Ripley, the sole survivor of the Nostromo's deadly encounter with the monstrous Alien, returns to Earth after drifting through space in hypersleep for 57 years. Although her story is initially met with skepticism, she agrees to accompany a team of Colonial Marines back to LV-426.
Acting
Weaver's Oscar-nominated evolution from victim to warrior.
Practical Effects
Those suits weighed 40 pounds. Suffering for cinema.
Direction
Cameron builds tension then unleashes pure carnage.
Director
James Cameron
Sigourney Weaver
Ripley
Carrie Henn
Newt
Michael Biehn
Corporal Hicks
Paul Reiser
Burke
Lance Henriksen
Bishop
Bill Paxton
Private Hudson
William Hope
Lieutenant Gorman
Jenette Goldstein
Private Vasquez
Al Matthews
Sergeant Apone
Mark Rolston
Private Drake
Ricco Ross
Private Frost
Colette Hiller
Corporal Ferro
Daniel Kash
Private Spunkmeyer
Cynthia Dale Scott
Corporal Dietrich
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The alien queen required up to 16 people to operate her various appendages through puppetry and hydraulics.
Cameron turned a horror franchise into an action template that every shooter game still copies. The queen fight invented modern boss battles.
US
