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

[Thisusernamethingistricky]

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!

Great thread btw OP. if only there were more Ripleys. What would she make.of the Kardashians I wonder?

Love Ripley, but slightly younger, so I want to be able to do pull ups like Sarah Conner.

I was obsessed with Aliens as a kid but, strangely, can't recall anything about the first or third films. I'm off to buy the box set...

Apparently Ridley Scott was so anal about details that the crew even had ‘nostromo’ labels in their undies :)

Thinking about it, Alien really is unique. There are no dumb descisions made by female characters, no sloping off to have a shower (like in covenant... so disappointing to have a ‘look at the lady all wet’ moment) no Penelope pitstop esque ‘heeelp’ moments where they get rescued by the men. The women are tough, capable and competent.

The alien itself (and jeez that thing scares the shit out of me still...) and it’s method of reproduction puts even the men on the crew at risk of physical violation - it’s a metaphor for rape and birth in a way.

The whole film is really subversive in many ways but it still works on all levels. The cast is fantastic, the effects hold up almost 40 years on, the plotting and pacing is pant wettingly scary. The dialogue is sharp. It just works, and I think it’s still one of the most terrifying and disturbing things I’ve ever seen.

I am planning to narrate Aliens when I go to bed tonight now.
Best dvd I ever bought.

YANBU. It was a very good performance.

She is a queen.

I dont worship her at all!

Ah, I'm so chuffed so many others feel this way as well!

Shows up more recent films. Where are all the female leads like this now?

Yes Dozer that is exactly what I thought when I was watching the films. It feels like we have regressed a bit.

Ive got the complete boxset somewhere, think ill dig it out and watch at weekend

I asked myself the same question about an hour back, I’m still unable to think of a recent example.

SarahJConnor frequents the feminism threads. I’ll tell her you are looking for her.

The women are tough, capable and competent.

Ripley is - Lambert is a mess from the start, and has 'dead meat' written all over when the bodies start piling up.

True, but so do some of the men.

Ooh Aliens and the fabulous Lance Henrikson ...swoon

Only downer in the film is that child's bloody screaming

True, but so do some of the men.

Hudson definitely gets the 'Lambert' role in Aliens.

I've always found the character of Dallas to be the most interesting, in terms of his role in the story - he's the captain and therefore the unambiguous authority figure, but he also is most directly responsible for getting everyone killed. He sets down on the planet in the first place (understandably, as he's under orders, but it does show him as a company drone and not an independent mind), ignores basic quarantine protocol (and in doing so lets the alien on the ship), allows himself to be overruled at every turn by Ash (and ignores Ripley), and ultimately destroys the ship chain-of-command by going on a suicide run.

Lance Henrickson is definately an added bonus in the Alien franchise.❤

My favourite movies of all time - Aliens just pops Alien to my top spot.

Our cat is named in honour of Ripley’s cat :)

Started watching Alien on film 4 on Friday night but realised it wasn’t the best idea on morphine considering the hallucinations I get on it (was in hospital recovering from surgery)!

Aliens was my first. Frankly not only a standalone (all made sense even though I'd not seen Alien and knew nothing of it!) you're right, she's a badass of the likes that are not often seen. She's not unreal as far as being overly endowed with super human strength not uses everything in her power to survive and keep a child safe.
A very respectable character imho.

Firefly/ serenity takes on the mantle, and Killjoys owes a debt. Not as good though