外星恶客

　　Outofthefifties&#39B&#39Science-Fictionmonstermovies,thiseasilyranksasthebest.It&#39smostnotableasthefilmthatALIENisanunaccreditedremakeof,thusgivingitacertainhistoricalsignificance.　　Theintriguingplotisabouttherescueoftheonlymaroonedsurvivor(Col.Carruthers)ofanill-fatedexpeditiontoMars.Theauthorities,pig-headedasusual,falselyassumethathemurderedhisfellowcrewmembers,sothathe&#39dhavemoreprovisionstosurvivehenceheisbeingbroughtbacktoEarthtofacecourt-martialformurder.(Thereisalsoasomewhatinterestingplotreversalhere:MostmoviesofthisnatureusuallybeginwiththeshipleavingEarth,enroutetoitsotherworlddestination,while,inthiscase,the&quotstory&quotisbelievedfinished,andbeginsasthecharacterstake-offfromtheotherplanet,returningtoEarth).AstherescueshipisleavingMars,alurking,ominousshadowisseeninthelowercompartment.(Afrightening,atmosphericmoment,accomplishedthroughsheereconomyandsimplicity).　　Carruthersinsistsofhisinnocencetohisfellowcaptors,claimingthathisoriginalcrewmateswereslaughteredbyahostile,unseenpresenceonthedesoluteredplanet,butthree-guessesastotheirreactiontohisunusualplea.Naturally,hecan&#39tproveit,and50&#39sspaceauthoritieswerenotveryalienconscienceatthetime.(Asaside-thought,&quotunseenmenace&quotmayremindyouofthathighly&quotoriginal&quotBLAIRWITCH).　　Aseveryonesacksout,ahaplesssupportingcharactorwhosenameisatthebottomofthecastinglist(guesswhatwillhappentohim?)hearssomethinginthelowercompartment.Despiteyourfutile&quotdon&#39tgodownthere,youjerk!&quotpleas,hedoesjustthat,andisappropriatelykilled(morelikethoroughlyobliterated)bytheshadowyfigurewithinsatiablebloodlustonitsmind.Inthevictim&#39scase,derelictionofdutyandsheercowardlinesswouldhavebeenthewisedecision.Thesceneisactuallywell-directed(forachange)anddevelopsmuchsuspense,astheentirefilmsurprisinglydoes.　　Thecrewfinallycatchesonthattheyhaveanunwantedshipcrasheronboard,andtryeverypossiblemeansattheirdisposaltoeliminateit,buttheunknowncreatureseemstocoppingananti-deathattitude.Provingtobeanevenmoreclever,worthyadversary,&#39IT!&#39alsohidesoutintheventilationshaftsoftheship(nowthatshouldringabell).Cahn&#39sforcefuldirectiongeneratesconsiderabletensionasthemalevolentstowawayworksitswayupfromoneleveloftheconfinedshiptothenext,eventuallyleavingtheremainingcharacterstrappedatthetop.Themovie&#39ssuspenseisbluntandrighttothepoint:&quotIT!&#39hastokillthemorstarve,hencetheyhavetokill&quotIT!&quotordie.Nothinglikethose&quotnotwowaysaboutit&quotchoices.Rentit,orcheckforitoncableifyouwishtoknowtheoutcome.　　Foralow-budgetquickie,IT!isquiteimpressiveandmemorable.Thedreadedsenseofclaustrophobictension,renderingthecharacters&#39helplessentrapment,ishighlyeffective.Thisisaproductioninwhichthelimitedbudgetandsmallsetsactuallyworkinfavoroftheplot&#39sscaryambience.Theblackwhitephotography(Yes,it&#39soneofthose!)helpstoenhanceitsdark,creepymood,andthesenseofapprehensionisquitehigh.(Moderndaycolorfreaksneverseemtotakethatintoconsideration).Theplotisalsosomewhatcynicallyironic:Ifthecreaturehadn&#39tstowedawayontheship,Carrutherswouldhavemostlikelybeenfoundguiltyofthechargesagainsthim.　　Theintelligentscript(seewhatImeanabout&quotrareity&quot)waspennedbynotedScience-FictionauthorJeromeBixby(rememberTwilightZone&#39s&quotIt&#39saGoodLife&quot)?Thepicture&#39stauteditingeliminatesanyextraneousdross.(ALIENtendedtodraginitsfirsthourwithitssophomoricdialogue,andwhydidithavetoincludethatstupidandultimatelycounter-productivesub-plotofAshbeingarobot,andfurtherdraggingthestorydowntoanotherbigbadconspiracycliche?UNNECESSARY!!!)　　DirectorCahnastutelykeepstherubber-suitedmonsteroff-screenandintheshadowsthrough-outmostoftheproceedings,keepingyourparanoidimaginationonconstantalert.Unfortunately,perhapsatthestudio&#39scommercialinsistance,itisalittleover-revealedattheclimax,butIhaven&#39tclaimedthistobetheperfectmasterpiece.Theperformances,thoughnothingaward-winning,areneverthelesscoolenoughsothatonebecomessincerelyconcernedastotheirfates.Notmanymoviesinrecenttimesevercomeclosetoachievingthat.Theycanbeover-producedfromheretoeternity,andusuallyonlysucceedinbeinggloriouslyannoying.　　Thisfilm&#39sstoryisnotreallytotallyoriginal(whatis?),foritisbasedonA.E.VanVogt&#39s&quotVOYAGEOFTHESPACEBEAGLE.&quotAllALIENfanaticsshouldtrackdownanoldusedcopytoseewheretheinitialinfluencecamefrom.　　Aslongasyou&#39renotcravinganotherCGIwind-ding,youmayfinditworthwhile.Justdon&#39texpectthewomentobeRipleyprecursors.Thiswasstillthesock-knittingfifties,sadtosay.