Perfect horror movie all around, THE BEST! A classic.

Don't you just hate when those chestbursts happen and you don't have insurance? A classic.

Tense sci-fi/horror film. Deserves all the kudos and praise it has received. Sigourney Weaver is so good in it!

This film set the stage for modern horror films. "The Thing" picked up where this movie left off, and ran with it.

...I saw this in the movie theater when it first came out, I thought as a science fiction fan, that knew what was going to be. Well, I didn't. This film is frightening in a way that is hard to describe. For the entire last hour of this film, a viewer is sitting on an edge that is unstable and fearful.
... Because of the nature what the spaceship is, we are all trapped on the ship wondering what is going to happen next. Yes, all of us. So, Rodney Scott directed the film with that kind of fearful wonder. As the story continues, the fear increases for many reasons. All very likely for the situation the crew is in. That unknowing fear is the essence of this film.
... In 1979 when I saw this, I was taken into the space ship and felt that fear just as the crew on the ship felt it. I sat there being taken in by a great film, that I did not know as anything more than just another film. The suspense, fear, uncertainty, and direction of this film lead to other Alien films. I thought I knew, but I did not know.
.. If you give this a chance, on some sort of larger screen with good sound, you will be taken in too. (and watch it through all at once, no stopping) When I walked out of that movie theater, I realized what an experience I had that day. That feeling is still with me. I was so taken in by that experience, that when the next Alien film came out (Aliens), I did not go to the theater, I waited until it came out on "video tape" and played it backwards to see the end first. And it turned out that the second trip in this voyage was just as good as the first. But be warned, ..."in outer space there is no sound..."

This is a great horror/sci-fi film!! It is creepy and exciting. It makes you wonder what you would do in that circumstance would you let the astronaut on or not?

An absolute game changer of a movie. It's a masterpiece in every aspect, from the cast, script, direction and music. There is a true cult built around it and we have books and fan films to enjoy. Sadly, the direction of the Alien films have gone downhill and some of the newer ones have CGI that is laughable. The irony is that "Alien" and "Aliens" are far more believable than the cartoonish releases 40 years later. This is a must see. I can't count how often I've seen it and how much enjoyment it always brings.

Watching this for the first time was a thrilling experience. I've never been a huge fan of horror films, but for whatever reason I felt like I was being compelled to watch it. And I can't say how happy I am I did. Not a great movie by today's standards, but by 1979 standards? A classic. I understand why it's held with such high regards and I see that it really set the bar for sci-fi horror. Truly held up to the hype, and I'm more than excited to watch the sequels in the future.

One of the best films made. Top-notch atmosphere/environment development/building throughout the first 30-60 minutes, which really allows the rest of the movie to do its thing. Great actors portraying real people - they live and breathe, they're responding to the things around them as opposed to following a screenplay. Just as in Batman movies, Batman is only as cool or as heroic as the villain is evil or distasteful: in this 'creature feature' style movie, the main attraction (i.e. the creature - the alien) is only as cool or as repulsive as the people are believable or authentic. The reproach we have in response to the alien is so strong because we relate to the people who are trapped in very close quarters with it. We fear the alien because we feel for and fear for the people around it, even though the creature occupies a few scant moments of screen time. Outstanding movie-making.

Still stands the test of time. So much tension and fear of the unknown. Wonderful to see Sigourney Weaver as a level headed, dependable, composed and astute female leader struggling with her male coworkers and the chain of command. Can’t wait to get the 2nd Alien-another classic!