“Jaws in Space.” The perfect three words to describe 1979’s unique Alien. If you look at it closely, Alien is very similar to Jaws. An abnormal giant creature is terrorizing a bunch of innocent humans, and even the introduction to each monster is eerily similar. I really dig the influences that Jaws made on Alien. I liked how they hid the alien until the end, where we finally get to see him in all his grotesque glory. The 1970’s was a hard time for sci-fi. Not many science fiction movies were made in the midst of American exploitation films, but luckily Star Wars and Close Encounters changed everything. Because of the success of those films, one of the best sci-fi/horror classics of the twentieth century was able to get produced. I am not much of a horror guy but if you are able to add a science-fiction element to the horror and actually make it good, well you can count me in. I enjoyed nearly everything about this film from start to finish.

One of the film’s best strengths is its pacing. It moves purposely at a slow pace. People would expect the movie to be about the alien from the start, but the alien does not begin its reign of terror until the movie has been running for a good amount of time. But we are treated to wonderful characterizations (conversations on money shares), the silence of space, and the anticipation of what will happen next. But from the start, it’s worth investing your time into the characters of the ship, The Nostromo. Another strength is the production design thanks in part to designer H.R Geiger. The Nostromo has a wonderful design to it and you can tell the influences from Star Wars. But what about the creature himself? My goodness, they are scary-looking creatures. From the harmless looking chest-burster to the killing machine that is called the Alien, they are visually disgusting creatures (in a good way). In today’s day and age of movies, the visual effects still hold up very well. The effects actually won an Oscar.

The Nostromo is a commercial deep-space vessel on its way home when it picks up an SOS signal from a distant planet. The SOS signal awakens the crew from their deep hypersleep way earlier than anticipated, The seven-man crew is led by Dallas (Tom Skerritt) and the rest of the crew consists of Ripley (Signourey Weaver), Lambert (Veronica Cartwright), Brett (Harry Dean Stanton), Kane (John Hurt), Ash (Ian Holm), and Parker (Yaphet Kotto). Once they get to the signal, they realize that this was not an SOS signal at all. It was a signal of danger now that a very dangerous lifeform is a stowaway on their ship. Will they be able to destroy the alien before they get destroyed themselves?

Another reason why the movie works so well is the presence of a strong female lead character. So we have ourselves a 70’s rarity: a female-driven science-fiction movie. Signourey Weaver’s Ripley plays out like a character straight out of a 1950’s movie and I love it. Ripley is a hero worth remembering in future movies. Weaver is the most important character of the movie, but let’s not forget about the rest of the cast. I find the ages of everybody interesting. A typical horror or thriller movie has most of their characters between 20-30. Outside of Weaver and Cartwright, everyone is 35 or older. I liked that because they added experience to their characters thus making us care more about their fates. Ian Holm was the oldest cast member at 46, and is the second most important character. His character is actually an android and his profession is a science officer. So you might have the feeling he will play a pivotal role with the alien (and the humans) fates. I must give a shout-out to John Hurt for taking it so well the fate of his character, Kane. Kane happened to be the lucky fellow involved in the horrifying chest-bursting sequence. I’ve seen this movie several times and the shock value of this scene still remains at a high point.

This movie was directed by Ridley Scott, whom would go on to have an impressive career in Hollywood. But this movie is where he was mostly introduced to the film world. He did one hell of a job directing the movie. This movie could have easily been a movie with cheap scares, but he grounded the movie. He made it much more than just the alien. In a way, you can count this as another similarity to Jaws. That shark movie began the mighty career of Steven Spielberg…..just like this film did with Ridley Scott.

Overall, I really enjoyed Alien so much. This movie spawned many sequels and spin-offs, but none of them impacted me like this movie did although 1986’s Aliens is also a classic. The movie is scary and thrilling, but Ridley Scott’s powerful directing and Signourey Weaver’s acting prowess did much to elevate the movie. Then there was the impressive visuals, the good use of sound (a smooth mixture of silence and Jerry Goldsmith’s score), the good script by Dan O’Bannon. This is really an unforgettable classic and its up there with Jaws (yep, I mentioned it again) as my favorite horror movies from the 1970s’. If these kind of films have a good story, then you bet I’ll like them.

My Grade: A

I have never been a fan of horror movies or remakes because they are usually not good. But when done right, they can be special movies. Invasion of the Body Snatchers happens to be both a remake and a horror movie, so I  had my doubts. Luckily, this is a really good movie. This film is based off the 1956 film of the same name, and I hear it is a good movie. So when a remake at least equals the quality of the original, then that means you did something right. Most people seem to agree that this movie equals the same horror tone as the original, but it passes it in terms of conception. There are many themes this movie expanded on. Such themes include paranoia, the idea of dehumanization whether it’s mentally or quite literally in the case of this movie. You could also talk about the idea of the lack of trust of people in an increasing complicated world. The original had roots in communism as the 1950’s were known for paranoia as the Cold War escalated. You could easily see the transfer of those ideas in this film. Paranoia is rampant as these invisible alien creatures take over human bodies and minds. These ideas really created the tension and horror that the movie needed.

This science-fiction remake is sent in the city of San Francisco, California. One day, Elizabeth Driscoll (Brooke Adams) complains to her good friend Matthew Bennell (Donald Sutherland) that her husband has been acting very strange. Bennell originally dismisses the thought as marital problems. But when more people start complaining, he becomes increasingly concerned. When writer Jack Bellicec (Jeff Goldblum) and his wife Nancy (Veronica Cartwright) uncover a mutated corpse, Bennell realizes that the world has been taken over by an unseen force. Now it’s up to him to beat the clock before the whole city turns into mutants.

The film does have a good cast, and they all turned in solid performances. Donald Sutherland is a great actor, and he showed himself some range here. Brooke Adams made a name for herself earlier in 1978 with Days of Heaven, and she turns in another good performance. Jeff Goldblum is an amazing actor as you will see in future movies, but he is really good in one of his earlier roles in this film. One of the best performances in the film comes from the amazing Leonard Nimoy. You might know him from his iconic role as Spock in the original Star Trek television series. He is usually typecast as similar characters in his movies, but this role as Dr. David Kibner gives him something fresh, something different. He plays more of a villainous character, and it’s a welcome sight.

The production design adds to the horror elements. The look of the movie is creepy and sometimes downright scary. The pods where humans are transformed are wonderfully scary. When the movie shows how these humans are transformed is the ultimate prize when it comes to being scared. Any fan of horror would appreciate this.

Overall, I really enjoyed the 1978 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers much to my surprise and delight. It succeeds in giving me the creeps, but in such intelligent ways. It’s a thematic film touching on concepts of paranoia-which was a very popular concept considering what was going on in the world at the time. So remember if you see any pods nearby, well lets hope it is not an invisible alien making you its next prey. After all, I became a little paranoid for a few days after I saw the movie.

My Grade: B+

Richard Donner’s Superman: The Movie is one of the first major superhero movies to be a major success. The movie was released at a time where they hardly ever came out and if there were any superhero movies, they mostly sucked. Well, this 1978 feature began to change how these type of movies would be made, but it would be many years yet before a consistent track record could be made. Firstly, I enjoyed this movie very much. In introducing people this character, I always tell them to watch this film first. It really captures the essence of who Superman is. The movie has a fair amount of action, but I like how the film is built upon characterization. We learn of the different world where Superman is from, why he is sent to Earth, his childhood where he learns he is not normal, and the meaning of his existence. Director Richard Donner and screenwriters Mario Puzo and David Newman were able to successfully incorporate these themes into the movie and it really created something special. Now the DC comics featuring Superman were huge in the 40’s and 50’s, so it was a good moment when Superman got the proper treatment he deserved.

Jor-El (Marlon Brando) fails to convince the people of his world that their planet, Krypton is about to be destroyed. He resorts to his last measure in order to save his species-by sending his son, Kal-El (Christopher Reeve) to Earth. Being raised on Earth, Kal-El or known by his Earth name, Clark Kent will grow powerful skills where he will use them in the name of truth and justice. Clark Kent is raised on a farm by his elderly Earth parents (Glenn Ford and Phyllis Thaxter). When he becomes an adult, Kent becomes a bumbling, awkward newspaper reporter at the Daily Planet located in Metropolis. He also creates an alter ego which is called Superman, whose feats impresses the denizens of Metropolis. Superman/Clark Kent also finds himself a newspaper reporter to fall in love with-the hotheaded Lois Lane (Margot Kidder). Meanwhile, “the world’s greatest criminal” Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) and his henchman Otis (Ned Beatty) are up to no good as they plan the greatest real estate swindle of all-time. Can Superman save the day or is Lex Luthor really the world’s greatest criminal?

Part of what makes this film so good is the cast. Christopher Reeve is the quintessential Superman. No one can capture the image or persona as Reeve did. This is how Superman is supposed to be in my mind. He also makes a damn fine Clark Kent. With his charm, the overlarge glasses, his klutzy body, well it’s just perfect. He channeled Cary Grant when doing this role, so he gave Superman a golden-age charm. Marlon Brando is one of the most difficult actors to work with and this film proved to be no exception. After all, he originally pitched Jor-El as a green talking suitcase. He was only on in the beginning, but his scenes were really powerful. Margot Kidder makes for a good Lois Lane, although it took me awhile to warm up to her. Someone please tell the lady to spell words correctly! Gene Hackman and Ned Beatty made for a fine duo of criminals, living in the underground lair at Metropolis. They added many of the humor, but sometimes the humor would go into campy territory. But these are two fine actors, so I really can’t complain. There are also fine supporting turns from Jackie Cooper (who played Perry White, the hot-tempered editor of the Daily Planet), Valerie Perrine (who plays Luthor’s love, Eve Teschmacher), and Terence Stamp (who cameos in the beginning as super-villain General Zod).

Keep in mind that this film was made in 1978, so everything was made with practical effects. But the look of this film is beautiful. From the looks of Krypton to the arctic caves where Jor-El imprinted a memory of himself that would explain everything to his son-it just looks beautiful. The production design team did a wonderful job with Metropolis, turning it into its own unique city. When Superman is flying, it looks very realistic and that was one of my main concerns before I was able to see this movie.

Another highlight to me is another iconic score by John Williams. He seems to create many iconic scores, huh? Just like Star Wars or Jaws or Close Encounters of the Third Kind, he really created something special. Something that you can relate with when thinking about the film. It wasn’t a serious score because of the film’s tone, so he adapted something that was light-hearted. Good job, Maestro Williams!

Overall, Superman:The Movie is one of the first good superhero movies ever to be made. It is fun, action-packed, and full of wonderful performances. The film does not take itself too seriously, which added to its sense of fun. The casting of Christopher Reeve is pitch-perfect as Superman. Rotten Tomatoes perfectly sums up this movie, “Superman deftly blends humor and gravitas, taking advantage of the perfectly cast Christopher Reeve to craft a loving, nostalgic tribute to an American pop culture icon.” I whole-heartedly agree. Superman is one of the characters defined with America, and this is a perfect film for that.

My Grade: A

1978’s The Deer Hunter is one of the more polarizing movies to come out during the 1970’s. It was the first movie with the deeply controversial subject of the Vietnam War to both become a critical and commercial success. However, there were several people who expressed dissent ranging from its portrayal of the Vietnam War to the controversial involvement of Russian roulette to the singing of “God Bless America.” I remember not being too impressed with the film the first time I viewed it. I felt it was too long and violent. Years later, I am singing a different tune. It’s a difficult film to sit through because of its violence and the effects of PTSD (post-trauma syndrome). But it is a highly engaging and effective film and I regard it as one of the more influential American movies of the 1970’s. Not the best, but the most influential because there will be more successful films tackling the Vietnam War on the horizon.

You can call this movie a symphony of some sort. I sort this film into three major segments. The first segment is the longest because of its lengthy and effective characterization. We meet three Pennsylvania factory workers: Michael (Robert De Niro), Steven (John Savage), and Nick (Christopher Walken). They enlisted in the army to serve in Vietnam. Steven decides to marry before going off to war and this wedding also serves as the farewell party. This section is eerily reminiscent of the opening act of The Godfather. There is lots of partying and dancing. And we essentially get to know these characters. These men are hard workers who get drunk at the party because they deserve a night for themselves. After the party, the trio of friends along with another friend Stan (John Cazale) go into the mountains to hunt for deer for one last trip. Hence the title of the movie. I found this section to be incredibly effective in character-building. Director Michael Cimino took his time with his part because it was important to understand these men before they go into the horrors of war.

The second movement of our symphony is the actual war. Just like that with a loud noise, the film instantly changes its tone. From the foggy mountains of Pennsylvania to the tropical war zone of Vietnam we go. In one of the most terrifying sequences ever made, the three men are taken prisoner and are forced to play Russian roulette while their captors are betting who will win and who will die. Just seeing the men’s faces as they are waiting their turn in the rat-infested cages are undeniably scary. One of the film’s controversies is that roulette was not actually played in Vietnam. According to Cimino, he read articles saying they did play roulette although any of this has not been confirmed. But it’s one hell of a way to add tension to the movie. You can also take this as a symbol for the war overall. Roger Ebert puts it perfectly in his review, “Anything you can believe about the game, about it’s deliberately random violence, about how it touches the sanity of men forced to play it, will apply it to the war as a whole.” Essentially, this violence stands for the war itself and what these men face. Amongst the themes shown here is how these men react in times of pressure or peril.

Now our final act of the symphony is what happens after the horrors of the prison camp. Michael becomes a prominent character here as he returns home and is welcomed as a hero by his townsfolk and his girlfriend Linda (Meryl Streep).  But Michael does not feel like a hero. Steven is in the hospital after losing his legs and Nick is somewhere in Vietnam still. Michael eventually goes back to find Nick who happened to take his roulette experiences to heart by playing this game professionally. This section is incredibly sad and moving as here we see what exactly war can do to strong-willed men. It was horrible to watch this transformation onscreen. To see these characters we got to laugh with in the first part to seeing them play with death in the final act is sad to see. We also get to see an act of patriotism (or is it?) when the survivors join in a ragged rendition of “God Bless America” in the very end. A tune that I thought fit the movie well, but other people thought differently.

These characters were portrayed strongly by the actors. This movie has a very strong cast, although the only star at the time was Robert De Niro. De Niro instantly became the film’s leader and he played Michael very well. He became a bona fide star after his work in The Godfather: Part Two, and he put that stardom to work here. Christopher Walken had some of the strongest scenes in the movie because of his involvement with the deadly game of Russian roulette. Meryl Streep is one of the greatest actresses ever to grace our screens, and this was one of her first big roles. We end this paragraph with a sad note. This would be the last movie John Cazale would play because he was suffering from terminal cancer and he died before the film was released. He was very good as Stan, but you can tell in the movie that he was really sick.

Michael Cimino’s The Deer Hunter is a incredible movie about the horror of wars and it effective covers themes ranging from PTSD to male bonding and friendship. It was one of the first movies to successfully cover the Vietnam War, although I’d say this film may not be the most accurate regarding the actual war. I do commend its effort on conveying the themes of general war though. This film was nominated for nine Oscars and it won five of them including Best Picture. Walken took home the statue for his amazing and tense performance as Nick. The film may be controversial and it may be hard to watch, but it’s one you’ll remember forever. I feel bad for Michael Cimino though. He directed an incredible film, but his next film Heaven’s Gate would end his career because it was a disastrous bomb. But at least he has The Deer Hunter.

My Grade: A-