In 1979, one of the most seminal sci-fi films ever made was shown for the first time on the big screen. Ridley Scott’s Alien is a dark, disturbing and downright terrifying addition to the Hollywood Hall of Fame.

2019 marks 40 years since Alien was born (or possibly ripped from a stomach), so we thought it was a fitting time to look back at this epic series of films and to celebrate one of our favourite kick-ass heroines of all time – Ellen Ripley.

This entire film is an examination of reproduction, and as Lucy notes multiple times throughout the episode – a perfect example of Kleinian theory in action. Don’t worry, if you aren’t up on your Kleinian philosophy, neither were we. Just think of it as an early-onset oedipal complex. You can explore Melanie Klein’s work at the Melanie Klein Trust.

Films and television mentioned in this episode include:

  • Star Wars
  • Forbidden Planet
  • Barbarella
  • Star Trek: The Original Series
  • Galaxy Quest
  • Star Trek: Into Darkness
  • The Thing