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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   [Director]
 
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   [Director of Photography]
 
Edited by: Terry Rawlings   [Editor]
Peter Weatherley   [Editor]
 
Music Composed by Jerry Goldsmith   [Original Music Composer]
 
Production Design: Michael Seymour   [Production Design]
 
Costume Design: John Mollo   [Costume Design]
 
Casting by Mary Goldberg   [Casting]
Mary Selway   [Casting]
 
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: Ash, that transmission -- Mother's deciphered part of it. It doesn't look like an S.O.S.
    Ash: Well, what is it, then?
    Ripley: Well, I, it looks like a warning. I'm going to go out after them.
    Ash: What's the point? I mean... by the time it takes to get there, you'll, they'll know if it's a warning or not, yes?
     
  • 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.
     
  • Parker: Before we dock, I think we ought to discuss the bonus situation. Brett and I, we think we ought to, we deserve full shares. Right?
    Brett: You see, Mr. Parker and I feel that the bonus situation has never been on a, an equitable level.
    Dallas: Well, you get what you contracted for like everybody else.
    Brett: Yes, but everybody else gets more than us.
     
  • 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!
     
  • Lambert: I can't see a goddamn thing.
    Kane: Quit griping!
    Lambert: I like griping.
     

Trivia:

  • "Nostromo" is the title of a Joseph Conrad book. The shuttle that Ripley escapes on is called the "Narcissus", a reference to another Conrad book. See also Aliens.
     
  • Veronica Cartwright was originally to play Ripley, but producers opted for Sigourney Weaver.
     
  • In The Blue Planet, David Attenborough said the 'Alien' monster was modeled after the Phronima, a creature spotted by submersibles at great depths. It's only an inch long, mostly transparent, and it looks like a shrimp with head, eyes, jaws and teeth just like the H.R. Giger monster.
     
  • The computer screen displaying Nostromo's orbit around the planet contains a hidden credit to Dr. Brian Wyvill, one of the programmers for the animation. Within the top frame entitled Deorbital Descent, it is possible to isolate the letters "BLOB", Dr. Wyvill's common nickname.
     
  • The decal on the door of the Nostromo is a "checkerboard square", the symbol for Purina's pet food label, designating: Alien Chow.
     


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