Just two years after Star Wars took moviegoers to a galaxy far, far away, Ridley Scott's sci-fi horror film Alien presented audiences with a very different kind of adventure in space.

Only the second feature in the now-legendary career of Scott, as well as the first starring film role for Sigourney Weaver, Alien defied expectations, delivering both an iconic heroine and unforgettable scares. Released on June 22, 1979, Alien was a box office smash, grossing over $100 million worldwide on a budget of just over $10 million.

The film received Oscar nominations for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration and Best Visual Effects, and went on to win an Oscar for its visual effects. And now, 45 years later, Scott's masterpiece is widely recognized as one of the greatest, most influential films ever made.