ET: greatest alien movie ever

[snopes]

E.T., the Steven Spielberg produced movie, has been voted the greatest alien film ever.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/f...ovie-ever.html

[Silas Sparkhammer]

Okay, that does it: infest their planet with Reticulan Parasites.

(I won't go so far as to say that Alien/Aliens is/are the "best" alien movies ever...but, Gosharooty, they're better than ET!)

Silas

[Notebook]

Well, I don't know if ET is certainly greatest alien movie ever, but I can say, without a doubt that it's low-budgeted counterpart Mac and Me can qualify for one of the worst alien movies of all time. I know I mentioned this in another thread, but I really hate this movie--it's not even enjoyable in a "so bad it's good" sense.

[Insensible Crier]

Ok, I'm calling BS on this list. There is no fricking way Men in Black and Independence Day are better than Alien. And Transformers has no business on the list. Pod People was better than Transformers. Movies aren't just CGI demo reels people. Who the hell did they poll?

Now if you'll excuse me, my high horse and I are going home.

[BatmanBeatles]

Well, I don't know if ET is certainly greatest alien movie ever, but I can say, without a doubt that it's low-budgeted counterpart Mac and Me can qualify for one of the worst alien movies of all time. I know I mentioned this in another thread, but I really hate this movie--it's not even enjoyable in a "so bad it's good" sense.

Tell me about. Not only does it rip off ET, but the whole movie is a product placement. The aliens are so hideous as well. At ET had those charming blue eyes.

[Hans Off]

Originally Posted by Silas Sparkhammer

Okay, that does it: infest their planet with Reticulan Parasites.

(I won't go so far as to say that Alien/Aliens is/are the "best" alien movies ever...but, Gosharooty, they're better than ET!)

Silas

I would argue that they are horror movies rather than alien movies...

but I won't as I find it hard to be upset by the results of a movie poll from www.PhonePiggyBank.com !!!

[Wolf333]

Originally Posted by Hans Off

I would argue that they are horror movies rather than alien movies...

Being a horror movie doesn't prevent it from being an alien movie. After all, "Shaun Of The Dead" was ,at it's heart, a romantic comedy... and still a zombie movie.

[Silas Sparkhammer]

Originally Posted by Hans Off

I would argue that they are horror movies rather than alien movies... . . .

The first one, Alien, was a "monster movie," I'll grant that. (But it was, still, an alien movie!) In Alien, the characters didn't have any right moves. No matter what they did, the monster was right behind them. Didn't matter if you went right or left, he was already behind you. (Something kinda quantum-mechanical about that! The Alien had a wave-like position function!)

But the second one, Aliens, played more fairly with the characters. There were things they could have done to win. And, indeed, in the end, Ripley did win. So I'd say that the second one is legitimate "science fiction," even if the first one isn't, kinda.

(Of course, one could also argue that ET is a "magic" or "fantasy" movie -- flying bicycles, etc.)

Silas

[ganzfeld]

ET might the best alien movie for kids under the age of 8.

[crocoduck_hunter]

So is this the original ET, or the retconned version?

[BamaRainbow]

In all fairness, this poll sucks eggs. When people put a TV SHOW as "best film", there's obviously something wrong.

1. ET (1982)

2. Men In Black (1997)

3. Independence Day (1996)

4. Alien (1979)

5. Transformers (2007)

6. Predator (1987)

7. Star Trek (1966)

8. War of the Worlds (2005)

9. Fifth Element (1997)

10. Aliens (1986)

In the words of the Sesame Street song, "one of these things is not like the others, one of these things does not belong".
The first Star Trek film wasn't released until 1979, and even then, it doesn't really count as an "alien movie" (of course, the show itself doesn't really qualify as an "alien show") and I wouldn't really count any of the Trek-franchise films as "alien movies" except in the VERY loosest sense. Yes, the films (especially the Next Gen-era films) featured alien characters, as did the various shows, but by that criteria, the Star Wars franchise should have made the list somewhere.*
Where's District 9? Was it too recent for the poll or has it just not made an impact in the UK?
What about The Thing, especially the 1982 version?
I suppose there are a lot of films that should've made the list but didn't, but for Star Trek to make the list at all just makes this survey completely worthless.


*Technically speaking, ALL the Star Wars characters--even the most human-looking of the bunch--were aliens since the films took place "a long time ago, in a galaxy, far far away."

[J.G. Walker]

Aw come on...no love for Buckaroo Banzai? That one was rotten with aliens!

[Jay Tea]

I can't put my finger on it right now but there was a pic of Janet Jackson in the media recently that was the spitting image of ET (when ET wears the hat and wig). It was uncanny, and hilarious.

As for 'Alien' movies, I prefer 'Enemy Mine'.

[RealityChuck]

Hell, Plan 9 From Outer Space was a better alien film than Alien. Its plot made more sense.

Baird Searles, the respected film critic for Fantasy and Science Fiction, refused to review Alien, saying it was just a haunted house flick on a spaceship.

I agree. It also is the best example extant of an idiot plot.

[Silas Sparkhammer]

Originally Posted by RealityChuck

Hell, Plan 9 From Outer Space was a better alien film than Alien. Its plot made more sense.

Baird Searles, the respected film critic for Fantasy and Science Fiction, refused to review Alien, saying it was just a haunted house flick on a spaceship.

I agree. It also is the best example extant of an idiot plot.

Way too harsh. Yes, the movie was an idiot plot to some degree -- easily explained by the characters being idiots. These were truck-drivers in space. They weren't trained for first-contact exploration, nor for close quarters combat. And the Alien was pretty obviously a combat model: the damn thing is a weapon.

Yes, the movie was a "monster movie," because there was no right answer. No matter which way you turned, the monster was already behind you. Definitely a "haunted house" flick.

But not as bad, nor as stupid, as you or the reviewer you quote assert. The comparisons to a Three Stooges movie or to Plan 9 are several orders of hyperbole magnitude.

(I'm reminded of David Brin flensing ET. Hilarious, but way over the top! The movie has its sins, but it isn't as bad as he makes it out to be!)

Silas

[A Turtle Named Mack]

Hey, where's The Hitchhiker's Guide? Okay, the movie was not as good as the books, TV programme, or the radio show, but it still was a lot better than most of the movies listed! And there are only two named characters that are human!

[Tarquin Farquart]

Originally Posted by Hans Off

but I won't as I find it hard to be upset by the results of a movie poll from www.PhonePiggyBank.com !!!

Telegraph publishes promotional poll as news. Quelle surprise!

[Ellestar]

Originally Posted by Notebook

Well, I don't know if ET is certainly greatest alien movie ever, but I can say, without a doubt that it's low-budgeted counterpart Mac and Me can qualify for one of the worst alien movies of all time. I know I mentioned this in another thread, but I really hate this movie--it's not even enjoyable in a "so bad it's good" sense.

Heh. I remember liking that movie when I was 9. I like a good synchronized dance at the McDonalds as much as the next person.

Interesting note: The girl whose locker was next to mine in high school was the little hippy next door neighbor girl in Mac and Me.