Empire top 301: #21 IMDb top 250: #40 Rating 9/10 Director: Ridley Scott Writers: Dan O'Bannon & Ronald Shusett Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, Ian Holm & John Hurt "You are my lucky star. You... Lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky." Commercial spaceship Nostromo is on a return trip home to earth carrying tons of mineral ore and 7 crew members in a deep sleep. The ship detects a transmission (possibly a distress call) from an unknown origin and awakes the crew to investigate, following orders stipulated in their contracts. The Nostromo lands on the planetoid and three members leave to investigate, they find a crashed alien ship where they discover a chamber full of eggs. Crew member Kane (Hurt) is attacked by a creature that latches onto his face when it hatches from it's egg. Foolishly, the three investigating crew members arrive back at the Nostromo with the Alien life form where it escapes and terrorises the shipmates.
There's a bit of theme happening here, but I absolutely love this film and most it is down to the exceptional filmmaking of Ridley Scott. The guy is a genius and Alien is one of his greatest pictures. The atmosphere and sense of fear he brings to the movie with the remarkable camera work and editing is something that has and will be copied for years and years to come. Once the Alien is on board the Nostromo the tension never lets up, it's edge of your seat stuff to the end. The sound effects and music in Alien also play a big part in the atmosphere and tension. I've seen this movie so many times but the big "scare" scenes still make me jump out my seat because of the great use of sound. The movie is really claustrophobic and you really fear for Ripley and Co as this creature could be just around the corner. There's no where to run and as the brilliant tagline points out "In Space no one can hear you scream!"
The fact that CGI wasn't used in the movie is also a massive plus. Scott had to really think outside the box in terms of camera angles and lighting to make the creature seem as scary as it should be. Nowadays it would be some ridiculous CGI Alien or full shot of a guy in a rubber suit (see AVP for more details) and it looks awful. The fact we never get full on shots of the Alien just adds to the atmosphere and the scares. Sigourney Weavers' Ripley is now iconic and rightly so. Here is a female character, who plays by the rule book but doesn't whine or seek revenge when she doesn't get her own way or is outranked. She just get's on with her duties for the protection of herself and her crew members. Whilst she was right not to let the investigating crew back on the ship with the alien, she doesn't rub it in their faces when things go tits up! She's a brilliant character and Weaver plays her beautifully. Not to mention she looks smoking in those little panties! The supporting cast including Jonesy are great too.
Empire top 301: #11 IMDb top 250: #124 Rating 10/10 Director: Ridley Scott Writers: Hampton Fancher & David Webb Peoples Starring: Harrison Ford, Sean Young, Rutger Hauer, Edward James Olmos & Daryl Hannah "All those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain... Time to die." Blade Runner is a timeless, Sci-Fi classic and is certainly in my top 10 list of greatest films ever made. It's a treat for the eyes and the ears and in my opinion it is the greatest movie Ridley Scott has ever and probably will ever make. I've seen every version of the film but last night I watched my favourite, the 2007 Final Cut version. I was never fond of the happy ending in the original theatrical cut and I hated the narration, not just because Harrison sounds like he couldn't be bothered but for me it just didn't work.
Harrison Ford plays Rick Deckard, a detective who specialises in the retirement (killing) of Replicants (a bioengineered being). He is called upon to retire four Replicants who have escaped from the off-world colonies, one of which is a new, improved and dangerous Nexus 6 Model. Ridley Scotts Blade Runner, based on the novel Do Androids Deam of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick is such a beautiful movie. His dystopian Los Angeles looks as amazing today as it did 31 years ago and has been copied in so many different movies it would be a chore to name them all. The production of this movie is stunning. Everything from the sets, to the clothes, to the vehicles have all been beautifully made and no detail is too small. The streets of Los Angeles look grim, and unpleasant and absolutely amazing. The Tyrell Corporation Pyramid building is still stunning as is the Bradbury Building.
The music perfectly encapsulates the feel of the movie, it's a combination of classical music and synthesisers that really fits the retro yet futuristic tone of the film. The piece playing over the closing titles is superb and the perfect way to end what I believe to be a perfect movie. Harrison Ford plays Rock Deckard a bit distant and emotionless but the part calls for this. At the end of the day Deckard is a killer and needs to be this way, however his scenes with Sean Young are great and he plays them well. Sean Young is great as Rachael and has never looked better; her outfits are works of art and she wears them beautifully. Rutger Hauer is brilliantly scary and chilling as Nexus 6 Model Roy Batty; even though I've seen the movie about 100 times my heart still beats fast during the climactic scenes in the home of J.F. Sebastian. Daryl Hannah is so gorgeous as Pris and I love her character.
Not only is the movie a delight for the eyes but the story is great as well and really makes you think. For the most enjoyment watch the 2007 Final Cut with the ambiguous ending, it is the best. I cannot big this film up enough. It is an absolute classic and a MUST WATCH!!! I Love It!
"Are you not entertained?" Yes I'm entertained, very entertained. A great story, great writing, great acting, great direction and a great score. What more could you want from a movie! This movie is a joy to watch and is one that I could watch again and again. Ridley Scott has created a modern day epic and even though 13 years old it hasn't aged a day. Scott's direction along with John Mathieson's cinematography is simply stunning. The opening battle scene in Germania, every scene in the Colosseum, the landscape; it is beautiful and all played over by Hans Zimmers gorgeous score!
The writing is amazing and there are times when it sounds like poetry. This may be down to some exquisite acting from all involved. Russell Crowe is terrific as Maximus and his performance deservedly won him the Best Actor Oscar in 2000. He plays the part perfectly going from strong and commanding in one scene to full of emotion and touching in the next. The supporting cast are equally as excellent, Joaquin Phoenix is brilliant as the evil Commudus never hamming it up and Connie Nielsen is splendid as Lucilla. However the real stars for me are the late Richard Harris and Oliver Reed. Oliver Reed in particular who steals every scene he is in, subtly and beautifully. How he did not receive a posthumous Oscar nomination for this performance I'll never know. This an exciting, moving, inspiring, gorgeous movie and one I would highly recommend. It throughly deserves it's place in the 500 greatest movies of all time, however I would've placed it a lot higher than Empire magazine did!
