The year was 1986 and I was at the grocery store where my dad worked. Looking at movie magazines like Starlog and Fangoria. I would do this a lot at the store while my mom shopped. One day I picked up a issue and saw one of the most frightening images I had ever seen. A slimy looking creature black as night with no eyes and a set of teeth/fangs that looked as if they could tear your face clean off. The only name I could see to describe such a creature was the name ALIENS.
Now at the time the only aliens I knew of were cartoon green Martians, E.T., or all the different creatures inside Mos Eisley from the movie STAR WARS. All of which are pretty harmless for a 9 year old. Magazine photos of ALIENS had me terrified.
When it was time for ALIENS to hit HBO, I was ready. I remember having to watch it with my dad. Needless to say we didn't make it very long. My dad changed the channel right in the middle of the first Alien attack. I still remember to this day that it was the scene where a Colonial Marine gets acid blood splattered on his face. I was disappointed but relieved at the same time because I was getting pretty scared.
It wouldn't be until years later that I would get another chance to see ALIENS. But this time it was on network television. Safe right? Kind off. We were visiting family and I remember all the parents having a quick family meeting if it was alright for us kids to watch the movie. The kids won that night!
I was blown away. Even on network television this thing was scary! The long corridors, steam filled hallways, and Aliens coming out of the darkness. This movie got under my skin so much that it would not be until years later that I wanted to see it again.
It wasn't until high school that I had enough guts to watch ALIENS again. But this time I loved it! This second go around I appreciated it and saw it more as an action movie that a horror film. For years to come I would consider it the most bad ass movie that I had ever seen. It wore that crown for several years.
Today I still think the movie is scary. It's not as scary as ALIEN, but ALIENS earns the action-horror sub genre title appropriately.
The thing that still sends shivers up my spine when viewing the film is how quickly the stakes are raised. At the beginning you have these confident grunts that have the experience and tools to take down any threat that comes their way. As Pvt. Hudson states, they are the ultimate bad asses.
All bets are off even after one, yes one encounter with the Xenomorphs. The Marines get their asses kicked! These things are the perfect specimen, therefore the perfect killing machine. Again as Pvt. Hudson puts it “Game Over man”! After you've seen the movie a bunch of times the horror/suspense goes away and it's just an action movie. But wait a few years. Let the original film ALIEN sink into your brain. Realize what just one of these Aliens can do. Now imagine 100+ more of them with your firepower stripped to nothing. And to make matters worse add a Alien Queen on top of it. Bottom line you're screwed. This action movie just turned into a horror film did it not!
If you've never seen any of these movies I highly recommend watching ALIEN. In fact make it one of the many scary movies you watch this Halloween! It's one of the greatest science fiction horror movies ever made. It starts off slow and atmospheric but trust me it's worth the wait.
But if you're looking for something a little more fast pace then look no further that it's sequel ALIENS.
Happy October!
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