Alien: Director’s Cut
| release date | May 25 1979 |
| studio | 20th Century Fox |
| director | Ridley Scott |
| writer | Dan O'Bannon |
| starring | Tom Skerritt , Sigourney Weaver , Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm |
| rating | R |
| tagline | In space no one can hear you scream |
| site | alien.com |
| trailer 1 | Trailer #1 |





















Alien and Aliens are a lot like 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later. The first is more of a slow thriller and the next is an action-packed version. It was creepy and it made me jumpy for a while
Loved the slimy aliens. Its just a good movie.
Classic film, Weaver does outstandingly as the heroine, seeing as this is her first ever role. Must see if you like sci-fi, horror, and to a lesser extent action (if you want more action check out the sequel, Aliens).
I hardcore hate classics. Typically, they make me sick. I also typically hate critically acclaimed movies. The critics inhale unoriginality and boredom, whereas I would rather go to the coffee shop and hear pointless “dramatic” dialogue than sit through a movie and hear it. Though Alien is critically acclaimed and a classic, it’s not something I could sit through at a coffee shop.
It is literally one of the first pure survival horror movies ever made–where the only point in the movie is to survive, not have sex and blow things up. That’s why it was amazing.
If you’ve enjoyed any of the horror films that have developed over the past 30 years that contain what is referred to as “survival horror”, you have “Alien” to thank for its existence. The major success of “Alien” guaranteed a long lasting legacy and inspiration for the genre.
“Alien” is a classic, and it one of the very best horror/sci-fi films ever created. In fact, I’d say it is the definitive horror film. The standard “being picked off one by one” was set up and made popular by this film and now countless others still try to imitate it. It was a box office smash and, for better or worse, spawned a seemingly endless amount of sequels.
The acting is top-notch, the dialoged is ominous, the setting is cold and unforgiving, the set pieces and, needless to say, the creature are some of the most imaginative ever created for the big screen. “Alien” is perhaps the best film ever made by Ridley Scott.
If you don’t have this in you collection, go out and buy it immediately
ALIEN will forever remain a classic due to Ridley Scott’s efforts in combining horror within a science fiction environment (which, of course meant various cheap imitations that ended up lingering in video rental wasteland) ….. and for bringing to life the fantastic talents of artist H.R. Giger (not only did he deserve that oscar win in 1979, Fox deserves to respect his artistic integrity by making sure Giger is properly given credit for “originally developing the creature” on every ALIEN film within the franchise) ….. everything about this film is sheer brilliance (which is more than I can say for the sequels that came after ALIENS)!
great movie
Alien is the first film that really freaked me out watching it. It’s frightening and disturbing in every way imaginable. A great film to see.
A Classic. Atmospheric, claustrophobic and truly terrifying. I rate this as one of the best horror movies ever made. Sigourney Weaver is absolutely believable and compelling as Ripley. A stellar cast and phenomenal special effects. Stan Winston was a genius and he will be sorely missed by this fan.
Absolutely amazing! Stunning, scary, and fun, one of the most original sci-fi horror movies ever created. This is a must have in your collection.
Absolutely amazing! Stunning, scary, and fun, one of the most original sci-fi horror movies ever created. This is a must have in your collection.
one of the most famous scary movies of all time, so the people say… i failed to find this movie very scary or terrifying, it does keep your interest in alot of parts, and some parts drag a bit too much.
Just so well made. At first i was disappointed with the movie because the Alien only has a 10minute screentime. But after viewing it again, it has made its way into my all time top horro movies ever!!
Current horror films should take a cue from ALIEN about the shock and power of animatronics versus computer generated monsters. I still squeal at the dinner and internal introduction of the alien baby. I can’t say enough about the aliens themselves: their movements, texture, size, sounds.. truly terrifying. It’s also an inspiring idea that in the future, it’s the woman that blows shit up…
The best science fiction film ever. Acting, music, cinemetography, and story line were all perfect. The design of the alien was just awesome. I don’t think I need to explain anything else since everyone’s seen it and it’s just plain out perfect all around. Strongly recommended.
Plain and simple its the best science fiction movie eva. I wish they made more movies like this and the good news is Alien 5 directed by James Cameron is reported to b out in 2011 , im prayin it does.
I have nothing to say that hasn’t already been said…
While I wouldn’t say “this is the best movie I ever saw” or “The scariest movie ever”. I would definitely say, “This is the best sci-fi flick”. Alien is definitely an entertaining movie. The creature effects were done well, the acting is really good, and the gore is the best part of the movie. Now the first hour is extremely slow, almost to the point where you’ll turn your TV off. Don’t worry if you feel that way because the other hour is pure entertainment. Plenty of thrills, scares, and jump out surprises. Alien delivers.
Classic. Way ahead of it’s time. Great sp. effects, acting, plot, and violent!
This movie is a classic, the mood was very dark and tense. One of the best alien horror movies out there.
Fantastic! One of the best horror/alien movies out there. I can watch it again and again and never get bored. Amazing special effects, alien rendering, sets, cinematography, etc.
really well done but not as scary as i thought it would be.
High Scores to all the Alien series.
The very pinnacle of sci-fi horror
This movie will forever remain as one of the best horror movies ever made. with Ridley Scotts direction and the amazing acting provided notably by the fantastic John Hurt in the well known chestburster scene. The film also has other great actors like Ian Holm, Sigourney Weaver and Harry Dean Stanton. But the best with this movie is the monster that is not completely shown through most of the movie(a very smart move by the makers). I’ve seen this movie lots of times and it will always be as good as the first time.
In space, no one can hear you scream.
its alien you cant go wrong!!!
How can you not love this movie? Watched it when I was little and it scared the shit out of me. For the chest bursting scene alone you have to see this and love it.
favorite movie of all time!!!!!
Arguabley the best alien film ever made. Great cast, story, fx! As close to perfect as movies get!
The Greatest of all Horror Sci Fi films of all Time The 2nd is Aliens
really cool movie. classic.
This is a new form of terror. This rather amazing film, as the title gives away, is a alien fest! Ripley and the team are hunted, on there space shuttle by the Alien. Alien is truly amazing. I’m not just saying this, but it’s honestly great. A perfect, Alien movie. Not only does the movie look good, sound good and feel good, the alien it’s self looks amazing, and so modern for the time. Ripley gives off a great performance, and there are some rather disturbing scenes of gore, guts and, erm, acid! How can such a old movie, look so modern may you ask? Well, it does. The amazing characters, the great set pieces and the great climax, Alien is a great horror, thriller, sci – fi movie.
8/10
While not my favorite in the series Alien is by far one of my film favorites. This movie started my love for Xenomorphs and deserves great praise for it’s sheerly brilliant design and ability to make us cringe and scream still despite it’s age. a classic.
One of the best horror and science fiction movies ever, the only film to perfectly blend the two genres as well. Love the slow pace and minimalistic style used in this film. It’s like there is so much going on underneath the surface, a great atmosphere of claustrophobia and paranoia. The way it’s shot just seems so effortless but so much work was put in this movie, you can tell from every frame how meticulously crafted it is.
Giger is a f***ing twisted genius, without him this would have been merely a good movie, but with his input this has been elevated to all-time classic.
Utterly flawless and just perfect.
I’ve seen this move a few times but didn’t enjoy it as much as i thought i would. I think overall it was good but Aliens is the best of the saga.
Ok, I’m probably gonna be hung up and tortured for this but, I don’t see what the big fuss is about this! It didn’t scare me in the slightest, the only thing that scared me during the film was the long running time!
The first 45 or 50mins are slow. Nothing really happens, they go on a lengthy search for an SOS call from a spaceship and a man ends up with a daft blob covered on his face, that thing on his face made it seem more like a comedy than a horror! But after this the alien comes and bursts out of the mans belly which is by far the best and only good scene. Then for the rest of the film they just try and find it! THATS IT! No action at all. The 2hrs 10mins felt more like 3hrs 10mins. It bored me to say the least and I wasn’t riveted at all. Boring and daft. I wouldn’t say avoid this film because so many people seem to really like it so, make up your own decision!
Probably one of my favorite movies ever. A great and well crafted blend of science fiction and action horror. That and something about Sigorney Weaver being oddly hot makes this film a sickening classic.
Best movie ever. Doesn’t matter if it’s the theatrical or Director’s version.
classic.
This is Sci-Hor at its very best!
Ridley Scott’s Alien is an awesome horror movie. This is a movie I can watch a million times & still enjoy it.
GREAT
Does anything REALLY need to be said about this movie?!? I think not.
If you are unfamiliar with this movie, please proceed to commit suicide in a timely manor… and make sure to put me in your will (only if you have $$$!!!!)… that is all.
I love this film sooo much, even if there isn’t too much action in it but its just brilliant. Love Sigourney Weaver
x
Scary as Hell…
A creepy masterpiece…
There are only TWO sci-fi horror movies that I will call perfect. The Thing is one. Alien is the other. That’s all I have to say.
The best word to describe Alien is creepy. It’s just eerie from the very beginning. The atmosphere is quiet, isolated and foreign and then they starting throwing weird, unbelievable things at you. The face-sucker is scary, the alien coming out of the stomach is shocking and by the time we get to the adult alien the isolation and tension has built up to a perfect hair-raising pitch. I love that. FAVORITE SCENE: Baby alien rips out of stomach.
probably the best alien movie ever, scared me a couple time and had an overal creepy atmosophere, awesome movie
I saw the original at the cinema when I was 11 or 12. It scared the hell out of me at that age and still gives me goosebumps 30 years later. Fantasic atmosphere. Great movie.
Haven’t seen this yet? Are you in for a treat! This one is shit your pants scary the first time you see it. One of the all time great, modern horror films. A must see.
This movie is most definitely a masterpiece that has stood the test of time.
Ridley Scott struck gold with this film and gave us not only one of the greatest horror films of all time, but a film that is listed by many as being one of the greatest overall films ever! His direction in this film, which was only his second full length film, is superb and definitely foreshadows his career as being one of Hollywood’s best. Mr. Scott went on to direct Legend, Gladiator, Hannibal, Black Hawk Down, Matchstick Men, Kingdom of Heaven, American Gangster, and Body of Lies, pretty impressive for a guy who got his big break doing a horror film eh?
Where Mr. Scott really succeeds is his use of atmosphere in this film. The low lighting and brilliantly designed sets portray the “alone” and “desolate” feelings our characters feel when they realize they have a bloodthirsty alien on the loose and there are nowhere near being saved by anyone. His use of camera angles and wide pans envelop the viewer and keep you on the edge of your sear if not in fear then in complete awe at the use of the film’s special effects and atmosphere. Releasing in theaters in 1979 Alien was delivered to the public during the Star Wars frenzy and provided not only the same amazing visuals but true fear, the opposite emotion most of us feel when watching Star Wars. Is Ridley Scott the Anti-Lucas? Hehe.
The pacing of this film is amazing and once again shows off Ridley Scott’s talent as a director. The first hour of the film moves quite slow as far as plot yet you never really realize it and before you know it that whole hour has gone by, without you ever feeling bored or uninterested. His movement of this film is a big reason behind this film’s epicness given that most films with great plots take quite some time to develop the film and can honestly get boring here or there. I would totally forgive this film if I had boring stages but it honestly does not and never let us off the hook from suspense. From it’s chilly musical score to the faint beating heartbeats you hear to the final monotonous countdown this film sets you up for panic and pandemonium without having to show you much. Ladies and gentlemen…THAT is true horror!
The characters in this film were enjoyable and believable as well. I personally scoffed at the idea of Sigourney Weaver as the lead given her usual lack of emotion but she fills her “Ripley” role perfectly not only in this film but it it’s three sequels as well. However aside from Sigourney Weaver I must say that my favorite character in this film would be the alien itself. Not only is it much hotter than Sigourney Weaver(HAHAHAHA!) but the idea and design of the creature is freakin amazing! Surrealist artist, sculpter, and set designer H. R. Giger designed this infamous creature and even went on to win an Academy Award(and “Oscar” for you numbskulls) for this film under the “Best Achievement for Visual Effects” category. I honestly find this “alien” to be one of the scariest looking creatures in all of horror cinema. It’s thin, sleek looking figure with it’s long tail, elongated head, and infamous mouth inside it’s mouth really scare the crap out of me when I think about ever seeing one of them in real life. The biology of this creature is fascinating as well. The species survives by hatching from an egg, wrapping onto the host’s face, and delivering an embryo into the host via the person’s throat. The embryo develops in the person’s body pretty quickly and when it reaches what I’d say to be “puberty” it rips out of the person’s ventral cavity(the front of your body) and then quickly matures into a full adult, ready to kill. Freakin sweet!
Overall, this is an amazing film that I recommend to all humans and not just horror fans. Aside from being a great horror film, this film is a great film itself and opened the door for true horror to enter the Hollywood scene.
THIS is one of those movies that is pretty much perfect. from the acting, which is damn good and the role that made S. Weaver the baddest motherfucker in any movie ever made period, to the actuall story/plot which all makes sense in every way. the special efx are still so good that i would honestly say they not only hold up, but most movies today still can’t compete with them. alot of the scenes in this movie are still parodied to this day, and thats because they are so great. i mean the idea of an alien basically eating it’s way out of somebody’s stomach is awesome, but then it’s brought to the screen and is very life like, add in the “oh god” moments that can’t be directed but just happen! this movie is a must see for EVERYBODY! just doesn’t get better.
best creature ever made?
I think so, it can hunt, it can hide and has the best self defense you can think of, acid blood.
So as said in the film “simply perfect”
How can you go wrong with this film? It’s dark, creepy, and the monster is a film legend. Chris Krisoferson (or however it’s spelled) climbing thru the vents still gives me goose bumps.
Excellent, a real masterpiece, great story, good acting, great director, suspense, terror, an excellent creature, definitely not missing anything.
Picasso of horror movies anything less than 4 skulls is just fucking stupid. Not a flaw to be found.
one of the best films ever! seriously scared the shit out of me, if you havent seen it then climb out of your hole and watch it!!
Sigourney Weaver kicking alien ass in her underwear. Doesn’t get much better than that!
This is a milestone for the horror / sci-fi genre.
This movie has been copied a thousand times but never duplicated.
Belongs in every sci-fi / horror collection.
Hobo approved(TM)
A movie that left an impact on the horror genre, with the idea of setting the genre into space. Maybe that wasn’t such a good idea after all, noticing that Jason X got made
One of the best horrors ever made, the cinematography is epic, and the horror is real. Alien is a popular classic for a reason. If you don’t like it, something’s wrong with you.
One word Atmosphere, which clearly is a nod to the horror genre that Scott would have been at least slightly subjected to. As when he was growing up the big buzz in horror was the creature feature and these films relied on atmosphere the way Stephanie Meyers relies on her readers nativity. This atmosphere which was pretty much destroyed thanks to hammer horror killing this beautiful aspect and exploitation films running around as if the gates at the zoo have been unlocked allowed a film that has very little action to still frighten its audience and that atmosphere has and will always translate into a modicum of success as we look at the classics in the horror genre we can see atmosphere always standing there no matter the acting or the direction and Ridley Scott used this device to its full extent. A classic in the sci/horror genre enough said.
The theatrical version was great, worth 9/10 easily. The director’s cut though…ergh. Too much, too long, didn’t add much. Alien itself is a classic–great female lead, and you’ve got to love how much of a character Mother is–and as a friend of mine said, while it’s slow building, it is all worth it for the last twenty minutes where everything goes down in epic style.
Boring.. I may be all alone here but I just don’t get it, why is this movie rated so high? I saw it a long time ago and just revisited it, the movie is way to long and nothing really happened.. ugh.
To those that say it is boring ? Really ? What with all the CGI TRASH that comes out of Hollywood these days it is no wonder the youth of today do not “GET IT”.
Alien is one of the best horror movies of all time = FACT
But if you watch trash like Saw and Destination garbage, anything less then a heart ripped from a chest and screaming girls is considered “BORING”.
Alien was scary due to the fact like “P.Activity” it tries to create fear. This and “Predator” on first release when i was a child made me stay awake.
The fact this generation thinks unless it’s a CGI fest it is a fail proves there attention span is less then a mouse. God forbid you watch “LA HORDE” (DO NOT MISS IS) as it has subtitles. Yep that means you have to READ aswell.
How Daunting
Anyone who thinks this movie is boring is well…boring! Movie is taut with tension and relentless suspense, giving the storyline a sense of looming dread and a ‘race against time’…down to literally seconds. One of my favorite films of any genre. Sigourney Weaver is rock-solid as Ripley, laying out the perfect foundation for what she would become in the equally great sequel “Aliens”. HR Giger’s imagery is outstanding. The facehugger and adult alien are horrifying. The layout of the ship is awesome. Great music score, and makes you feel like you yourself are in with the characters, lost in deep space where no one can hear you scream.
best movie monster of all time
Alien set standards for the science fiction horror genre, it combines realistic acting with great prosthetic effects, claustraphobic cinematography and brilliant art direction. For me, this is the whole package. I always seem to notice new things time after time I see it. I also consider Alien to be one of the first slasher movies ever made, Alien is one of my favourite Horror movies of all time.
This movie RULES! It was my film debut. Since then, I have become a cultural icon.
This is one of the best horror ever made.
I love all the Alien movies, but this one is my favourite. This movie is kind of slow, but I really enjoy it.
Aliens was a good movie but I have to get it to the orginal that started it all as the best. The ”big chap” alien will always be the scariest of all aliens, and that is done with the horror survival feel that this movie has. Just a great movie with a creepy plot and a awesome movie monster design. 5/5
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Though I’m not a fan of the sequels [besides Prometheus], Alien is a classic. Has that 2001 vibe that gets to your core, but adds in the monster effect to not only fear what’s around you, but what is inside of you. Definitely top 5 in the Sci-Fi/Horror caegory.