ALIEN (1979): Celebrating Sci-Fi Icon Ellen Ripley & Movie Review

Welcome to our Film Coven! Each episode hosts Kelli Mehan and Melissa Woody induct a new woman into their Film Coven. Episodes may focus on a movie, a specific character or a woman who is involved in filmmaking. Stay magical everyone!
This week we are inducting...Ellen Ripley from Alien
*Song used in intro and outro: Eleganza - Lucas Pittman
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[@Vulcanerd]

It also occurs to me that Sarah Connor and Ripley both take similar routes from a more innocent state (more Connor bc Ripley is an officer aboard a salvage ship which is probably backbreaking work) to being tough as nails characters.
The interesting thing you guys brought up, though, is that (very much in the first) Ripley isn’t the prototypical hero/heroine. You see her struggle with her fear, but what makes her one of the best badasses on film is her ability to overcome it. Bc, to me, courage isn’t the absence of fear, it’s the way she gets a grip on it, curbs it and tames it rather than being tamed by it.

[@thechosenones4375]

Ripley is my favorite character of all time. In any movie. I named my car after her. I do think it's funny when Sigourney's name comes up for greatest action hero, though. Has she ever been in an action movie? Maybe Galaxy Quest?
I look at Alien and Aliens like Blade 1&2. Hard to pick a favorite.

[@yoshimitsu5537]

Hell yeah, there she is! Ripley is one of my all time favorite characters from any genre male, female, or other. I think the two of you covered what makes her great pretty comprehensively, especially how she feels like a very skilled person doing her job well and improvising realistically in an impossible situation.
I can't think of any characters like off the top of my head either, I wish there were more.
Another actress i hope you eventually talk about in the future is Michelle Rodriguez. She typically plays more of the Sarah Connor-type badass but she's always great! It was fun to see her in a more complete role in Dungeons and Dragons of all things.
Thinking about it though, Sarah Connor didn't start out as a hardened badass. In the first movie she's more like Ripley, a regular person in a heightened situation.
Anyway, great video! Looking forward to the live episode (although I'll probably have to catch the replay).

[@Vulcanerd]

Is Ripley one or maybe the very first of the 'final girls' in modern movies?

[@mattscanlon4937]

Amazing film and performance! Ripley is an all time sci-fi great. Love the worn in gritty feel of it all.

[@aledlewis9399]

I believe the role of Ripley was intended to be a male before Sigourney was cast. This may be the reason for this not feeling like the overly traditional female roles in cinema you mentioned