Aliens (1986)

About Aliens

Aliens is a science fiction action film released in 1986. It's directed by James Cameron and is a sequel to the 1979 film Alien. The film follows Lieutenant Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) who, after surviving her disastrous ordeal, is not believed by her account on Aliens' existence. When communications are lost with a human colony known as Hadley's Hope on the planet where her crew first encountered the hostile Alien, she and a band of tough, hardened marines set out to check it out, and what they discover is unimaginably horrifying.

Making / Production

James Cameron, known for his high-tech equipment and insistence on meticulous detail, directed Aliens. The movie pushed the boundaries of special effects and was one of the first films to use a steadicam. The designing and building of the sets, machines, space crafts, and the life-sized alien queen required innovative techniques at that time.

Actors

• Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley - Weaver did an outstanding job in portraying a strong, independent female warrior who goes up against the aliens
• Michael Biehn as Corporal Dwayne Hicks - Biehn utilized his charm and sharp wit to make Corporal Hicks a memorable character
• Carrie Henn as Newt - Henn's portrayal of a timid orphan girl surviving in the harrowing environment made the stakes feel even higher
• Paul Reiser as Carter Burke - Reiser played the corporate sleaze magnificently, adding a human nemesis to accompany the alien ones

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The Alien "screams" are Baboon shrieks altered in post-production.
• Sigourney Weaver was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Academy Awards, a rarity for a science fiction/action film.
• The full-sized queen puppet was actually too big to fit into the elevator. For some shots, it was simply cut in half.

Awards

Aliens was nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Music, Best Sound, Best Film Editing, and Best Art Direction. It won two, for Best Sound Effects Editing and Best Visual Effects.

Quotes

• "Game over, man, game over!" - Hudson
• "That's it, man. Game over, man. Game over! What are we gonna do now? What are we gonna do?" - Burke
• "I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure." - Ripley

Music, Soundtrack

• The film's score was composed by James Horner, who used a wide variety of musical styles to convey the film's intense and shifting moods.
• Horner's music was performed by the London Symphony Orchestra and included pieces such as "Bishop's Countdown" and "Resolution and Hyperspace."