The Company. No, the other one. And we know what that means: profits before [way way way before] people. And whoever gets in the way of that is, among other things, expendable. In other words, the future there is pretty much like the present here. Except we don’t have Ash to do the dirty work. Drones still have to do.
Science fiction. An oxymoron…but not really. It speculates about a possible future that is made-up – scripted – but one that may well unfold in some approximation. It’s less horror or fantasy because it does not employ plot devices that many might deem “supernatural”. It’s just projecting what science already knows to be possible [or plausable] into an imagined context down the road. And Alien is creme de la creme in that regard.
IMDb
[b]The rumor that the cast, except for John Hurt, did not know what would happen during the chestburster scene is partly true. The scene had been explained for them, but they did not know specifics. For instance, Veronica Cartwright did not expect to be sprayed with blood.
For the awakening from hypersleep segment, Veronica Cartwright and Sigourney Weaver had to wear white surgical tape over their nipples so as not to offend certain countries.[/b]
ALIEN
Directed by Ridley Scott
[b]Dallas: Bones are bent outward, like he exploded from inside.
…
Lambert: Let’s get the hell out of here.
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Ripley: Ash, that transmission. Mother’s deciphered part of it. It doesn’t look like an S.O.S. It looks like a warning.
…
Dallas: Something has attached itself to him. We have to get him to the infirmary right away.
Ripley: What kind of thing? I need a clear definition.
Dallas: An organism. Open the hatch.
Ripley: Wait a minute. If we let it in, the ship could be infected. You know the quarantine procedure. Twenty-four hours for decontamination.
Dallas: He could die in twenty-four hours. Open the hatch.
Ripley: Listen to me, if we break quarantine, we could all die.
Lambert: Look, could you open the god-damned hatch? We have to get him inside.
Ripley: No. I can’t do that and if you were in my position, you’d do the same.
Dallas: Ripley, this is an order. Open that hatch right now, do you hear me?
Ripley: Yes.
Dallas: Ripley. This is an order. Do you hear me?
Ripley: Yes. I read you. The answer is negative.
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Dallas: Paralyzes him, puts him in a coma, then keeps him alive. Now, what the hell is that?
…
Dallas [looking at a pen being dissolved by alien’s body fluid]: I haven’t seen anything like that except, uh, molecular acid.
Brett: It must be using it for blood.
Parker: It’s got a wonderful defense mechanism. You don’t dare kill it.
…
Ash: Well, as I said, I’m still collating actually, but uh, I have confirmed that he’s got an outer layer of protein polysaccharides. Has a funny habit of shedding his cells and replacing them with polarized silicon, which gives him a prolonged resistance to adverse environmental conditions. Is that enough?
Ripley: That’s plenty. What does it mean?
Ash: Well, it’s an interesting combination of elements making him a tough little son-of-a-bitch.
Ripley: And you let him in.
Ash: I was obeying a direct order. Remember?
Ripley: Ash. When Dallas and Kane are off the ship, I’m Senior Officer.
Ash: Oh, yes, I forgot.
Ripley: You also forgot the Science Division’s basic quarantine law.
Ash: No, that I didn’t forget.
Ripley: Oh, I see, you just broke it. Hmm?
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Ash: Ripley, for God’s sake, this is the first time that we’ve encountered a species like this. It has to go back. All sorts of tests have to be made.
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Dallas: I just run the ship. Anything to do with the science division Ash has the final word.
Ripley: How does that happen?
Dallas: It happens because that’s what the Company wants.
Ripley: Since when is that standard procedure?
Dallas: Standard procedure is to do what the hell they tell you to do.
Ripley: Did you ever ship out with Ash before?
Dallas: I went out five times with another science officer. They replaced him two days before we left Thedus with Ash. Hmm?
Ripley: I don’t trust him.
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Brett: Right.
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Parker: This son of a bitch is huge! I mean, it’s like a man; it’s…it’s big!
Ash: [softly] Kane’s son.
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Ripley: Ash. Any suggestions from you or Mother?
Ash: No, we’re still collating.
Ripley: [laughing in disbelief] You’re what? You’re still collating? I find that hard to believe.
Ash: What would you like me to do?
Ripley: Just what you’ve been doing, Ash, nothing.
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Mother: PRIORITY ONE INSURE RETURN OF ORGANISM FOR ANALYSIS. ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS SECONDARY. CREW EXPENDABLE.
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Ash: There is an explanation for this, you know.
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Parker: Jesus. It’s a robot. Ash is a goddamn robot!
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Parker: How come the Company sent us a goddamn robort?
Ripley: They must have wanted the alien for their weapons division. He’s been protecting it all along.
…
Ripley: Ash, can you hear me? Ash?
Ash: [speaking in an electronic, distorted voice] Yes, I can hear you.
Ripley: What was your special order?
Ash: You read it. I thought it was clear.
Ripley: What was it?
Ash: Bring back life form. Priority One. All other priorities rescinded.
Parker: The damn company. What about our lives, you son of a bitch?
Ash: I repeat, all other priorities are rescinded.
…
Ash: You still don’t understand what you are dealing with, do you? The perfect organism. Its structural perfection is matched only by its hostility.
Lambert: You admire it.
Ash: I admire its purity. A survivor. Unclouded by conscience, remorse or delusions of morality.
…
Ash: I can’t lie to you about your chances, but…you have my sympathies.
…
Ripley: When we throw the switches, how long before the ship blows?
Parker: Ten minutes.
Ripley: No bullshit?
Parker: If we ain’t outta here in ten minutes, we won’t need no rocket to fly through space.[/b]