Product Description

The terror begins when the crew of a spaceship investigates a transmission from a desolate planet, and discovers a life form that is perfectly evolved to annihilate mankind. One by one, each crew member is slain until only Ripley is left, leading to an explosive conclusion that sets the stage for its stunning sequel, "Aliens."

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4043 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-01-06
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Collector's Edition, Color, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, Spanish
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 233 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
A landmark of science fiction and horror, Alien arrived in 1979 between Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back as a stylishly malevolent alternative to George Lucas's space fantasy. Partially inspired by 1958's It! The Terror from Beyond Space, this instant classic set a tone of its own, offering richly detailed sets, ominous atmosphere, relentless suspense, and a flawless ensemble cast as the crew of the space freighter Nostromo, who fall prey to a vicious creature (designed by Swiss artist H.R. Giger) that had gestated inside one of the ill-fated crew members. In a star-making role, Sigourney Weaver excels as sole survivor Ripley, becoming the screen's most popular heroine in a lucrative movie franchise. To measure the film's success, one need only recall the many images that have been burned into our collective psyche, including the "facehugger," the "chestburster," and Ripley's climactic encounter with the full-grown monster. Impeccably directed by Ridley Scott, Alien is one of the cinema's most unforgettable nightmares. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews

Don't touch the egg............
Seen this movie years back. Excellent plot, fx. and acting. Not munch I could say that have not been said already. Alien it's far-more better then the Star Wars trilogy.

The Best
Well, I have just watched (yet again) Ridley Scott's sci-fi masterpiece: Alien. The patient pace of the film taken with its stunning cinematography makes for a veritable visual feast. Scott can turn a clunky shipping vessel into a haunting work of art: his masterful orchestration of light and shadow within a wonderfully drab and metallic set casts the perfect visual mood for the encounter with the 'other.' The performances, too, are simply fantastic. The cast hits a wonderful sweet spot in refusing to over act their parts, rendering the characters surprisingly tactile: they brilliantly animate a minimalist but very competent script. In any case, it hard to find anything to criticize about this film, which is why I think it tops my list of best sci-fi films ever.

A landmark in movie making.
First things first.
Aliens destroys this one.
Ok I'm done.
It's actually kind of unfair to compare the two. The directors take such a different approach to the films.
Alien is a piece of movie history.
Brilliant from start to finish.
Masterfully acted and directed.
Superbly paced.
One of the many movies you simply can not miss and should probably own by now.
Highly recommended.