<i>Alien</i> Celebrates 20 Years
Celebrating its 20th birthday, the science fiction classic Alien is looking creepier than ever. The film and its three sequels have been digitally remastered and are being re-released on home video and DVD, reports CBS New Correspondent Russ Mitchell.
Considered one of the scariest sci-fi thrillers ever made, the original Alien came out in 1977, the same year as such classics as Star Wars and Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
By todayÂ's standards, scores of special effects in the first film may seem comical. But its unusual story line and terrifying, claustrophobic atmosphere made it a cult classic.
Several Alien cast members gathered to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the sci-fi sagaÂ's inception.
"I feel like a mother, having given birth 20 years ago. I'm here to see the poor little chap off to college," says actor John Hurt.
Epitomized by the saying, "In space no one can hear you scream," Alien fans will be excited to hear that the re-released films will contain never-before-seen footage. The filmsÂ' actors, however, were frightened enough by the original scenes.
"You want to talk about it being a jump, the whole picture was a jump from opening sequence on," says actor Tom Skerritt.
"I knew there was going to be a beast coming out, but nobody expected exactly what it was going to be like," says actress Veronica Cartwright.
And why has the sci-fi saga had such tremendous success?
"Usually the mistake people make or writers make, is that they try to make sure you have a vulnerable moment somwhere in the script," says Alien star Sigourney Weaver. "When you compromise like that, it just loses its whole point."
The first sequel, James Cameron's Aliens, includes 17 additional minutes of film. There is also a new documentary available about the creation of the Alien legacy.