Jon Landis and the Alien

John Landis (source: https://www.cineplex.com/)

a)  John Landis thought that Alien was just a cold dark house movie in outer space, or basically a remake of It! The Terror From Beyond Space. He thought that it was a beautifully made movie, he loved Harry Dean Stanton's performance, he thought that the chestburster looked ridiculous but the reaction to the creature in the chestbursting scene was shocking.

b) However, as much as John Landis loved the monster, he didn't like the tongue with the metallic teeth that came out of its mouth, because it didn't feel organic to him. Giger admitted that he wasn't too happy about this tongue because it seemed too box like.

c) However Landis thought that the sequel Aliens was brilliant. It was as if Jim Cameron knew that he wasn't going to compete with the original and so made a big action movie.

d) See the section Dan O'Bannon steals the giant skeleton in Space Jockey's origins in Swiss Family Robinson

Source quote

1. Jon Landis: I love that monster, but I didn't like that metallic tongue with teeth thing that came out of its mouth. It just didn't feel organic to me. ( Monsters in the Movies By John Landis)
2. Den of Geek: I suppose the upside is that occasionally we end up with a film like Alien, which shows that you can give a B-picture concept and ladle it with quite dark, interesting subtexts and themes. John Landis: Alien’s just a cold dark house movie in outer space. It’s a remake of It! The Terror From Beyond Space, it really is. The movie that I thought was brilliant was Aliens, the sequel. He knew he wasn’t going to compete with the original, so he made a big action movie. Which is so great. That’s a wonderful movie.(http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/alien/18272/john-landis-interview-monsters-in-the-movies-genre-cinema-political-zombies-aliens-and-more)
3. Den of Geek:But you’re not keen on Alien?
   John Landis: I think Alien’s good, I just don’t think it’s special. It’s very beautifully made, and I love Harry Dean Stanton. The one moment in Alien that is spectacular is the chestburster, and I think the little monster’s stupid looking, but their reaction is really shocking.(http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/alien/18272/john-landis-interview-monsters-in-the-movies-genre-cinema-political-zombies-aliens-and-more)