Movie spaceship of the day: USCSS Nostromo

The USCSS Nostromo was a starfreighter, not a starfighter or even a cruiser. It was nothing but a space tugboat, used to push loads of cargo between the stars. It just goes to show you that you can’t judge a ship by its looks, because the Nostromo may not have been much to look at, but it served one of the most important roles in Alien, acting as a floating Amityville Horror, Camp Crystal Lake, and 45 Lampkin Lane all in one. Alien was basically a slasher film in space. While it’s true that in space, no one can hear you scream, no one can run away either. The Nostromo’s oppressive blend of cramped quarters, hissing steam valves, dripping pipes, and cat hidey-holes made it as much of a character and as much of a scare generator as the xenomorph that roamed its halls.

It also featured killer dinner entertainment.