“In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream.”

We’re back from the dead, crafting a whole new exciting range of Halloween Cocktails, we’ve chosen some of the best Halloween films or video games and created a perfect Cocktail to accompany them, working alongside different wineries and distilleries, I’ll give you a little history into each film and the know-how to create a delicious themed Cocktail.

13 Frightful Nights – Night 4 – Alien

Alien/Aliens

The iconic 1979 science fiction horror film ‘Alien’, directed by Ridley Scott and written by Dan O’Bannon, premiered on the 25th of May 1979, with a wider release on the 22nd of June and a release on the 6th of September in the UK, it received mixed reviews but with a budget of $11 million, it was a great financial success with a Box Office of $184.7 million, it also won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, three Saturn Awards (Best Science Fiction Film, Best Direction for Ridley Scott, and Best Supporting Actress for Cartwright), along with a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.

Alien Fact: The Alien was designed by H. R. Giger, a Swiss artist.

Critical reassessment since then has resulted in Alien being widely considered one of the greatest and most influential science fiction and horror films of all time. In 2002, Alien was deemed by the Library of Congress as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. In 2008, it was ranked by the American Film Institute as the seventh-best film in the science fiction genre, and as the 33rd-greatest film of all time by Empire. – Alien – Wikipedia

7 years after the success of the first film, they were back for a second run, this time it had more action, more Xenomorphs and a brand new remarkable story.

Private Hudson: Hey Vasquez, have you ever been mistaken for a man?
Private Vasquez: No. Have you?

Aliens is the direct sequel to Alien, this time directed by James Cameron and released on the 29th of August 1986, it got Sigourney Weaver to reprise her role as Ellen Ripley.

It is debated among fans as to which film resides as the better of the two, although both are set within the same universe they are vastly different in tone, Alien offers a science fiction horror while Aliens delivers an epic space action shooter, a complete contrast from being trapped on a ship, defenseless against a single Xenomorph compared to a hopeless rescue mission where a platoon of Colonial Marines face an onslaught of Xenomorphs.

Private Hudson: We’re on an express elevator to hell, going down!

Aliens still holds up as one of the most advanced and realistic space films ever created, the sets and props used in the film have yet to go out of style throughout the almost 40 years since it was first released.

Although one of the very rare sequels that doesn’t disappoint, it took years to make, due to lawsuits, lack of enthusiasm from 20th Century Fox, and repeated management changes. At the time James Cameron was relatively inexperienced, but he was hired to write a story for Aliens in 1983, the project would then stall again until new Fox executive Lawrence Gordon pursued a sequel.

Private Frost: What The Hell Are We Supposed To Use, Man? Harsh Language?

Releasing on the 18th of July 1986, on a budget of $18.5 million, it grossed between $131.1–183.3 million, making it one of the highest-grossing films of 1986.

Like the first film, Aliens also made an incredible impact on the movie world, being considered among the greatest films of the 1980s, and one the best science fiction, action, and sequel films ever created.

Ripley: They cut the power.
Private Hudson: What do you mean *they* cut the power? How could they cut the power, man? They’re animals!

Aliens Fact: You may remember the M577 APC, the vehicle that Ellen Ripley runs over a Xenomorph in while rescuing the Colonial Marines, it was specifically built for the movie but was unfortunately scrapped in 2000 after sitting unused outside a production studio for years.

• Alien – 1979
• Aliens – 1986
• Alien 3 – 1992
• Alien: Resurrection – 1997
• Prometheus – 2012
• Alien: Covenant – 2017

Not forgetting that the Xenomorphs have breached their Movie Franchise and sought after a more equal prey, compared to us soft humans, hunting down Predator.

• Alien vs. Predator – 2004
• Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem – 2007

The Alien franchise also spanned into novels, comic books, toys, board games, card games and a vast video game selection, with the first Alien game released in 1982 for the Atari 2600 and the latest being released on the 20th of June 2023, Aliens: Dark Descent.

Private Hudson: That’s it, man! Game over, man! Game over!

The Prosecco – Diotisalvi

This Prosecco DOC from Diotisalvi was crafted with 100% Glera, ORGANIC using biodynamic cultivation on vines planted between 5 and 20 years ago, harvested in the second week of September, aged in steel tanks and processed in the spring using the Martinotti method for about 2 months before bottling.

Penombra Prosecco DOC Brut – Tasting Notes – ”Smooth fruity characters, refreshing with green and white fruits, bubbling away with subtle citrus and loads of yummy freshly picked orchard fruits.

Silver Medal in the Light & Fruity Category at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2023

The Vodka – Hepple Spirits

Hepple Spirits were founded in 2014, with an untapped passion for their home and untamed wonders, they became obsessed with the flavour and extracting it as precisely as possible, and dedicated to the cocktail community, whether that’s at home or in the top bars around the world, they’re over the moon to share with you a taste of the wild moors of Northumberland.

This time round, we’re showcasing their Douglas Fir Vodka, with wonderful tropical, pine and grapefruit characters.

Alien Cocktail

Ingredients

• Hepple Douglas Fir Vodka
• Peppermint Syrup
• Prosecco
• Nori Sheets/Seaweed

How To Make The Alien Cocktail

1. 15mls of Hepple Douglas Fir Vodka
2. 5mls of Peppermint Syrup
3. Top up with Bubbly Prosecco
4. Garnish With Nori Sheets/Seaweed by wetting the Nori Sheets and gently placing them around the glass like the tail of a Xenomorph

Tasting Notes

Aroma – “Nori sheets/seaweed mixed with sweet peppermint, smooth grains and creamy ripe fruits.”

Flavours – “An incredible display, gifting the palate an outer-worldly display of flavours, including delicate peppermint with a touch of sweetness, subtle nori sheets/seaweed laced with wasabi, incredible smooth initially, with calming notes of grapefruit from the Vodka and ripe freshness from the Prosecco, including some ripe green and yellow fruits

Happy Halloween from Glass of Bubbly