Alien
**Halloween* 2025: Film XVIII*
I always have and forever will adore this beautifully crafted revolutionary sci-fi horror film. Just two years after his first feature-length film, The Duelists, Ridley Scott came punching with this now infamous thriller.
The idea of seeing the main antagonist metamorphosise not once but twice is a very unique idea but it has always made me question what the true form of the Xenomorph looks like becuase the one in the film is a human-enhanced one as it used a human as a parasitic host. The alien is terrifying when slowly hunting down the crew members and the design itself with all the tubes and the translucent cranium has become so iconic. I also find it hilarious that the actor for the Xenomorph was found by one of the casting agents who was drinking in a pub in London.
This film is quite literally a standard slasher film on a basic level. A group of people getting killed by one person until one is left. This is one problem I do have with this film. You would think that, considering how smart they are supposed to be, that they would be able to take over the Xenomorph. This is one of the main reasons why John Carpenter's The Thing is in my top 4, they aren't stupid! Still they aren't as bad as some people in other horror films and the crew are enjoyable.
The reveal of Ash being an android is just perfect. Ridley has openly admitted that it is basically a rip off of HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey, the computer knowing that the mission is more important than the people but I'll let it slide because a) 2001: A Space Odyssey is my favourite film so any reference is class and b) it works so well for this film that it would feel awkward without it.
This is just incredible. A top 3 horror film and even a top 10 film for me. I still can't believe I've yet to have watched Blade Runner but that will be one of my next watches. Masterpiece!