剧情介绍
OutofthefiftiesBScience-Fictionmonstermovies,thiseasilyranksasthebest.ItsmostnotableasthefilmthatALIENisanunaccreditedremakeof,thusgivingitacertainhistoricalsignificance.Theintriguingplotisabouttherescueoftheonlymaroonedsurvivor(Col.Carruthers)ofanill-fatedexpeditiontoMars.Theauthorities,pig-headedasusual,falselyassumethathemurderedhisfellowcrewmembers,sothathedhavemoreprovisionstosurvive;henceheisbeingbroughtbacktoEarthtofacecourt-martialformurder.(Thereisalsoasomewhatinterestingplotreversalhere:MostmoviesofthisnatureusuallybeginwiththeshipleavingEarth,enroutetoitsotherworlddestination,while,inthiscase,thestoryisbelievedfinished,andbeginsasthecharacterstake-offfromtheotherplanet,returningtoEarth).AstherescueshipisleavingMars,alurking,ominousshadowisseeninthelowercompartment.(Afrightening,atmosphericmoment,accomplishedthroughsheereconomyandsimplicity).Carruthersinsistsofhisinnocencetohisfellowcaptors,claimingthathisoriginalcrewmateswereslaughteredbyahostile,unseenpresenceonthedesoluteredplanet,butthree-guessesastotheirreactiontohisunusualplea.Naturally,hecantproveit,and50sspaceauthoritieswerenotveryalienconscienceatthetime.(Asaside-thought,unseenmenacemayremindyouofthathighlyoriginalBLAIRWITCH).Aseveryonesacksout,ahaplesssupportingcharactorwhosenameisatthebottomofthecastinglist(guesswhatwillhappentohim?)hearssomethinginthelowercompartment.Despiteyourfutiledontgodownthere,youjerk!pleas,hedoesjustthat,andisappropriatelykilled(morelikethoroughlyobliterated)bytheshadowyfigurewithinsatiablebloodlustonitsmind.Inthevictimscase,derelictionofdutyandsheercowardlinesswouldhavebeenthewisedecision.Thesceneisactuallywell-directed(forachange)anddevelopsmuchsuspense,astheentirefilmsurprisinglydoes.Thecrewfinallycatchesonthattheyhaveanunwantedshipcrasheronboard,andtryeverypossiblemeansattheirdisposaltoeliminateit,buttheunknowncreatureseemstocoppingananti-deathattitude.Provingtobeanevenmoreclever,worthyadversary,IT!alsohidesoutintheventilationshaftsoftheship(nowthatshouldringabell).Cahnsforcefuldirectiongeneratesconsiderabletensionasthemalevolentstowawayworksitswayupfromoneleveloftheconfinedshiptothenext,eventuallyleavingtheremainingcharacterstrappedatthetop.Themoviessuspenseisbluntandrighttothepoint:IT!hastokillthemorstarve,hencetheyhavetokillIT!ordie.Nothinglikethosenotwowaysaboutitchoices.Rentit,orcheckforitoncableifyouwishtoknowtheoutcome.Foralow-budgetquickie,IT!isquiteimpressiveandmemorable.Thedreadedsenseofclaustrophobictension,renderingthecharactershelplessentrapment,ishighlyeffective.Thisisaproductioninwhichthelimitedbudgetandsmallsetsactuallyworkinfavoroftheplotsscaryambience.Theblackwhitephotography(Yes,itsoneofthose!)helpstoenhanceitsdark,creepymood,andthesenseofapprehensionisquitehigh.(Moderndaycolorfreaksneverseemtotakethatintoconsideration).Theplotisalsosomewhatcynicallyironic:Ifthecreaturehadntstowedawayontheship,Carrutherswouldhavemostlikelybeenfoundguiltyofthechargesagainsthim.Theintelligentscript(seewhatImeanaboutrareity)waspennedbynotedScience-FictionauthorJeromeBixby(rememberTwilightZonesItsaGoodLife)?Thepicturestauteditingeliminatesanyextraneousdross.(ALIENtendedtodraginitsfirsthourwithitssophomoricdialogue,andwhydidithavetoincludethatstupidandultimatelycounter-productivesub-plotofAshbeingarobot,andfurtherdraggingthestorydowntoanotherbigbadconspiracycliche?UNNECESSARY!!!)DirectorCahnastutelykeepstherubber-suitedmonsteroff-screenandintheshadowsthrough-outmostoftheproceedings,keepingyourparanoidimaginationonconstantalert.Unfortunately,perhapsatthestudioscommercialinsistance,itisalittleover-revealedattheclimax,butIhaventclaimedthistobetheperfectmasterpiece.Theperformances,thoughnothingaward-winning,areneverthelesscoolenoughsothatonebecomessincerelyconcernedastotheirfates.Notmanymoviesinrecenttimesevercomeclosetoachievingthat.Theycanbeover-producedfromheretoeternity,andusuallyonlysucceedinbeinggloriouslyannoying.Thisfilmsstoryisnotreallytotallyoriginal(whatis?),foritisbasedonA.E.VanVogtsVOYAGEOFTHESPACEBEAGLE.AllALIENfanaticsshouldtrackdownanoldusedcopytoseewheretheinitialinfluencecamefrom.AslongasyourenotcravinganotherCGIwind-ding,youmayfinditworthwhile.JustdontexpectthewomentobeRipleyprecursors.Thiswasstillthesock-knittingfifties,sadtosay.