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To think that Ellen Ripley from the 'Alien' films is just fucking fabulous?

121 replies

Thisusernamethingistricky · 27/02/2018 22:04

So DH and I have spent the last few evenings watching all of the 'Alien' franchise on Film 4. I haven't seen the films in years and it struck me what a great character Ripley is.

She is not conventionally 'beautiful', there are no heaving breasts or arse hugging shorts, but Ripley is absolutely all woman and a total badass.

When she strips down to her vest and knickers at the beginning of the first film, it's actually integral to the plot, so that she could get into her spacesuit to decompress the cabin and kill the alien.

There isn't much 'romance' in the films, but the sexual tension that is there, she is very much in control of. Hicks is mesmerised by how well she can hold her own, and when she shags Charles Dance in the third film again its on her terms as much as his.

In fact all the female characters in the films are great. The sole survivor of the colony in Aliens is a little girl, there are several female secondary characters (Marines, pilots) who are not there as 'women' but just as 'another character' if you see what I mean. Short hair, not 'gender conforming', but absolutely women who hold their own as well as the men.

There are some Bechdel test moments too, with Ripley and Newt and Ripley and Winona Ryders character in Alien Resurrection.

Also in Alien Resurrection the theme of Ripley being a 'Mother' I noticed being shown as a powerful thing. Up until this point her being a woman was almost irrelevant (apart from in Aliens 3 when she is up against all the rapists) she is just a strong character.

I don't know, it feels like it was ahead of its time in terms of strong female characters. I am struggling to think of any films since which have similar - am thinking Katniss Everdeen, but even she is quite sexualised at points and there is the romance thing as a distraction.

Sorry that was long, and I may be over thinking, but I have loved watching these films over the past few evenings!

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HumphreyCobblers · 27/02/2018 22:08

I love the first three. The first one in particular is so good. Doesn't look dated even now.

Interesting points about the second film though, there was a lot of plot left out of the edit. Ripley got back to earth to find that her small daughter had grown up and then died Sad. This gives a backstory to her obsession with saving Newt.

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Thisusernamethingistricky · 27/02/2018 22:11

I love the first three. The first one in particular is so good. Doesn't look dated even now.

Yes, DH and I were saying the exact thing. Especially if you compare it to say, Superman, which looks hilariously dated now.

Interesting points about the second film though, there was a lot of plot left out of the edit. Ripley got back to earth to find that her small daughter had grown up and then died sad. This gives a backstory to her obsession with saving Newt.

This was shown in the film shown on telly the other night though? Her daughter was 66 when she died.

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stringbean · 27/02/2018 22:14

It's the Director's Cut of Aliens which has the back story; a shorter version was shown in the cinemas when it was originally released.

boatyardblues · 27/02/2018 22:15

I ❤️ Ripley. As a teenager, it was so fantastic to see Aliens for the first time (I saw it before Alien) because she was such a strong, badass, remorseless character. I still love the films and, as others say, they are still fresh now.

HumphreyCobblers · 27/02/2018 22:16

I just mentioned it as being relevant to her being a woman who is a mother. I thought it was interesting that they decided to leave it out of the original edit, I don't think the film is any the poorer for it really.

I do think the suspense is better in the original edit, when you don't see the colony before the marines and Ripley swoop in.

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Thisusernamethingistricky · 27/02/2018 22:16

Yes, I would love DD to see the films, although she is only 4 so may have to wait a few years......

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HumphreyCobblers · 27/02/2018 22:19

I do like the third one as well. No weapons, the whole strange prison set up. Really creepy. The set is brilliant. It is exceptionally brutal though, the morgue scene is grim.

I have never quite got number 4. Some good bits and I love Wynona but I didn't really care about any of the characters enough to feel the suspense.

SophieofShepherdsBush · 27/02/2018 22:20

I also heart Ripley. She's amazing.

midnightmisssuki · 27/02/2018 22:22

it is the best show EVER. I watch it far too many times - i even call my daughter newt (as a nickname of course dh said no as a real name stupid guy ) whenever i do though, she says afffffffirmative!

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Thisusernamethingistricky · 27/02/2018 22:23

I think the second one was the best. There actually isn't all that much violence in it, and just so much suspense. And when Ripley comes out in that big machine suit thing at the end!

But the first one, with the chest burst scene and everything, was pretty cool!

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SnowCats · 27/02/2018 22:24

Yanbu, she's fucking brilliant!

Deshasafraisy · 27/02/2018 22:24

Huge ripley fan here too. Really great movies.

Sparklesocks · 27/02/2018 22:24

I think she was originally written as a male character too which might be (depressingly) why she’s do fleshed out. Definitely something we still need more of!

HumphreyCobblers · 27/02/2018 22:25

My Dad saw the second one at the cinema and he said people actually cheered when she appeared in the machine Grin

I loved Hicks. I didn't like the extended version where he reveals that his name was Dwayne. This was ALL WRONG.

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Thisusernamethingistricky · 27/02/2018 22:29

I noticed that Hicks is played by the same guy who impregnated Sarah Connor in the original Terminator. He was fit!

But yes, disappointing that he was called Dwayne 😂

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vampirethriller · 27/02/2018 22:31

I love her. Best films ever.

ghostyslovesheets · 27/02/2018 22:34

YANBU at all - she is amazing!

hotsouple · 27/02/2018 22:34

Ripley was written originally as a man, hence no heaving busoms.

werewolfhowls · 27/02/2018 22:35

I want to be her. But I am rather scared of the actual aliens

TooDamnSarky · 27/02/2018 22:36

Do and I were talking about this the other day.
Catherine Janeway was equally awesome. There are a few episodes of voyager where she is really Ripley-esque.

beargrass · 27/02/2018 22:38

YANBU! Alien and Aliens are staple viewing here. And I may also have toyed with Newt for a name and got given short shrift 😔

DonttouchthatLarry · 27/02/2018 22:38

HumphreyCobblers - My Dad saw the second one at the cinema and he said people actually cheered when she appeared in the machine

Yes I remember this too - I was 16 at the time. I'd watched the first one on my black and white portable tv in my bedroom a few years earlier and almost scared myself to death! I love the whole Aliens franchise (and Predator too).

Gileswithachainsaw · 27/02/2018 22:39

Yanbu

I was younger than I should have been when I saw it. But she's a better role model than 'll these princesses and bimbos in the kids movies.

AdoraBell · 27/02/2018 22:44

YANBU

Ripley is awesome

Namechangetempissue · 27/02/2018 22:45

My horse is called Ripley -thats how much I love the character!

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