Ridley Scott's dark and gritty Alien might not seem too similar to Stanley Kubrick's arid and aesthetic 2001: A Space Odyssey, but the latter sci-fi classic made creating it a challenge. Like Alien in the late '70s, 2001 was ahead of its time in 1968, when most movies in the genre like Barbarella and The Green Monster were still preoccupied with shiny chrome rocket ships, bobble-headed Martians, and racially problematic visions of the future. But tastes were changing, and 2001: A Space Odyssey became a pioneering sci-fi benchmark, along with Planet of the Apes.
In the decade between 2001 and the first of the Alien movies, epic space operas like Star Wars were gaining momentum, which incorporated fantasy elements into an intergalactic world and changed the landscape of cinema with their innovative special effects. At the start of Scott's movie-making career, the director had the unenviable task of creating something distinct from his contemporaries, while also paying homage to movies that had defined the genre years before. The result needed to balance his influences with his own ideas to create something new and dynamic, but it wasn't easy.
Ridley Scott Had To Resist 2001: A Space Odyssey's Influence On Alien
In the DVD commentary for Alien, Scott had nothing but praise for Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, stating that it was "tricky not to get influenced by what he'd done" on his own set, complicating Alien's creation process. With its beautiful cinematography, striking visuals, and themes steeped in the repercussions of technological advancement and human hubris, its legacy was everything Scott wanted for his own film. Similar to what 2001 accomplished without CGI effects, Alien would also have to rely on robust practical effects for its storyline, unique cinematography, and a definitive visual style in order to stand apart from it without seeming like a copy.
The practical effects in the infamous chestburster scene, in which actor John Hurt had to kneel under the table and have his neck joined with a prosthetic torso, impressed Kubrick so much that he called Scott directly after the movie came out; "How'd you do that? I've run it through slowly [and] I can't see the cut." (via The Los Angeles Times). While it might have been difficult for Scott to escape Kubrick's influence, his merits as an innovative filmmaker in his own right were clear, including keeping the Xenomorph absent until the end of Alien as his controversial pièce de résistance.
Alien Is Still Inspired By 2001: A Space Odyssey (& That's A Good Thing)
Ridley Scott mentions that elements inspired by 2001: A Space Odyssey still exist in the movie, and that his focus was rather to prevent the creation process from being too influenced by it. Indeed, the elements that can be seen to draw from the prior movie enhance Alien overall. This is true both in terms of tone and movie construction.
Both movies are slow burns, with harrowing storylines that bring fear in stages. Each film has its own striking imagery, distinct aesthetic, and meticulous attention to detail when it comes to world-building. Like 2001, Alien feels very much "lived in," almost like watching a documentary of the inhabitants of a place and time rather than a dramatic construct - yet there is something theatrical about both films.
The Alien movie is a dynamic example of a sci-fi classic that can take inspiration from a contemporary film and remain distinct. Scott knew he wanted to make a movie with a unique look and a compelling story, but he didn't copy the story beats, plot, or universe, instead drawing inspiration from elements to create his own distinct film. Alien is still so good today because it took inspiration from groundbreaking sources like 2001: A Space Odyssey while setting out to do something ahead of its time.