Alien was the first theatrical movie I saw .. - Alien (1979) Discussion

[–] blue1981 (7740) 7 months ago

You were 21 in 1979 seeing it in theaters? I think reviews were mixed at first but the reception to Alien has evolved and its now seen as a Sci-fi horror classic.

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[–] strntz (12225) 7 months ago

Yes, I turned 22 that September (I'll be 67 this fall). Not saying it's not a classic at all because I remember very little about it and haven't revisited it since, but it was just so frustratingly dark in parts.

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[–] blue1981 (7740) 7 months ago

The one thing that makes me wish I was older (I was born in 1981) would have been getting the chance to see so many of the movies of the late 1960s and 70s in theaters with audiences for the very first time. If I was alive and a teenager in the 70s I would have loved to have seen Star Wars and Alien when they were first released in theaters. I have seen Alien in theaters and I'll go watch it again when it comes back to theaters next week.

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[–] strntz (12225) 7 months ago

Well, you don't want to wish your life away.

I've always had an affinity for that era of post WWII America, but if I was born then, I'd be closer to the grave now if I was even still alive.

What we need is a time machine Blue..

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[–] blue1981 (7740) 7 months ago

In no way would I want to wish my life away but yes if I could travel back in time I would.

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[–] FilmBuff (7234) 6 months ago

Whenever I imagine time travel, it's nearly always to see films. I'm a huge fan of silent film, the majority of which are lost, and most those that remain are in bad shape. I'd spend my time travel budget rocketing back to the past to see pristine nitrate prints of Theda Bara's films. I'd see London After Midnight and The Knickerbocker Buckaroo, and all the other films I grew up reading about but will never be able to watch. And I'd see other great films projected from brand new film stock.

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[–] blue1981 (7740) 6 months ago

Another movie I wish I could have been there to see in theaters when it was first released is Lawrence of Arabia.

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[–] FilmBuff (7234) 6 months ago

I saw that on a 70mm screen some years ago, and it was impressive. I imagine it was even better when it was a new print.

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[–] blue1981 (7740) 6 months ago

I saw it in theaters but it was a digital version

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[–] [deleted] 7 months ago

One of the greatest movies ever made. Have you watched the entire movie?

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[–] strntz (12225) 7 months ago

No, other than watching probably a bit more than half of it in 1979, I haven't rewatched it.

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[–] [deleted] 7 months ago

That's a shame. Consider giving it another try.

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[–] [email protected] (5854) 7 months ago

You fell ASLEEP???? Yikes, lol.

I was so afraid to see it. My boyfriend at the time (my ex-husband now) had a copy and insisted I watch it. The opening credits scared the heck out of me. I was really nervous about watching it but I couldn't close my eyes.

Can't believe you've never watched the whole movie. Reminds me of my sister. She went to see it at the drive-in with friends and she thought it was boring. Actually, she and her girlfriend sat outside on the trunk of the car and talked through most of the film. When I got her to watch it, she liked it.

It's even more interesting if you watch it with the Ridley Scott commentary. I love his insights into the making of the movie.

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[–] strntz (12225) 7 months ago

Yes, fell asleep - the first of many as I would find out in my later years.. LOL

Can't believe you've never watched the whole movie.

The whole story is that I was a bit torqued when trying to watch it because it was so dark (maybe the projector was on a bad bulb or something) and I couldn't see everything that was happening, so I closed my eyes in frustration. The rest is history. Back then, I worked 70 hours a week minimum, so I was probably a bit tired anyway. But just like having a bad experience with a badly prepared dish that makes you not try it again, Alien left a bad taste in my mouth.

Add to that the fact that Alien isn't really my type of movie either. I *love* sci-fi but more cerebral sci-fi, not the type that is part of the horror genre.

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[–] [email protected] (5854) 7 months ago

Interesting that you would say you prefer the "cerebral" type of sci-fi. That\s what Ridley Scott says about the alien in his commentary.

At the start of the film he talks about the opening title sequence. He says that he liked the hieroglyphic look of it as it spells out Alien. He said that he wanted to give the impression that the Alien is intelligent. He said it might be an intelligence that humans couldn't understand, but it wasn't just an unthinking monster.

At the end of the film Ripley is so frustrated and asks Ash, "HOW do we kill it?"

Ash tells her that it's a perfect organism. "It's intelligence is matched only by its hostility."

True, this is more horror sci-fi, but the Alien is not a mindless monster on a killing spree. It knows what it's doing.

I'm being a nag. But some day you much watch this all the way through!!

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[–] strntz (12225) 7 months ago

I'm being a nag.

LOL, no you're not. You've got enough currency built up with me where you could call me a flaming asshole and I won't be offended..

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[–] jacotodd47 (1836) 7 months ago

It wasn't my first, but I was real little, 11 as I remember.

I saw it with my Dad - he was as scared as I was.

You really have to see "ALien" in a theater to appreciate how scary it was.

It's not the same if you watch it on TV.

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[–] strntz (12225) 7 months ago

You really have to see "ALien" in a theater to appreciate how scary it was.

That's where I saw it in 1979.

Part of the problem may have been a movie projector that may not have been in the best condition, or had a weak lamp or something, but it still must have been shot dark in many spots.

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[–] Zarkoff (1853) 7 months ago

I wonder if there was an issue with the projector at your showing. I believe the lamps in those projectors could be expensive and some theaters would keep using them past their expiration to save a little money.

It's a dark movie, but not to the point I had trouble following what was happening. Ridley Scott knows how to shoot a movie, and it looks great.

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[–] strntz (12225) 7 months ago

Could be (I mentioned that in the post above this one).

Those mercury arc lamps did darken towards the end of their life.

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[–] thingmakersback (1370) 6 months ago

Probably just tiredness. I was the same age and saw it within a day or two of its opening. By the time Kane was down in the egg chamber I was actually thinking I could just leave the theater and avoid it getting any scarier... But I was sufficiently riveted that I was not really going to leave.

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[–] strntz (12225) 6 months ago

Probably just tiredness.

Possibly a contributing factor, yes. I always worked at least 70 hours a week after I left college between my regular job and helping in the family business, so tiredness would likely contribute, yes, but I also distinctly remember being a bit cranky and frustrated about how dark it was. I closed my eyes in annoyance but since I did actually nod off, tiredness certainly makes sense.

But I'd like to say again the darkness could have very well been a projector on a weak bulb and I'm in no way casting shade on the film itself - which everyone agrees is a classic.

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[–] ChiefAlex (72) 6 months ago

Interesting I first saw this movie when I was 10 with my older brother on television. I thought the same I thought it was kinda boring ,and too dark to see anything when the alien showed up on screen. I asked my brother why it was so dark ,and My brother said something among the lines of “that’s the idea you’re not supposed to see much just use your imagination!” He felt scary movies shouldn’t have to rely on a lot of blood and gore to be scary or just keep the blood to a minimum. In other words less is more.

I however just wasn’t impressed with it ,and thought it was just boring. When I was a little older I was able to see the last 20-25 minutes of the sequel Aliens on television and I thought those 20 minutes that I saw was a lot more exciting than the entire first film. However I didn’t see the whole film so I don’t know if it was better or worse than the first movie.

Plus I was only around 10 when I saw the first movie on television and it was years ago. I’m probably gonna get attacked by fans of this movie because this movie is considered to be one of greatest science fiction horror films of all time. I mean was only 10 at time and haven’t seen it since ,and I saw around the last twenty minutes of the sequel on television.

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