BY JOHN CARTER JR
Deep in the darkness of space live many horrors. Black holes, exploding stars, and creatures beyond our comprehension. Recognizing this fear alone might be enough to send any human into existential dread with fears so large nothing in the known universe can bring about calm to their loud anxiety-inducing dissonance. The only thing that keeps the ever-daunting fear of the unending universe at bay is convincing ourselves that right here and right now, you are safe. Here on planet Earth, you are safe from the darkest monstrous horrors of the universe.
While that is the furthest thing from the truth for the characters in today’s review, it is one thing to be on a planet with millions of capable human beings able to fight back against a potential confrontation with a cosmic horror than it is to be on an isolated ship in the void with each member of your group slowly plucked off one by one.
The 70s were filled to the brim with iconic horror films that have made a lasting impact on the genre today. Dario Argentio’s Giallo classics like “Suspiria” and “Deep Red,” John Carpenter’s slasher classic, “Halloween,” as well as “Black Christmas,” and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” all had an impact on horror throughout the 70s till today. However, one of those now classic films stands out for its impact on science fiction horror storytelling and was released at the tail end of the decade – Ridley Scott’s 1979 sci-fi horror classic starring acting legend Sigourney Weaver, “Alien.”
Not only is it among the best films of the decade, but it stands among the best in horror filmmaking. In its nearly two-hour run, “Alien” serves scares, lore, excellent acting, ferocious creature design, and let us not forget, the great hair.
“Alien” is a confrontation with sexism, misogyny, and gender norms. In an interview with The American Film Institute, Sigourney Weaver says that she was initially attracted to the character because she was originally written as a man. Because of this Weaver said:
“It was written in a very straightforward way, this was a kind of direct person who didn’t have these scenes where she was suddenly vulnerable and she didn’t, you know, throw her hands up and wait for someone else to save her. She was a thinking, moving, deciding creature.”
Ellen Ripley is a badass icon who is the most capable and reliable member of the Nostromo team who also happens to have great hair. One of the many great selling points of the film is Weaver’s performance as Officer Ripley. Among even some of the best scream queens of the decade (Jamie Lee Curtis, Marilyn Burns, Jessica Harper, Olivia Hussey, and more) who had excellent showings of agency, intellect, and determination, Weaver as Ripley is the best. She is the feminist icon, and never once throughout the entirety of the film does there feel like an air of misogynistic stereotypes inflicted upon these characters being used.
The character is so important in the history of the representation of women in film. While some films during the 70s were mixed concerning their feminist commentary, with the muddled feminism and frankly inappropriate display of young women in Nobuhiko Obayashi’s “House” being a prime example, “Alien” does not play around with its main character or use her body as a prop for objectifying audiences.
“Alien” is a thrilling and aesthetically stimulating movie with a main character who is determined to survive and ensure the survival of her fellow crew mates. The creature, costume, and ship design are all perfect, and the world-building makes for a thrilling mystery turn-run-for-your-life horror film. “Alien” is about the determinism of an individual who happens to be a woman, and nothing about her gender or sex determines her capability or personality. Her action scenes are so exciting to watch, and it is so satisfying to see her overcome monsters with her intelligence and strength. She is the precursor to heroines like Elise Rainier, Clarice Starling, or Sidney Prescott. The film shows us that if you were in the deep darkness of space where many horrors live, you would want Ellen Ripley by your side too.
I give Alien an 11/10 for its feminist icon, its world-building, and intricately scary monster designs.
You must be logged in to post a comment.