superstar if Sigourney Weaver.

In Alien, the terror begins when the crew of the spaceship Nostromo are instructed to investigate a transmission from a desolate planet, as they are on their way back home to Earth. Upon their arrival, they make a horrifying discovery - a life form that attaches itself to the victims face, using it as a host before breeding inside the body. The life form then removes itself, waiting for the young it has planted inside the human victim to be born and explode through the stomach. A gruesome description indeed, which is why the film is so brilliant. The alien is now on board the spaceship after it exploded through the stomach of one of the spaceship's crew, all because the remaining crew foolishly let him back on board. It's now up to the crew to stop this alien menace, and fight not only for their own survival, but the survival of all mankind.

Sigourney Weaver stars as Ellen Ripley in her film debut role. Weaver is absolutely perfect for the role, and was practically the first girl-power type female heroine who single-handedly carries this international blockbuster right through until the final minutes. John Hurt also plays Kane to excellent effect, especially in his death scene as he frantically wriggles on the table with the alien inside him. Harry Dean Stanton is brilliant as Brett, as is Tom Skerritt as Dallas. Yaphet Kotto is also perfectly cast as Parker, who provides many on-screen laughs. Veronica Kartwright (who later went on to star in The X-Files some 20 years later) stars as the loveable Lambert, the only other female member of the crew along with Ripley. Ian Holm as Ash is absolutely brilliant in his role as the android secretly sent on board to bring back the alien life-form, while - in his eyes, and "Mother's" - all other crew members are expendable. The acting in this film is really first-rate, which is another big factor in why the film works so well.

Many scenes from Alien are classics, and are all equally scary. The first really scary scene we witness is when Kane investigates the egg in which the life-form is waiting to spring out onto his face. The noise it makes is enough to give anyone nightmares, and the deathly silence that proceeds after the event is truly eerie. The first extremely shocking scene we get is when the alien explodes from Kane's stomach. The noises it makes, and the screams of pain and terror from the crew members is most disturbing, rivalling anything previously set in horror films such as the scenes from The Exorcist. Ripley's confrontation with the robot Ash is truly terrifying. After she discovers exactly why he is on board and what the truth behind their the mission, he tries to kill her, by blocking all the exits in the spaceship. It's only when the remaining crew (those who haven't been killed off by the alien) come to her rescue that Ash reveals his true self, spinning around the room with white liquid exploding from every orifice. Before long, Ripley is the only surviving member of the crew. On her own, she proves herself to be a true action hero as she finally defeats the alien on board.

All in all, Alien is a terrific sci-fi horror movie that plays with your senses incredibly well. Nothing happens for the first 30 minutes, and that is exactly the director's intent. By doing so, a feeling of extreme suspense is instantly formed, leaving you on the edge of your seat until the very end. When you think of the film when not watching it, you'll think of the long corridors and the eerie silence that stalks them, as these are the scenes that you remember most vividly because of the suspense created.

I urge anyone who hasn't seen Alien to pick up a copy and watch it today, because you really are missing out on a landmark film that redefined the way people think of space, and the horror movie genre in general. As they say, "In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream."

That was the fitting tagline to this 1979 classic. Alien is certainly a masterpiece of the Sci-Fi/Horror genre. Ridley Scott's richly atmospheric and lavishily detailed direction immediately makes this a film that stands high above all of its rivals.

The story itself is simple and harkens back to those 1950's space creature pictures. The production design is simply marvelous. The design of the Nostromo is filled with realistic details, and creates a claustiphobic atmosphere. H.R Giger's contribution is simply breathtaking. His design of the derilict spaceship and the Alien itself has been much imitated since. The seven foot creature is truly a work of art. Only Aliens came close to really recaptuing the striking horror and beauty of the creature.

The cast which featured Sigourney Weaver in her debut, Tom Skerritt, Ian Holm. Yaphet Kotto, John Hurt, Veronica Cartwright and Harry Dean Stanton is diverse and each adds something to the film. The music score by Jerry Goldsmith is filled with all sorts of eerie & strange sounds and creates a stomach churning atmosphere.

The pace of the film is slow by todays standards, but it's what creates the build up for the several shocking encounters with the Alien. The 20th anniversary DVD is fiiled with extras, looks and sounds terrific and is a must have for fans of this film.

Sporting a top notch transfer, the latest edition of Alien out classes the original DVD release from 1999. There are a couple of major differences between the two releases. First, the "extended branching" edition or Director's Cut is a minute shorter than the original film. How can that be with 5 new scenes/alterations? Well, Scott went through the original and pruned a minute here or a couple of seconds there. It wasn't that he was displeased with his original version (in fact, he prefers it)but was given the option by Fox to revisit and make an alternate version if you like. Both versions have their merits the major differences are as follows:

1) There's a scene included where the crew actually listen to the "distress" signal. This was available as a deleted scene previously on the laserdisc edition but wasn't integrated into the final film until now. The scene offers a couple of nice character moments and the broadcast itself adds to the eerie mood.
2)While working on Kane in the infirmery, Parker confronts Ripley about her decision to keep them from coming into the ship. She slaps her and they have a brief scuffle. There's also additional comments from Parker.
3) Brent's abduction by the Alien. The scene is longer here and we see Lambert and Parker as they run in after hearing Brent's screams. It's a creepy scene particularly when Brent's blood rains down from above on Lambert.
4)Ripley discovers what the Alien has been doing with Brent and Dallas. It's always been assumed by many fans that the Alien was eating them. This brings a whole new level of horror. Scott has gone on record as liking the scene but cutting it because it A)brought the film to a stand still because of its power and 2) it disrupted the flow and pacing of the original film's conclusion. While both points are true to an extent, it slows it down just long enough to digest (pardon the pun) the truly horrible thing that has happened to the crew.
5)The scene where Ripley encounters the Alien while going back for Jonesy is longer by about 10 seconds. We see the Alien look at the cat in its cage curiously before swatting it aside as if it was unworthy of its attention. To me this demonstrated an intelligence that was only hinted at in other scenes. The Alien recognizes that the creature won't be of any useful purpose.

The original Alien is also included and it, along with the Director's Cut, looks stunning. Scott supervised a digital clean up and restoration from the original negative. Both were then transferred from a high definition video master. The film still retains its dark look without the murky image quality that marred the previous edition.

There's supplementary sections dedication to pre-production which includes Dan O'Bannon's original script for Star Beast as well as pre-production drawings prepared by Mobieus, Ron Cobb and Chris Foss. While there are many details that differ from the final script (which was rewritten by director/producer/writer Walter Hill and his partner David Giler), the basic structure and overall feel is so similar to the final film that there's no doubt who the true author of the script was.

There's also interviews with O'Bannon, Ron Shuset (who helped O'Bannon with the original story), Giler (although curiously no Hill)and others. O'Bannon's comments are particularly interesting (as is his essay before the script)where he discusses the genesis of the idea. With tongue firmly in cheek he states he stole the idea from everyone he could--from The Thing, the obvious source It! The Terror Beyond Space, Forbidden Planet and even his own script Dark Star. Looking at the film, you can see these were all influences on the final product but it's still, uniquely, O'Bannon's script with many of the hallmarks that show up in other scripts he has written.

Production illustrators/designers Ron Cobb, H. R. Giger and others are also interviewed as is editor Terry Rawlings and, of course, Ridley Scott.

Production also includes interesting comments from optical effects director Brian Johnson. Evidently, Scott did go back and reshoot some of the opticals himself because he wanted to oversee as much as he could. He would "purposely" change his mind about the color of the ship, etc. so that it would have to be redone and, the implication is, he could direct the scenes himself.

The section on Post-Production includes pictures of the premiere with the props on display. Sadly, vandels destroyed some of these props shortly after the premiere. There's also a discussion on the critical reaction of the film.

The commentary track has bits and pieces of Scott, Weaver, the rest of the cast (with the exception of Kotto and Holm). It's very informative and provides interesting insights into the film's production.

What's missing:

The original Alien DVD release had Goldsmith's isolated score plus an alternate music track which included bits and pieces of Goldsmith's unused score (portions of the score were replaced by Scott and Rawlings by Goldsmith's score for Freud and Howard Hanson's Romantic Symphony). Sadly, Fox couldn't get permission to use these for some reason (I'd think that Fox owns them but I could be wrong). Perhaps too much money was involved or space on the DVD itself wasn't available.

Personally, I'd purchase this two disc set in a heartbeat. It's got the best looking transfer of Alien I've seen on home video with little to no edge enhancement issues and a beautifully crisp and colorful print. I am keeping my original 1999 disc because the differences between them may make it a collectible.

It appears that both Leonard Maltin and Marshall Fine are bias against one of the best fim directors ever: Ridley Scott!! As you can see, Maltin discredited Alien for its violence, but if you look up James Cameron's sequel, Aliens which was far more violent, he loved it! And how did Marshall fine watch the film, in slow motion?! His claim that the film takes too long to kick into gear is an utter lie! Even before the Alien pops out of John Hurt's stomach the film is set up masterfully by Scott, who keeps the anticipation and tension on a knife edge, before the fast action really begins, and when it does, the film is damn scary!! Also a message to Chris Coleman and the viewer form Tennessee: without Alien, there would have been no Event Horizon!! This is a landmark film in all respects: sci-fi, suspence, art direction, acting and story. This film, like some of Scott's other classics such as Blade Runner and Thelma and Louise, owns a key trademark for a classic film: one that has been copied many times, yet has never been bettered! Brilliant!!

At least not in the sci-fi genre. I saw ALIEN at the age of 14 for the first time up on the big screen. And although I never actually found the film scary, even at 14 years old, this film put a whammy on me so bad It made me watch it at least five more times that summer (when I could convince an adult to take me).
I was pulled in by the ultra high sense of realism. This film almost feels like a documentary because of a lot of the subtle hand-held camera work (read; not like the shaky, seizure inducing handheld work of today's films). There's much going on in that film that was revolutionary for the time. Great ideas, design, cinematography, subtle, VERY realistic performances.
Some people knock it for not having complex characters, whatever. It's not that kind of movie. ALIEN works on a completely visceral level. You're along for the ride, not to get to know anyone. You want that, go rent the "French Lieutenants Woman" with Meryl Streep.
It also amazes me how well visually this movie still holds up. It feels as rich and deep cinematically as most anything today due to Ridley Scott's brilliant visuals. You watch this film at certain points and it feels as slick and polished as any current genre film without the hollowness or incompetence. I can't say the same for Star Wars which has 1970's written all over it but was released a mere two years earlier.
I 've also noticed some of the less than appreciative reviews here. Most of the people who don't seem to care for it are people under the age of 25. Don't listen to them. It just clearly shows what most people already know for fact: Younger people nowadays get bored easy as hell and have the attention span of a garden slug.
If somoene isn't getting their teeth kicked in by Jason Statham while he flips backwards over a car speeding at him at a hundred miles an hour while simultaneously taking out three other bad guys with the twin Russian assault rifles cleverly concealed in his dinner jacket they're bored.
Sad but true.
I say screw that. Anyone who considers themselves a true cinephile or movielover has no excuse to not in some way appreciate what is arguably one of the most influential and imitated genre movie of modern times.

The greatest sci-fi film ever made since 2001: A Space Odyssey. Period. That's all I have to say. Director's Cut is not as good as Theatrical Version, but still a great companion to the Theatrical Version and very skillfully reedited and recut by Ridley Scott and some spectacular new effects; but if only they had added more footage....

Theatrical Version Rating: 10/10
Director's Cut Rating: 9/10
DVD Rating: 10/10

Scenes only in Director's Cut:

Chapter 6: Locating the source:

The crew is trying to find where the new planet is. They listen to a new signal and are stunned by it. Lambert finds out where they are and then, they find out they are totally off course in returning to Earth.

Chapter 10: Kane's Descent:

A 7-second shot of Kane pulling out his gun has been put back in.

Chapter 14: Facehugger:

This new scene shows the crew arguing over what they should do with Kane with the facehugger attached to his face, and it also shows Lambert slapping Ripley HARD over the face.

Chapter 23: "Here Jonesy"

This extended scene shows Brett going to find Jones the cat and one of the new shots shows the Alien hanging over Brett. The other part of the extended scene shows Brett's blood falling onto Parker.

Chapter 35: Mercy

There are two parts to this scene: the first new scene shows Ripley climbing down the ladder and finding Captain Dallas and Brett cocconed by the Alien. Dallas says, "kill me" and Ripley incenarates Dallas and Brett. The other new scene shows the Alien smacking Jones the cat's cage.

Scenes/shots only in Theatrical Version:

- The camera panning right when Dallas makes his first trip to MUTHUR.

- The scene where Ripley talks to Ash about Mother translating the Alien Transmission.

- After Ash loses contact with Dallas, Kane and Lambert, the last shot looking at Ash's face is only in the Theatrical Version.

- The shot looking at Dallas climbing up the Space Jockey.

- The scene where Kane goes down the Alien chamber and after he says "What the hell is this?" you see the hole leading into the egg chamber. That shot is half as long in the Director's Cut.

- The shot of Ash leaving the medical room after talking with Ripley.

- The first shot of Ripley, Brett and Parker looking for the Alien.

- The shot with Ripley saying "open the door" behind the partially opened door.

- The last moments of Brett soaking his face.

- After the crew's discussion after Brett's death, the shot of the Nostromo traveling through space.

- This is the most noticeable difference- The entire scene of Dallas making his second trip to MUTHUR.

- Some shots of Dallas crawling through the vent.

- The shot of Parker going to refuel the flamethrowers.

- The shot of Ripley getting the key for opening the door to MUTHUR.

- Shots of Ripley leaving MUTHUR.

- Shots of Ripley, Parker and Lambert walking through the hallway.

- Shots of Ripley preparing the shuttle.

- Some shots of Ripley running through the corridor after the self-destruct has been activated.

New effects for the Director's Cut:

- When the Nostromo rolls 92 degrees to port side, the background is now a star field to the left of the planet instead of it just being black in the Theatrical Version.

I'm limiting this review to the quality of the Blu-Ray transfer, as nothing needs to be said with regards to the movie itself. This is Alien, one of the greats.

The quality of the BD, both visually and sound wise, is incredible. I was speechless as I watched the opening scenes of the Nostromo, the camera panning around its narrow corridors with every line and texture clearly visible. The sequence in the cryo-sleep room, showing the crew waking up from their slumber is as clear as a bell. I found myself saying out loud (I was alone), "1979...unbelievable..." I suppose it's only fitting. Alien was far ahead of its time when it came out, so it makes sense that the BD version surpass expectations.

More often than not, old movies do not look the best on Blu-Ray, but Alien proves that if the right attention to detail is paid, even a film that is now 30 years old can look magnificent. Bravo.