After viewing Ridley Scott's, Alien, one may infer that, like many science fiction films that influence the film, tells the story of man versus nature. Where the nature of the alien is hunting them. Or it is man versus machine, where they are stuck in the space ship to ultimately survive and to kill and destroy the alien that is after them. Such a view, however, is far too simplistic because it does not account for the fact that there are many feminist themes that are in this film. This is very important because it shows that the 1979 film, Alien, is sophisticated in its treatment to women and it illustrates feminism by the treatment of Sigourney Weaver by the crew. This paper will show how feminism is portrayed in the film by examining the attuned anxieties of feminism. .
As the audience of the film view Alien, they should take into account the economic change that was occurring in the United States. At this point in the United States, there was a change in ideology with women. Women did not feel the need to be a cookie cutter 1950's housewife any longer. They were beginning to gain authority in jobs. The big question was should women in authority be treated with authority. Just like in Alien where even though there was a woman in charge, the crew does not listen to her. Her rules are not obeyed. In the journal article, Media Images, Feminist Issues, it explained at the beginning of the feminist movement, some critics were often, "uninterested" or "unsympathetic" (page 3). But within this as dramatically changed within the recent years, stating that sexual equality is a, "political priority" (page 5). .
In the film Alien, there are many maternal and motherly ways the film goes about feminism. In the opening scene where they take a tour of the ship, where the crew is getting out of bed. There is a feel of a "new frontier" and also new beginnings, the director of this film is referring to the new frontier in which the United States is taking with women coming into power.
