By Tyler Ruth ’16

Quite possibly the most well-known sci-fi film ever, “Alien,” directed by Ridley Scott, definitely lives up to the critical acclaim it garnered almost 40 years ago.  The film follows main character Ripley, played by Sigourney Weaver, and her crew as they struggle to survive aboard their own ship, the Nostromo, after making contact with an extraterrestrial being.  Using the perfect blend of the science fiction and horror genres, Scott delivers a motion picture that keeps his viewers on the edge of their seats as the crew wanders through the dark, brooding corridors of the Nostromo.

“Alien” is brilliant because unlike other sci-fi films, it does not try and rush its plot.  It takes time, and in this time there is a lot of silence which adds to the suspense.  Due to the excellent time management, the viewer never knows when the silence will be broken and a bloodthirsty, malicious alien will pop into frame.  Today’s viewers never get to have this feeling of anxiety when watching horror or sci-fi films, as Hollywood has done away with steady pacing in favor of constant action and no buildup.

The set design is impeccable.  Everything looks and acts real.  There are flashing buttons and computer terminals, and the crew actually interacts with their surroundings.  This is opposed to today’s movies where everything is CGI and the actors will not show any reactions to their surroundings because in their eyes everything is a blue or green screen that will magically be turned into something amazing, albeit fake, somewhere along the post-production process.  When a pipe of steam randomly breaks in one of the narrow corridors, it is real smoke blowing into the actor’s face, and the way they react, the pure fear they output, feels real.

“Alien” also manages to stay fresh throughout as the alien featured in the film is perpetually changing.  From the rather humorous debut to the second encounter, there is a revelation that is sure to shock.  Each time the viewer sees the alien, it gets bigger, or a new gut-wrenching capability gets revealed, and consequently a new, higher level of anxious anticipation is added.  And unlike many other horror movies, “Alien” does not rely on gore to simply creep the audience out, but rather utilizes the suspense and dread of the alien to truly mess with the viewer’s mind.

“Alien” is an amazing film.  The ending of the film leaves the viewer with an empty canvas to imagine whatever they would like, until of course they watch the sequel, “Aliens.”  There are plenty of surprises and visual effects in this film to stay entertained.