Alien

Part of Cinema in Conversation! Explore all Cinema in Conversation titles here. After intercepting a distress signal on a mysterious moon, Ellen Ripley (Oscar-nominee Sigourney Weaver) and the crew of the commercial spaceship Nostromo explore a long-abandoned alien ship—and encounter a terrifying lifeform. Remember: in space, no one can hear you scream. Students in Colby College's "Intro to Cinema Studies" course will engage with Alien as an example of the expressive possibilities of film sound. Sound design creates anticipation for the appearance of the alien and contributes significantly to its menace. But sound design also plays a crucial role in depicting both the geography of the cargo ship Nostromo and the characters' experience of entrapment within it. In large part through sound, the Nostromo becomes another character threatened by the monstrous alien. WATCH TRAILER >