Review #1,238: 'Alien' (1979)

Before the stream of sequels, spin-offs, video games, board games, and it's own incredibly underwhelming origin story, and before this year's shameless yet occasionally entertaining rip-off Life, there was Ridley Scott's Alien, a masterclass in how to create an A-picture out of a B-list idea and budget. Even before that of course, there was Mario Bava's Planet of the Vampires, but Scott infuses his film with such elegance, sheer horror, and it's very own mythos (which would be tirelessly explored in the aforementioned extended multi-media universe), that to label the seminal sci-fi classic as plagiarism of Bava's interesting, if schlocky, 60's space opera would be preposterous (although it clearly draws inspiration). As a favourite of most children growing up in the 80's and 90's, Alien joins the likes of Jaws, Back to the Future, The Goonies and Close Encounters of the Third Kind as one of the untouchable genre classics.

The crew of the Nostronomo, a starship freighter owned by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation are awoken from hypersleep by an urgent message from the on-board computer, Mother. A signal has been detected coming from a nearby planetoid, and by the terms of their contract they are obligated to investigate. The crew are a rag-tag bunch of what can only be described as working-class space truckers; scruffy, chain-smoking, and constantly complaining about pay. Many of them, including Warrant Officer Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), object to the unnecessary risk, but Captain Dallas (Tom Skerritt) overrules. Touching down on the dark, desolate planet, they quickly come across a crashed alien ship containing the dead body of a large, unknown species. Executive Officer Kane (John Hurt) probes further, eventually discovering what appears to be a nesting area. One of the eggs opens, and a spider-like creature attaches itself to his face, rendering him unresponsive but alive.

It's isn't difficult to work out how things unravel from this point. After the shock of the 'chestburster' scene (which I still recall seeing for the first time as a youngster), Alien follows the tradition of the slasher flick. But one of the many things that separates the film from the formulaic tedium of the slasher genre is the care Scott takes with showing you very little. The brief glimpses of the xenomorph, growing rapidly as the film progresses, are terrifying enough, but it's the long moments between the kills that makes Alien so engrossing. The design of the ship's interior is dark and dank, almost reptilian in appearance, purposely sculpted to make it seem that the creature could pop out of any corner of the screen, at any time. Our fears are confirmed in one particularly effective sequence involving the search for the ship's cat Jones, where what appears to be some harmless tubing in the background suddenly turns into an oozing, snarling face..

Now one of the most iconic monsters in cinema history, the xenomorph is a clever accumulation of our worst fears. A creature of pure survival, it serves only to prolong the existence of its species, whether it be to wipe out any possible threat, or using its victims as hosts for its offspring. James Cameron's admittedly excellent sequel threw more of them at the screen, and the subsequent films opted for CGI. But there is nothing scary about special effects, and Bolaji Badejo's performance inside the suit proves that practical effects can stand the test of time, and completely terrify when employed correctly. The alien isn't the only star of the show however, as Sigourney Weaver's badass survivor Ripley is one of the silver screen's most recognisable and much-loved heroines, in a role that could have been a simple 'last girl' routine in the hands of a lesser actor. She is backed up by a fantastic cast that also includes Veronica Cartwright, Ian Holm, Harry Dean Stanton and Yaphet Kotto, all making their archetype characters feel alive. But the real star is Scott who, having gone off the boil in recent years, reminds us of a time when he was capable of delivering pure cinematic magic.


Directed by: Ridley Scott
Starring: Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm, Yaphet Kotto
Country: UK/USA

Rating: *****

Tom Gillespie

Review #655: 'Time Bandits' (1981)

If you were once a young boy (or girl) who enjoyed riding their bike at breakneck speed or got their thrills from wandering off to places you were forbidden to go to, then you will totally get Terry Gilliam's Time Bandits. If adventure and danger were what spurred you on as a child, then you no doubt fantasised about travelling through time and meeting the famous historical figures you learned about whilst falling asleep in history class. Time Bandits is pure Boys Own adventure, making idiots out of the likes of Robin Hood and Napoleon, and even bringing six dwarves along for the ride. The plot is muddled and nonsensical, but the plot is beside the point - arguably just a McGuffin for some childish fun.

It tells the story of eleven year old Kevin (Craig Warnock), who, when not being ignored by his lazy absent-minded parents, spends his time doting on history, particularly Ancient Greece. One night, six dwarves come crashing out of his wardrobe holding a map that they claim show the world's time portals, that they appear to have stolen from the Supreme Being (i.e. God, played at the climax by the wonderful Ralph Richardson). Kevin goes along for the ride, and finds himself meeting Napoleon (Ian Holm) during the Napoleonic Wars, Robin Hood (John Cleese) in the Middle Ages, and King Agamenmon (Sean Connery) in Ancient Greece (amongst others). Meanwhile, in the Fortress of Ultimate Darkness, the technologically obsessed Evil (David Warner) is planning to steal the map and take over the world.

The set design is fantastic in this film, and the main credit should go to that department. The sets look as if constructed from the mind of a child, paying no real attention to historical detail or a 'lived-in' feel - this is all pure fantasy. The film rushes at such a breakneck speed that we don't get to spend enough time with these characters in their times, and this was my main (and only) problem with Time Bandits. Thankfully, these scenes are packed with so much wit by writers Gilliam and Michael Palin (who also appears as the dim-witted romantic Vincent), that it is hard to care too much. This is not Monty Python though, there is humour here for children and adults both, but it's just as funny. John Cleese's over-enthusiastic Robin Hood was a particular stand-out for me.

Gilliam also uses the film to take some sly satirical digs at the emergence of technology, juxtaposing Evil's plan to use computers to carry out his evil deeds alongside Kevin's active imagination and sense of wonder. His parents are bone-idle idiots that get excited at the idea of a microwave cooking their dinner in quick time, and technology is clearly viewed by Gilliam as something that will rot the imagination. This isn't entirely true of course - technology can inspire innovation - but I often see young children staring open mouthed and expressionless at their mobile phones when they should be annoying their parents or getting up to something they shouldn't be, so I can certainly sympathise with Gilliam's concerns. But Time Bandits is mainly about adventure and the wonder of a child's imagination. Funny, manic, and occasionally moving, this is one of the definitive movies about childhood, and how we occasionally long for it.


Directed by: Terry Gilliam
Starring: Craig Warnock, John Cleese, Sean Connery, Shelley Duvall, Katherine Helmond, Ian Holm, Michael Palin, Ralph Richardson, Peter Vaughan, David Warner
Country: UK

Rating: ****

Tom Gillespie

Review #182: 'Chariots of Fire' (1981)

As the 1924 Paris Olympics approach, two different but equally determined young British men prepare themselves for a chance at glory. One, Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross) is an English Jew attending Cambridge University, along with his friends and fellow athletes Aubrey Montague (Nicholas Farrell), Lord Andrew Lindsay (Nigel Havers) and Henry Stallard (Daniel Gerroll). The other, devout Christian and proud Scot raised in China, Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson), seems to have the ability to leave anyone he races against in his wake. One is racing against prejudice, the other for the God he believes gave him the ability to run. But with the Americans dominating the sport, do they have a chance at taking the gold medal?

Because of the amount of times I've seen this film lampooned, with the use of its music played over something in slow-motion, I was expecting this film to have become a parody of itself. I was not expecting something as brilliant and profoundly moving as I did experience. From the opening scene that depicts the main characters running along the beach in slow-motion to that score, I was hooked. How a film that begins in 1919 and is steeped in period detail can work with a very 80's synthesised score is beyond me, but it works wonderfully, and was a massive risk that is pulled off.

Slight historical inaccuracies and tweaks from the sake of narrative aside, the film strongest point comes in its authenticity. For all the films that try and look wonderful in the period dress and detail, few actually feel like its set in the time. For example, Gangs Of New York (2002), was gorgeous and I'm sure the costumes and sets were very accurate, but it always feels like you're watching actors on a set. Chariots Of Fire convinces while seeming effortless, with the clothes and props having a 'lived-in' feel.

Apart from the visual delights, there are the two leads who both went criminally unrecognised at the Academy Awards. Ben Cross is all steely determination and frustrated rage as Abrahams, who is the inferior runner to Liddell. And Ian Charleson, a celebrated stage actor who tragically died nine years after this film was made, is just a naturally fine actor who plays the devout Christian Eric Liddell with such an ease and intelligence that he deserved an Academy Award nomination at the very least. But those Oscar voters don't get it right very often, although the film did bring home Best Picture.

It has been criticised for its inaccuracies. Lord Lindsay didn't exist and is a stand-in for the real-life Lord Burghley, and Aubrey Montague attended Oxford, not Cambridge. The note that is handed to Liddell just before his big race by the American runner Jackson Scholz (Brad Davis) that wishes him luck was actually given to him by an American masseur, and it is said that Abrahams faced very little persecution due to the fact that he was Jewish at Cambridge. They are others too, but, to me, this is a film about two great sportsmen using their ability to speak for what they believe in. If you want an accurate account of what actually happened, you can read a biography or look on Wikipedia. The film makes changes for more power and to get its point across, while keeping the majority of the true-life story correct.

A wonderfully intelligent film that is packed with great performances, stunning cinematography, and subtle period detail, with a distinct Britishness about it that seemed to have been lost in the 1960's. And as much as that score is made fun of, it still packs the same power and remains oddly stirring.


Directed by: Hugh Hudson
Starring: Ben Cross, Ian Charleson, Nicholas Farrell, Ian Holm, Nigel Havers, John Gielgud, Lindsay Anderson, Nigel Davenport
Country: UK

Rating: *****

Tom Gillespie