Who doesn’t love a good haunted house? The long and dark hallways, sweaty people poking around corners, the thrill of that loud bang in the dark whose source you can’t identify. The best haunted house movies usually rely on the cliches of ghosts and supernatural demons to create the scares, but since 1979 the alien The franchise revolutionized the horror genre by applying its typical science fiction aesthetic with junkyard technology to the framework of the haunted house genre.. Although never a ghost or an old creaky house is used, The film uses the basic structure of a haunted house movie to transform its relatively simple formula into a surprising variety of subgenres that make each installment a unique experience.

Alien (1979)

Release date

June 22, 1979

Duration

117 minutes

Main genre

Science fiction

Every Alien film is structured like a haunted house story

The most direct connection of any Foreigner Film has with the haunted house genre is how they are all basically built on the idea People who travel to a place they think they know, only to quickly find themselves terrorized by what afflicts the area. From the steamy corridors of the Nostromo in Foreigner to the dangerous prison colony Fury 161 in Aliens 3 to the damp caves of Origae-6 in Alien: Covenanteach film offers a new variation of environments that are ostensibly intended for proper habitation, but turn into perfect playgrounds for the Xenomorphs to hunt for their prey. All of the films are set in areas built for civilization, be it human or otherwise, and are turned into perfect breeding grounds for a seemingly unstoppable threat. The films are united in the sheer number of natural locations they create, which feature long, dark corridors and misty atmospheres, as well as relics of bygone eras to maximize the creep factor of a good Xenomorph jump scare. Haunted houses are particularly scary because they transform the promise of domestic security into a nightmare from which there is no escape. Likewise, the Alien series shows that in every place the characters call home, there is no escape from the influence of the greatest evil.

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In the Alien movies, it’s fun to watch the characters fight for their lives

What adds to the fun is the fact that each film is populated with characters who have no idea what is going on and are fighting to survive with varying degrees of success. One of the highlights of a good haunted house film is how much the characters freak out at a threat that goes against their expected rules of engagement, and the alien Movies are constantly finding new angles to reach people who are frightened by a Xenomorph. A strong running gag is how It doesn’t matter how smart or combat-ready you claim to be: if you encounter an alien, unless you’re Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), you’ll probably lose all survival skills and implode.. You can be a Marine who trash talks like Hudson (Bill Paxton) In Aliens or a well-trained geologist like Fifield (Sean Harris) In Prometheusand you will inevitably get caught in the dark or give up all courage, jump out of your shoes and sprint through a wall like Roger Rabbit. Alien: Rebirth And Alien: Covenant They take particular pleasure in making their victims look as moronic as possible and comically exploiting their desperation for survival as they sweat, slip and slide, giving in to their subconscious death drive.

The haunted house format allows each Alien film to strike a different tone

This ability to play so freely with the sound is perhaps the main reason why the Alien The franchise works so well because it builds its stories around haunted house concepts. The simplicity of the structure allows each entry to have its own distinctive tone while respecting the tropes necessary to make it fit the genre.. The films move between the classic dark house template and a pulse-pounding action spectacle; between a steamy sociological investigation and a silly camp-fest, a profound exploration of the purpose of humanity and a nasty slasher flick. Despite the series’ supposedly inconsistent quality, each film manages to retain its basic horror roots by focusing on its core DNA and ensuring that each entry surprises audiences by appealing to a completely different taste. It’s not just a testament to the collective craft of filmmakers like Ridley Scott, James Cameron, David Fincher, Jean-Pierre Jeunetand now Fede Alvarezbut also to the audience’s never-ending appetite for the essential when it comes to watching fools run from things that rumble in the night.

Foreigner can be streamed on Hulu in the US

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