“Alien” has stood the test of time because of its simplicity. Horror films tend to thrill until their special effects become dated and obsolete, at which point they lose their scar factor and make way for a new era of horror films that are more graphic and more realistic. But “Alien” doesn’t try to be a shocking horror film. Instead, it operates as an intense thrilled that builds fear through atmosphere and the unknown. There are a few payoff moments where a creature bursts out of someone’s chest and Sigourney Weaver comes face-to-face with the alien, but the film doesn’t rely on these moments to keep us watching. You should always leave your audience wanting more and Ridley Scott found the perfect balance between showing the alien and leaving it up to our imagination. One of the story's most ingenious plot devices to avoid showing too much is the alien's genesis. Instead of seeing the alien in full form from the start, we see the process of the facehugger embedding the alien into a human host, the baby alien emerging, the shedding of the skin, and finally the fully-grown alien. This allows us to imagine the alien's full-bodied appearance long before it reaches that stage. In a cyclical way, “Alien” is strengthened by its sequels that match the tone of contemporary horror films. The 80’s and 90’s sequels showed us how intense the aliens could be and the recent prequels show the graphic nature of an alien attack. These films retroactively help our imaginations to fill in the gaps of the original film, gaps that would have used outdated special effects if they had been filled in 1979. Since special effects and horrific imagery are saved for the important moments, the film’s tone is driven by the actors. The casting is magnificent with each character fulfilling a crew member stereotype to create a contrasting group of personalities. Sigourney Weaver is unmatched as Ellen Ripley. She finds a perfect balance of fear and bravery that is complimented by the realism of her emotions. Other notable performances include Ian Holm as Ash (hard to explain why he is so incredible without spoilers!!), Yaphet Kotto as the rough-around-the-edges engineer, and John Hurt as the ship’s captain. These performances are as important as Scott’s signature imagery. Every aspect of the production design from the sleeping pods and rotary hatch doors to the otherworldly alien spaceship are simultaneously retro and futuristic. The nest is one of the creepiest set pieces ever devised, adding to the intrigue of this alien species. “Alien” has a few scenes that will make you want to look away but its true identity is that of a mystery-thriller-disguised-as-sci-fi-horror film which can be enjoyed by most.
[Pictured: The film leaves much of the story to the imagination, but the facehuggers are an undiluted warning about the terrors that will plague this crew.]
No comments:
Post a Comment