The Horse's Head

#455) Rocky (1976)

OR “Every Underdog Has Its Day”

Directed by John G. Avildsen

Written by Sylvester Stallone

Class of 2006

The Plot: Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) is a down-on-his-luck boxer who makes a living roughing up people who owe money to his loan shark boss (Joe Spinell). Heavyweight champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) is looking for a new opponent to fight on New Years’ Day in Philadelphia, and comes up with the marketing ploy of getting an unknown to challenge him. Rocky is selected, and reluctantly agrees, training under the guidance of retired bantamweight Mickey Goldmill (Burgess Meredith). With his shy girlfriend Adrian (Talia Shire) in his corner – and her abusive brother Paulie (Burt Young) definitely not – can Rocky go the distance? Hey, they made 800 more of these, what do you think?

Why It Matters: The NFR calls it a “stirring tale” that “has become part of the American psyche”. The film’s iconic shot of Rocky running up the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps is also highlighted.

But Does It Really?: It may be a tad too by-the-book in terms of underdog movie story beats, but “Rocky” more than makes up for it with its heart and guts. Sylvester Stallone pours himself into this story, and this passion shines through in every aspect of this movie. In the wake of Watergate and the Vietnam War, “Rocky” gave the world something that had been missing from the ’70s movie scene: Hope. And the film’s ongoing references/sequels has kept its legacy alive and well. How it took 15 years for “Rocky” to make the NFR cut is anyone’s guess.

Everybody Gets One: Sylvester Stallone spent almost a full decade as a struggling actor, appearing in bit parts in such ’70s films as “Bananas” and “Klute”. The 1975 match between Muhammad Ali and underdog Chuck Wepner inspired Stallone to write a screenplay, and three days later he had a rough draft of “Rocky”. United Artists was hesitant to let Stallone play Rocky rather than an established star like Robert Redford or James Caan, but they finally agreed to it, with the caveat that the film’s budget be reduced to $1,000,000. Director John G. Avildsen was eager to direct a more upbeat movie as a change of pace from “Joe” and “Save the Tiger”. He admitted to knowing very little about boxing before taking the job.

Wow, That’s Dated: The main one, of course, is the film’s setting amidst the country’s Bicentennial Celebration. Fun Fact: the Bicentennial gave us the “I’m Just a Bill” song from “Schoolhouse Rock!”

Seriously, Oscars?: “Rocky” the movie was as much an underdog as Rocky himself. The unexpected smash hit of 1976, “Rocky” led the Oscar pack with 10 nominations. Facing such heavyweight competition as “Network“, “Taxi Driver“, and “All the President’s Men“, “Rocky” took home Best Picture, Director, and Editing. Sylvester Stallone lost both his acting and writing nominations to the team from “Network”, but did get to present an award with self-proclaimed “real Apollo Creed” Muhammad Ali.

Other notes 

• Although the Ali-Wepner match served as Stallone’s initial inspiration, very little of Rocky is based on Wepner himself. Rocky Balboa was a combination of several boxers, including two real-life Rockys: Marciano and Graziano. Stallone also based Rocky’s story arc on his own struggles becoming a professional actor.
• Say what you will about Stallone, he’s loyal to animals. Rocky’s dog Butkus was Stallone’s real dog, and as of this writing Stallone still owns Rocky’s turtles Cuff & Link!
• The flirting between Rocky and Adrian is adorably awkward. It’s “Marty” meets “Somebody Up There Likes Me”.

• Speaking of, Talia Shire’s Adrian is a full 180 from her work in the “Godfather” films. Like everything else in the movie, Adrian is a subversion of the “boxer’s girlfriend” trope.
• Shoutout to Carl Weathers. Most movie boxing champs are dimwitted, but Apollo Creed is an intelligent businessman and a strategic showman. Throw in a disciplined performance from Weathers, and baby you got a stew going!

• “Who discovered America? An Italian, right?” ….no.
• I always forget that “Rocky” is one of the rare classic Thanksgiving movies. And then later a thoroughly depressing Christmas movie. Thanks, Paulie.

• “Rocky” once again proves my theory that a famous movie quote simply needs to be repeated multiple times. Rocky says “Yo, Adrian” quite a bit, and his easily imitable cadence makes it all the more fun!

• So as soon as Rocky and Adrian hook up, she doesn’t need glasses anymore? I didn’t know it was that easy.
• Oh Burgess Meredith, what a performance. It’s so close to campy, but never quite crosses that line. Plus you get to hear one of the greatest actors of his generation say things like “You’re gonna eat lightning, and you’re gonna crap thunder!” Thank god we dissolved the blacklist.

• This movie did no favors for either the eggs or giant meat slabs industries.
• “Gonna Fly Now” is the training montage that all other training montages aspire to be. And the song itself wins the “Shaft” award for least amount of lyrics while still technically being a non-instrumental (it has two lyricists!) My one question: did Apollo do any training for this match?  We never see him outside of a business suit until the finale.

• Surprise Guest Star Smokin’ Joe Frazier! The producers sent out invites to several notable boxers to make cameos in the final scene, but only Frazier showed up. It ended up working out, as Frazier was based in Philadelphia, adding some authenticity to the proceedings.
• Apollo Creed is introduced as “The Master of Disaster”. I thought that was Irwin Allen?
• The final match is quite an exciting viewing experience. It helps that there has been very little actual boxing up until this point, and that both contenders are actually skilled (and do their own stunts). Like many movies of the era, “Rocky” takes its time getting started, but the third act is one exhilarating pay-off.

• “Ain’t gonna be no rematch. .Well…at least for three years.”

Legacy 

• “Rocky”, of course, catapulted its star to A-list Hollywood, where Stallone has spent the last four decades latching on to any franchise that will have him. He’s still making “Rambo” movies for God’s sake!

• John G. Avildsen’s career also took off after his Oscar win, and he would go on to helm another iconic inspirational sports film: “The Karate Kid”.

• As for “Rocky” himself, the film got a sequel in 1979. …And then another in 1982. …And 1985. And 1990…. Oh, and 2006, I always forget about that one.

• Ryan Coogler’s 2015 film “Creed” casts Michael B. Jordan as Apollo Creed’s illegitimate never mentioned son, now being trained by a semi-retired Rocky. It went over well with critics and audiences, and even got Stallone another Oscar nod.

• “Rocky the Musical” played Broadway in 2014, but even the reliable songwriting team of Ahrens & Flaherty couldn’t save this one. On the plus side, the musical lifted “Eye of the Tiger” from the third movie.

• And of course, tourists and movie-lovers have been running up the steps to the entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art in triumph since 1976. Hopefully they take the time to go inside too; they’ve got Picassos!

#454) House of Usher (1960)

OR “Corn on Macabre”

Directed by Roger Corman

Written by Richard Matheson. Based on the short story by Edgar Allan Poe.

Class of 2005

The Plot: Poe’s classic story gets the Roger Corman treatment in “House of Usher”. Philip Winthrop (Mark Damon) arrives at the dilapidated mansion of Roderick Usher (Vincent Price), the brother of his fiancée Madeline (Myrna Fahey). Roderick keeps his sister away from Philip, telling him of the curse of madness upon the Usher family, as well as their house. When Madeline supposedly dies shortly after an argument with Roderick, the mysteries of the house come to the forefront.

Why It Matters: The NFR write-up is a tribute to Roger Corman and his penchant for finding fresh talent. The write-up also highlights the Corman/Poe film series, calling them “elegant” and setting “a new standard for screen horror.”

But Does It Really?: I am all for Roger Corman being on this list. Despite his movies being remembered mostly for their cheap production value, Corman is a true original, and one of the few independent film producers to be successful amidst the Hollywood studio system. I suppose a selection from Corman’s Poe film series is a natural choice for the NFR, but I’m always a fan of putting more low-budget cult films on this list, and Corman gives you plenty of options (“The Little Shop of Horrors” comes to mind). That being said, no argument here for “House of Usher”/Roger Corman making the NFR.

Everybody Gets One: Roger Corman earned an engineering degree at Stanford University, but quit his job at U.S. Electrical Motors after four days. Following his younger brother Gene (agent to such stars as Joan Crawford and Harry Belafonte), Roger went into filmmaking. Using his money from selling his screenplay “Highway Dragnet”, Corman founded his own production company and struck a deal with the American Releasing Company, later called American International Pictures. Classic Corman/AIP collaborations include “It Conquered the World”, “The Undead”, and “The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent”. Many of these films were shot in a matter of days using sets and props recycled from previous movies.

Title Track: We have a title dispute! As with many Corman pictures, “House of Usher” was released under two different titles. The print I watched carried the full name “The Fall of the House of Usher”, but literally everything else I’ve read about the film carries the shorter title.

Seriously, Oscars?: This will shock you, but the Oscars never embraced the low-budget world of Roger Corman. As for the man himself, see “Legacy” below.

Other notes 

• Despite his good working relationship with American International, Corman grew tired of making cheap movies. When approached by AIP to make two black-and-white horror films for $100,000 each on a ten day schedule, Corman countered with one color film for $200,000 on a fifteen day schedule. AIP agreed, and Corman settled on Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” as it was in public domain, and therefore free to adapt.
• Even with his newly expanded budget, Corman cut costs where he could. The barren forest Winthrop rides through at the beginning of the movie is a real location in Hollywood Hills that had just been destroyed by a fire. Corman heard about the fire on the radio, and got his crew over there the next day.
• I was incredibly wary of a feature length adaptation of “House of Usher”, especially after watching the visually stunning silent film version that’s also on the Registry. For the most part, this “Usher” does alright, with most of the padding being an extension of the film’s foreboding atmosphere, as opposed to extra characters or subplots. The addition of Winthrop and Madeline being engaged is inevitable, but not farfetched or distracting.
• There is a 22 year age gap between on-screen siblings Vincent Price and Myrna Fahey. Not impossible, but were there any siblings between them? Are they cursed too?
• What does evil do to a house’s property value? Regardless, this manor is definitely what you would call a “fixer-upper” (a fixer-usher?). And the constant trembling in the house may just be from their next door neighbor Admiral Boom.
• Yes, it’s a bit morbid to have your own casket ready to go in the family crypt, but do you have any idea how expensive those are? If there’s a deal, take it.
• Vincent Price is another one of those actors who I could listen to recite anything. You can hear every consonant so clearly from Price.

• I hate to say it, but the two younger leads aren’t that great. Myrna Fahey’s film career never took off, but she had a successful run on episodic TV throughout the ’60s. And Mark Damon pivoted to producing, most notably 2003’s “Monster” with Charlize Theron.
• A dream sequence? Here’s your padding in full force.

• Hmmm…a character in a Poe story haunted by the movement of a presumed dead person: where have I seen this before?
• The film ends with another bit of Corman cost-cutting. When Corman learned of a barn in Orange County set to be demolished, he struck a deal with the owners to have it burned, and for Corman to film it. The footage was used for this film’s finale, as well as in several subsequent Corman projects.

Legacy 

• “House of Usher” was a hit, and Corman made seven more films for AIP based on Edgar Allan Poe stories. Highlights include “The Raven” and “The Masque of the Red Death”. “Usher” was the first collaboration between Corman and Vincent Price, who would go on to star in seven of the eight Poe films.

• Roger Corman continued to direct and produce over 400 movies in the past 60 years. Among the young up-and-coming filmmakers Corman help get started in show business are Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard, Jonathan Demme, and Francis Ford Coppola, many of whom cast Corman in bit parts in their later big-budget movies as a thank you. In 2009, Roger Corman received an honorary Oscar “for his rich engendering of film and filmmakers”.

#453) Pups Is Pups (1930)

OR “Rascals Flat”

Directed by Robert McGowan

Written by H.M. Walker

Class of 2004

The Plot: “Pups Is Pups” is one of Hal Roach’s original “Our Gang” shorts (aka “The Little Rascals”). This two-reeler is about the gang getting into some mischief when they bring their menagerie of pets to a high society dog show. They’re all here: Jackie, Chubby, Farina, Wheezer…wait, who the hell are these kids? This isn’t my gang at all! None of this is o-tay by me!

Why It Matters: The NFR calls the film “one neat, entertaining package”, and an essay by Hal Roach expert Randy Skretvedt pleads a strong case for the film’s NFR status.

But Does It Really?: An “Our Gang” short should absolutely be on the National Film Registry, but this one? While “Pups Is Pups” overall is harmless fun, it has none of the child actors most commonly associated with “Our Gang”. Where’s Alfalfa or Spanky or Buckwheat? These characters would star in the series’ later shorts (c. 1936-1939), so the inclusion of an earlier short with a cast unknown to a casual viewer and with no obvious significance to the series is a bit perplexing. “Our Gang” is worthy of preservation, but the choice of “Pups Is Pups” is a missed opportunity.

Everybody Gets One: Director Robert McGowan was a firefighter in his native Denver before moving to Los Angeles and taking a job as a director at Hal Roach’s newly opened studios. McGowan helmed a majority of the “Our Gang” shorts for the series’ first 11 years. Nicknamed “Uncle Bob” by the cast, McGowan worked well with the children, encouraging them to improvise for more natural performances.

Wow, That’s Dated: On the one hand, the “Our Gang” shorts were surprisingly progressive in their casting of racially diverse children, with no attention being brought to these children playing together. On the other hand, cast-members Allen Hoskins and Allen Tong are portraying, respectfully, the African-American and Asian-American stereotypes of the day.

Seriously, Oscars?: No Oscar love for “Pups is Pups”, but the 1936 short “Bored of Education” would win the series its only Oscar for Short Subjects (One-Reel).

Other notes 

• The story goes that Hal Roach first conceived the “Our Gang” series after watching a group of kids playing across the street from the studio. After realizing he had been watching them for 15 minutes, he theorized that natural, unpolished kids would make a good series of shorts. The series, originally called “Hal Roach’s Rascals”, premiered in 1922 with the short “Our Gang”. Theater exhibitors started calling the shorts “the Our Gangs”, leading to the change in name (for the films’ more famous name change, see “Legacy” below).
• “Pups Is Pups” was the 100th “Our Gang” short, and the 12th since the series transitioned from silent to sound.
• The most well known of this group of child actors is Jackie Cooper, one of the series’ leads from 1929 to 1931. Shortly before leaving “Our Gang”, Cooper starred in the film “Skippy“, and at nine years old is still the youngest actor to receive a Best Actor Oscar nomination. As an adult, Jackie Cooper was a successful television director with the occasional acting gig, most memorably as Perry White in the Christopher Reeve “Superman” movies.
• One of the puppies in this short is the gang’s iconic Pete the Pup. The Pete in this short is the son of the original dog, who died prior to this short’s production. While the first Pete had a large circle drawn around his right eye, his son had the same design over his left eye.
• “Pups Is Pups” has joined the shortlist of NFR entries in which one of my notes simply reads “What is happening?” Obviously I shouldn’t be overanalyzing a comedy short with a bunch of kids, but I was thrown by the lack of recognizable “Little Rascals” hallmarks.

Legacy 

• Hal Roach continued with “Our Gang” until 1938 when he sold the series to its distributor MGM. After the series ended in 1944, MGM sold the original shorts back to Roach, but retained the “Our Gang” name. Roach packaged the shorts for television under their new name – “The Little Rascals” – and a new generation discovered “Our Gang”.

• There have been many attempts at “Little Rascals” revivals over the years, including an animated series in the ’80s! But the most memorable (at least to my generation) is the 1994 big-screen adaptation. Directed by Penelope Spheeris, the film included cameos from the likes of Mel Brooks, Whoopi Goldberg and…Donald Trump? Talk about the decline of western civilization.

• In anticipation of the 1994 film version, several “Our Gang” shorts were released on video with special introductions by Leonard Maltin. A decade later, Maltin, now a member of the National Film Preservation Board, successfully lobbied to get an “Our Gang” short on the Registry.
• And now a moment of silence for the “Little Rascals” parody clips I couldn’t shoehorn into the main body of this post. From Eddie Murphy’s Buckwheat impression to Spanky and Our Gang to Moe Szyslak killing the original Alfalfa.

#452) Tarzan and His Mate (1934)

OR “Tumble in the Jungle”

Directed by Cedric Gibbons (and Jack Conway & James C. McKay. More on this later)

Written by James Kevin McGuinness. Based on characters created by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

Class of 2003

Thanks, Katrina!

The Plot: Johnny Weissmuller is Tarzan, the famous literary hero raised by apes in the jungles of Africa. Two years earlier in a previous film, this Tarzan met the civilized Jane (Maureen O’Sullivan), who opted to stay behind and live with Tarzan and his chimpanzee sidekick Cheeta (Himself). Now, Harry Holt (Neil Hamilton), the former business partner of Jane’s father, has returned with Martin Arlington (Paul Cavanagh) on a mission to steal ivory from an elephant graveyard. This plot is held up by plenty of action, lots of animals, a bit of surprisingly risqué chemistry between the two leads, and an embarrassingly large amount of cultural appropriation.

Why It Matters: The NFR gives the film its due as “generally considered the finest in the [Tarzan] series”, and mentions its “rather steamy” production issues.

But Does It Really?: An MGM Tarzan movie should be on this list, and “Tarzan and His Mate” checks off all the boxes. Its depiction of African tribes is downright offensive, and adding a sequel to this list over its predecessor leads to some “Son of the Sheik” style confusion, but overall this Tarzan is a perfect representation of the overall series. No argument for its NFR inclusion, just plenty of concerns over its increasingly problematic elements.

Everybody Gets One: When nine-year-old János Weissmüller contracted polio, his doctor recommended he take up swimming for his health. As an adult, the renamed Johnny Weissmuller competed in the 1924 and 1928 Olympics, earning five gold medals for swimming and breaking several world records along the way. By the early 1930s, Weissmuller was modeling for BVD swimwear and taking acting gigs, leading to a seven-year contract with MGM. The surprise success of 1932’s “Tarzan the Ape Man” catapulted Weissmuller to stardom, and he played Tarzan for 16 more years.

Wow, That’s Dated: Despite being predominantly colonized by European nations in 1934, Africa was (and is) several distinct nations with diverse people and cultures. But Hollywood wasn’t ready for that, opting to depict the continent as one big undeveloped country. With its generic, offensive stereotyping of native tribes, it’s movies like “Tarzan” that set the Civil Rights movement back for decades.

Seriously, Oscars?: None of the 12 Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan films received any kind of Oscar attention. Fun Fact: This movie’s director Cedric Gibbons designed the original Oscar statuette, and would go on to win his own creation 11 times!

Other notes 

• It’s odd to think that the character of Tarzan hasn’t been around all that long. The first Tarzan story appeared in pulp magazine “The All-Story” in 1912, with the novel “Tarzan of the Apes” published in 1914. The first film came four years later with silent film star Elmo Lincoln in the title role. Tarzan was only 20 years old when MGM started making their films, and author Edgar Rice Burroughs lived to witness the entire Weissmuller era!
• After the success of 1932’s “Tarzan the Ape Man”, sequel talks between MGM and Burroughs began immediately. Weissmuller and O’Sullivan reprised their roles, and director W. S. Van Dyke was set to return as well, co-directing with legendary production designer Cedric Gibbons. Van Dyke was re-assigned, leaving Gibbons to direct solo. Unhappy with Gibbons running behind schedule and over budget, MGM replaced him with Jack Conway and James C. McKay, with most of the film recast and reshot. Despite over 1000 film credits, “Tarzan and His Mate” is Cedric Gibbons’ sole directorial effort.
• Despite all the backstage hassles, the film overall is not only cohesive, but treats the subject matter with total seriousness. There are a few light moments, but the film is grounded in the reality of living in the jungle and the dangers inherent.
• Wow, this movie must have raided every zoo in Los Angeles County. Elephants, chimpanzees, zebras, a rhino; that must have been a logistical nightmare, to say nothing of the smell.
• I enjoyed Maureen O’Sullivan’s lively, playful performance, but I just don’t see why a sophisticated woman like Jane would live in a jungle with a primate like Tarzan. But then again, this is what most women feel like they do when dating men anyway.
• And now the reason we’re all here: Produced just as the Hays Code was being implemented, “Tarzan and His Mate” features a nude swimming scene between Tarzan and Jane (although Maureen O’Sullivan is using a body double). It’s excessive but never tasteless, and caused the boys at the Production Code to throw a fit. The Code demanded that the censored version with a fully clothed Jane be implemented during its theatrical run, and the original version disappeared for over 60 years.

• I love that Jane has her own version of the Tarzan yell that is essentially the Bat-Signal.
• Speaking of, Neil Hamilton would go on to play Commissioner Gordon in the 1960s “Batman” TV series.
• Seriously though, why would Jane choose this life for herself? Her love for Tarzan cannot be enough to justify almost being attacked by animals every five minutes.
• Despite its obvious flaws (and alarming mistreatment of animals), the film does advocate for animal rights and anti-poaching. Now if only this film practiced what it preached, or at least cared about the native African characters as much…
• The climactic animal attack goes on forever, but is an impressive feat of stunt work, editing, and special effects. Kudos to everyone involved.
• There’s one male lion in this movie, and I have to assume it’s Leo. He earned his paycheck that week.

Legacy 

• “Tarzan and His Mate” was the second of six Weismuller/O’Sullivan Tarzan films for MGM. In 1943, the series and Weismuller headed over to RKO for six more outings (O’Sullivan had left the series to raise her family). The series got a little more farfetched with each entry, the final one being 1948’s “Tarzan and the Mermaids”.

• Many filmmakers have taken a crack at the Tarzan legend over the years. Robert Towne’s more faithful adaptation earned his dog an Oscar nomination (long story), but as per usual, it’s the Disney version that most people are familiar with.

• Interestingly enough, the Weissmuller Tarzan films helped perpetuate Tarzan as a primitive, monosyllabic simian, a far cry from the more articulate, sophisticated man of the original Burroughs novels. And while we’re at it, at no point does Weissmuller ever say “Me Tarzan. You Jane“.
• MGM’s “Tarzan” series is the second movie I’ve covered this week that was represented on The Great Movie Ride at Disney World. Dear God do I miss that ride.

• And of course, Weissmuller’s Tarzan yell (allegedly a spliced-together recording of a soprano, an alto, and a hog caller) is the cultural shorthand for Tarzan, and is often emulated in both parodies and straightforward adaptations.

Further Listening: Not really connected to anything, but I’ve had The Kinks’ “Apeman” stuck in my head during this post’s writing process. It’s a good song, but someone please help.

#451) Alien (1979)

OR “Baby on Board”

Directed by Ridley Scott

Written by Dan O’Bannon (with uncredited rewrites from David Giler and Walter Hill). Story by O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett.

Class of 2002

The Plot: Somewhere in the future, the spaceship Nostromo is returning to Earth after extracting ore from a distant planet. The crew (Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm, Yaphet Kotto) receive a transmission from a nearby moon, and they land to investigate. The moon contains several eggs, one of which hatches and attacks Kane (Hurt). The alien makes its way onto the ship, where it starts murdering the crew one by one. And in the midst of this haunted house in space is the kernels of one of Hollywood’s longest running film franchises.

Why It Matters: The NFR’s writeup for “Alien” is more a critique than a synopsis. Praise is given to Scott, art designer H.R. Giger, the cast, cinematographer Derek Vanlint and composer Jerry Goldsmith, though does point out that the film as a whole is “not particularly original”. Ouch.

But Does It Really?: Oh of course. The film’s first act is incredibly slow by today’s standards, but it ramps up to an intense subversion of what science fiction films can be. Ridley Scott confidently creates the world and populates it with impressive practical effects and great actors, with Sigourney Weaver giving a breakout performance at the center. There’s no way the National Film Registry could ignore a movie as iconic, as memorable, or as perennially exciting as “Alien”.

Shout Outs: Dan O’Bannon has cited “The Thing From Another World” and “Forbidden Planet” (among others) as influences, with Ridley Scott adding “Star Wars” and “2001” as his inspiration. And of course, the film was infamously pitched as “Jaws in Space”.

Everybody Gets One: Of the main cast, this is the only NFR appearance for British mainstays John Hurt and Ian Holm, though with the latter I can’t imagine that will remain the case for much longer. And special mention to Bolaji Bedajo, the 6’10” Nigerian artist who was hired to wear the Alien costume, his unique frame helping to camouflage the “man in a suit” approach.

Wow, That’s Dated: The only major giveaway is the ship’s technology, which is  a combo of early computers and early VCRs. This was, however, intentional to suggest that the Nostromo is an older ship.

Seriously, Oscars?: One of the biggest hits of the year, “Alien” received two Oscar nominations. The film lost Art Direction to “All That Jazz“, but did win for its Visual Effects. Not only was Ridley Scott not nominated for Best Director, but 40 years and four nominations later he is still Oscar-less. Seriously, Oscars?

Other notes

• You can find minute detail on every aspect of “Alien” online, but we’ll keep things simple here. After making the low-budget sci-fi film “Dark Star“, Dan O’Bannon dreamed of a large-budget alien movie with a scarier, more convincing alien. Collaborating with Ron Shusett, O’Bannon completed the first version of “Alien” and pitched it to several studios. The film was almost made by Roger Corman before being optioned by Brandywine, a company with connections to 20th Century Fox. The screenplay received a massive re-write from new producers David Giler and Walter Hill, though O’Bannon received sole credit in the final film. Director Ridley Scott came on board thanks to his debut film “The Duellists“, and his extensive storyboarding convinced Fox to double the film’s budget.
• Major kudos to the screenwriters, who purposefully wrote the characters as gender neutral. Ripley was originally written as a male, but thanks to some open-minded casting and a committed performance from Sigourney Weaver, you can’t imagine anyone else in the role.
• Even in the future, there are strict quarantine procedures. “If we break quarantine, we all die!” What did we do wrong?

• The most impressive thing about “Alien” is how little actually happens in the first half of the movie. It’s all set-up, but it has a lovely tension that never draws attention to itself, but continues to build throughout. The first major death doesn’t happen until an hour into the movie, and boy is it worth the wait.

• Spoilers: This is apparently one of 43 films John Hurt made in which his character is killed on-screen. What a legacy.
• The film’s other impressive masterstroke: never revealing the full alien in one shot. You only get them in snippets; a close-up here, a cutaway there. In addition, the whole film does an excellent job of giving the ship an escalating sense of claustrophobia and darkness, providing the alien plenty of plausible hiding spots. And of course, shoutout to H.R. Giger and his team for their impressive, and very Freudian, alien design.

• Poor Veronica Cartwright; first “The Birds“, now this. Meanwhile, her sister is one of the Von Trapp children…
• For me the most interesting thing about the movie is how Ripley emerges as the hero. She starts out as another crew member with some animosity towards her co-workers, but at no point does the movie announce that she will be the protagonist. Ripley rises to the occasion, and becomes the strong yet realistically flawed female lead that all female protagonists strive to be.

• Another subversion that will relieve most filmgoers: the cat survives. You’re the real hero, Jones!

Legacy

• “Alien” was a hit, though the sequels were held up by a lawsuit after Fox claimed that the film didn’t make a profit. “Aliens” arrived in 1986 with a new director (James Cameron), and enough iconic moments and imagery for me to occasionally nominate it for NFR consideration.

• Since “Aliens”, there have been two direct sequels (“Alien 3” & “Alien: Resurrection”), two prequels that allowed Ridley Scott to revive abandoned concepts from the first movie, and two films in which Alien gets into a custody battle with Predator over their eight-year-old son (at least I think that’s what “Alien vs. Predator” is about…)

• Every Ridley Scott movies is required to have multiple cuts for fans to fight over, and “Alien” received one in 2003. While the “Director’s Cut” features some reinstated footage, Scott also used the opportunity to streamline the whole film,  making its runtime shorter than the original cut! Scott later admitted that the “Director’s Cut” was a marketing ploy, and that his initial cut is “perfect”.

• “Alien” has been prone to so many parodies over the years. Bonus points are always given if you can get an original cast member to participate, so John Hurt’s cameo in “Spaceballs” takes the prize.

• Also worth mentioning are the times Sigourney Weaver has voiced a ship computer with ulterior motives. See “WALL-E” and “Futurama”.

• This is typically where I make a joke about a Fox movie now being a Disney movie and suggesting an inappropriate theme park tie-in, but Disney has beat me to it. Disney actually bought the theme park rights to “Alien” in the early ‘80s with the hope of basing a thrill ride on the film. The idea never came to be, but “Alien” did make an appearance in The Great Movie Ride.

• And last, but far from least: Shoutout to Barbara Gips (wife of the film’s poster designer Philip Gips) for coining the film’s tagline, “In space no one can hear you scream.”