But wasn’t Alien about a corporate-sponsored space mission? It’s been a long time since I watched it.
The ship in Alien, remember, is named The Nostromo. That is of course a reference to Conrad’s novel Nostromo, which is about post-colonial struggle and the wealthy’s domination of resources. More than that, remember, in the 79 Alien film, the corporation that owns the ship (and crew) is called The Company, which is a clear and direct allusion to The Company in Heart of Darkness.
What Ripley discovers during the story is that The Company had dictated to Ash, the science officer (who is also secretly an android) that all efforts had to be made to preserve the creature for The Bio-Weapons Division. (Though is not until the sequel, Aliens, that it is called “the bio-weapons division.”) Under those circumstances the crew was to be regarded as “expendable.”
The plot turn in the film, then, is that The Company is the real enemy.
That’s all right up front in the film. It’s not “subtext.” It’s all foregrounded.
—
Top Secret – Science Officer’s Eyes Only…Bring back life form. Priority One. All other considerations secondary. Crew expendable.”
Ripley: All I can think of is they must have wanted the Alien for the Weapons Division. They’ve been protecting it right along.
—
Ash: Bring back life form, priority one. All other priorities rescinded.
Parker: That’s the damned Company. What about our lives, you son-of-a-bitch?
Ash: I repeat. All other priorities rescinded.
.
