Updated with the TV spot above and the “homage poster” that can be found at the bottom of this article.
The original article follows:
2024 marks the 45th anniversary of the release of the sci-fi horror classic Alien, and to mark the occasion the film is getting a theatrical re-release on April 26th. Tickets are available for purchase through Fandango – and they have also informed us that screenings of Alien during this re-release will be preceded by Alien: A Conversation with Ridley Scott & Fede Alvarez – Scott being the director of Alien (not to mention Prometheus and Alien: Covenant) and Alvarez the director of the new film, Alien: Romulus, which is set to reach theatres on August 16th.
A clip from the Scott and Alvarez interview has been released online, and you can check it out in the embed below. In this clip, the filmmakers discuss the chestburster scene and a call Scott received from Stanley Kubrick.
The original article follows:
2024 marks the 45th anniversary of the release of the sci-fi horror classic Alien, and to mark the occasion the film is getting a theatrical re-release on April 26th. Tickets are available for purchase through Fandango – and they have also informed us that screenings of Alien during this re-release will be preceded by Alien: A Conversation with Ridley Scott & Fede Alvarez – Scott being the director of Alien (not to mention Prometheus and Alien: Covenant) and Alvarez the director of the new film, Alien: Romulus, which is set to reach theatres on August 16th.
A clip from the Scott and Alvarez interview has been released online, and you can check it out in the embed below. In this clip, the filmmakers discuss the chestburster scene and a call Scott received from Stanley Kubrick.
- 4/16/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
2024 marks the 45th anniversary of the release of the Ridley Scott classic Alien, and the movie is now available to watch on the Peacock streaming service. To mark the occasion, the folks at Syfy Wire caught up with cast member Tom Skerritt, who plays ill-fated space tug captain Dallas to talk to him about his memories of working on the film. During their conversation, Skerritt revealed that he (and co-star Yaphet Kotto) already knew on set that they were making a classic. He said, “It was something that had never been done before and not over-thought as they were doing it. If you have to analyze things, you’re not gonna be successful. You’re right on the edge of something happening that’s gonna come and get you. It’s sort of like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, where you don’t see this awful, horrible person, but you just know he’s there.
- 3/13/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
The creature from Ridley Scott's 1979 horror sci-fi film "Alien" was inspired primarily by the 1976 painting "Necronomicon IV" by Swiss surrealist H.R. Giger. The subject of the painting rests in the middle of what appears to be a semi-metallic, semi-organic womb space of indeterminate function. The subject's lower half narrows and extends not into legs, but into an outsize phallus that stretches up over its head, searching for an organic aperture somewhere in its own cranium. The subject's ribs are visible. Its head, likewise, is decidedly phallic. On one end, it sports a monstrous face with fangs and large black eyes. The back end of its head tapers into something that is undoubtedly a glans. Intestinal tubes extend from the subject's back.
Like most of Giger's work, "Necronomicon IV" is nightmarish and unsettling. Giger worked in an aesthetic milieu that rested on a matrix where the organic and the mechanical,...
Like most of Giger's work, "Necronomicon IV" is nightmarish and unsettling. Giger worked in an aesthetic milieu that rested on a matrix where the organic and the mechanical,...
- 12/2/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
When we get a glimpse of the fully-grown xenomorph in Ridley Scott's "Alien" for the first time, the dread felt by the crew aboard the Nostromo is immediately heightened to new levels. An apex predator with an unforgettably imposing structure, the xenomorph faithfully embodies the moniker of the "perfect organism" as it hunts, covets, and adapts ruthlessly throughout the film. Nigerian visual artist Bolaji Badejo donned the suit of this legendary creature for Scott's film, bringing the xenomorph to life in a way that would cement its legacy as one of the most recognizable monsters in horror.
The xenomorph suit, whose design and structural aesthetics were created by H.R. Giger, consisted of a dozen pieces that had to be put together on top of a one-piece suit. The alien's elongated headpiece, which was detachable and went on last, was once likened by Bolaji to "having your head stuck up...
The xenomorph suit, whose design and structural aesthetics were created by H.R. Giger, consisted of a dozen pieces that had to be put together on top of a one-piece suit. The alien's elongated headpiece, which was detachable and went on last, was once likened by Bolaji to "having your head stuck up...
- 11/25/2023
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
No monster has struck fear into the hearts of moviegoers quite like the Xenomorph. The titular creature in Ridley Scott's 1979 sci-fi masterpiece "Alien" — as well as the sequels, prequels, spin-offs, video games, comic books, and novels that followed — is a killer beyond compare in science fiction, and today stands as one of the genre's most recognizable antagonists. And while it's fair to say that the franchise has been subject to a few ups and downs over the years, the spine-chilling power of the Xenomorph itself has never been less than total.
How much do you really know about Ellen Ripley's archnemesis, though? Is there more to this horrific beast than what you've seen on screen? Well, yes: Fittingly for a creature designed by a legendary surrealist, the history of the Xenomorph is as strange as the monster is scary. From the earliest concepts to those endless variants to...
How much do you really know about Ellen Ripley's archnemesis, though? Is there more to this horrific beast than what you've seen on screen? Well, yes: Fittingly for a creature designed by a legendary surrealist, the history of the Xenomorph is as strange as the monster is scary. From the earliest concepts to those endless variants to...
- 3/11/2023
- by Chris Heasman
- Slash Film
Even though he has had countless onscreen roles including "Top Gun," "SpaceCamp," "Poltergeist III," "Steel Magnolias," and even a quick cameo in "Singles" as the mayor of Seattle, legacy actor Tom Skeritt is probably most remembered for appearing as Dallas in Ridley Scott's "Alien." In a fascinating, tell-all 2019 interview with Av Club, Skeritt recognized just how special his time as the Captain of the Nostromo really was. "As it happens, one of the most memorable things in my career was making 'Alien.' I recognized we were making something extraordinary."
Ridley Scott's vision for "Alien" and Dan O'Bannon's screenplay brought a level of astonishing scope mixed with a blue collar realism that completely re-invented what science fiction could be. Once artist H.R. Giger came aboard to create the biomechanical design of the Xenomorph, the look and feel of the "Alien" universe was born. Skeritt knew they were making something different,...
Ridley Scott's vision for "Alien" and Dan O'Bannon's screenplay brought a level of astonishing scope mixed with a blue collar realism that completely re-invented what science fiction could be. Once artist H.R. Giger came aboard to create the biomechanical design of the Xenomorph, the look and feel of the "Alien" universe was born. Skeritt knew they were making something different,...
- 10/24/2022
- by Drew Tinnin
- Slash Film
Science fiction films -- especially ones featuring aliens -- require a suspension of disbelief. Filmmakers use all of the gadgets in their toolbox -- plot, dialogue, score, costuming, and more -- to convince audiences that they're aboard a fantastical, futuristic, or far-away world. Fans appreciate it when alien designs use makeup effects, so a creature feels like it exists in three-dimensional space. There's even a reality show dedicated to this concept: in SyFy's "Face Off," special effects designers compete to see who can create and apply the best look for their models.
Makeup artists and directors often like practical effects as much as fans. "Guardians of the Galaxy" special effects makeup designer David White told Fast Company, "James [Gunn] always pushed for practical and makeup effects. He wanted, like me, to see the real deal there on set." Some of the best alien effects can make it hard to see...
Makeup artists and directors often like practical effects as much as fans. "Guardians of the Galaxy" special effects makeup designer David White told Fast Company, "James [Gunn] always pushed for practical and makeup effects. He wanted, like me, to see the real deal there on set." Some of the best alien effects can make it hard to see...
- 9/7/2022
- by Eric Langberg
- Slash Film
Whatever you prefer to call it — the Alien, the Xenomorph, or the Chestburster — the monster of Ridley Scott's "Alien" is, at the bare minimum, one of the top five most iconic movie monsters. The creature has appeared in many films since "Alien," but the original was played by Bolaji Badejo; everything about the actor, besides his imposing 6'10 frame, was concealed beneath a costume.
The design of this costume was the work of H.R. Giger. The artist knocked it out of the park, both in creating a monster that reflected the unique terrors of the film and which endured in the public consciousness afterward. The alien's design is, well,...
The post What Alien's Xenomorph Originally Looked Like appeared first on /Film.
The design of this costume was the work of H.R. Giger. The artist knocked it out of the park, both in creating a monster that reflected the unique terrors of the film and which endured in the public consciousness afterward. The alien's design is, well,...
The post What Alien's Xenomorph Originally Looked Like appeared first on /Film.
- 6/6/2022
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
“Alien” and its many sequels and prequels have always been about transformation. The creature itself is constantly changing, as are those unfortunate enough to encounter it. As you celebrate Alien Day — celebrated on April 26 because the original film is set on the planet Lv-426 — take a moment to revisit the many forms Sigourney Weaver’s greatest screen partner has taken on in the nearly 40 years since H.R. Giger and Ridley Scott first introduced us to it.
The facehugger (“Alien”)
Our first exposure to the otherworldly creature known among fans as the xenomorph remains the most quietly unsettling. “It’s got a wonderful defense mechanism,” Parker (Yaphet Kotto) says after noticing the facehugger’s acidic blood: “You don’t dare kill it.”
Almost reminiscent of a scorpion in its appearance, the facehugger was initially intended by Giger to be larger and possess eyes; screenwriter Dan O’Bannon had imagined it as an octopus-like being with tentacles.
The facehugger (“Alien”)
Our first exposure to the otherworldly creature known among fans as the xenomorph remains the most quietly unsettling. “It’s got a wonderful defense mechanism,” Parker (Yaphet Kotto) says after noticing the facehugger’s acidic blood: “You don’t dare kill it.”
Almost reminiscent of a scorpion in its appearance, the facehugger was initially intended by Giger to be larger and possess eyes; screenwriter Dan O’Bannon had imagined it as an octopus-like being with tentacles.
- 4/25/2017
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
Just how many xenomorphs can we expect in Alien: Covenant? Director Ridley Scott already promised multiple variations of the vicious alien creatures in the forthcoming Prometheus sequel -- “We’ll have them all: egg, face-hugger, chest-burster, then the big boy," he promised The Wrap -- but if this new casting call put out by Australian talent agency McTv is any indication, we could be looking at multiple full-grown xenomorphs in the film. Here's the breakdown: Age Range: 8-40 Physical Attributes: Skinny and very tall and skinny and very short but strong and very physically agile. Other Skills: Fast in Movement. Acrobats, Dancers, Gymnasts, Contortionist, Cirque du Soleil type performers As die-hard fans of Scott's original Alien know, that film's xenomorph was played in large part by 6'10" Bolaji Badejo, a London-based design student who was hired for his tall, thin frame. For scenes requiring more specialized physical movement, the creature...
- 1/28/2016
- by Chris Eggertsen
- Hitfix
"In space, no one can hear you scream." So ran the tagline for "Alien," which went into wide release 35 years ago this week (on June 22, 1979). Then again, we've been screaming loudly for the past three and a half decades, through several sequels, prequels, and other spinoffs.
Every movie fan knows that "Alien" launched the careers of director Ridley Scott (it was just his second feature) and star Sigourney Weaver (whose Ripley became the greatest action heroine in film history over the course of the franchise). Most even know that Swiss artist H.R. Giger (who passed away last month at 74) designed the "xenomorph," the alien that picks off Ripley's fellow crew members one by one. But you may not know what the alien's entrails were made of, what scenes were never filmed, or how the notorious "chestburster" sequence was made to look so horrifically realistic. Here are some of the secrets of "Alien,...
Every movie fan knows that "Alien" launched the careers of director Ridley Scott (it was just his second feature) and star Sigourney Weaver (whose Ripley became the greatest action heroine in film history over the course of the franchise). Most even know that Swiss artist H.R. Giger (who passed away last month at 74) designed the "xenomorph," the alien that picks off Ripley's fellow crew members one by one. But you may not know what the alien's entrails were made of, what scenes were never filmed, or how the notorious "chestburster" sequence was made to look so horrifically realistic. Here are some of the secrets of "Alien,...
- 6/20/2014
- by Gary Susman
- Moviefone
Avco Center Cinemas, Westwood, CA
On Friday, director Ridley Scott arrived in Sydney, Australia, reportedly to scout for locations for Prometheus 2.
Prometheus (2012) starred Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron and Idris Elba, was well received by critics and subsequently a box office hit. The sequel is scheduled for a release in March 2016.
I’ll bet Scott never thought in a million years that he’d be scouting locations for another Alien movie almost 35 years to the day after the original hit theaters.
Jump back to opening weekend… May 25, 1979. “In space no one can hear you scream”
I was a 12 year girl when my mother, after much pleading, took me to the Showcase Cinemas in East Hartford, Ct on that Friday night. These were the days prior to the words “spoilers” and “internet” when audiences went into a film blind and when parents didn’t take their children to R rated movies.
On Friday, director Ridley Scott arrived in Sydney, Australia, reportedly to scout for locations for Prometheus 2.
Prometheus (2012) starred Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron and Idris Elba, was well received by critics and subsequently a box office hit. The sequel is scheduled for a release in March 2016.
I’ll bet Scott never thought in a million years that he’d be scouting locations for another Alien movie almost 35 years to the day after the original hit theaters.
Jump back to opening weekend… May 25, 1979. “In space no one can hear you scream”
I was a 12 year girl when my mother, after much pleading, took me to the Showcase Cinemas in East Hartford, Ct on that Friday night. These were the days prior to the words “spoilers” and “internet” when audiences went into a film blind and when parents didn’t take their children to R rated movies.
- 5/25/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Snowpocalypse 2014 is on its way — at least on the East Coast. Keep the panicked, doomy vibes going with this 2003 behind-the-scenes documentary, its title not to be confused with a Slayer album (or something): The Beast Within: The Making of Alien. Horror and science-fiction cinema’s monstrous tale about a terrifying creature that traps a spaceship crew and slowly dispatches with them is one of our favorites. The video features in-depth interviews with the cast and crew, including director Ridley Scott; pervy, macabre designer H.R. Giger; and the badass Sigourney Weaver. It’s fun to hear how creeped out everyone was while working on the movie. We’re also reminded that poor Bolaji Badejo, the towering actor who plays the...
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- 1/3/2014
- by Alison Nastasi
- Movies.com
Imagine if Edward Norton had made Primal Fear and decided to just bounce after that, or if Johnny Depp called it quits after Edward Scissorhands. Even though he was in a few films before that (including Nightmare on Elm Street), had that happened, no one would have thought twice about the guy – not unlike how zero people really think twice about the following actors and actresses… 7. Bolaji Badejo – The Skinny Guy In The Alien Suit Almost exactly two years ago I mentioned Badejo in my first ever list on this site. A 26 year old Nigerian-born graphic arts student with one credit to his name, Badejo was found when the casting agent Peter Archer saw him at a bar. And just like that, he became one of the most iconic costumed villains ever without anyone learning his name. Since then, Badejo has become practically legend, as word of his death is unconfirmed. Perhaps...
- 10/2/2013
- by David Christopher Bell
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
It’s always a treat to get a behind-the-scenes look at your favorite films. You may not agree, but I think there’s something reassuring in knowing that there are real people behind the monsters. The UK Daily Mail posted some fun images of actors between takes on the sets of filmland's most-beloved movies.
These photos include Steven Spielberg hamming it up in the jaws of his Great White, Nick Castle taking a soda break, Bolaji Badejo hanging out in his Alien costume, Pennywise in a moment of reflection, and Linda Blair looking far too delighted about having her head on backwards.
See a few below and check out the full post over at the Daily Mail.
These photos include Steven Spielberg hamming it up in the jaws of his Great White, Nick Castle taking a soda break, Bolaji Badejo hanging out in his Alien costume, Pennywise in a moment of reflection, and Linda Blair looking far too delighted about having her head on backwards.
See a few below and check out the full post over at the Daily Mail.
- 12/14/2012
- by Sara Castillo
- FEARnet
The release of Prometheus has certainly brought back a rush of nostalgia for the original Ridley Scott classic Alien. Lost in the shuffle is a story about Bolaji Badejo, the 7’2” Nigerian actor who played the Alien in Alien. I don’t know about you, but the alien was so lifelike and real and creepy that I didn’t even think about the man behind the mask. I don’t think it crossed my mind until I saw this article on Indiewire that I want to share to spread the fantastic story around the net. It’s silly that we’re just now talkin about this; the movie has had countless sequels since the 1979 original.
I can’t help but note the racial undertones inherent in the fact that they were genuinely terrified of Bolaji in the suit on set, despite, you know, the fact that they were acting. Hopefully Bolaji was just that good.
I can’t help but note the racial undertones inherent in the fact that they were genuinely terrified of Bolaji in the suit on set, despite, you know, the fact that they were acting. Hopefully Bolaji was just that good.
- 6/22/2012
- by Andy Greene
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
God bless the Internet and YouTube – thanks to these two magnificent things, it’s entirely possible for film geeks to see all kinds of cool, behind-the-scenes footage that otherwise might have been lost to the ravages of time. Take, for instance, this awesomely creepy test footage from Ridley Scott’s Alien. 6’10” Nigerian actor Bolaji Badejo played the infamous Xenomorph in the scenes that required a human performer, and this footage shows him running around in his underwear with a giant Xenomorph head practicing his moves. It sounds absurd, but it’s actually really creepy – thanks partially to the scary music featured in the video, but also because the spindly Badejo looks pretty terrifying even with just that gigantic prosthetic head on...
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- 6/19/2012
- by Mike Bracken
- Movies.com
It never occurred to me to browse through the credits of Ridley Scott's 1979 classic sci-fi/horror flick Alien, to find out who was underneath that monstrous Alien suit. And if it weren't for "Jug" alerting me to This post on i09's website from earlier today, I likely wouldn't have even given it the slightest thought. And that's unfortunate, because, as I learned a few moments ago, the man inside the infamous Alien suit we've all come to love and fear, was 7ft 2in Nigerian actor Bolaji Badejo. Did you know that? I certainly didn't. Alien was Badejo's Sole film credit, and sure enough, if you look at the film's IMDb page,...
- 6/19/2012
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
Here's some creepy test footage from Ridley Scott's Alien featuring Bolaji Badejo who played the Alien in classically badass 1979 sci-fi horror masterpiece. In the footage you see the actor practicing his alien movement skills without the full costume. All he's wearing is a pair of shorts and a prop Alien head. It's still creepy even without the costume though!
Here's what Badejo had to say about the costume he wore in the film in 1979 in an interview with Cinefantastique magazine,
[The special-effects helmet] was all manual, remote controlled [...] There's still a space in it for my head. I had it on just to make sure nothing goes wrong with the posture of the head or how tall it is in comparison to the other sequences. They must have had about 2000 tubes of K-y Jelly [...] just to get the effect of that slime coming out of his mouth. A lot of it was spread around on the face.
Here's what Badejo had to say about the costume he wore in the film in 1979 in an interview with Cinefantastique magazine,
[The special-effects helmet] was all manual, remote controlled [...] There's still a space in it for my head. I had it on just to make sure nothing goes wrong with the posture of the head or how tall it is in comparison to the other sequences. They must have had about 2000 tubes of K-y Jelly [...] just to get the effect of that slime coming out of his mouth. A lot of it was spread around on the face.
- 6/18/2012
- by Venkman
- GeekTyrant
Here's a very cool collection of set photos from various different movies we love that will change the way you see these scenes. I will warn you, these photos kind of do take the magic out of the movies, but it's still interesting to see how they filmed some of these shots!
The first picture above is obviously from Raiders of the Lost Ark. I love movie magic! What's your favorite movie magic moment?
Ghostbusters
The set photo for this is actually creepier than the actual scene in the movie!
Alien
Meet Bolaji Badejo, the man inside the suit of the original 1979 Alien. According to IMDb's trivia section, he stands at 7' 2", and was not originally an actor, but a design student who was discovered at a bar. Ridley Scott wanted someone unusually tall so as to make the suspension of disbelief more natural, and Badejo fit the bill. Of note,...
The first picture above is obviously from Raiders of the Lost Ark. I love movie magic! What's your favorite movie magic moment?
Ghostbusters
The set photo for this is actually creepier than the actual scene in the movie!
Alien
Meet Bolaji Badejo, the man inside the suit of the original 1979 Alien. According to IMDb's trivia section, he stands at 7' 2", and was not originally an actor, but a design student who was discovered at a bar. Ridley Scott wanted someone unusually tall so as to make the suspension of disbelief more natural, and Badejo fit the bill. Of note,...
- 6/12/2012
- by Venkman
- GeekTyrant
Unless you've been hiding under a rock on Lv-426 for the last eighteen months it can't have escaped your notice that after more than three decades since first introducing the word 'xenomorph' into popular culture, and scaring a good few cinema-goers in the process, director Ridley Scott is returning to the universe of inaudible screaming that he fashioned with Alien (1979). Though not strictly a prequel to his celebrated classic, or so the director would have us believe, the upcoming Prometheus is definitely set in the same universe and, as Scott himself puts it, shares "strands of Alien's DNA, so to speak."
As a massive fan of Scott's original film, I'm genuinely excited about a new Alien movie for the first time in years (having suffered through Alien Resurrection (1997), which even a screenplay by The Cabin In The Woods (2012) co-writer Joss Whedon couldn't save, and the duo of lame Avp...
As a massive fan of Scott's original film, I'm genuinely excited about a new Alien movie for the first time in years (having suffered through Alien Resurrection (1997), which even a screenplay by The Cabin In The Woods (2012) co-writer Joss Whedon couldn't save, and the duo of lame Avp...
- 4/5/2012
- Shadowlocked
by John Constantine
I saw “Star Trek” last weekend, and I liked it. It wasn’t the life-changing, holy-friggin-god-best-movie-evar experience that many of my friends claim it is, but yeah, good movie. Well-written characters, solid action, plenty of Nimoy. There was a problem though. Something was missing in Jj Abrams’ “Trek.” The same thing that’s been frequently absent in sci-fi — hell, in blockbusters — for far too long: awe. As the newbie crew shuttles into space, Leonard McCoy (Karl Urban) gasps at the sight of the just-built U.S.S. Enterprise looming before him. All I could think was, yep, there’s another computer animated spaceship sitting in computer animated space.
It’s a spectacular image, even awe-inspiring in its own way, but it also feels strangely hollow. I find myself continually amazed at how distancing digital effects can be, even as they continue to inch closer and closer to true photo-realism.
I saw “Star Trek” last weekend, and I liked it. It wasn’t the life-changing, holy-friggin-god-best-movie-evar experience that many of my friends claim it is, but yeah, good movie. Well-written characters, solid action, plenty of Nimoy. There was a problem though. Something was missing in Jj Abrams’ “Trek.” The same thing that’s been frequently absent in sci-fi — hell, in blockbusters — for far too long: awe. As the newbie crew shuttles into space, Leonard McCoy (Karl Urban) gasps at the sight of the just-built U.S.S. Enterprise looming before him. All I could think was, yep, there’s another computer animated spaceship sitting in computer animated space.
It’s a spectacular image, even awe-inspiring in its own way, but it also feels strangely hollow. I find myself continually amazed at how distancing digital effects can be, even as they continue to inch closer and closer to true photo-realism.
- 5/28/2009
- by MTV Movies Team
- MTV Movies Blog
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