

The Beast Within: Making Alien
2003-12-02 · 178 min · ★ 8.2
A behind-the-scenes look at the making of “Alien,” the terrifying classic about a spaceship crew trapped with a hideous monster that's hunting them one by one.
Trailers are previews, not full movies.
No authorized playback source configured. Use the legal watch options below.
Production details
- Directors
- Charles de Lauzirika
- Production companies
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, Lauzirika Motion Picture Company
- Countries
- United States of America
- Status
- Released
Top Cast
Ridley ScottSelf
Sigourney WeaverSelf
Harry Dean StantonSelf
John HurtSelf
Tom SkerrittSelf
Veronica CartwrightSelf
Alan Ladd Jr.Self
Carlo RambaldiSelf
David GilerSelf
H. R. GigerSelf
Jerry GoldsmithSelf
Dan O'BannonSelf
Ronald ShusettSelf
Ron CobbSelf
Ivor PowellSelf
Gordon CarrollSelf
Derek VanlintSelfTitle information and images are supplied by TMDb. Explore our discovery guide for advice on comparing metadata and legal viewing options.
Where to watch
Availability provided by JustWatch via TMDb. Offers can change. Provider links are listed on TMDb; full playback requires a separately authorized source.
Availability not listed for this country.
Seasons & episodes
Recommendations

The untold origin story behind Ridley Scott's Alien - rooted in Greek and Egyptian mythologies, underground comics, the art of Francis Bacon, and the dark visions of Dan O'Bannon and H.R. Giger. A contemplation on the symbiotic collaborative process of movie-making, the power of myth, and our collective unconscious.

The film goes behind the scenes of the 1999 sci-fi movie The Matrix.

For a year, acclaimed British filmmaker Jeanie Finlay was embedded on the set of the hit HBO series “Game of Thrones,” chronicling the creation of the show’s most ambitious and complicated season. Debuting one week after the series 8 finale, GAME OF THRONES: THE LAST WATCH delves deep into the mud and blood to reveal the tears and triumphs involved in the challenge of bringing the fantasy world of Westeros to life in the very real studios, fields and car-parks of Northern Ireland. Made with unprecedented access, GAME OF THRONES: THE LAST WATCH is an up-close and personal portrait from the trenches of production, following the crew and the cast as they contend with extreme weather, punishing deadlines and an ever-excited fandom hungry for spoilers. Much more than a “making of” documentary, this is a funny, heartbreaking story, told with wit and intimacy, about the bittersweet pleasures of what it means to create a world – and then have to say goodbye to it.

Roddy McDowall takes you, film by film, from production meetings to make-up sessions, then right onto the movie set to see the actual filming of the science fiction masterpiece. The most comprehensive history of Planet of the Apes ever created, this fascinating 127-minute documentary explores one of the most imaginative and influential series in movie history.

Join the likes of Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke as they reveal how Marvel Studios' Moon Knight was painstakingly brought to life. Through insightful interviews with cast and crew, along with immersive footage from the set, and a candid "roundtable discussion" with the series' directors, this "making-of" pulls back the curtain on the groundbreaking series of Marvel Studios' newest hero.

A retrospective documentary about the groundbreaking horror series, Friday the 13th, featuring interviews with cast and crew from the twelve films spanning 3 decades.

One-man armies, meet-cutes, casual strolls away from huge explosions — stars and industry insiders toast and roast these cinematic chestnuts and more.

Witness the never-before-seen footage and true story behind the John Wick phenomenon – from independent film to billion-dollar franchise.

As his life comes to its end, famous Hollywood director Orson Welles puts it all on the line at the chance for renewed success with the film The Other Side of the Wind.

A subjective documentary that explores various theories about hidden meanings in Stanley Kubrick's classic film The Shining. Five very different points of view are illuminated through voice over, film clips, animation and dramatic reenactments.

The most famous murder scene in movie history comprises 78 camera settings and 52 cuts: the shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. 78/52 tells the story of the man behind the curtain and his greatest obsession.

An inside look at the years of effort and craft that went into the final installment of the Duffer Brothers' generation-defining series.

With unprecedented access, this documentary follows the extraordinary journey of “Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently”—a group of anonymous citizen journalists who banded together after their homeland was overtaken by ISIS—as they risk their lives to stand up against one of the greatest evils in the world today.

From the heights of her modeling fame to her tragic death, this documentary reveals Anna Nicole Smith through the eyes of the people closest to her.

Focused on the life of the band and their collaborators over the 3 vital years in which they developed critically acclaimed albums, 'Humanz' and 'The Now Now', and undertook their most ambitious world tour to date.

Follow the evolution of the 'Halloween' movies over the past twenty-five years. It examines why the films are so popular and revisits many of the original locations used in the films - seeing the effects on the local community. For the first time, cast, crew, critics and fans join together in the ultimate 'Halloween' retrospective.

An impressionistic portrait of the iconic actor Harry Dean Stanton comprised of intimate moments, film clips from some of his 250 films and his renditions of American folk songs.

From a prolific career in film and television, Anton Yelchin left an indelible legacy as an actor. Through his journals and other writings, his photography, the original music he wrote, and interviews with his family, friends, and colleagues, this film looks not just at Anton's impressive career, but at a broader portrait of the man.

A 1993 documentary film about Bruce Lee. The film includes interviews from some of his fellow students and opponents who worked alongside him in his movies.

A chronicle of the production problems — including bad weather, actors' health, war near the filming locations, and more — which plagued the filming of Apocalypse Now, increasing costs and nearly destroying the life and career of Francis Ford Coppola.
Similar titles

A collection of deleted scenes and bloopers from the library of Toho Studios films, including several films from the famous Godzilla franchise.

Delves into personal narratives, emotional stakes, and tight-knit community of UCLA's Women's Basketball team during a pivotal season in the program's history.

A behind-the scenes featurette documenting the making of Pedro Almodóvar’s The Skin I Live In.

Follow the making of the Las Vegas WrestleMania in 1993 that paved the path forward for the WWF. From the chaos outside Caesars Palace to the action inside the ring, pull back the curtain on the "World's Largest Toga Party" with an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the event.

He wanted to make a documentary about the making of Megaforce, one of 1982’s biggest box office failures. But when he met his hero, Megaforce star Barry “Ace Hunter” Bostwick, things started to get really out of hand. Hal Needham’s big budget epic Megaforce was one of the undisputed worst movies of 1982, and beyond- a box office flop that time would like to forget. But there is one man who remembers …Bob Lindenmayer, and he’s on a quest to convince the rest of the world just how awesome this stunt-filled spectacle is. As Bob delves into the movie’s history with cast and crew, he drags his childhood hero Barry Bostwick into his mission to relive the past. It’s a touching and hilarious tribute to the power of heroes, friendship, and flying motorcycles.

The summer of 1960 was a critical moment in the history of film, when the fly-on-the-wall documentary was born. The Camera that Changed the World tells the story of the filmmakers and ingenious engineers who led this revolution by building the first hand-held cameras that followed real life as it happened.

Documentary about the making of the 1996 horror-comedy.

Behind the scenes documentary for Toho's "The Return of Godzilla" from 1984.
History of Dutch women working behind the scenes of moviemaking.

A retrospective look at the brilliance of Alfred Hitchcock's 'Dial M for Murder.'

Nigeria's film industry, Nollywood, is the third-largest in the world--an unstoppable economic and cultural force that has taken the continent by storm and is now bursting beyond the borders of Africa. "Nollywood Babylon" is a feature documentary detailing the industry's phenomenal success. Propelled by a booming 1970s soundtrack of African underground music, the movie presents an electric vision of a modern African metropolis and a revealing look at the powerhouse that is Nigerian cinema.

Behind the scenes of the production of The Subliminal Rabbit Presents!

The life of actor Jack Nance, whose rise to prominence after starring in David Lynch's 1977 cult classic Eraserhead led to involvement in various further projects with Lynch.

Unleashed from the video vaults of the American Genre Film Archive (AGFA), AGFA MYSTERY MIXTAPE #2: LATER IN L.A. is a brand new compilation of the most electrifying found footage mayhem that you’ll see this week. For our second tape, we’ve returned to the hallowed halls of “behind the scenes” horror for another hour-long joyride of F-U-N. Thank you for your incredible support during these difficult times. And remember: “Do what your spirit tells you.”

Expedition China invites you on location in some of the world's most intense, hard-to-reach environments with the filmmakers of Disneynature's big-screen adventure Born in China.

So many Israelis still wax nostalgic about that old Friday afternoon ritual, back in the times when television had just one channel. Everyone would watch the Arab movie of the week, but did anybody ever wonder how Israel’s official TV station was able to transcend hostile boundaries to obtain these films, and why it insisted on showing movies made by “the enemy”? The Arabic-language movie from Egypt let some of us escape back to our original homeland, and let others peek out from our “villa in the jungle” and catch a glimpse of our neighbors across the border. But most of us didn’t really want to see the people whose culture, anguish, and aspirations were reflected on our screens. “Arab Movie” brings us the stars and the songs, the convoluted plots, and that fleeting moment when we shared the same cultural heroes as everyone else in the Middle East. But this film about the richness and intensity of Egyptian cinema also raises some disturbing questions.

In a heartfelt tribute to Hollywood legend Garry Marshall, his family and friends share their favorite memories of the creative genius behind some of the most memorable series in television history.

The BBC documentary takes a look into the Pixar studios as they celebrate their 25th birthday and at the creative process involved in creating the animation classics that we love.

"The Atheist Experience," produced in Austin, Texas, is the only atheist TV show in the United States. Every Sunday afternoon, two atheists debate callers for one hour, on camera. "Mission Control Texas" portrays the show, its protagonists, and the discussions between the hosts and callers. The debates between believers and skeptics are funny, touching, and shocking in turn, and they're interspersed with footage of the very public religious displays common in the state of Texas. The film is an intimate, concentrated, and entertaining insight into the culture wars, and is sure to provoke inspiration as well as frustration, no matter which side of the divide you fall on.

A behind-the-scenes documentary featuring interviews with the original cast and crew (such as Stockard Channing and Patricia Birch) detailing the magic of the 1978 film.