I think Alien (1979) is overrated, there I said it. So good to get that off my chest.Though it spawned an outstanding sequel I find it underwhelming and therefore I went into this documentary prepared to be unimpressed.I did however expect a better constructed making off film than this. Somehow, someway The Beast Within manages to be incredibly boring and make a cult movie look really quite poor.Featuring interviews with most of the cast, a few sfx explanations and lots of background on the film these 3hrs really drag as it's almost as if they just don't have much to say about the movie.Hurt & Weaver don't get much of a spotlight and Kotto is entirely absent. Most of the interviews are with those behind the camera, especially Giger & Ridley.Not being a fan of the film it was at a disadvantage from the outset, but regardless I can recognise a poorly contructed documentary when I see one.The Good:Few decent interviewsCouple of interesting storiesThe Bad:Remarkably boringVery little content considering the run timeThings I Learnt From This Documentary:Giger always made me feel very deeply uncomfortable

So many great interviews by the actors. So many great clips of scenes. So much behind the scenes the make the movies even better.Again Ridley Scott did a great job of directing. Sigourney Weaver did a great job in her first role. The special effects were excellent as was the action. The fear seemed real. A movie that still looks good after all these years.

If you want to know not just about "Alien" but also about Hollywood at the time or about what screenwriters deal with or about the special effects technology of the time or about how actors are chosen for a film or about audiences (at least back then)... You get the idea. If I were to teach a course on the history of film or about the film industry there's a good chance I'd want all my students to see this. There may be better ones but I can't think of any off hand. Of course it helps if you enjoyed "Alien," but if you don't at least respect it as a landmark film then you might be one of the few people who wouldn't like it. If you enjoy jumping over couches or texting while a film is playing then you also may not get much out of this.

This massive documentary is very good, almost exhausive, ranking in at 178 minutes, longer than the film ALIEN (1979) itself. It's well-made and overwhelmingly informative at times.It features many interviews detailing the concept to the production of the film. For ALIEN fans this is a must-see but anyone interested in the history of the film for whatever reason should see it, too.Overall I've seen better but this is still a great documentary for a classic motion picture.4.5/5R.I.P. Jerry Goldsmith