Day 21: Alien

21. Alien (1979)
Dir: Ridley Scott
Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Ian Holm, Tom Skeritt, Veronica Cartwright, Yaphet Kotto, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt

"In space no one can hear you scream.", one of the great movie taglines to perhaps the finest blending of sci-fi and horror in the world of film. Before Alien it had been quite awhile since anyone had made a traditional monster movie as the sub-genre had pretty much dried up. Then came along one of the most unique, surreal and frightening horror movies of it's time, 1979's Alien. With outstanding visuals, heart-pounding suspense and a talented cast, this movie started quite a franchise and would ever change the way monster movies would be made.

The origin of Alien begins with screenwriter Dan O'Bannon. Previously known for staring/co-writing the 1974 film Dark Star with director John Carpenter, O'Bannon was inspired to write a more horror based creature with a legitimate looking alien. Partnering up with Ronald Shusett, the pair started a script about a crew of astronauts awakening to find they've received a signal from a mysterious planetoid. This would of course makeup the beginning of the film, but they weren't quite sure what to do about their alien antagonist. Taking a break, O'Bannon went to Paris to discuss the work on what would end up being the first unsuccessful attempt at a Dune movie. Though the project failed to materialize O'Bannon did happen to meet Swiss artist H.R. Giger, who's gothic like artwork would end up being the design of the alien particularly his piece "Necronom IV". Sending the script to David Giler and Walter Hill, the film would go through eight rewrites before it became what we know today. Going through a handful of directors Fox would come to settle on Ridley Scott. After acquiring a reasonable budget, a strong cast and skilled crew, the birth of terrifying classic was born.



Keeping the plot basic, we are introduced to the crew of Nostromo heading back to earth after a mission. Interrupted by a signal of a strange planetoid, the crew decides to investigate. Finding a chamber of large eggs, Executive Officer Kane (John Hurt) is attacked by a face-hugging creature. Bringing him back to the ship the creature is removed and everything appears to be back to normal or that's what we think. For after a particularly memorable scene of a certain something popping out of a certain someone the real terror begins with very little breathing room.

Alien really nails down the suspense element in the ways it reveals the creature and in Giger's terrifying design. With plenty of twists and turns, an interesting story and a significantly older cast than most other films of the genre, Alien delivers a completely unique film going experience. The visuals and effects still hold up and it's certainly inspired a whole slew of future monster movies.

Fright Fact: Right below is Giger's painting that inspired his design of the creature "Necronom IV"


Horror Highlight: Here's the extended version the infamous chest bursting sequence.