Ok, I know what the actual tag-line was, but …
Never mind.
Quite frankly, things are quiet for me, as you know: a lack of money, little to do and nothing on the horizon, dictate staying in at the mo.
Mind you, I’ve a nice — if not extensive — film collection to have on in the background, while I plan for my future, browse how eBay works and send out job emails. (The local off-license where I work has had its opening hours shortened by head office – while I can understand why and still have my contracted ones available, it is a touch … not alarming, per se, but certainly worrying. And makes trying to find another gig rather more important.)
So as I browse jobsites, send emails, and write this, I’ve had the 2003 directors cut of Ridley Scott’s Alien playing in the background.
And with or without extra scenes, a good one to watch.
It’s been a while since I’ve watched the original 1979 theatrical release. I think I’ve concentrated on the director’s cut, since I got my copy: about the only differences I can spot are a scene, towards the end, where Sigourney Weaver, as Ellen Ripley, finds Dallas — the ships captain, played by Tom Skerritt — glued to a wall by the alien and begging for death, along with an earlier one where the crew are arguing outside the Nostromo’s medical bay.
Like I say, it is definitely a film worth watching*.
I was too young to see Alien at the cinema when it was originally released, but I can remember seeing it on video, when the time came.
Don’t forget, this was only two years after the UK release of Star Wars Episode Four: A New Hope±; something that seriously altered cinema. It meant studios had to at least look at starting to compete with the TV set’s in everyones home.
By making and screening Big Cinema Events.
And that suddenly, science fiction stopped being geeky and laughable and started being semi-respectable money earners.
Granted, there were a few stinkers.
But Ridley Scott’s Alien isn’t one of them.
It made thing’s perfectly clear to movie goers that science fiction wasn’t all about gallant rebels having light-saber fights with heaving-breathing, evil space lords.
To put it not to bluntly, Alien made people jump out of their skins, as often as Ridley Scott felt he could get away with.
Star Wars was the Light side of the Force.
But Alienª, with its H. R. Gigerº designed creature, a cast being killed at a rate of knots, and the greasy feel of an articulated lorry with blood on every wheel, came howling out of the darkest corners of the universe.
And left a mark on the genre that’ll be a long time in fading …
Actor
|
Character
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Tom Skerrit
|
Dallas
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Sigourney Weaver
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Ripley
|
Veronica Cartwright
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Lambert
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Harry Dean Stanton
|
Brett
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John Hurt
|
Kane
|
Ian Holm
|
Ash
|
Yaphet Kotto
|
Parker
|
Bolaji Badejo
|
Alien
|
Helen Horton
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Mother (Voice)
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Eddie Powell
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Alien (Uncredited)
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Director
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Ridley Scott
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Writers
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Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett (Story)
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Dan O’Bannon (Screenplay)
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* It also means I almost missed ITV4’ showing of the 1973 original “The Wicker Man”. Which is a whole other post; one that’ll probably mention Britt Ecklund’s stunt bum … and folk songs.
Oh dear, the folk songs …
º It also had concept art from noted artists Ron Cobb, who did most of the art for the Nostromo, and from Jean ‘Moebius’ Giraud – but I’m not too sure if any of that made it to the screen.
ª You can read about Alien, here, by the way.
± I’ll have to confess, I can’t think of Star Wars, as Star Wars Episode Four: A New Hope. Having grown up when it was still just Star Wars …
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