In 1979, Sigourney Weaver was a relative unknown with only a couple of bit parts to her name when she won the role of Ripley in Alien, a role for which she was paid $33,000.
Weaver emerged as a star and 18 years later she received a co-producer credit and $11m as part of her deal to play Ripley once more in Alien Resurrection.
In this fourth instalment in the Alienfranchise – set 200 years after the events of Alien 3 – scientists on the earth-bound ship Auriga bring to life a cloned Ripley and successfully extract the DNA from her unborn alien child to create the ultimate biological weapon.
Ripley’s rebirth leaves her tainted – though enhanced – with alien characteristics while the monsters she battles with grow ever more human.
French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet and writer Joss Whedon set up some complex themes: the growing similarity between Ripley and the alien monsters, cloning, Ripley’s memories of her previous life, and her deep-seated mistrust of androids and her fellow humans.
They then opt for a conventional chase-movie, complete with a hazardous underwater journey through flooded corridors.
Ripley ends up with a group of space pirate mercenaries – Elgyn (Michael Wincott), Hillard (Kim Flowers), Christie (Gary Dourdan), Johner (Ron Perlman), paraplegic mechanic Vriess (Dominique Pinon), and Call (Winona Ryder) – who have delivered kidnapped humans to the Auriga for the authorities to use as hosts for alien eggs.
They soon all begin a desperate race to get to the safety of the mercenary ship Betty and escape. To make matters worse, in the event of an emergency, they learn the Auriga is programmed to head for Earth. They must, therefore, destroy the ship.
Jeunet’s slick style, with its trademark comic-grotesque touches, is in marked contrast to David Fincher’s bleak, uncommercial Alien 3(1992).
Ripley
Sigourney Weaver Annalee Call
Winona Ryder Vriess
Dominique Pinon Johner
Ron Perlman Christie
Gary Dourdan Elgyn
Michael Wincott Hillard
Kim Flowers General Perez
Dan Hedaya Dr Wren
J.E. Freeman Dr Gediman
Brad Dourif Distephano
Raymond Cruz Purvis
Leland Orser
Director
Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Video
Related Posts
After Hours (1985) Do you have days when nothing goes right? when you feel disoriented, when everything around you is strange and you…
All The President's Men (1976) Based on their own book, All The President's Men told the tale of Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward - the two junior…
Alice In Wonderland (1951) Having acquired the rights to the Tenniel drawings in the 1930s, Walt Disney hoped to star Mary Pickford in the…
Alfie (1966) "I think if you were to spend all your time with birds, you'd begin to feel you're going a bit…
Alien (1979) When Alien hit theatres in 1979, science fiction movies had mostly been flying saucer films with goofy looking aliens who abducted good-looking…
Annie Hall (1977) Woody Allen sub-titled Annie Hall "A Nervous Romance", and it is certainly that. It's a very touching, sweet and funny exploration of…
African Queen, The (1951) Set in German East Africa at the beginning of World War I this magnificent comedy tells the tale of an…
Alien Nation (1989) Long before Mandy Patinkin became an endearingly obnoxious doctor in Chicago Hope, he was a mottle-headed space creature in Alien Nation.…
