ALIEN – THE EIGHTH PASSENGER is the origin of a series of films about a monster that hunts humans to use them as breeding grounds for its offspring. When the creatures emerge from their bodies, they leave the host dead, thus beginning a new, vicious cycle in which humans suffer the most. The success of these films lies in their ability to reflect threats based on purely biological, rather than metaphysical, reasons, much like the most primitive aspects of our lives, such as avoiding being eaten by a lion or bitten by a toxic mosquito: simple, everyday occurrences depending on where in history you lived and where in the world you were. To find a parallel with ALIEN – THE EIGHTH PASSENGER, released in 1979, one would have to look at the 1975 film JAWS to understand the terror it generated in audiences of the time. The film plays on the fear of being devoured, only this time, the predator isn't in the depths of the sea, but in the vastness of space. The premise is timeless, so much so that in 2024 the saga reached its ninth installment, titled ALIEN: ROMULUS.

ALIEN – THE EIGHTH PASSENGER is a film in which everything became a myth. One of those myths is its director, Ridley Scott, who has maintained his aura of genius throughout the decades. To place his work within the timeline, it should be noted that two years before Alien, in 1977, he released THE DUELISTS, and three years later, in 1982, BLADE RUNNER. Then, in the 21st century, in 2000, he brought the acclaimed GLADIATOR to the big screen. With ALIEN – THE EIGHTH PASSENGER, he transforms the words of books and screenplays into audiovisual prose. His images can be translated into words, although they don't require it, because simply seeing and hearing them is enough for the viewer to perceive the inherent terror they contain. In 2024, the Uruguayan Fede Álvarez, director of ALIEN: ROMULUS, will take on the role of heir to his legacy; he will be responsible for keeping alive the insomnia caused by the panic of waking up inoculated by a fertile and deadly xenomorph.

ALIEN – THE EIGHTH PASSENGER has been a cult classic since 1979 because its aesthetic was defined by three brilliant artists. One was H.R. Giger, another the immortal Moebius, illustrator and writer, and the third Ron Cobb. The first designed the creatures, the monsters; the second, the costumes. Furthermore, Cobb's influence is profound on the style of director Ridley Scott, who understands scene planning in a way similar to how Moebius creates comics or draws storyboards. The other creator who contributed to the creation of the ALIEN myth is Ron Cobb, the great art director for films like STAR WARS and BACK TO THE FUTURE. But don't worry, if these names don't ring a bell, it's not important. What's crucial is that they influenced how the world imagined itself during the last quarter of the 20th century. And, as if it were politics, don't worry, if you don't mess with cinema, cinema is always close to you.