Finally, another chance for no one to hear you scream.
Nearly 25 years after “Alien” was first released in theaters
(with the memorable tag line, “In space, no one can hear you scream”),
the sci-fi horror classic returns with added scenes, a digitally scrubbed
negative and a remixed soundtrack.
For those who have seen “Alien” only on television, the big-screen
version is worth a trip to the theater. The larger format reveals more
detail, and the special effects hold up remarkably well.
The plot is simple: The crew of a space freighter is ordered to investigate
a mysterious signal on a barren world, where they find a wrecked ship
and, unfortunately for them, a nest of incubating ickies. Before long,
an evil, slobbering beastie is chasing them, knife and fork in claw.
The movie inspired three sequels and remains undeniably frightening.
It also marks a significant step in the evolution of modern science-fiction
films.
“Alien,” much like “Star Wars,” anticipates a future
in which space travel is routine and astronauts are little more than working
stiffs. Gone are the pristine sets from Stanley Kubrick’s epic “2001:
A Space Odyssey,” replaced with the shabby Nostromo, with its rippled
hull and the torn fabric on its seats.
For his director’s cut, Ridley Scott revives the much-discussed,
rarely seen “nest” sequence, in which Ripley (Sigourney Weaver)
discovers the cocooned bodies of Dallas (Tom Skerritt) and Brett (Harry
Dean Stanton) while scrambling to abandon ship. Scott initially cut the
scene because he thought it slowed the pace.
Other additions include a scene of an angry Lambert (Veronica Cartwright)
slapping Ripley for not initially letting the crew back into the ship
and a shot of the alien ready to pounce on Brett from above.
Even when you know what’s coming, “Alien” will still make
you jump.
