The Sci-Fi Genre
Sci-Fi, or Science Fiction is one of the many genres of film. It is a film genre that uses fictional, science-based depictions which aren't fully supported by mainstream science, such as extra-terrestrial life,alien worlds, extrasensory perceptions and time travel; This also includes futuristic elements, for example- space travel, robots, cyborgs, and many other technologies.
Science Fiction films are often used to focus on political,social, and philosophical issues, like the human condition. They are very large scale productions, and therefore very expensive in terms of production(Futuristic aspects like spaceships, advanced technology etc.)
Alien,(1979),directed by Ridley Scott is a Sci-Fi horror film, which refers to the highly aggressive extraterrestrial creature that stalks and kills the crew. The movie itself received critical acclaim and regarded as one of the best Science Fiction horror films ever made. ' In space, no one can hear you scream' has become a very famous tagline, which featured on the release poster.
The opening scene begins with complete darkness,a fade in, then long camera shots of the interior of the ship. Aboard Nostromo, there are minimal smooth surfaces present; almost every wall, control panel and ceiling is covered with some sort of texturing, creating an almost claustrophobic Mise-en-Scene. The use of a mise-en-scene which creates a dreary atmosphere, is a horror movie convention that goes back to German expressionistic films such as The Cabinet of Dr. Calgari, or Nosferatu. The use of a crowded mise-en-scene here purposefully makes the opening feel surreal and frightening, even though nothing has happened yet, and no actors are present. Referring back to the tagline, the opening scene has connotations of being trapped in Nostromo, in complete isolation with no escape- as the movie itself is set in space.
The use of Low-Key lighting in the opening scene highlights one of the main conventions in Sci-Fi movies: the fear of the unknown, because many unknown extraterrestrial creatures in sci-fi films are often not known to humanity on the outset.
Science Fiction films are often used to focus on political,social, and philosophical issues, like the human condition. They are very large scale productions, and therefore very expensive in terms of production(Futuristic aspects like spaceships, advanced technology etc.)
Alien: Deconstruction
(1979)
Alien,(1979),directed by Ridley Scott is a Sci-Fi horror film, which refers to the highly aggressive extraterrestrial creature that stalks and kills the crew. The movie itself received critical acclaim and regarded as one of the best Science Fiction horror films ever made. ' In space, no one can hear you scream' has become a very famous tagline, which featured on the release poster.
The opening scene begins with complete darkness,a fade in, then long camera shots of the interior of the ship. Aboard Nostromo, there are minimal smooth surfaces present; almost every wall, control panel and ceiling is covered with some sort of texturing, creating an almost claustrophobic Mise-en-Scene. The use of a mise-en-scene which creates a dreary atmosphere, is a horror movie convention that goes back to German expressionistic films such as The Cabinet of Dr. Calgari, or Nosferatu. The use of a crowded mise-en-scene here purposefully makes the opening feel surreal and frightening, even though nothing has happened yet, and no actors are present. Referring back to the tagline, the opening scene has connotations of being trapped in Nostromo, in complete isolation with no escape- as the movie itself is set in space.
A few seconds in, a diegetic hum of the
engine sounds before a close up of the emergency helmet. This connotes a
sense of fear and danger, as the sound heard is minimal until the sound effects
of the main dashboard plays as soon as it's powered up.In a typical Sci-Fi
movie, it is expected to have a ship which would have been advanced in
technology. As Alien was released in 1979, the ship reflects the ideas of the
director, using World War 2 inspired technology as their
inspiration.
The use of Low-Key lighting in the opening scene highlights one of the main conventions in Sci-Fi movies: the fear of the unknown, because many unknown extraterrestrial creatures in sci-fi films are often not known to humanity on the outset.
- Shanette
