The Sci-Fi Blockbuster That Shaped a Generation: Style and Structure in ‘Aliens’

Happy 40th Anniversary to the Queen. The Xenomorph Queen of Aliens, that is. The James Cameron-created alien beehive queen debuted in July of 1986, seven years after Ridley Scott directed the first Alien, created and penned by Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett.

A society fresh off their introduction to a galaxy far, far away where humanoid aliens seemed friendly enough, Shusett and O’Bannon’s view of outer space was far darker. Deep in the ominous void, the skeletal crew of the Nostromo encounter and are subsequently picked off one. by. one. This crew, also unlike that of that other famous sci-fi property was not out to boldly go and explore, but rather to make a buck. 

The number one thing, in this humble scribe’s opinion, that elevates Alien above its sci-fi counterparts is the tone. Set by the screenwriter and heavily supported by the sound design led by Jim Shields and composer Jerry Goldsmith; the sterile, utilitarian sound buffeted by long periods of complete silence and sweeping romantic score by Goldsmith (Star Trek) mingle to create unmatched suspense.

Pacing in the story is intentionally methodical: long shots interspersed with short bursts of action. What could simply be a group of people looking for a cat, becomes a pulse-pounding sequence due to the literal sound of a heartbeat that thrums below consciousness, underscoring the actors’ movements. And what does it lead to? The #1 mistake characters make in a horror flick: splitting up. This was before tropes evolved into themselves and it was still a bad idea, but not laughably so.

There is ambiguity that permeates Alien. Space is unknown still. The alien’s origins are unknown. Ripley, played by Sigourney Weaver in what launched her to leading lady status, isn’t even sure she’s going to make it back to Earth despite surviving hell. And yet — she tries. And she keeps trying: through four films. While a lot of the commentary insists there is a nihilism to the first movie, there is undeniable hope in her actions. Humanity keeps fighting for itself, even when all the odds are stacked against us in the face of greater realities beyond our comprehension.

Then came:

That is a feat rarely achieved by sequels. But Cameron makes some smart story choices that endear us, along with Ripley, to voyage into the unknown alien territory on LV-426 again. He has incorporated the psychological trauma of Ripley’s PTSD to create a stark opening sequence. It is deeply personal so that the audience re-attaches itself to the lead character. From then on, it’s a full-speed ahead action flick that subscribes to the “bigger and better” mentality. 

There is a larger crew, this time of military ilk. Everything, from how the action sequences are written to the special effects and aliens themselves are louder, bigger, and definitely more gory. We move from the psychological terror of Alien to the graphic mutilations in Aliens. Audiences not only evolve, their tastes changing due to external factors, but also require an upping of the ante in some respect.

As if the existence of aliens weren’t enough…

Humanity, questioned through The Company’s motives in Alien, is brought back to the forefront as its representative Carter Burke (an on-point, unassuming Paul Reiser)is the  Weyland-Yutani Corporation’s sleeper agent this time. This opens us up to the idea that synthetics, Bishop (Lance Henriksen) in this case, aren’t the only other enemy (you know, other than the aliens) that we have to look out for; we’ve got enough of our own kind playing the part. 

Whereas in the first film, it was Ash’s (played by Ian Holm’s) dialed-in pursuit of science that was his demise; even though he was the science. Ash was an android, turns out. Which creates an immediate distrust between Ripley and Bishop that plays throughout Aliens, as even the audience is left guessing right until the end if he’ll be the end of Ripley this time.

Themes of motherhood, the protective instincts of nature v nurture and found family, and predator-prey reversal are highly prevalent. So while the audience at large cannot empathize with encountering alien life, these very human ideals are what take hold and carry us through the action-packed journey. Screenwriters take note: This is how you ground your genre pieces to elevate them.

In Alien, the computer is dubbed Mother, while in Aliens, we meet an actual mother: the Alien Queen. This reaches a head in the climax when Ripley rescues Newt (Carrie Henn), only to come face-to-face with the alien queen laying her eggs. Cross-species seem to come to an understanding when Ripley threatens one of the eggs…but the Queen is determined to win and it’s a short-lived truce. 

Ripley’s caretaker personal is prevalent right from the start with her position on the Nostromo crew, and Jonesy the cat, who’s the only other survivor that appears briefly as her tether to sanity in the sequel’s opening. 

The parallels are uncanny; and purposeful. Ripley and crew’s search for the alien in the first film results in the cat scaring them, kicking-off the cat-and-mouse game for survival. The hunt in Aliens could structurally be overlayed onto the first film’s outline, except this time, they find a human child and Ripley is the one to go after her, securing their bond.

The parallels between the films align once again at the end, right down to the stowaway alien. Except for this time, Ripley doesn’t go into stasis alone. She, Newt, and Hicks (Michael Biehn) have all survived; leaving the door open yet again. 

Newt asks Ripley, “Can I dream?” And Ripley smiles. Probably more here than she ever did in the first. Because her dim hope for humanity evident in the first film has paid off, in a way.

Aliens precipitated that particular genre of summer blockbuster hits: Mars Attacks, Independence Day and Men in Black when our worst nightmares become reality. While this blockbuster sci-fi genre has largely tapered off, it is a defining moment, or several moments, in Hollywood’s history as we continue to question what’s out there…and who are worst enemies really are.