Alien
1979 · TMDB 8.2
Directed by Ridley Scott
During its return to the earth, commercial spaceship Nostromo intercepts a distress signal from a distant planet. When a three-member team of the crew discovers a chamber containing thousands of eggs on the planet, a creature inside one of the eggs attacks an explorer. The entire crew is unaware of the impending nightmare set to descend upon them when the alien parasite planted inside its unfortunate host is birthed.
Why it matters
Ridley Scott's claustrophobic sci-fi horror masterpiece, produced by 20th Century-Fox during a period of corporate instability.
- Runtime
- 117 min
- Released
- 1979-05-25
- Studio
- Brandywine Productions
- Country
- United States of America
- Language
- English
- TMDB score
- 8.2
KinoChain appearances
Chains through this film
Where this title sits in a journey — and where cinema takes you next.
When Studios Marry: Films Born of Corporate Chaos
Position 1 of 8
Ridley Scott's claustrophobic sci-fi horror masterpiece, produced by 20th Century-Fox during a period of corporate instability.
The Art of Listening
Position 4 of 7
The Nostromo hums with life, and the alien is heard before it's seen. A masterclass in using sound to build dread and tension in space.
From External Beast to Internal Trauma
Position 3 of 5
Decades later, the threat moved from earthbound radiation to deep space. Ridley Scott’s masterpiece introduced a parasite whose reproduction violates the human body, while the overarching villain is not just the Xenomorph, but the Weyland-Yutani corporation that treats the crew a...
20 Home Video Releases Every Film Obsessive Should Own
Position 18 of 20
Alien Quadrilogy (DVD) A nine-disc juggernaut that treated a turbulent franchise with extraordinary archival respect. By including the controversial assembly cuts, alternative edits, and raw behind-the-scenes footage, it offered a rare, unfiltered look into studio filmmaking and...
The DVDs That Changed Everything
Position 5 of 10
Specifically, the Quadrilogy! A nine-disc juggernaut that gathered four distinct films, alternative cuts, and unvarnished production histories, proving that audiences were eager to explore both the triumphs and the troubled developments of classic franchises.
Connected films
Where this film leads
Linked through chains, directors and neighbouring cinema.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Previous in chain · 20 Home Video Releases Every Film Obsessive Should Own
Se7en
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The Last Emperor
Next in chain · When Studios Marry: Films Born of Corporate Chaos
Eraserhead
Previous in chain · The Art of Listening
Sound of Metal
Next in chain · The Art of Listening
Blade Runner
Also in “The Art of Listening”
Godzilla
Previous in chain · From External Beast to Internal Trauma
The Babadook
Next in chain · From External Beast to Internal Trauma
Memento
Next in chain · The DVDs That Changed Everything
The Evil Dead
Also in “20 Home Video Releases Every Film Obsessive Should Own”
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