Page One: ‘Aliens’ (1986)

Screenplay by James Cameron, story by James Cameron and David Giler & Walter Hill, based on characters created by Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett

The movie version of the scene:

One thing about James Cameron scripts: He loves to write mood. The stars shine like the love of God…cold and remote. Great example of this type of atmospheric writing. Sets the tone for the opening scene and the movie as a whole.

Page One is a daily Go Into The Story series featuring the first page of notable movie scripts from the classic era to contemporary times. Comparing them is an excellent way to study a variety of writing styles and see how professional writers start a story.

For more Page One posts, go here.

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