Ridley Scott’s Alien is regarded as a game-changer not only when it comes to science fiction cinema but also for what is meant to be a female lead in an action movie. The film opened up a new door of opportunities for movies and women, including just how hand in hand-the two could actually go. Before the 1979 flick, it would be rare to see a female lead in a movie that would otherwise be catered to more of a male audience.
In the film, there were certain themes that either sat well with the audience or did not. So much so that the second film, directed by James Cameron, is more often than not considered to be a worthy sequel to the franchise. However, Scott had a certain theme in mind he wanted to implicate in Alien. It was the Beauty and the Beast that he wished to visualize.
Ridley Scott’s Vision for Alien
Ridley Scott‘s Alien was a revolutionary movie that changed the entire course of fictional action films. One scene in the film brought about a certain sense of controversy, especially considering how there was set to be a ‘quasi-s*x’ scene in the film, one that was later removed. Sigourney Weaver revealed in the DVD special edition of Aliens that the entire concept was set to be completely different.
“We actually wanted to have more of a quasi-s*x scene,” Weaver said, “We wanted the alien to come and look at her through the glass and be intrigued by the soft pinkness of her compared to him. We wanted him to be that intelligent, and that it kind of turned him on. Beauty and the Beast, I think we were going for.”
The actress stated that things with the scene were changed. It was released as a somewhat striptease of her character. However, in Ridley Scott’s original version, the scene would have vividly described what it would be like in the film, Beauty and the Beast. It was about finding this human so different from the Xenomorph.
Sigourney Weaver has No Regrets
Sigourney Weaver revealed via Far Out Magazine that although Ridley Scott got a lot of hate for somewhat s*xualizing her character with the unnecessary striptease, she saw no harm in it. According to the actress, it was more so a means to get out of all that she had endured than to cater to her audience.
“People have said, ‘Aw how could you demean yourself by doing a striptease?’” Weaver stated. “I say, ‘Are you kidding? After five days of blood and guts, and fear, and sweat and urine, do you think Ripley wouldn’t take off her clothes?”
She stated that because of how badly things had been going in the events of the film, it would be no shocker to see her character remove her clothes. After being covered in some of the most uncomfortable things, why would she even want to stay in her clothes?
