The Howling(1981) Revisited

Today I watched "The Howling" again, and I was hoping I could get a better opinion on it. I was pretty neutral with it the first time, and I was hoping I would figure if I liked or disliked it this viewing. What I observed was that the movie has excellent horror scenes, makeup, and a hilarious and spoofy sense of humor. The problem that I saw was the writing at times, because it was a little too silly for me. Overall I  like the movie, but I almost feel like I have to give it another viewing in the future to understand it even more. I definitely wouldn't call it Joe Dante's best work(Piranha), but it is still pretty enjoyable, and worth a watch for sure. 

Piranha(1978)

8.5/10

After "Jaws" blew the minds of audiences in 1975, the movie business jumped right on to the idea of knockoffs for extra cash. Whether it was "Orca" or one of the other titles, a lot of them got a lukewarm reception. The first one to truly be loved by critics and audiences alike was the 1978 classic "Piranha." Directed by Joe Dante, and produced by legend Roger Corman, the movie has become one of the all time cult classics. I personally liked the film a lot, because of its cool story, great gore, and awesome cast. 

The movie began with a couple named David and Barbara wandering while on vacation. They find a nice body if water, and decide to go for a swim. While doing this, they begin to feel bites. At first it is thought to be a prank, but they end up being killed by piranhas. I honestly laughed really hard at this scene, because it really showed the beginning of the "Jaws" spoofing. I thought it was a very fun intro, and it worked super well. 

The movie goes forward in time as Maggie and Paul look for the two of them. The two of them find the body of water, and decide to empty it to see if their friends are in it. While trying to do this, a man panic and attacks them. Regardless, they still get the job done, and find a skeleton. As this goes on, the crazy man from before hi-jacks their jeep, and crashes it. With the fact that this man was injured badly, the two try to find some medical help for him by journeying through the area. What they never expected was what lied in the water, and the fate that they had in the near future. 

One of the great things about this movie was its tone in direction by Joe Dante. There was a good balance between darkness, and lighthearted scenes, and it kept the viewer from boredom. Even in the most gruesome scenes, there was still a little feeling of spoofiness, so even though it is pretty gross, it doesn't make one feel horrible. I thought that Dante did this very well, as he has in other films like "The Howling," and "Gremlins."

The actual piranha attacks were surprisingly well done for the B-Movie budget. Almost a copy of the "Jaws" kills, there were multiple graphic scenes of mauling by the fish, and blood filled the water. I liked this a lot, because it was giving the horror lover their gore without being unrealistically over the top. The only complaint I could make is that after seeing a couple of the kills, then you've basically seen all of them in one form. In other words, I just wish their was some more original kills that could've shocked the audience more. 

In the aspect of acting, the movie was pretty good. There were likable members in the cast, and they gave great B-Movie cheesiness in their performances. Bradford Dillman and Heather Menzies both did very well as Paul and Maggie, because they had a great connection with each other, and they were also able to do well as individuals. It was nice to see Barbara Steele in the movie, because she is one of my favorite horror actresses ever. I thought that she gave a very cool performance, and while she wasn't as crazy as usual, she gave a different vibe that really worked. One of my favorite Joe Dante regulars was in the movie, and this was Dick Miller. Miller gave a very funny performance as usual, and served as one of the really likable people throughout the film.

The film's score was mediocre at best, because there were some awesome moments, but others that were terrible. I really liked the music before the attacks, because it was very high pressure, and kind of sounded like "Halloween." It set itself apart from "Jaws," because it didn't steal the subtlety of the latter film, and they made their own thing work. The moments I didn't like we're the mellow acoustic songs, because it gave the film a very cheesy TV-Movie type of feel.  While this aspect didn't "ruin" the film, it definitely did get mildly obnoxious at times. 

The cinematography of the movie was pretty awesome, because much like "Jaws," there were some innovative shots in the water, and they gave a whole different perspective on what was happening. There were sometimes where the camera would come up from under the person, almost like the piranhas were in reality. I thought this gave a cool first-person view from the fish.  One of the overall coolest frames was when a piranha attacked one of the scuba divers. In this scene, the camera looked straight at the person's face, and the camera got closer and closer to simulate the killer fish. It was a very effective moment in my opinion, and helped the film be more technically masterful. 

About 20 minutes until the end of the movie, things become insane! The piranhas go wild, and eat every person that they can get a hold of. This is a bloody, intense, and awesome scene, and it caught me by surprise. On the other side of the story, Paul and Maggie are trying to escape, and they find an abandoned building. Paul decides to go into the water, and sneak through the bottom entrance. The ending that came in the near future had me quite shocked, and I liked it a lot for its over the top nature.

"Piranha" was a very fun, shocking, and well made movie of the 1970's. It had all of the elements needed for a horror movie, and I definitely recommend it to fans of the genre. The film was definitely better than Dante's other classic "The Howling," and it is much easier to follow. Definitely give this film a watch, because you will not be disappointed.  

Gamera Vs. Guiron(Attack of the Monsters)

5.5/10

"Gamera Vs Guiron" was a 1969 entry in the Gamera series. It took a very bizarre plot, and made it B-Movie fun. I personally can't put this movie even close to the original, but it is still a fun movie about one of the greatest monsters ever. 

The movie begins in space, as the narrator tells about the many stars, nebulas, etc in the sky. After describing them all, he said "a star is in trouble."  The movie then cuts to the opening credits, and some very trippy scenery of lava fills the screen. I thought this was pretty neat, because it had the very cool vintage 60's feel, and I was drawn in. After the credits, the narrator then talks about satellites, and how they get messages that may be from outer space. After the narrator is done, the movie goes into a huge astronomic meeting, where many questions are asked about these signals and space.  Soon after, the scene cuts to two boys named Akio and Tom looking through a telescope, where they see a spaceship.  These boys go to the spaceship after it lands, and they fly it around. In space, they find their friend Gamera, and he helps them fly around. Suddenly, Gamera gets freaked out, and they think that he is trying to help them stay away from something. The boys then land on a planet, and it is an interesting place where water runs backwards, and monsters take over the land. One of these monsters is named Guiron, and he is a unique looking monster with a knife for a nose, and strong body.  He has the power of shooting lasers, along with stabbing creatures.  After Guiron goes back into his home, the boys become curious, and they go into a mysterious building on the planet. This was a mistake though, as two women take control of them.  These ladies hypnotize the boys, in preparation to eat their brains.  The boys have no hope, except for Gamera. Luckily, Gamera attempts to save them, but it won't be easy, because first he has to fight Guiron...

Being the original Gamera film was the only one to have the monster as a villain, this one especially shows him to be a hero, and "child's best friend."  Personally, I don't find this isn't awful, but I thought that the character was much cooler as the bad guy. In this movie, he is basically like the dragon from "The Neverending Story," because he just flies around saving the kids. Personally this really took the series from its original horror background to being a "kiddie flick."  This was also very apparent in the writing, because of how ignorantly literal the dialogue was. One of the funniest lines was "I just found out that these people are cannibals."  It does fit the mouth of the young people well, but I just wish that the movie had a more mature way about it. 

Even though Gamera is good now, he still has some pretty cool battle scenes with Guiron to save the kids.  The fights were very exciting, as the monsters brutally threw each other around, and just smashed each other into a pulp. It was also cool to see the individual creature use their different powers at times, because it made them stand out more. I found it pretty awesome when "Guiron" shot ninja stars out of his head. I also thought it was good that their was a lot of concern as to whether Gamera could win, rather than it just being an easy match, because it gave some more suspense to the story, and made the movie cooler.  

I was quite surprised by some of the Communist undertones that came up in the film, because you would think that they would be better hidden. One of the most alarming lines showing this was, "when someone is useless, it is time for them to go." Even though a naive person could see this as a line to spice up the movie, I personally saw it as an extremist line that may have been sadly true to nations under the political method. 

The movie's budget was obviously very low, and it added to the hilariousness of everything. The costumes of the cannibals ladies were pretty corny, because they looked like silver Martians, and rather  than being scary, they were just goofy. I don't see this as bad in my eyes though, because I love the cheesiness, and it makes the movie more fun.  The movie had the typical voice dubs of foreign films, and they were actually pretty good. I don't know if it was that the amount of words in the Japanese language were closer to English or what, but the lips matched up pretty well, and it were easy to follow. The costumes of Gamera and Guiron were your "basic man in suit," and they were pretty sweet because of it. I especially liked the look of Guiron, because he had a campy menace to him. Overall, this low budget was a helping factor to the movie, because it was a silly premise overall, and would've been innapropriate as a big money film. 

The climax of the movie was pretty exciting, because the lives of the boys and Gamera were really at stake. Things looked terrible for all three of them, and many crazy fights take place. I was pumped by all of this, because the battles became more and more brutal, as did the pressures for the children. The ending was obviously happy, and this wasn't good or bad for me, because I knew it was going to happen, and it was the appropriate thing to do for a film of its nature. It would've been cool for a surprise ending though, because it would've really shocked people.  The message conveyed by the boys at the very end was so corny, and I was laughing my head off from their words. 

Overall, this movie has no merit to be a masterpiece at all. It is very cheesy, and it was nowhere near the quality of the original. Regardless, the movie was still enjoyable, and I spent a lot of the time with a smile on my face. The absurd plot, cool monsters, and laughable acting all make a fun B-Movie experience for all fans, and it is definitely worth a watch. 

Gammera the Invincible

7.5/10

Are you one of those people that gets all gushy at the sight of a turtle? If so, your opinion might be changed after your first encounter with "Gammera." "Gammera the Invincible" is a 1966 film from Japanese director Noiaki Yuasa, and it tells the story of a killer turtle that tries to take over Tokyo. I personally find this movie to be one of the most enjoyable monster flicks of all time because of it's awesome action, great creature, and hilarious elements of creativity. 

To start the movie off, there was just about the campiest and most hilarious theme song ever.  "Gammera..... Gammera.... Gammera." When this happened I was laughing so hard, and was drawn into the movie immediately. After this, the movie randomly goes to some Eskimos, and then a second later at a military base. Personally, even though this fast pace is mildly hard to follow, it also is kind of symbolic to the panic taking place in the scene. It also makes things more interesting. In the military base, the leaders are informed by the Air Force that the world is under "Red Alert," because of threat of atomic warfare, and that they need to take action right away.  As all of the planes fly around, the scene cuts to a sheet of ice that breaks from the explosion, and out of it comes "Gammera," a giant turtle that will take over the Tokyo as revenge for this interruption his two million year hibernation.  Now the people of the world must fight for their lives, or be done forever.....

While this movie is basically a "Godzilla" copycat, I really still thought it was cool in its own way. I think that the fact that "Gammera" is a turtle is quite hilarious, because in our real world, the animal is the most harmless and slowest creature, yet in this movie, it has the capability of making the world Hell.  I also like that there is a reason for the monster terrorizing the world, instead of just doing it for the film.  Something that is also original about the character is that he can make himself look like a UFO and fly. I like this a lot it adds to the campy outrageousness of the movie, and helps out stand out from its inspiration.  The movie has a political undertone like the former film, but in this one, it is much more isolated and conflict driven. In "Godzilla," the monster's attacks were just a trigger to memories of the 40's in Japan, but in this one, there is actually war taking place, and the fighting actually caused the problems with Gammera. The  For all of these reasons, I personally had more fun watching this movie than "Godzilla." 

In movies, the military meetings are often very boring for me, because of their lack of emotional connection. In this movie, this was different for me, because it was all very interesting. I like the fact that the leaders are skeptical about "Gammera" being real, because it makes the movie authentic since the idea of this creature is also unlikely in our society. It is also cool to see everyone butting heads, since they're from all over the world. This shows some cultural diversity in the movie that wouldn't be dared shown very often in the era. 

The acting in the movie is good for what the movie is, but not anything special. I think it is pretty amazing that all of the actors could keep a straight face while talking about the turtle, because honestly their lines are so hilarious that I would've broke. Everyone also gives a lot of emotion in their performance, and definitely put a lot of effort into their job. Albert Dekker was the standout for me as "Secretary of Defense," because he portrayed a tough man that can get things done very well. 

Watching the movie, I really appreciated practical effects even more than before. Gammera's costume was so cool, because even though it is a man in a suit, I would never believe it since he looks gigantic compared to everything else. This camera work was very skillful in my opinion, and I feel that is is much more impressive than using CGI to get things done. The scenes where the character fly are also pretty sweet for its time, because even though it's very fake, it still has a nice and vintage look that people like me really appreciate.  The action scenes were pretty fantastic in the movie, because they were full of destruction, and the monster showed a lot of threat. Buildings crashed, and fire flew through the air, and I was highly impressed in all ways. 

The climax of the movie is very cool, because it portrays the military doing everything they can to dispose of this monster.  While Gammera is obviously the villain, these scenes really gave a little bit of empathy for him, as the viewer doesn't want him to do(nor does some of the characters). These scenes are very action packed, and full of laughs the whole way through, and they kept me excited constantly. I thought that the ending was pretty awesome, because it was extremely outrageous and absurd, yet it was exactly what was needed for success. 

"Gammera the Invincible" is definitely not a cinematic masterpiece in any standard, but it is one of the most enjoyable movies ever. There are so many moments where I was sucked in by the action, and laughing at the goofiness of the filmmaking. I definitely recommend this movie to all fans of the classics, because it is one of the greatest monster movies of the "golden era." 

The Killer Shrews

8/10

Anyone afraid of rodents?  After watching this movie, you will either find them to be the scariest thing ever, or the funniest. "The Killer Shrews" is a 1959 movie that was directed by Ray Kellogg. It is a very underrated movie, and it doesn't deserve the bad reputation people have given it. I personally love it for its hilarious nature, great climax, and likable cast. 

The movie begins on a boat, with two men named Thorne and Griswold sailing to an island. When they arrive at their destination, they meet a couple other people. Their names are Dr. Marlowe and Ann Cragis, and fiancée Jerry Farrell. The three veterans to the area are concerned when they find that the pair aren't leaving, because their is apparently going to be an invasion of animals. Knowing that their minds won't be changed, the civilians decide to welcome them into their home, and they introduce him to their colleagues Mario and Dr. Radford Baines.  Baines shows the men his idea to test shrews, and for serums.  After a while if socializing happens, the movie cuts to the woods, where a mysterious creature attack Griswold. We are later to find out that these monsters are....the killer shrews..

One of the reasons that I love this movie is its low budget. It may not be scary, but I have more fun watching it than most other movies. It is absolutely hilarious, and surprisingly cool at the same time. The giant shrews are one of the funniest practical effects ever, because they were both hand puppets and dogs in a costume. I think that rather than this being a weakness, it really shows how inventive the filmmakers were, and it brings a lot of campiness to the movie that made it more engaging. What is even crazier is the attack scenes. When the shrews bite, they don't even connect, yet a big bloody wound is shown. I honestly laughed so hard at these scenes that I almost cry. I personally like this fairness a lot because it is way more fun than some of the brutally realistic movies. 

For a B-Movie, the acting was actually a little better as expected.  James Best took the lead of Thorne, and even though this movie was made decades before, you can really feel the Roscoe in his character(except not as dumb). He is a very likable guy, and has the perfect way of portraying the tough character.  Ingrid Goude was your typical scream-queen as Ann, but she had a great chemistry with Best, and was highly enjoyable. The one trip up she made was trying to hold back a laugh after the death of a character. I honestly can't blame her, because she was looking at the puppet, but it was quite apparent. Ken Curtis was the usual jerk fiancée that gets in the way of the ️love story, and he did a great job of making the viewer hate him.  Gordon McLendon and Baruch Lumet were the weak links in the cast as the doctors, because they didn't have much depth to their acting. Even so, they still did their job, and were likable enough. 

I feel like the climax of the movie was impressing in the way that it was actually pretty suspenseful. As the characters try to barricade the area for their own safety, while the shrews come from everywhere. I almost forgot how stupid they looked, because they started to really impose some threat to the people. I also like the how arrogance of Jerry becomes a huge indicator of his fate, because it is actually quite real to life. The ending itself was happy(for some of the characters), and even though it was predictable, it was the typical B-Movie ending that I have grown to love. 

If there was one weakness(not counting the low budget that I like), it would be that the movie was too fast. At 69 minutes, I felt robbed about how quickly things flew by me. I wish there could've been more scenes with the shrews, because there could've been at least 10-15 more minutes worthy. 

Overall, while extremely cheesy, this movie has always been one of my favorite B-Movies. It is fun, hilarious, and actually executed quite well. I definitely recommend it to all fans of cinema, because it is one of the great monster movies of the 1950's.  

The Fury of the Wolfman: Movie Review

2/10

This 1972 film is not known by many, and I can really see why. It is a boring, poorly made piece of crap that has next to no redeeming qualities to it(other than the Wolfman himself). 

This movie begins extremely slow, and with little direction at all. Basically a college professor named Waldemar Daninsky finds out his wife is cheating on him, and he becomes completely crushed. While this sets the movie up somewhat well, the scenes are kind of scattered and hard to follow. Then the scene gets good when Daninsky turns into a werewolf and mauls his wife and lover.  Soon after, Daninsky gets killed after trying to run away. I think while this scene was good, the problem is that soon after it became dry again. 

After the death, a scientist named Ilona brings Daninsky back to life, and she's uses him as a guinea pig. Daninsky then begins to terrorize the entire town as a werewolf, and a true chaos begins. This plot is somewhat interesting I guess, but it's nothing original, and it's kind of absurd. 

By now, many of you have probably figured out that I really love my B-Movies, but this one is just bad.  I honestly think this one broke boundaries in absurdity, with its lack of direction and emotion, and the fact that the majority of the movie is uneventful. I also find it laughable that the writing tried to sound complex, but it was so stupid. It doesn't make any sense that someone became a werewolf from a yeti bite, unless yetis are somehow also wolves?

The only thing that I found good at all was Paul Naschy as the Wolfman. He had a very cool appearance, and when him and his wife face off, it is pretty neat. But being these scenes are only about five minutes of the whole movie, it isn't enough to save it at all. 

Do not waste your valuable time watching this dumb movie. Other than one costume/actor, this is one of the worst movies I've ever seen, and I highly recommend that you stay away from it. There are plenty of great werewolf movies, and this isn't one, so choose Lon Chaney's "The Wolfman. 

Dire Wolf Review

7/10

Werewolves are nothing new to the horror genre, but how about dire wolves?  This movie brings the subject right to your home in a way I have never seen before. "Dire Wolf"(aka "Dino Wolf") tells the story of a genetic mutation gone bad, and it does it in brutal ways that would not be expected. While this film is quite obscure, and it didn't get the best reviews by most critics and viewers, I enjoyed the movie a lot for it's fun and gory antics. 

The movie begins in a lab, where a woman and security guard are working. As the security guard named Ed walks around, he is devoured by a genetically mutated creature that got loose. This monster is half human, and half dire wolf, and it is horrifying and brutal as can be. The wolf then kills the girl that was working too, and the intro credits kick in. While this scene was very predictable, it was still really cool, and quite brutal to be honest. 

As the next scenes comes in, we meet Sheriff Parker, and his foster son/warden Jim Martin. The two talk of things in the town, including a vandalizing of the station. Both of these characters were likable enough, and the rest of the people in the bar vary a lot, which makes a realistic feel to the atmosphere.

The first thing that I really really liked about the movie was that most of it was done practically. The wolf was a man in a suit, and while many people would think this is cheesy, I personally love it, because it means no stupid CGI. I truly respect the filmmakers for doing this so much, because it gives a very vintage feel to it.  The gore is also done with authentic effects, and it is absolutely insane. Blood flies everywhere, and the wolf literally takes the guts out of people on screen. This is definitely one of the goriest horror movies I have ever seen, and it was done very well.  

The acting in this film has quite a range from good to horrible. Maxwell Caulfield does a great job in the role of Sheriff Parker because he is very tough, and kind of reminds me of a Bruce Willis performance. Blake Cooper Griffin was also great as Jim, because he was the most likable actor, and causes a lot of sympathy for his character. Gil Gerard(actor that played Buck Rodgers) was very hard in the role of Col. Hendry, and he made it very believable that he was a though military man. I felt that the least talented actors in the movie were Kimberly Horner as Amber, and all of the actors playing the scientists. It was very easy to tell that they spoke right from the script, and they gave very cheesy performances.  Luckily, being the movie is a B-Movie, these cast members can get away with this, as they are still enjoyable either way. 

I think that the fact that the movie brings prehistoric elements with the topic of "dire wolf" is cool, because it gives an original twist to the werewolf genre. It also made the film have some touch with science, and made it a little more complex than the normal horror film. 

A lot of the B-Movies of the 2000's tended to be very dumb and boring, but this one was an exception. Watching it, I actually got a little bit of the feel of the old movies I really love. A lot of it came from the very tense yet melodramatic dialogue, the cheesy scenes of the science lab, and just the entire tone of the film. While many people have seen this as a flaw because of its low quality, I see it as a virtue. Sometimes when I watch a horror movie, it's really fun to get a good laugh, and this one did that perfectly for me.

The plot twist at the end of the movie was extremely bizarre, and I was not expecting it at all. While its a little absurd and threw the movie off, I feel that it gave a good enough originality to set the movie apart from others. 

Overall, this movie is really really enjoyable. I would never try to make it out as a masterpiece in any sort, but it is a gory, disturbing, and often hilarious movie that I could watch again and again.  While there are many flaws, there is not a minute I was bored at all. Definitely check this movie out, because it isn't one to miss. 

Alien Review

9/10

In 1979, Ridley Scott took over the scifi-horror genre forever with his masterpiece "Alien." It has been hailed for decades as one of the darkest movies ever by fans and critics alike, and it has been recognized as one of the best movies of all time.  

The introduction is one of the slowest ever, because it starts with just showing a bunch of astronauts go through their daily routine on the shuttle.  Even though this could've been potentially boring, these scenes are made up for by beautiful cinematography, and hilarious banter by the cast.  This goes on for about 40 minutes, and while I think it could've been condensed a bit, I won't complain because it only adds to the build up. 

After a while, a few of the astronauts go out into an asteroid mine, and they search around with a camera.  On this journey, they find a bunch of eggs that seem to be aliens.  One of the crew members Kane gets too close, and a "Facehugger" shoots right on to him.  This puts him in a coma, and it is found out that the alien is keeping him alive.  While this is still slow, there is a certain increase in the intensity of the film, and I really like it a lot. 

The film then really builds up after they take the alien off of Kane's face, because as he eats food, a shocking event takes place that will never leave my mind. This scene is one of the best parts of any movie, because it is so unexpected, and it has a realism to it that makes it as haunting as it could possibly be. I remember the first time I saw it, because my jaw dropped in terror.  I was about 10 at the time, and I had never seen anything like it, so it has been something special to me since. 

After this scene, the movie goes into full throttle, and the last half of the movie is one of the greatest climaxes ever. Everything becomes claustrophobic and isolated.  There are flashing lights all over the place, smoke shooting across the screen, and many people being attacked and kills.  This film is the perfect example of a great build up, because at first one doesn't expect much, but then it kicks them in the butt so hard that you freak out.  This formula had been used before and after this movie, but I really feel that this is the second most significant(behind "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre"). 

I really feel that the cast keeps the film strong throughout. Every actor had a distinct personality, and they were all likable for some reason.  My personal favorite is definitely Sigourney Weaver as "Ripley."  While being a beautiful girl like many in the genre, she really set herself apart as one of the strongest women protagonists. She was so capable, and this was shown in the outcome.  This was a complete revolution in our world, and I love it. Tom Skerritt was also very likable as "Dallas," because he didn't like conflict with the others, and he was a hero of a sort. His death scenes is one of the saddest, because he knew he was doomed right away. Harry Dean Stanton and Yaphet Kotto were the comic relief of the film, with their heavy sarcasm, and great dialogue. Ian Holm was the darkest actor in the role of Ash, and he gives one of the best performances in film history.  The one actress I didn't like was Veronica Cartwright, because she was very whiny, which caused me to lack any sympathy at all for her. 

Another amazing part of the movie is the sets.  Whether they are on the ship, or out in the mine, every single detail is very precise, and it is so pleasing to the eyes.  This is one of the best examples of why effects and settings were so much better before CGI, because so much care was put into the making, which created a much more impressive outcome. 

While this film has a lot of relevance to the science fiction genre, I really see it as one of the forerunners of the slasher genre.  The first reason for this is that the killer uses sharp objects on its body to kill the astronauts. The goriness and quick shot attacks really give more of a horrific feeling than most alien movies. Also, there was a certain sadistic pleasure that came off as a vibe in the attacks. This is a big giveaway of the slasher influence, because the genre is infamous for the gratified portrayal of violence. The third reason for this is that it fits the "final girl" formula with Sigourney Weaver. This is my main reason for believing it's part of the genre, because the purest of the characters was the one to live. I really love this hybrid of genres, because it doesn't make the simple formula of most slasher films, and it doesn't leave the cheesy feel of scifi.

The aliens that were created are pretty amazing looking too.  The main monster is now notorious for its big head, and black coloring. It's teeth are sharp as a shark, and it has a walk of confidence. My favorite creatures are the "Facehuggers."  There was so much detail put into the parts of its anatomy, and it is the most realistic of all the life forms. It sort of has the stature of a fuse between a jellyfish and porta bella mushroom. I can never be more gracious that the aliens were puppets and costumes, because it feels so much more authentic than special effects. 

As I said before, the last half of the movie is extremely intense, but the ending of as a safe pick in my opinion. It isn't terrible in any standards, but I wish something more sudden happened. All the happy ending did was make us ready for a sequel.  While this worked out well in the long run, I imagine people would've been pretty ticked off during the initial release. 

Overall, this movie is a masterpiece. It used techniques in cinema that have never been topped, and it's just a fun movie. I highly recommend watching it; even if you already have before. I've noticed that I find new things every time I watch it, and it's extremely cool.  Please give this film a chance, because it is an essential part of the 20th century.