ALIEN: OUT OF THE SHADOWS

The deep-space mining vessel MARION, with Chief Engineer Hooper (Corey Johnson) at the helm, is attacked by the same aliens who destroyed the crew of the vessel NOSTROMO 35 years earlier (in the 1979 sci-fi horror movie ALIEN). When Hooper detects another vessel heading toward them, it turns out to be none other than Ellen Ripley, the last surviving member of the NOSTROMO, still preserved with her cat in a stasis pod floating through space. Laurel Lefkow shines as Ripley--her mature, sarcastic tone barely concealing her raw terror at reliving a nightmare. The mix of music, sound effects, and vocals is painstakingly orchestrated--from the creaks of the ship to the subtle shifts in atmospheric tone as the characters enter different situations. Add in a diverse ensemble of voices, and this production succeeds in keeping the listener in the center of the action. E.E. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2016]