For the fifth and final film in my Halloween series, I have chosen the only film I know that is able to actually frighten me (at my current age). For the past few years, it has been my standard Halloween night movie. The film I speak of is not a horror film per say, but rather teeters on the edge of horror/science fiction. Not only did it spawn a franchise that lasts to this day, it also kickstarted the career of noted filmmaker, Sir Ridley Scott. I am talking of the 1979 classic Alien.
Set in the year 2122 aboard the spaceship Nostromo, a crew of seven is sent to explore a beacon in the deep recesses of space. When one of them is infected during the ground expedition, he unwittingly unleashes a monster onboard the ship. He brings back...the Alien.
The film starts out rather slow, beginning with the crew coming out of stasis and adjusting to the new environment. It takes at least half an hour for anything major to occur. But when it does, it's frightening. If you are one of the people who are afraid of things popping out of no where, steer clear of Alien. Otherwise, it's a tense, organic, thrilling story that doesn't slow down once it starts up. The slow beginning is the sole complaint I have about the film, but for the person that doesn't normally watch scary films, this is the perfect one to bring you into the world. It's got a bit of everything. It has action, drama, slight comedy, science fiction, and above all, the ability to make you jump if you've never seen it before. Most of all, it's one of the first sic-fi movie to have a strong woman lead, and strikes a blow for female empowerment, getting away from the long standing, space damsel in distress cliche.
Sigourney Weaver, the undisputed Queen of Science Fiction, owns this movie. She portrays Ellen Ripley, the warrant officer aboard the Nostromo. She's proud, confident, and not afraid to get the bottom of something. Scott never puts her in danger where she needs to be rescued by the dashing hero. Rather, and to steal from Breaking Bad for a moment, she IS the danger. She handles herself in any situation, she is strong, she doesn't need anyone to hold her hand.
Ian Holm, whom modern audiences most likely recognize as the Bilbo Baggins seen in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, portrays Ash, the ship's science officer. His performance is comparable to Leonard Nimoy's Spock. He is emotionless, cold, calculating, and logical. But his reasons are different from Spock's as you will see. I can't say much without revealing the plot, but what Holm does, he does well.
If you're tucking in the little ones after a night of trick or treating, and you want something appropriate to watch, I highly recommend Alien. It's a sci-fi horror ahead of its time.
B+
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