# I just watched "Alien" for the first time **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 26, 2015, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-alien-for-the-first-time/710921 "2015-01-26T14:11:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-alien-for-the-first-time/710921/181 "2015-01-30T19:18:54Z")
Ok, thanks. I see the subtle difference now. ---
**Author:** ![afrah15](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9e8a1a/32.png) [@afrah15](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/afrah15)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-alien-for-the-first-time/710921/182 "2015-02-09T17:18:07Z")
Huh nice well can you share this movie with us. ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-alien-for-the-first-time/710921/183 "2015-02-09T18:54:56Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > I asked the friend who uses the term as well, and he summed it up better “You say a quip to (or about) an enemy in the heat of the fight”. How about “Get away from her YOU BITCH!”? ---
**Author:** ![Frazzled](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frazzled/32/3368_2.png) [@Frazzled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frazzled)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-alien-for-the-first-time/710921/184 "2015-02-09T19:01:33Z")
Has the OP watched Aliens yet? Would love to get your take on it ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-alien-for-the-first-time/710921/185 "2015-02-09T20:35:45Z")
> [@Deeg](#): > > How about “Get away from her YOU BITCH!”? Quips are supposed to be funny. That was just a straight up threat. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-alien-for-the-first-time/710921/186 "2015-02-09T20:43:33Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > To me, Aliens is much more of a survival/War movie like Anaamika said, than a horror movie, but whatever it is, it’s _not_ an “action” film–it just moves far too slowly for that. Well, personal opinions vary and all that, but for me Aliens is pretty much the yardstick by which all other action movies are judged. I think it is perfectly paced in terms of set-piece to set-piece and…though I may be sticking my neck out here…Ripley, when taken as a fully rounded character over the first two movies is for me the best action lead ever committed to celluloid, the lady kicks ass. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2015, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-alien-for-the-first-time/710921/187 "2015-02-10T01:36:18Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > Well, personal opinions vary and all that, but for me Aliens is pretty much the yardstick by which all other action movies are judged. I think it is perfectly paced in terms of set-piece to set-piece and…though I may be sticking my neck out here…Ripley, when taken as a fully rounded character over the first two movies is for me the best action lead ever committed to celluloid, the lady kicks ass. Absolutely, and even better, she kicks ass without having magic kung-fu powers. ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2015, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-alien-for-the-first-time/710921/188 "2015-02-10T05:15:25Z")
I thought it fit: > [@Fenris](#): > > I asked the friend who uses the term as well, and he summed it up better “You say a quip to (or about) an enemy in the heat of the fight”. And was roughly on par with: “I want my father back, you sonovabitch!”. I’m highly biased, though. _Aliens_ was at one time my absolutely favorite movie. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2015, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-alien-for-the-first-time/710921/189 "2015-02-10T06:10:09Z")
I wouldn’t call either a quip, personally. I think a quip is more about the speaker (supposedly) being witty in the course of killing someone. “Yippie-ki-yay”, “Shop Smart, Shop S-Mart”, “Hasta la vista, baby”, Bond killing a guy with a spear gun and saying “I think he got the point”, etc. [This list](http://whatculture.com/film/10-awful-movie-kill-quips-bad-theyre-good.php) isn’t all 80’s stuff but I think does a good job of nailing what an action movie quip is. Ripley saying “Get away from her, you bitch” and Inigo Montoya saying he wants his father back are great _one-liners_, but I wouldn’t say that they’re “quips”. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2015, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-alien-for-the-first-time/710921/190 "2015-02-10T15:39:39Z")
I’m pretty sure that neither of those is a one-liner, since a one-liner is inherently a joke, and neither of those was, nor intended to be, funny. They’re definitely great lines, though. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2015, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-alien-for-the-first-time/710921/191 "2015-02-10T15:52:10Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’m pretty sure that neither of those is a one-liner, since a one-liner is inherently a joke, and neither of those was, nor intended to be, funny. They’re definitely great lines, though. Fair enough. I meant “a single great line” but you’re right that the term “one-liner” typically means a joke. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-alien-for-the-first-time/710921.md?page=9)