Alien (1979)

Horror Science Fiction
→ Influenced 6 films ← Inspired by 5 films

During its return to the earth, commercial spaceship Nostromo intercepts a distress signal from a distant planet. When a three-member team of the crew discovers a chamber containing thousands of eggs on the planet, a creature inside one of the eggs attacks an explorer. The entire crew is unaware of the impending nightmare set to descend upon them when the alien parasite planted inside its unfortunate host is birthed.

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Connections

← Inspired By

Dark Star
Dark Star (1974)1
 Planet of the Vampires
Planet of the Vampires (1965)2
 It! The Terror from Beyond Space
It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)3
 Queen of Blood
Queen of Blood (1966)4
 The Thing from Another World
The Thing from Another World (1951)5

→ Influenced

Event Horizon
Event Horizon (1997)6
 Sputnik
Sputnik (2020)7
 Prospect
Prospect (2018)8
 The Grey
The Grey (2011)9
 The Thing
The Thing (1982)10
 Predator
Predator (1987)11

Sources

Influenced By

  1. Dark Star (1974)
    "Directed by John Carpenter and co-written by Dan O'Bannon, this film features a sequence with a mischievous alien aboard a spaceship. O'Bannon reworked this concept into *Alien*." Dark Star %28film%29 Wikipedia
  2. Planet of the Vampires (1965)
    "Directed by Mario Bava, this film includes scenes where astronauts discover the skeletal remains of giant beings, a concept mirrored in *Alien*." Planet of the Vampires Wikipedia
  3. It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)
    "This film's premise of a hostile alien stowaway hunting a spaceship crew influenced *Alien*'s storyline." It%21 The Terror from Beyond Space Wikipedia
  4. Queen of Blood (1966)
    "Directed by Curtis Harrington, this film involves a space mission encountering a deadly alien female, a theme echoed in *Alien*." Queen of Blood Wikipedia
  5. The Thing from Another World (1951)
    "This film's narrative of professionals being pursued by a deadly alien in a confined environment inspired similar elements in *Alien*." Film Imitating Film? Nicholas Winding Refn Compares Alien To Planet of the Vampires Grizzly Bomb

Influenced

  1. Event Horizon (1997)
    "Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, this film blends science fiction with horror elements reminiscent of "Alien." Anderson aimed to create a "classic haunted house movie" in space, incorporating influences from successful horror films like "The Haunting" and "The Shining."" Event Horizon %28film%29 Wikipedia
  2. Sputnik (2020)
    "Director Egor Abramenko cited "Alien" as a significant influence on his film. He mentioned that watching "Alien" as a child inspired him to create something similar, leading to the development of "Sputnik."" 10 Sci-Fi And Horror Movies That Owe Their Existence to 'Alien' Jeff Merrick Collider
  3. Prospect (2018)
    "Director Chris Caldwell held "Alien" as a model for his low-budget sci-fi western, especially in his use of practical effects." How Alien Changed Movies And No One Noticed Giancarlo Riccobon Looper
  4. The Grey (2011)
    "Director Joe Carnahan confirmed that he was inspired by the "Alien" franchise, aiming to capture a similar feeling of a group being pursued by an unseen threat." How Alien Changed Movies And No One Noticed Giancarlo Riccobon Looper
  5. The Thing (1982)
    "Ridley Scott's film about a deadly extraterrestrial creature stalking a spaceship's crew shares similarities with *The Thing* in its themes of isolation, suspense, and the unknown terror of an alien life form. The success of *Alien* also helped revitalize interest in science fiction horror, paving the way for Carpenter's film." The Thing %281982 film%29 Wikipedia
  6. Predator (1987)
    "This action-packed sci-fi film shares narrative similarities with "Alien." Director John McTiernan stated that producer John Davis developed the script with the idea that it was a "Rocky meets Alien."" 10 Sci-Fi And Horror Movies That Owe Their Existence to 'Alien' Jeff Merrick Collider