"Alien": 30 years later

When "Alien" came out on May 25, 1979, another classic sci-fi film would make it's everlasting mark on movie history. However I was a little too scared to go see this in theater! Finally, when it came to HBO, I sat down in my parents living room and watched it with all the lights on and the sound turned down just a bit.

You might call me a kill joy. I prefer the term control freak.

After that initial baptism, and during many viewings later, I felt free to watch it as originally intended. This past Tuesday, in commemoration of the 30th Anniversary, I sat down in my home theater and screened it on the big screen with the volume up and, of course, the lights out.

This was Sigourney Weaver's big screen debut in a lead role. Her career would only flourish after that, as well as returning to the role of Ellen Ripley once again in James Cameron's follow up "Aliens"...O.K. and those two other "Alien" movies I don't really acknowledge!

"Alien", director Ridley Scott's second film at the time, would go on to inspire a generation of filmmakers, imitators, and parodies. Here is the original trailer for the movie, and I remember it scared the shit out of me!...as well as just about everyone else.



And here is John Hurt's wonderful parody of his role (and iconic moment) from "Alien" in the movie "Spaceballs". "Oh no, not again!".