by Michael Hogg

Created on: February 20, 2009

When you think of classic science fiction movies of the 1970s, the reality is that only one title should sit on the top of what was a very large pile. That title? Alien.

The movie defined the science fiction survival horror genre. Prior to this point movies of that ilk were generally earthbound and involved unconvincing rubber masks, dodgy acting and special effects that most 7 year old boys could better in their Father's garden shed. 1977 had seen the release of Star Wars, showing alien lifeforms to be generally humanoid and not all that scary. Things were about to change.

The movie starts where it means to go on, with stylish visuals as we take a trip through the dormant refinery spacecraft Nostromo as it returns to Earth with it's crew in suspended animation as the vast distance is covered. The crew is awakened by the ship's computer with orders to set down on the uninhabited planetoid LV426 to investigate a strange transmission which could be a distress call. From that moment onwards they are thrown into a nightmare from which most will not survive.

On a visual level, the movie is absolutely stunning. The Alien itself through it's various stages of growth is a work of art, created by the inspired genius of H.R Giger, whose biomechanical art is well known. Who will ever be able to forget the first appearance of the alien itself, much to the chagrin of John Hurt who can at least be happy with the fact his death in the movie is one of the best known and most copied in cinema history. The set design is meticulous with all locations designed to create the maximum feeling of gloomy claustrophobia and the difference between light (the medical bay, canteen, living quarters) and dark (engine room, cargo bays) adds to the atmosphere.

The acting by the small cast is fantastic. Sigourney Weaver made her name as Ripley and never came close to bettering the role throughout her career while Tom Skerritt's performance as the well-meaning but ultimately out of his depth Captain Dallas is equally impressive. Yaphet Kotto and Harry Dean Stanton's jokey engineers gave people characters they really cared for while Ian Holm's performance as science officer Ash is from start to finish a calculating and engrossing one.

The sweaty terror of Alien has been the template which many movies have attempted to emulate through the decades but despite being thirty years old it still leads the way and will probably never be bettered.

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