Alien (released in 1979, two years after Star Wars) is a science fiction movie which addresses the contemporary human condition. Director Ridley Scott creates a dark and futuristic, yet eerily organic world which hints at the problems of today but with the additional veneer of whizbang technology and inhuman corporate omnipresence. (Scott returned to these undertones in Blade Runner.) The viewer is able to relate to the human characters as they are thrust into increasingly impossible challenges, forced to make decisions that place emotion and logic in conflict (eg Ripley refusing to allow Dallas and Kane back into the ship), and faced with primordial fears of that deadly creature lurking in the damp shadows (as the presence of the alien is felt rather than seen). The original Alien is much better than any of the sequels as the film doesn't overly rely on action and the dialogue is well done, working even when understated. (Ripley also becomes too hard core in the sequels which erodes the original concept for her character of an unwilling heroine.) The design of the alien earned designer H.R. Giger the Oscar for Best Visual Effects, the special effects were excellent at the time of release (and still hold up well today), and the musical score melds well with the theme and feeling of the movie. The bottom line is that Alien remains a landmark film in the science fiction genre due to its emphasis on reality and humanity as opposed to some kind of utopian ideal.