Aliens, why does it strike such a chorde?

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Permalink Reply by Meh. on November 8, 2008 at 2:44pm

mhmm...

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Permalink Reply by Rhea on November 8, 2008 at 2:58pm

I saw "Alien" when it was originally released in 1979, and it was the most frightening movie I had seen to that point. I was used to monsters that had some rapport with human beings, a human attachment, like vampires or zombies or werewolves or Frankenstein that had once been human. There was some predictability to them. And there were ghosts, demons, and creatures of magic that could be banished by exorcism or more powerful white magic. Other horrors I had seen were animals like sharks or rabid dogs that could be defeated with the right weapon. And all previous aliens I had seen in films were just like our earthly enemies, but with slightly better technology. They may have thought we were inferior, but at least they recognized that we were sentient beings.

But the Alien: that was an entirely different creature to me. Human beings were like plant material to the alien: merely food, or incubation material. That was a new level of horrific for me.

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Permalink Reply by Samuel on November 8, 2008 at 3:23pm

Exactly.

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Permalink Reply by K6 on November 8, 2008 at 3:40pm

You're looking too into it.
How do we even know that aliens look like that? Or that they are hostile?
The producers were looking for a scary movie and thats what they got.

And, who knows may be the creature would be less scary if it hadn't gone around mutilating people through the chest. The most ugliest of beasts, would be less ugly with familiarity and reciprocated kindness. Look at horses for example, what makes them so beautiful?

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Permalink Reply by Samuel on November 8, 2008 at 3:56pm

To some the majestic way they run about on a field of green grass, to others there heart, always able to press on, like an unstoppable force almost.

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Permalink Reply by K6 on November 8, 2008 at 4:30pm

It was a rhetorical question.

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Permalink Reply by Samuel on November 8, 2008 at 4:41pm

Hard to tell through text, sorry.

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Permalink Reply by MDS on November 8, 2008 at 5:05pm

The Alien franchise has a few things going for it that terrorizes you.

First: Appearance. While generally different, there's enough similarities to humanoid build. 2 Arms, 2 Legs, Torso and a Head. Most people get spooked by something that 'looks' human, but isn't. (Human's natural tendency to 'see' faces and familiar objects into something that isn't natural)

Second: Those differences. Mouth inside mouth, Tail, Claws, Sloped/domed head (Basically Eyeless) features tapes into a fear of animals and 'demons'. (Fear of the 'unknown' or 'demons')

Third: The behavior of the Alien itself. The way it stalks, the ability to stealthily hide. The fact that it's capable of super speed/strength from time to time. (Sort of like the "Fear of spiders")

Fourth: The fact that the blood is actually acid. Meaning that even the concept of Fighting the Alien means you've got to be careful just to avoid the blood. (An additional fear added in. "Fear of Blood" is now turned deadly.)

Fifth: The fact that it has a "Hive" mentality. (Which taps into people's fears of "Bugs")

Sixth: When you are captured and used as an incubator for the Alien embryo, creates a fear of inevitable dread knowing that you'll be killed once you have matured an embryo to hatch. ( Taps into fear of survival, and other things. Also a correlation to pregnancy. No one actually associates giving 'birth' to death and it's a serious taboo for doing so.)

Seventh: The fact that even when placed in a combat situation, they are relentless so you can't sleep and recover strength or alertness. They are constantly willing to sacrifice a few to kill you and your group. They are capable of fitting into any space a human is, so no place is completely safe. And they are organized. (A very DEADLY foe in general)

There's a LOT of reasons the Alien (Xenomorph) is so frightening. A lot of it is based on animal/demon looks, but the characteristics and seen behavior all taps into subconscious fears relating to different major fears that run throughout humanity itself.

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Permalink Reply by K6 on November 8, 2008 at 7:45pm

Are you afraid of Tomatoes?

Watch "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" and you will be.

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