Ridley Scott’s 1979 magnum opus Alien has inspired countless films and spawned a multi-media franchise that only continues to grow. However, the franchise’s first entry is a largely quiet and creepy affair compared to the action-packed shooters the series devolved into after James Cameron’s Aliens.
This terrifying atmosphere and interrupting story have allowed the original Alien to define the Sci-Fi horror genre.
Since the franchise’s latest entry, Alien: Romulus, is set to release today, what better time is there to look back at the franchise’s humble beginnings?
In space, no one can hear you scream
Image credit: 20th Century Studios
Alien follows the crew of the Nostromo, a spaceship that lands on an unknown planet, unwise of the horrors that lay ahead of them. This horror has perhaps become better known than the franchise itself. The alien passenger, the Xenomorph. A nightmarish bio-mechanical monster born from the mind of Swiss artist, H.R Giger.
The Xenomorph is the biggest selling point of Alien, from the moment it makes its presence known, the tension reaches heights many thought impossible for a Sci-Fi Horror film. But what makes Alien such an interesting watch is how it builds up to the reveal.
For the first hour, the titular alien doesn’t rear its phallic head, only after a moment of brief respite does the true horror begin.
In the most iconic moment of the film, Nostromo crew mate Kane (John Hurt) gives birth to the monster. The creature burst out of his chest in an explosive display of gore. The chest-burster scene stands out as both the cast and audience don’t see it coming. Actor John Hurt of course knew what was coming, however, the rest of the cast were unaware of just what was going to exit his chest.
Alien isn’t a very gory film by today’s standards, but the chest-burster scene and the moment The Xenomorph bites down with its inner jaw stand out for how visceral they are. The franchise does become gorier as it goes along. Fede Alvarez’s Alien: Romulus looks like it’s set to follow that trend.
Symbolism and the birth of horror
Image credit: 20th Century Studios
Alien is often discussed for its horror, but the symbolic nature of its terror isn’t nearly discussed as much as it should be.
As previously mentioned, Kane gives birth to The Xenomorph, just how he meets this grisly demise is the crux of what makes Alien such a fascinating film. Kane is impregnated by another alien known as a Face Hugger, this creature acts as the first stage of The Xenomorph’s birth cycle. The Face Hugger attaches itself to Kane’s head, inserting a tube into Kane’s mouth that leads to the Xenomorph beginning to gestate within his body.
Pregnancy and gender are a huge part of Alien’s symbolic horror. The Alien forcibly breaks down the human birth cycle, disrupting the crew’s very understanding of gender. Symbolically, this point is driven home by The Xenomorph’s design, clearly phallic with many parts of its body pointing towards this fact.
This is intentional as director Ridley Scott has discussed the design of the Xenomorph as being phallic by choice.
“Originally I wanted a very feminine creature. The idea of associating danger and sexual desire, to have a creature that was at once desirable and lethal and that was exciting. ” Ridley Scott stated to Film Illustrated in 1979.
He then onto to discuss Giger. “It was the eroticism of Giger’s work that had struck me immediatly. Everything is merged…The Alien was transformed into a man with a feminine shape.”
As Scott stated, Giger’s designs changed the idea of what the Xenomorph could be for the better.
Without him, the iconic creature that’s terrified generations for almost five decades now wouldn’t have been born.
The ultimate “Final Girl“
Image credit: 20th Century Studios
While The Texas Chainsaw Massacre brought the horror genre its first “Final Girl” in the form of Sally Hardesty (Marilyn Burns), Alien graced the genre with its most badass and iconic heroine, Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver).
Ripley isn’t a conventional “Final Girl” as she isn’t the central character for most of the film. It’s only after would-be leading man Dallas (Tom Skerritt) is killed in the vents, that Ripley steps up and tries to find a way to get rid of the Xenomorph.
This structure is similar to that of Evil Dead, and Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) transformation from a terrified survivor to a deadly killing machine.
Ripley is great because of Sigourney Weaver and the excellent performance she puts out, which has defined the “Final Girl” trope for years. In the sequels, Weaver remains the best art, even as they start to slip in quality after Aliens.
A legacy that stretches across the galaxy
Image credit: 20th Century Studios
Alien is the best Sci-Fi horror film that’s ever been made, and it’s unlikely that will change anytime soon.
It’s got a perfect retro-futuristic style that has aged just as gracefully as the film’s cast and a terrifying alien that’s conquered the horror genre for decades.
Whilst George Lucas’ Star Wars may be the first film you think of when it comes to the Sci-Fi genre, Alien remains just as impactful and important.
Alien is my favourite horror film and was one of the first films that made me fall in love with cinema.
Featured image credit: 20th Century Studios
Fourth year Film and Journalism student
Deputy editor
Contact - deputyeditor@brignews.com
