HORROR 101 with Dr. AC: ALIEN (1979) TURNS 45!!!

ALIEN (1979) d. Ridley Scott (USA/UK)
ALIENS (1986) d. James Cameron (USA/UK)
ALIEN 3 (1992) d. David Fincher (USA)
ALIEN: RESURRECTION (1997) d. Jean-Pierre Jeunet (USA)
PROMETHEUS (2012) d. Ridley Scott (USA/UK)
ALIEN: COVENANT (2019) d. Ridley Scott (USA/UK)

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When the commercial space vessel Nostromo responds to a distress signal on an unknown planet, one of their crew is attacked by a bizarre life form. Over the course of several hours, the seemingly indestructible creature threatens all of their lives, consistently evolving and exhibiting horrifically distinctive characteristics: acidic blood, rows and rows of retractable teeth, white-hot intelligence, and a fierce predatory instinct.

The unforgettable tag-line “In space, no one can hear you scream” heralded the arrival of Alien, a masterpiece of sci-fi/horror in June 1979. Combining the “Boo!” factor of a suspenseful haunted house story with the dread of an unstoppable psychopathic slasher, director Ridley Scott ratchets the tension up to a heart-stopping level that is often sought but rarely achieved.

With the elements of Dan O’Bannon’s unrelenting screenplay, astonishing scenic design, Oscar-winning special effects, H. R. Giger’s nightmarishly original alien design, and a superlative cast (including Tom Skerritt, Ian Holm, John Hurt, Yaphett Kotto, Harry Dean Stanton, Veronica Cartwright, and newcomer Sigourney Weaver), the film delivers dramatic scenes and gory images that sear the viewer’s mind, lingering long after the final reel unspools.

Unveiled in the wake of Star Wars and Close Encounters’ fuzzy, friendly extra-terrestrials, Alien knocked audiences for a loop, and has lost none of its power over four decades and multiple sequels, spin-offs, crossovers, and franchising galore.

Tonight, AC and his awesome panel of guests (Chris Hainsworth, Katie McLean Hainsworth, Jennifer Olson, Ryan Olson, Chris Scales) celebrate 45 years of chest-bursting and Xenomorphing, where technology, artistry, and a great campfire tale come together to share space… in space.