# Alien (1979) — Celluloid fact sheet

Source: https://celluloidscore.com/movies/alien-1979/
Last reviewed: 2026-08-31

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Celluloid Score | 83% |
| Editorial Rating | 87/100 |
| Audience Snapshot | 89% (excluded from composite) |
| Metascore | 81/100 |
| Letterboxd | 4/5 |
| IMDb | 8.5/10 |
| Director | Ridley Scott |
| Genres | Horror, Science Fiction |
| Runtime | 117 min |

## Quick answer

Alien (1979) earns a 83% Celluloid Score — Recommended. IMDb Top 250 #51 (8.5/10) — Alien remains one of the most highly rated films of all time. Metascore 81/100. Directed by Ridley Scott.

## Celluloid verdict

IMDb Top 250 #51 (8.5/10) — Alien remains one of the most highly rated films of all time.

## Synopsis

During its return to the earth, commercial spaceship Nostromo intercepts a distress signal from a distant planet. When a three-member team of the crew discovers a chamber containing thousands of eggs on the planet, a creature inside one of the eggs attacks an explorer. The entire crew is unaware of the impending nightmare set to descend upon them when the alien parasite planted inside its unfortunate host is birthed.

## Cast

Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm, Yaphet Kotto, Bolaji Badejo, Helen Horton

## Where to watch

the United Kingdom: Disney+
Indonesia: Disney+
Turkey: Disney+
South Korea: Disney+
Japan: Prime Video, Disney+
Malaysia: Disney+
Thailand: Disney+

## Critic reviews on Celluloid: 1

## Common questions

**Is Alien worth watching?**
Alien holds a 83% Celluloid Score. IMDb Top 250 #51 (8.5/10) — Alien remains one of the most highly rated films of all time.

**What is Alien about?**
During its return to the earth, commercial spaceship Nostromo intercepts a distress signal from a distant planet. When a three-member team of the crew discovers a chamber containing thousands of eggs on the planet, a creature inside one of the eggs attacks an explorer. The entire crew is unaware of the impending nightmare set to descend upon them when the alien parasite planted inside its unfortunate host is birthed.

**Who directed Alien?**
Alien (1979) was directed by Ridley Scott.

**What is the Celluloid Score of Alien?**
83% — calculated from available Celluloid editorial (87/100), Metascore (81/100), Letterboxd (4/5), and IMDb (8.5/10) inputs. Audience sentiment is excluded.

**Where can I watch Alien?**
Alien is on Disney+ in the United Kingdom; on Disney+ in Indonesia; on Disney+ in Turkey; on Disney+ in South Korea; on Prime Video, Disney+ in Japan; on Disney+ in Malaysia; on Disney+ in Thailand. Availability varies by region.

---
Reviewed and scored by Celluloid · Editor: Kaiser Khan (https://celluloidscore.com/author/kaiser-khan/)

Markdown mirror: https://celluloidscore.com/movies/alien-1979.md