Following Ridley Scott's revisiting of his ALIEN origins with this summer's PROMETHEUS, AFI Silver presents this look back at the enduring franchise, through all its inventive incarnations.

Member passes accepted at all screenings in the ALIEN: Retrospective.

In space no one can hear you scream.

Awakened from hypersleep by a distress signal, the crew of the space tug Nostromo lands on planet LV-426 to find a derelict alien ship, and unwittingly brings back a nasty stowaway. Ridley Scott's sci-fi version of an English country house mystery — the crew suspects one another as their numbers keep dwindling — mutates into all-out horror as it nears its finale, and shrewdly hides its iconic, H. R. Giger-designed creature from view until the big reveal. With John Hurt, Yaphet Kotto, Veronica Cartwright, Tom Skerritt, Ian Holm, Harry Dean Stanton and a star-making performance by Sigourney Weaver, "the most courageous and resourceful heroine seen on screen in years." — Gary Arnold, The Washington Post.

DIR Ridley Scott; SCR Dan O'Bannon, Ronald Shusett; PROD Gordon Carroll, David Giler, Walter Hill. US/UK, 1979, color, 117 min. RATED R

Fri, Nov 2, 9:30; Mon, Nov 5, 9:20; Tue, Nov 6, 6:30

James Cameron's imaginative, action-packed sequel to the original ALIEN finds Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) back on earth after drifting in space for 57 years. Her friends and family long deceased, she agrees to help the Weyland-Yutani Corporation after they lose touch with the colonizers of the alien's home planet. With a squad of Marines, an android and a company man in tow, she returns to the scene of the crime to find her motherly instincts awakened by the sole survivor, a young girl — but to get out alive, she'll have to face another mother who has instincts of her own. Nominated for seven Oscars; wins for Visual Effects and Sound Effects Editing.

DIR/SCR James Cameron; SCR David Giler, Walter Hill, characters by Dan O'Bannon, Ronald Shusett; PROD Gale Anne Hurd. US, 1986, color, 137 min. RATED R

Sat, Nov 3, 9:20; Sun, Nov 4, 9:00; Tue, Nov 6, 9:00

Sigourney Weaver's Ripley once again finds herself alone after her spaceship crash-lands on Fiorina 161, a remote prisoner planet for the most violent and hardened of criminals. After a series of unexplained deaths, Ripley discovers that an alien has made and survived the journey along with her. Without weapons or resources of any kind, the prisoners reluctantly join forces behind Ripley in a battle royale between these two different kinds of monsters. Oscar nomination for Best Special Effects.

DIR David Fincher; SCR Larry Ferguson, Vincent Ward, characters by Dan O'Bannon, Ronald Shusett; SCR/PROD David Giler, Walter Hill; PROD Gordon Carroll. US, 1992, color, 114 min. RATED R

Sun, Nov 4, 9:40; Mon, Nov 5, 9:40

An incredible roster of talent, including director Jean-Pierre Jeunet (AMÉLIE), screenwriter Joss Whedon (THE AVENGERS) and cinematographer Darius Khondji (MIDNIGHT IN PARIS), resurrects Ripley from the dead in this sequel set 200 years after the events of ALIEN 3. A cloned version of Ripley awakens in a strange new world, but soon discovers that her return to the living came at a terrible cost. Winona Ryder and Ron Perlman costar alongside series mainstay Sigourney Weaver as Ripley, in her most complex performance yet.

DIR Jean-Pierre Jeunet; SCR Joss Whedon, characters by Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett; PROD Bill Badalato, Gordon Carroll, David Giler, Walter Hill. US, 1997, color, 109 min. RATED R

Tue, Nov 6, 9:40–Cancelled; Wed, Nov 7, 5:00; Thu, Nov 8, 9:40--just added!

ALIEN director Ridley Scott returns to the series he helped create with this ambitious and breathtaking prequel that delves deeper into the alien universe. A team of scientists discovers a clue to the origins of mankind and embarks on a journey to planet LV-223 to answer life's ultimate mystery. What they find will leave them fighting not only for their lives but the survival of the human race. With jaw-dropping visuals and standout performances by Noomi Rapace (THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO) and Michael Fassbender, PROMETHEUS reinvigorated the franchise and introduced it to a new generation.

DIR/PROD Ridley Scott; SCR Jon Spaihts, Damon Lindelof; PROD David Giler, Walter Hill, Tony Scott. US, 2012, color, 124 min. RATED R

Mon, Nov 5, 6:45; Wed, Nov 7, 9:40