A Brief History of Intergalactic Warfare

The Alien franchise, 1979 - 1997
Directed by Ridley Scott, with Sigourney Weaver in the lead role, the first film in the Alien series transcended the confines of science fiction, fusing a space-based plot with the suspense and tension of a horror film. Though technically the crew of the Nostrodomo was tasked with nothing beyond hauling cargo, the duels between Ripley and her nemesis had a decidedly soldierly feel, a theme that was developed more in the series' second installment, Aliens, which, like Avatar, was directed by James Cameron. By the fourth installment, released in 1997, the story revolves around efforts by the United Systems Military to clone Aliens for their own use.

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