“Alien” is a 1979 science-fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm, and Yaphet Kotto. The movie follows the crew of the commercial space tug Nostromo, who encounter a deadly extraterrestrial creature on board their ship after investigating a distress signal from a nearby planet.
The film was a critical and commercial success, and is considered a classic in the science-fiction and horror genres. It spawned several sequels, prequels, and spin-offs, as well as numerous novels, comic books, and video games. “Alien” is praised for its atmospheric and claustrophobic visuals, innovative design of the titular creature, and Sigourney Weaver's iconic portrayal of the resilient and resourceful heroine Ellen Ripley. It has been widely cited as one of the greatest and most influential films ever made.
| Directed by | Ridley Scott |
|---|---|
| Produced by | Gordon Carroll David Giler Walter Hill |
| Screenplay by | Dan O'Bannon |
| Story by | Dan O'Bannon Ronald Shusett |
| Starring | Tom Skerritt Sigourney Weaver Veronica Cartwright Harry Dean Stanton John Hurt Ian Holm Yaphet Kotto |
| Music by | Jerry Goldsmith |
| Cinematography | Derek Vanlint |
| Edited by | Terry Rawlings Peter Weatherley |
| Production companies |
Brandywine Productions |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
| Release date | May 25, 1979 (United States) September 6, 1979 (United Kingdom) |
| Running time | 117 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $11 million |
| Box office | $106.3 million |