John Hurt, Harry Dean Stanton, Tom Skerritt and Yaphet Kotto did not receive Oscar nominations, despite Hurt receiving a BAFTA nomination, for portraying Kane, Brett, Dallas and Parker respectively in Alien.
Comparing Alien to most science fiction films of the period, such as the ill-advised Black Hole for example, or Star Trek the Motionless Picture (though it does have an amazing score), seems like they are of two different eras. Why is that? Well many reasons really. It has such a tangible sense of reality even though the whole film takes place on either a spaceship or an alien planet. A great deal of that has to do with the cast. I can just praise all of the cast together as one in part of what makes their work together. Take any scene where it is all of them together, before any xenomorphs show up, and what you have is such an authentic depiction of this specific community of people. Their interactions are just honest in such a fundamental sense and you get just the way they casually talk the small dynamics and the big ones just as they talk to one another as people, and just really co-workers as they do this job together as basically a group of space truckers. There are great aspects of reality that each actor brings to this. If you take even John Hurt waking up from hypersleep as the film opens where he doesn't just show a man getting up, rather there is a striking sense of reality by showing the wear on the man as he's trying to gain his bearings again and realize a sense of awareness. Or take Yaphet Kotto and Harry Dean Stanton who are both great at being part of the crew but also separate from the crew. That is as Parker and Brett are separated as basically the "grunts" of the crew, doing the dirty work and getting paid less. In turn, Kotto and Stanton have a great sort of sub-chemistry in the first scene as you see the two frequently commiserate a bit on their own, having just the right natural glances before they start asking if they can get better pay. Kotto is sort of the dominant "head" of the department though with endearing energy with Stanton as they espouse a mutual frustration with this kind of mischievous knowing that they're doing what they can to get a little more. Contrasting that again though is Tom Skerritt in the role that would seem the lead in an earlier film of the ilk, perhaps played by say a Charlton Heston, as sort of the no-nonsense Captain of the ship. Skerritt brings a nice low-key naturalism to the performance of just the ease about Dallas's reactions towards the slight indignation of certain members but also just wrangling everyone. He brings enough confidence though even this is behind a degree of exasperation just like most of the crew.
Now, why is this better than so many of the horror films that attempted to copy it or some of the sequels, many directed by Ridley Scott even? Well many reasons really, but one of them is the cast of characters being developed as they are performed as they are. Ridley Scott behind the scenes for the film essentially stated that he focused on the visual aspects more knowing he had a strong cast who could carry their weight. And in a sense this cast is just that much better, they are working with a better script, but a script with lesser actors might've struggled here a bit. The script is strong and shows that to establish characters actually doesn't require that much time you just need to do it well, and need to perform it well. Hurt shows the more insular and particularly spent man just going through the motions as the crew investigates a nearby planet as commanded by their corporation. Skerritt has that right sort of ease and kind of unease as a Captain who does give out the orders but the camaraderie is such that he doesn't bark, he just asks in just about every one of his deliveries. And you get again Stanton and Kotto who honestly are rather delightful as the comic duo. Particularly when Sigourney Weaver's Ripley argues with them as they do the investigation and both are acting annoyed. Both are perfect though with their particular hidden grins of theirs both act like their jobs are especially hard as they purposefully troll as a marvelous duo. Their chemistry really is effortless as they find the most "working class" of the group. Stanton, by the way, being such an inspired choice for sci-fi, as an actor, he seems anything but that, and therefore gives the film this extra bit of credence as honest people in this situation. Have to give particular mention to the great back and forth as when Parker says any idea, Brett follows with a right, and Stanton and Kotto bring such naturalistic and still quite hilarious timing in crafting the sense of the duo being a proper pair.
All four of the actors, along with Weaver and Cartwright give such a rich sense of this crew (Holm wonderfully doing his own thing as the odd "man" out), and that even in the divisions, like Parker and Brett's financial objections, you only get a stronger sense of the specific bond of coworkers who have been through quite a bit together. You know who each person is and in turn, there could easily have been a version of the film just called the crew, and make it hang out movie, I think it would've worked. This is a horror film, but the point is the film takes time, and the actors have the talent to make the eventual victims of the titular creature real people. You see this when Kane gets the face hugger on him, and everyone else shows their concern. I love Kotto's delivery of the guy on the side with an extra suggestion every time, but in that Kotto shows such genuine care for Parker. Skerritt though shows this specific concern of the Captain with kind of this more reserved quality of the leader trying to make the right decision in a stressful situation. Even Brett who doesn't say much, adds a lot just in his silent reaction of concern. Kane's unexpected awakening is a brilliant brief moment for Hurt even as his character is a dead man he still takes the time to be so haunting as he just mentions this internal sense of real pain and fear of pondering a dream of smothering. Against that, I love Stanton, Skerritt, and Kotto's reactions of the pure joy of just appreciating that their friend is alright. And in a way that "last supper" scene is particularly heartbreaking because again you see the crew as just a likable group of people having fun together. Of course, that also marks Hurt's final moment, which I'm guessing earned Hurt is BAFTA nomination (though hard to convince it should've been over Holm), in depicting the chestburster reveal of the alien. A scene where a good part of the horror is the visceral reality that Hurt brings as he wretches in pain and makes every moment of the terror all the more vivid as it really feels like something is killing him from the inside. A scene oft repeated, often quite lamely, and Hurt showed how it was done to the point it was never properly replicated.
Soon afterward you get Brett's final moments, and again what is so great about Alien is the intensity it creates with the time it takes. Part of the reason is you have Harry Dean Stanton granting an absolute reality to the man walking around the dark portion of the ship, enjoying a bit of water on his face, before portraying spine-chilling terror as the creature descends upon him. Skerritt is also great in presenting Dallas basically attempting to become the true leader now, and portrays just the right combination of attempted bravery with fear. When giving orders just enough awkwardness in his delivery as he gives out orders and shows a man trying to be the leader in every way. Contrasting that his alone time with the computer of the ship, gives no help, Skerritt is filled with desperation in his face of a man as terrified as anyone. The scene of Dallas then trying to kill the Alien in the air ducts is amazing through everyone's acting really, but of course, Skerritt is at the center of it as Dallas. There to hunt the Alien, but instead quickly becomes the hunted. I love one particular delivery by Skerritt as Dallas basically says he needs to get out of there, as suddenly you see no hero, no captain, no leader, just a man filled with fear and wanting to escape the horror that awaits him. While not the focus of the film exactly Skerritt in a quick microcosm breaks down sort of the expected hero, by showing the man who doesn't find his greatest strength in times of trouble, but rather his greatest weakness. Against that though is Kotto's Parker, who despite being the lovable goof in the early scenes kind of becomes the potential hero of the film. Again, not focused on a shot even real, but watch Kotto after Brett's death scene, he completely shows a man torn up about losing his friend. Not a lot of time is spent on it, but just by his reaction, you feel the weight of it completely. Kotto realizes this growing pointed intensity in Parker as he tries to take on the role of the hero and in some ways succeeds like when he stops Ash from killing Ripley. Kotto brings this natural dogged determination that shows such a sense of conviction in the eyes of a man trying to help his friends and survive. I again especially love his moment of ensuring Ash's death. Nothing is said, it is just in Kotto's expression of hate and joy that you see a man purposefully avenging the death of his friends, as Ash's actions helped to kill everyone. Kotto even brings this kind of intensity in Parker's last scene by showing the man just going head first into battle, unfortunately, a hand-to-hand battle he could never win. I love though that even in his demise Kotto's eyes carry still a fighting ferocity, and it would've been easy to imagine a version of the film where he was the sole survivor. Of course, why do I love this film? Well, it is everyone in the cast is someone, and not idiots either. I love that everyone basically more or less makes good decisions, other than the insidious Ash, unfortunately, the Alien is greater than the sum of their strengths. Everyone though is a real person, with a life beyond the scenario. Each has its own story, some you get more than others, but you get a strong sense of each person, with each actor delivering on the promise of more than just they'll be victim # whatever. It's a truly stellar ensemble, not one performance is wasted. Everyone breaths their own life into the piece, and create memorable people that could've existed beyond this one story. As it is they give this one story a greater depth, and life than any other horror film of its ilk.
(Stanton)
(Skerritt & Hurt)
(Kotto)
