Alien- A Sci-fi Icon

 Alien is a classic horror/sci-fi that we all at least know of. This was not my first time watching it, however it was my first time watching it all the way through. 

This time around I noticed more underlying themes and details. One of the things that jumped out to me was the strong female lead. From the beginning the crew disrespects Ripley as a leader. However, her wits and careful strategies are what end up keeping her alive in the end. She ends up being the sole survivor and maybe the rest of the crew would have come out alive had the listened to her as well. Perhaps the crew’s fragile masculinity was what lead to their demise. 

This movie may not be super scary today, but for it’s time it was really well done. They manage to keep you on the edge of your seat with suspense by using only a handful of props and no special effects. From the eggs to the aliens themselves they are highly detailed and disgusting. They are slimy, unique and intricate. Another example of how they scare you is the limited sets. Most of this thrilling adventure takes place in the claustrophobic ship. I think the fact that the crew is confided to this small space in the vast, emptiness of outer-space really messes with your mind. As if to say “Sure, they can leave the ship, but where will they go?” 

An interesting connection that I made was when Ripley mentioned quarantine and how it would be best for everyone to do so. This would have saved everyone (except for Kane). But the crew went against her advice and all of them suffered in return. This made me think of our current dilemma with the pandemic. It was just interesting to see how this movie was still relatable to this day. 

Alien will always be an iconic 80s and horror film. Watching this made me want to revisit the whole series. 

-Quinn S.

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