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Alien
In space no one can hear you scream.
( Horror / Sci-Fi )


Alien Poster

MPAA Rating:
R
[sci-fi violence/gore and language]

US Runtime: 117 min

Country of Origin: United States of America

Premiere Date:
May 25, 1979   [USA]
 
Director: Ridley Scott
 
Writers: Dan O'Bannon   [Screenplay]
Dan O'Bannon   [Story]
Ronald Shusett   [Story]
 
Producers: Gordon Carroll   [Producer]
David Giler   [Producer]
Walter Hill   [Producer]
Ivor Powell   [Associate Producer]
Ronald Shusett   [Executive Producer]
 
Cinematography: Derek Vanlint
 
Edited by: Terry Rawlings
Peter Weatherley
 
Music Composed by Jerry Goldsmith
 
Production Design: Michael Seymour
 
Costume Design: John Mollo
 
Casting by Mary Goldberg
Mary Selway
 
Production Companys: 20th Century Fox   (US)
Brandywine Productions   (US)
Brandywine Productions Ltd.
 


Plot Summary:

    After investigating a mysterious transmission of unknown origin, the crew of a commercial spacecraft encounters a deadly lifeform.

Cast: (First 20, for the rest click 'Show All Cast & Crew' below.)

Tom Skerritt
Dallas
Sigourney Weaver
Ripley
Veronica Cartwright
Lambert
Harry Dean Stanton
Brett
John Hurt
Kane
 
Ian Holm
Ash
Yaphet Kotto
Parker
Bolaji Badejo
Alien
Helen Horton
Mother (voice)
 

Show All Cast & Crew

Miscellaneous Companies:

Animals Unlimited
Jones trained by
Anvil Recording Studios
music recorded at
Lee Lighting Ltd.
lighting
R/Greenberg Associates Inc.
title design
 
Sony U.K. Ltd.
video equipment
Steve Frankfurt Communications
title design
Thorn EMI Elstree Studios
post-production
Tony Silver Films
title design
 
 

Special Effects Department:

Filmfex Animation Services Ltd.
special optical effects
 
 

Filming Locations: (Now With Clickable Links To Location On Google Maps)

 

Tech Info:

Budget:
$11,000,000
Revenue:
$104,931,801
Camera:
Panavision Cameras and Lenses
Color Info:
Color (DeLuxe)
Laboratory:
DeLuxe, USA / Rank Film Laboratories, Denham, UK
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
Cinematographic Process:
Panavision
Film Negative Format:
35 mm - Kodak 5247
Printed Film Format:
35 mm / 70 mm
Production Dates:
05 Jul 1978 - Dec 1978

Quotes:

  • Ripley: When we throw the switches, how long before the ship blows?
    Parker: Ten minutes.
    Ripley: No bullshit?
    Parker: If we ain't outta here in ten minutes, we won't need no rocket to fly through space.
     
  • [Ripley has tried to disengage the self-destruct.]
    Ripley: Mother! Turn the cooling unit back on! Mother! ...You bitch!
     
  • Ripley: Whenever he says *anything* you say "right," Brett, you know that?
    Brett: Right!
    Ripley: Parker, what do you think? Your staff just follows you around and says "right"? Looks like a regular parrot.
    Parker: [laughs] Yes... What, are you some kind of parrot?
    Brett: Right!
     
  • Ripley: Ash?! Any suggestions from you or Mother?
    Ash: No, we're still collating.
    Ripley: [laughing in disbelief] You what? You're still collating? I find that hard to believe.
    Ash: What would you like me to do?
    Ripley: Just what you've been doing, Ash, nothing!
     
  • Ripley: Come on, Ash, I mean, the Science Department should be able to help us. What can we do to drive it?
    Ash: Yes, well, it has adapted remarkably well to our atmosphere considering its nutritional requirements. The only thing we don't know about is temperature.
    Ripley: OK, what about temperature? What happens if we change it?
    Ash: Let's try it. Most animals retreat from fire, yes?
    Dallas: Fire, yeah.
     

Trivia:

  • An early draft of the script had a male Ripley.
     
  • Scott is reportedly quoted as saying that originally he wanted a much darker ending. He planned on having the alien bite off Ripley's head in the escape shuttle, sit in her chair, and then start speaking with her voice in a message to Earth. Apparently, 20th Century Fox wasn't too pleased with such a dark ending.
     
  • Many of the non-English versions of the film's title translate as something similar to "Alien: The 8th Passenger".
     
  • The face hugger carcass that Ash autopsies was made using fresh shellfish to recreate the internal organs.
     
  • The rumor that the cast, except for John Hurt, did not know what would happen during the "chestburster" scene is partly true. The scene had been explained for them, but they did not know specifics. For example, Veronica Cartwright did not expect to be sprayed with blood.
     


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