Quotes

Dialogue

Ripley: I don't understand this. We have been here for three and a half hours. How many different ways you want me to tell you the same story? Van Leuwen: Look at it from our perspective, please. [points at an empty chair] Please. [Ripley sits down] Now, you freely admit detonating the engines of, and thereby destroying an M-class star freighter, a rather expensive piece of hardware. Insurance attorney: Forty-two million in adjusted dollars. That's minus payload, of course. Van Leuwen: The lifeboat's flight recorder corroborates some parts of your account. In that for reasons unknown, the Nostromo set down on LV-426, an unsurveyed planet at that time. That it resumed its course and was subsequently set for self-destruct, by you, for reasons unknown. Ripley: Not for reasons unknown. I told you. We set down there on company's orders, to get this thing, which destroyed my crew. And your expensive ship. Van Leuwen: The analysis team, which went over the lifeboat centimeter by centimeter, f

Dialogue

Ripley: Van Leuwen? Why don't you just check out LV-426? Van Leuwen: Because I don't have to. There have been people there for over twenty years and they never complained about any hostile organisms. Ripley: [alarmed] What do you mean? What people? Van Leuwen: Terraformers. Planetary engineers. They go down there and set up these big atmosphere processors to make the air breathable. It takes decades. That's what we call 'shake'n'bake colony' [he tries to leave, but Ripley blocks his way with her arm] Ripley: How many are there? How many colonists? Van Leuwen: I don't know. Sixty, maybe seventy families [looks pointedly at Ripley's arm] Do you mind? Ripley: [lets him go and speaks to herself] Families. Jesus.

Dialogue

Ripley: I don't believe this. You guys throw me to the wolves, and now you want me to go back out there? Forget it. It's not my problem. Burke: Can I finish? Ripley: No. There's no way. Gorman: Ripley, you wouldn't be going in with the troops. I can guarantee your safety. Burke: These Colonial Marines are very tough hombres. They're packing state-of-the-art firepower. There's nothing they can't handle. Lieutenant, am I right? Gorman: That's true. We've been trained to deal with situations like this. Ripley: [scoffs] You don't need me. I'm not a soldier. Burke: Yeah, but we don't know exactly what's going on out there. It may just a downed transmitter, okay? But if it's not... I'd like you to go there as an adviser. And that's all. Ripley: What's your interest in all this? Why are you going? Burke: Corporation co-financed that colony along with Colonial Administration. We're going into a lot of terraforming, building better worlds- Ripley: Yeah, yeah, I saw the commercial. Look, I don't

Dialogue

Burke: Hello? Ripley? You're okay? Ripley: Just tell me one thing, Burke. You're going out there to destroy them, right? Not to study, not to bring back, but to wipe them out. Burke: That's the plan. You have my word on it. Ripley: [pause] All right, I'm in [disconnects, then turns to Jones, her cat] And you, you little shithead, you're staying here.

Dialogue

Drake: They ain't paying us enough for this, man. Dietrich: Not enough to wake up every day to your face, Drake. Drake: What? Is that a joke? Dietrich: Oh, I wish it were. Drake: Hey, Hicks. Man, you look just like I feel. Apone: [walking along the line of cryo pods] All right, sweethearts, what are you waiting for? Breakfast in bed? Another glorious day in the Corps! Day in the Marine Corps is like a day on the farm. Every meal's a banquet. Every paycheck a fortune. Every formation a parade. I love the Corps! Hudson: Man, this floor is freezing! Apone: What do you want me to do, fetch the slippers for ya? Hudson: Gee, would you, sir? I'd like that. Apone: [peels back his eyelid] Look into my eye!

Dialogue

Vasquez: Hey, mira, who's Snow White? [indicates Ripley] Ferro: She's supposed to be some kind of consultant. Apparently, she saw an alien once. Hudson: Whoopee-fucking-doo. Hey, I'm impressed. Vasquez: ¡Que bonita! Hudson: Hey, Vasquez, have you ever been mistaken for a man? Vasquez: No. Have you?

Dialogue

Ripley: [to Burke, agitated] You never said anything about android being aboard, why not? Burke: It never... never occurred to me. It's just a common practice, we always have a synthetic on board. Bishop: I prefer the term "artificial person" myself. Is there a problem? Burke: I'm sorry. I don't know why I didn't... [to Bishop] On Ripley's last trip the synth- the artificial person malfunctioned. Ripley: "Malfunctioned"?! Burke: We had some problems and, uh... few deaths were involved. Bishop: I'm shocked. Was it an older model? Burke: Yeah. Hyperdyne Systems 120-A/2. Bishop: Well, that explains it. I mean, the A/2s always were a bit twitchy. That could never happen now with our behaviour inhibitors. It is impossible for me to harm, or by omission of action, allowed to be harmed, a human being. [hands the tray with corn bread to Ripley] Are you sure you don't want some? Ripley: [angrily knocks the tray out of Bishop's hand] Just stay away from me, Bishop. You got that straight? Gorman:

Dialogue

Ripley: How many drops for you is this, lieutenant? Gorman: Thirty-eight. Simulated. Vasquez: How many combat drops? Gorman: Uh, two. Including this one. Drake: Shit. Hudson: Oh-ho, man...

Dialogue

Ripley: I don't know how you managed to stay alive. But you're one brave kid, Rebecca. Newt: N-Newt. Ripley: What'd you say? Newt: Newt. My name is Newt. Nobody calls me Rebecca except my brother. Ripley: Newt? I like that. I'm Ripley. It's nice to meet you. And who is this? Newt: Casey. Ripley: Hello, Casey. What about your brother? What's his name? Newt: Timmy. Ripley: Is Timmy around here too? Maybe hiding like you were? [Newt doesn't answer] Any sisters? [Newt shakes her head] Mom and Dad? [Newt nods] Newt. Look at me. Where are they? Newt: They're dead, all right? Can I go now? Ripley: I'm sorry, Newt. Don't you think you'd be safer here with us? [Newt shakes her head] These people are here to protect you. They're soldiers. Newt: It won't make any difference.

Dialogue

Ripley: Lieutenant, what do those pulse rifles fire? Gorman: 10 millimeter explosive-tip caseless. Standard light armor piercing round. Why? Ripley: Well, look where your team is. They're right under the primary heat exchangers. Gorman: So? Ripley: So... if they fire their weapons in there, won't they rupture the cooling system? Burke: Whoa ho-ho... yeah, she's absolutely right. Gorman: So? So what? Burke: Look, this whole station is basically a big fusion reactor, right? So she's talking about a thermonuclear explosion and... adios, muchachos. Gorman: Oh, great. Wonderful. Shit! [talking via radio] Look... Uh... Apone. Look, we can't have any firing in there. I, uh... I want you to collect magazines from everybody. Hudson: Is he fucking crazy? Frost: What the hell are we supposed to use, man? Harsh language? Gorman: Flame units only. I want rifles slung. Apone: Sir, I- Gorman: Just do it, Sergeant. And no grenades.

Dialogue

Hicks: [pulls out a shotgun] I like to keep this handy. For close encounters. Frost: Yeah, I heard that.

Dialogue

Vasquez: All right, we got seven canisters of CN-20. I say we roll them in there and nerve gas the whole fucking nest. Hicks: That's worth a try, but we don't know if it's gonna affect them. Hudson: Let's just bug out and call it even, OK? What are we even talking about this for? Ripley: I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure. Hudson: Fuckin' A! Burke: Ho- ho- Hold on a second. This installation has a substantial dollar value attached to it. Ripley: [scoffs] They can bill me. Burke: Okay, look. This is an emotional moment for all of us, all right? I know that. But let's not make snap judgments, please. This is clearly an important species we're dealing with here, and I don't think you or I or anybody has the right to arbitrarily exterminate them. Ripley: Wrong! Vasquez: Yeah, watch us. Hudson: Maybe you're not keeping up on current events. We just got our asses kicked, pal! Burke: Look, I'm not blind to what's going on, but I cannot authoriz

Dialogue

Hudson: That's great. That's just fucking great, man. Now what the fuck are we supposed to do?! We're in some real pretty shit now, man! Hicks: [grabs Hudson and draws him closer] You finished? Newt: I guess we're not going to be leaving right now, then? Ripley: I'm sorry, Newt. Newt: You don't have to be sorry. It wasn't your fault. Hudson: That's it! Game over, man! Game over! What the fuck are we gonna do now?! What are we gonna do?! Burke: Maybe we could build a fire and sing couple of songs, huh? Why don't we try that?! Newt: We'd better get back because it'll be dark soon, and they mostly come at night. Mostly.

Dialogue

Hicks: That's absolutely everything we can salvage from the APC wreckage. We've got four pulse rifles, with about fifty rounds each. That ain't so good. We got, uh, fifteen of these M-40 grenades. [Newt reaches for a grenade] Don't touch that. Dangerous, honey. Ripley: Is that the only flamethrower? Hicks: Yeah. It's only half-full, but it's functional. Got another one, it's damaged, so I don't know about that one. But the good news... We've got four of these robot sentries, with display and scanners intact. They really kick ass. They'll come in handy. Ripley: How long after we're declared overdue we can expect a rescue? Hicks: [deadpan] Seventeen days. Hudson: Seventeen days? Hey man, I don't wanna rain on your parade, but we're not gonna last seventeen hours! These things are going to come here like they did before and they're gonna... [starts rambling unintelligibly] Ripley: Hudson! HUDSON! [Hudson stops talking] This little girl survived longer than that with no weapons and no trai

Dialogue

Ripley: Last stop. Get in. [Newt lies down on the bed] Scoot down. That's good. Now, you lie here and have a nap. You're very tired. Newt: I don't want to. I have scary dreams. Ripley: Well, I bet Casey doesn't have scary dreams. Let's take a look. [holds up Casey] Nope. Nothing bad in there. See? Maybe you could try to be just like her, hmm? Newt: Ripley, she doesn't have bad dreams because she's just a piece of plastic. Ripley: [smiles] Right. I'm sorry, Newt. [turns on heater] There. Newt: My mommy always said there were no monsters, no real ones, but there are. Ripley: Yes, there are, aren't there? Newt: Why do they tell little kids that? Ripley: Most of the time it's true. Newt: Did one of those things grow inside her? Ripley: I don't know, Newt. That's the truth. Newt: Isn't that how babies come? I mean, people babies? They grow inside you. Ripley: [smiles] Oh, that's very different. Newt: Did you ever have a baby? Ripley: Yes, I did. I had a little girl. Newt: Where is she? Ripl

Dialogue

Burke: Look, those two specimens are worth millions to the bio-weapons division. Now, if you're smart, we can both come out of it as heroes, and we will be set up for life. Ripley: [beat] You're crazy, Burke, you know that? You really think you can get a dangerous organism like that past ICC quarantine? Burke: How can they impound it if they don't know about it? Ripley: Oh, but they will know about it, Burke. From me. Just like they'll know that you were responsible for the deaths of 157 colonists! Burke: Wait a second — Ripley: You sent them to that ship! Burke: You're wrong! Ripley: I just checked the colony log. Directive dated 6/12/79, signed Burke, Carter J. You sent them out there and you didn't even warn them! Why didn't you warn them, Burke? Burke: Okay, look. What if that ship didn't even exist? Did you ever think about that? I didn't know! So now, if I went and made a major security situation out of it, everybody steps in. Administration steps in, and there are no exclusive r

Dialogue

Ripley: [looking out the window at the atmosphere processing plant] It's very pretty, Bishop, but what are we looking for? Bishop: [points at gas flaring from the reactor] That's it. Emergency venting. Hudson: Oh, that's beautiful, man. Oh, man, that - that just beats it all. Hicks: How long till it blows? Bishop: Four hours. [Hicks groans] With a blast radius of 30 kilometers, equal to about... 40 megatons. Hicks: We got problems. Hudson: I don't believe this, I don't fucking believe this! Bishop: Vasquez, close the shutters. Ripley: Why can't we shut it down from here? Bishop: I'm sorry, the crash caused too much damage. An overload is inevitable at this point. Hudson: Oh, man, and I was getting short. Four more weeks and out. Now I'm gonna buy it on this rock. It ain't half fair, man! Vasquez: Hudson, give us a break! Hudson: Four more weeks. Oh, man... Ripley: Well, we've got to get the other dropship from the Sulaco. I mean, there must be some way of bringing it down on remote. Hu

Dialogue

Hudson: [aiming his rifle at Burke] I say we grease this rat fuck-son-of-a-bitch right now! Hicks: It just doesn't make any goddamn sense. Ripley: He figured he could get the alien past the quarantine if one of us was... impregnated - whatever you call it - and frozen for the way home. Nobody would know about the embryos we're carrying. Me and Newt. Hicks: Wait a minute, now, we'd all know. Ripley: Yes, the only way he could do it is if he sabotaged certain freezers on the way home. Namely, yours. Then he could jettison the bodies and make up any story he liked. Hudson: Fuck! He's dead! [aims his rifle at Burke again] You're dogmeat, pal! Burke: This is so nuts. I mean, listen... listen to what you're saying. It's all paranoid delusion. It's really sad. It's pathetic. Ripley: You know, Burke, I don't know which species is worse. You don't see them fucking each other over a goddamn percentage. Hicks: All right, we waste him. No offense. [he and Hudson grab Burke and attempt to escort hi

“Aliens 30th anniversary: Oral history of Power Loader Ripley vs. The Alien Queen” (July 18, 2016)

Looking back, I’m always astonished that they trusted me to flame the dummies and shoot blanks into the stunt guys and bazookas into some of the other targets. You know, we just went for it. And luckily I didn’t kill anyone.

“'Aliens' Turns 30: Celebrating The Iconic Sci-Fi Sequel” (July 18, 2016)

CORNISH: OK, remind us the difference between 1979's "Alien" and what came seven years later in "Aliens" with an s. Like, fundamentally, what's the difference in plot? KLIMEK: Well, the difference is actually the entire genre. You know, "Alien" was this spooky haunted house movie in space. And "Aliens" starts out that way but turns into this suspense-action war movie. Ripley wakes up 57 years later, like Rip Van Winkle. She's been drifting off in space having survived her first encounter with the alien. And she gets back to Earth and finds that no one believes her story. But some months later - some traumatic, nightmare-suffering cloaked months - invited to go back to the planet LV-426. And I think this is the element that makes this story universal. Even though very few of us have experience fighting monsters in space, the idea of having to go back and confront your demons is universal. And that's the story of "Aliens." CORNISH: And you've talked about the atmosphere at the time. What