Alien (The Director's Cut)
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Movie Reviews of Alien (The Director's Cut)
Movie Review: Set the Bar High and Stay There
Summary: 5 Stars
In 1979 I had moved to Denver, CO and had the pleasure of experiencing the Alien premier at one of the local cineplexes in 70MM. All it took for me to realize I had just seen a classic was an off-handed comment from a person waiting in the long lines we were passing as we exited the movie house. "Hey, Man! Look at their faces! That has got to be one scary flick!"
In a brief moment one person's remark boldly underlined what many millions more would know as they exited their own encounter with an 'alien' movie experience unlike any before and none that has even come close since. Forget every clone-like imitator, including one of my all-time favorites "Life Force."
I don't need to rehash every detail here or even try to excite or mesmerize you with my uncanny knowledge and trivia about this genre and this movie in particular, except that to truly enjoy this or any other classic, sit still, stay focused on the screen and make sure you don't have any loudmouth jackasses or spoilsports sitting anywhere near the room. For that matter don't even invite them over for this or any other sci-fi classic screening. Period.
This is one movie experience worth savoring for the tiniest of details and the darkest of moments, no matter how long drawn out others may clock the scenes at. Don't worry about what others try to tell you about this or that technical bullcrap. In the end, it's all about you and the screen and as long as you pay attention and get lost in the experience, it is all worth the wait and will give your psyche a good workout.
Have fun and enjoy each sci-fi adventure as if it were your first time. For me, it is always the first time whenever that egg comes on the screen and each letter begins to one-by-one appear as if to tease us onto a higher level of suspense and schock.
Enough said. This is a True Classic that belongs in every die-hard's collection.
Movie Review: ALIEN (20TH CENTURY FOX/1979)
Summary: 5 Stars
REVIEW: Nerve-jangling sci-fi/horror flick that has become a modern cinema classic thanks to eye-popping sets, superb special effects, Ridley Scott's spot-on directing, and H. R. Giger's unforgettable monster design. "ALIEN" takes the basic concept of Agatha Christie's "AND THEN THERE WERE NONE" (to cite the most famous of the isolate-a-group-of-people-and-kill-'em-off-one-by-one movie plots), and transplants it into space (complete with a bogus little "indian" boy). The title creature that threatens the crew of the space ship Nostromo has got to be one of the most terrifying movie villians ever: but is he any match for Sigourney Weaver's tough-as-nails heroine, Ripley? Or the other members of a stellar cast who use every resource they have while playing a deadly cat-and-mouse game with the hungry predator? Director Scott takes a lot of chances with this material, and succeeds on every level in conveying a sense of total seclusion (which is enhanced by the minimal use of a musical score punctuated by long silences and/or the natural beeping and buzzing of computers and engines and sirens found aboard the ship), and a real atmosphere of claustrophobic dread that creates an almost unbearable level of suspense. The ending itself is a masterpiece of scream-your-lungs-out-tension. If you enjoy thrillers or science fiction movies (or if you just enjoy being scared out of your wits): then "ALIEN" is a must-see film that should keep you awake long into the night.
ACADEMY AWARDS: Best Effects/Visual Effects (H. R. Giger, Carlo Rambaldi, Brian Johnson, Nick Allder, and Denys Ayling).
ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS: Best Art Direction/Set Decoration (Michael Seymour, Leslie Dilley, Roger Christian, and Ian Whittaker).
GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS: Best Original Score (Jerry Goldsmith).
GRAMMY AWARD NOMINATIONS: Best Original Motion Picture Score (Jerry Goldsmith).
Movie Review: Masterful Blending of Genres
Summary: 5 Stars
I was one of the lucky ones. I caught ALIEN (pardon the pun) when it made its debut in the theaters. I had absolutely no idea what this movie was about--save for its intriguing newspaper ad ("In space, no one can hear you scream."). Suffice it to say I was thoroughly and giddily entertained by this (my first) Ridley Scott offering, a powerful movie that successfully blended sci-fi and horror, and had me squirming and pitching in my seat like a spider on a hot stove. To this day ALIEN still has that effect on me; I still shout out at John Hurt not to take that bite of spaghetti.
ALIEN's premise is so simplistic: an interstellar space crew responds to what they believe is a distress signal; instead, they become exposed to evil incarnate, an alien life form that is relentlessly and maniacally and cunningly malevolent. The cast is topnotch, including Tom Skerritt, Yaphet Kotto, Hurt, Harry Dean Stanton, and Ian Holm (who has his own eye-opening, gruesome scene). Of course, the focal point--and undisputed star of what would become a successful franchise--is Sigourney Weaver as Ripley, the stoic, yet unassuming heroine finding herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. In battling--matching wits--with the alien, Ripley not only represents her own unique brand of rugged feminism; she also represents humanity's never-ending instinct to survive, to live and fight for another day.
ALIEN was not only far ahead of its time, it was enough of a vehicle to launch several sequels that were uncharacteristically compelling and good. (Most of them, anyway.) The imagination, the special effects, the action--the raw emotion and terror--make viewing ALIEN an enthusiastic and satisfying celebration of science fiction and horror in extraterrestrial hybrid bliss.
--D. Mikels, Author, The Reckoning
Movie Review: Set the big standard for Sci-fi horror!
Summary: 5 Stars
In the future, an intergalactic crew that has Lt. Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), Ash (Ian Holm), Kane (John Hurt), Parker (Yaphett Kotto), Lambert (Veronica Cartwright), Brett (Harry Dean Stanton) and Dallas (Tom Skeritt) that explores other worlds. However they stumble upon a mysterious planet where they discover weird findings including a spaceship with lots of alien eggs. But when one of the crew accidently brings a hostile creature that will be born in the space creating a horrifying nightmare that only Ripley must face.
Terrifying and magnificient Sci-fi horror thriller that is one of the greatest movies of all time. Back in 1979 Ridley Scott who later would create the all time Sci-fi great "Blade Runner" directed this thrilling rollercoaster ride that became a very successful motion picture when it premiered even among critics. The screenplay by Roland Shusset and Dan O'Bannon is smart and visceral yet gives off some geniue scares that startled audiences since then. The movie has a dark atmospheric sense in it and gives us some memorable moments like the chestburster sequence which made people nausated and of course the most unique creature to hit the screen thanks to designer H.R. Giger which showed no other monster that no one at the time has seen before. Weaver became a Sci-fi icon playing the heroine Ripley who fights off the hideous beast and spawned three sequels with "Aliens" being the best while the other too aren't too bad.
This 2-Disc DVD contains both the Director's Cut and original theatrical cut with great picture and sound. Some great extras like audio commentary, Deleted Scenes marker for the director's cut, featurettes, screen test, multi-angel screen studies, Creature design, Deleted and Extended Scenes, and still galleries.
Movie Review: Never has the contrast been clearer
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm a fan of the old Ridley Scott, which was ironically the young Ridley Scott. Back in his youth he made some great films and Alien is one of his crowning achievements. But let's ignore the film for just a second.
You see the Scott Brothers (Ridley and Tony) had a highly visual sense of film-making that used the widescreen frame to its fullest potential. From quite early on they were made best pals of Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer and they made their reputations with such films like Beverly Hills Cop 2, Blade Runner and Top Gun. In the early 90's their careers briefly faltered and a hack called Michael Bay went into business. Michael Bay ripped off everything he possible could from the Scotts. So much so that in recent years Ridley and Tony have had to exaggerate their style in an effort to distance themselves from this man. The result has been films that look more like agonising, drawn-out epileptic seizures (Man on Fire, Black Hawk Down, Domino) than works of art.
Now let's get back to Alien. A beautifully paced, shot and cut fright machine with perfectly timed scares, meaningful subtext and an iron-grip on the audience. How far removed from the work of the Scott Brothers today. The franchise went to hell in 2004 with the awful Alien vs Predator movie but in its beginning the Alien films were a thing of greatness.
If you can, see the director's cut. I saw this film twice in the cinema (original cut, then director's cut) and while they're both good the director's cut is a bit faster and has a couple real cool extra scenes and shot of the creature. And of course, widescreen is how this film MUST be seen.
The DVD is in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen with a brilliant DTS 5.1 soundtrack and ZILLIONS of extras to keep you happy.