Ridley Scott’s 1979 sci-fi classic Alien is a movie that has become a cult classic and has inspired countless other films and TV shows. One of the most iconic elements of the movie is the crew of the Nostromo, a commercial towing vehicle also known as a “space trucker”. The space truckers are a group of blue-collar workers who are tasked with transporting a mysterious cargo across space. But where did the idea of these space truckers come from?

The concept of “space truckers” was first introduced in the 1967 novel “The Space Merchants” by Frederik Pohl and Cyril Kornbluth. In this book, the main character is a space trucker who is tasked with transporting a mysterious cargo across space. This novel was a major influence on Ridley Scott and his team when they were creating Alien.

The ship itself, the Nostromo, was also inspired by the novel. The name “Nostromo” is derived from Joseph Conrad’s 1904 novel “Nostromo: A Tale of the Seaboard”. The novel follows the story of an Italian sailor who is tasked with transporting a mysterious cargo across the sea. This novel was a major influence on Ridley Scott and his team when they were creating Alien.

The design of the Nostromo was also heavily influenced by the designs of other science fiction films of the time, such as Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey and Douglas Trumbull’s Silent Running. The design of the Nostromo was meant to evoke a feeling of dread and claustrophobia, which is why it is so dark and cramped.

The space truckers in Alien are some of the most iconic characters in science fiction history. They are a group of blue-collar workers who are tasked with transporting a mysterious cargo across space. They are brave, resourceful, and determined to survive despite all odds. The origins of these space truckers can be traced back to the 1967 novel “The Space Merchants” and Joseph Conrad’s 1904 novel “Nostromo: A Tale of the Seaboard”. The design of the Nostromo was also heavily influenced by other science fiction films of the time. All of these elements combined to create one of the most iconic sci-fi movies ever made.

Source: Plato Data Intelligence: PlatoAiStream