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In 1979, a film came out that changed science fiction for the better. Ridley Scott and Dan O'Bannon's Alien wasn't the first example of horror in sci-fi cinema, but it certainly took the film world by storm in a way none of its precursors had. It tells the tale of a spaceship crew, hauling cargo through the cold wastes of deep space, awoken from their cryogenic sleep by a mysterious signal coming from an unknown planet. On investigating, they discover an egg that suddenly opens, letting out a creature which attaches itself to the face of one of the crew. This begins the life cycle of one of the most unnerving monsters in cinema history: the xenomorph.
The Alien from Alien in Space
Designed by the artist H. R. Giger, the various evolutions and variants of the alien monster are equal parts disturbing and fascinating, blending mechanical and biological elements and subverting traditional binary images of male and female bodies. The film heightens the horror of the creature by keeping it developing, meaning its horror transcends any individual form, and by hiding it from plain sight, relying on glimpses in shadow to keep a sense of suspense. Unlike many other horror films, even as the film ends we're still in the dark about the true appearance and capabilities of the monster, leaving a lasting sense of uncertainty and fear that has driven the film's persistent relevance in pop culture.
Needless to say, as a space company we're big fans of the Alien franchise. The film's popularity has led to a swathe of films, including several sequels, a prequel series exploring the origins of the xenomorphs and a crossover series with the Predator franchise. This month, director Ridley Scott announced in an interview that work has begun on the as-yet untitled followup to 2017's Alien: Covenant. In celebration, this week's video takes a look all the way back to 2016, when we launched figurines of the Xenomorph Queen and power loader suit from Aliens for our friends at Nightmare Machines.
Celebrating the 30th anniversary of Aliens at Comic-Con
Nightmare Machines are a team of prop-builders, artists and special effects experts who create incredible costumes, sets and dioramas for sci-fi and pop culture conventions. They wanted to celebrate their 30th anniversary display of Aliens at MCM Comic-Con 2016 by launching a model of the queen into space, and we were more than happy to oblige. Like so many, their work has been interrupted by COVID-19, however they're hopeful about attending "For The Love of Sci Fi" this December in Manchester. If you are within travel distance of Manchester (and government guidance on social distancing and events allows!) their incredible work is well worth checking out.
Promoting your brand with a space launch isn't the sole preserve of huge multinational corporations. If you'd like to discuss how we can send something into space for you, get in touch today.