Alien (1979) vs. Aliens (1986)

[Unaboner3000]

I figured let's see how the forum feels about these two movies. Both movies rate very high on most top 10 (top 100) lists. They rank as number 2 and number 4 at IMDb.com for the "horror" genre. However, these movies are very different from one another and most people prefer one or the other, and either feel Ridley Scott's masterpiece was ruined by Jim Cameron's sequel, or that Cameron's movie really outshined the original.

Of course, there is no wrong answer as everyone has their own personal tastes and opinions. What say the forum?

[Unaboner3000]

both the same i cant pick ...so i wont both

Way to go out on a limb there, dave. :D

[Posher778]

Uhh.. Alien. duh.

[Unaboner3000]

Uhh.. Alien. duh.

See, Dave? Posher isn't afraid to choose sides! :p

[swiss tony]

aliens. it just seemed to be faster paced. i have to say, i really liked the one in the penal colony, despite the fact it gets slated by most people

[Unaboner3000]

aliens. it just seemed to be faster paced. i have to say, i really liked the one in the penal colony, despite the fact it gets slated by most people
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Yea....the third film I thought was a fine end to the original trilogy. I think it gets alot of crap simply because is not up to par with the previous two films. But it still is a better than most horror films, and certainly better than most 3rd in a series horror films.

[alkytrio666]

Alien

...because I prefer my extraterrestrial flicks to be atmospherically tense and uncomfortably quiet, horrifyingly grotesque in a spacey, eerie kind of way. Frightening without too much show...

...as opposed to a fun alien action movie.

[swiss tony]

Alien

...because I prefer my extraterrestrial flicks to be atmospherically tense and uncomfortably quiet, horrifyingly grotesque in a spacey, eerie kind of way. Frightening without too much show...

...as opposed to a fun alien action movie.

that sounds like a fellow event horizon lover talking. i think E.H. is my all time top horror. i remember it being described as the exorcist in space but i honestly prefer it. it has bags of atmosphere, like a lot of these j-horror ghost stories

[ferretchucker]

Im a suspense man so I went alien

[paws the great]

Aliens........

[the_real_linda]

dont shoot me but i like alien resurrection

[Roderick Usher]

that sounds like a fellow event horizon lover talking. i think E.H. is my all time top horror. i remember it being described as the exorcist in space but i honestly prefer it. it has bags of atmosphere, like a lot of these j-horror ghost stories

ugh - HATE Event Horizon

But LOVE Alien. Not to take anything away from Cameron's blistering sequel, but it is far more difficult to craft a truly scary horror movie that it is to make an action flick.

[the_real_linda]

they just throw money at action flicks......i dont think theres much skill in making them......with horror you got to know how to play with your audience to make a good film

[Posher778]

ugh - HATE Event Horizon

But LOVE Alien. Not to take anything away from Cameron's blistering sequel, but it is far more difficult to craft a truly scary horror movie that it is to make an action flick.

I agree 100%, even though you aren't reading this... Alien is flawless! It is a truly scary film, which is hard to come by, ESPECIALLY a monster movie. Alien has atmosphere, especially near the end with the lights, hallways, and beeping sounds. Plus the shaky camera. It has a few of the most sudden jump outs of all time, and it has lots of backstory if you look into it. Get the special edition dvd to know what I mean, a lot of added stuff in there. Plus, it isn't just the alien. The facehugger is almost as scary, and totally disgusting! That first scene is so infamous for the screaming in the audience when it attacked. Aliens is a great film, but it isn't scary. Hardly at all. There are a few scenes with some scariness, like the facehugger at night in the room with sigourney, but nothing that really stands out. Although, I will always jump at the part where they barricade the door, only to look up and see the aliens rushing toward them in the ventilation! Ooohhh. Plus, aliens takes too long to get into it. It's good from start to finish, but I watch the special edition, and 2 and a half hours is a while to fill with aliens! However, it gets perfect when it gets down to the final strip of alien stuff. Alien wins by far.

The ONLY thing that I would change in Alien, is that the alien's tail needed to be more sideways to the camera (the scene where it attacks the man when it is first full grown), the tail is too in line with the camera's view, so you can't see the spiky, creepy tail as well.

[Posher778]

Yea....the third film I thought was a fine end to the original trilogy. I think it gets alot of crap simply because is not up to par with the previous two films. But it still is a better than most horror films, and certainly better than most 3rd in a series horror films.

It actually has story and decently crafted characters, which is nice. It has a unique setting, yet still related to the first two films, only all tunnels. It is also unique because there are no weapons, which is really cool. My biggest problem with this film, other than the random bad language from.... weirdly religious people, is the Alien itself. It moves like a friggin coyote, and it looks stupid. Alien needs to stay a barely moving thing, and I think that's why Alien was so scary, is that it doesn't show it moving, (walking being my main point) it usually just turns around, or opens his hands and makes everyone faint :rolleyes:

[Necromancer]

aliens .......

[DP McCoy]

I enjoyed all four of the movies on some level,however Alien is imho far superior to most movies of the genre let alone its sequels.Alien is a masterful lesson in tension and suspense with genuinely disturbing imagery that was far beyond its time.

[Unaboner3000]

Alien is a masterful lesson in tension and suspense with genuinely disturbing imagery that was far beyond its time.

Yea...Alien was all about atmosphere, almost a 2001 kinda feel to it. It was beautifully done.

By the way, I love both movies but voted for Aliens. Was a tough choice though.

[missmacabre]

First time I saw Alien I was alone in my basement at night. The silence was so terrifying and it was probably the first movie to reaalllly freak me out. Now sure I was young(er than now) and jumpy but there's somethingn to be said about a truly scary movie.

[Disease]

Aliens, I saw that one first, I think that's why it's my faveorite.

[Mictlantechutli]

Alien freaked me out as a kid. I really love the scares, but also how space travel was depicted as blue collar.

[Roderick Usher]

Alien freaked me out as a kid. I really love the scares, but also how space travel was depicted as blue collar.

Good point. Before this film, space travel was depicted as clean, brightly lit and very sanitary looking. But the Nostromo was a greasy, dingy, dripping mess filled with true blue-collar folk who were up in space not for exploration or anything noble, but to work and earn a paycheck.

The military aspect of Aliens loses this concept completely.

[_____V_____]

Alien.

Conceptually original.
Neat script, brilliant cinematography, flawless claustrophobic atmosphere and perfect direction.

Above all, one of the fiercest and most dreadful (if not THE most) character introduced to the movie screen. Un-paralleled yet. Unique still.

[Amphibious Wretch]

Good points made by Mictlantechutli, Roderick Usher & __V__. I was never as much of a fan of Aliens as I was Alien. I consider Aliens to be in the same vein as Terminator & Predator. Way more action than horror. I love the atmosphere & pure terror of the first one. At points in time, I don't consider Aliens a horror movie; more of an action affair if you will.

[swiss tony]

i think, for me, you may have made the defining point as far as this debate on horror dot com is concerned, wretch. there is no debate as one is horror and the other is sci fi. i suppose we could say the same for evil deads 2 and 3, horror and fantasy! or maybe the empire strikes back and the return of the jedi, sci fi and kiddies puppetry shit!

[Posher778]

Good point. Before this film, space travel was depicted as clean, brightly lit and very sanitary looking. But the Nostromo was a greasy, dingy, dripping mess filled with true blue-collar folk who were up in space not for exploration or anything noble, but to work and earn a paycheck.

The military aspect of Aliens loses this concept completely.

I never thought of it that way before. Thanks for the enlightenment.

[Prey]

Alien is def the better movie in terms of horror.

[swiss tony]

I never thought of it that way before. Thanks for the enlightenment.

i think you are forgetting that sean connery movie outland(er). i think thats what its called

[Mictlantechutli]

i think you are forgetting that sean connery movie outland(er). i think thats what its called

Which came out in 1981, 2 years after Alien.

[Unaboner3000]

Alien.

Conceptually original.
Neat script, brilliant cinematography, flawless claustrophobic atmosphere and perfect direction.

Above all, one of the fiercest and most dreadful (if not THE most) character introduced to the movie screen. Un-paralleled yet. Unique still.

Good points made by Mictlantechutli, Roderick Usher & __V__. I was never as much of a fan of Aliens as I was Alien. I consider Aliens to be in the same vein as Terminator & Predator. Way more action than horror. I love the atmosphere & pure terror of the first one. At points in time, I don't consider Aliens a horror movie; more of an action affair if you will.

Good points on the differences between the two films. It is amazing how two films in a series can be so different and yet both be such great films.

[_____V_____]

Good points on the differences between the two films. It is amazing how two films in a series can be so different and yet both be such great films.

Wrong person quoted there, Una. The first quote is mine, not Rod's.:cool:

[Unaboner3000]

Fixed..... :p

[swiss tony]

Which came out in 1981, 2 years after Alien.

fair enough. i wonder how much alien influenced the movie outland.

[Rob Bottin]

I woted for Aliens.