A plea FOX: Please release Alien 3 Special Edition. (1 Viewer)

[Justin_S]

I would definitely buy this too! Alien3 is my second favorite film in the series.

 

[Lafe F]

I'd buy it for sure.
One fascinating thing about filmmaking is seeing how editing can work or not work in telling a good story.

 

[David Coleman]

Count me in too!!!!! I was just discussing this film with someone at work and how the ending of the movie was just so right for the character of Ripley negating a need for "Resurrection".
If there was a director's supervised cut of this film: ala LAST OF THE MOHICANS I'd buy this one up in a heartbeat! Though ALIENS is my favorite of the series "3" is outstanding in it's own right!
David

 

[Scott Weinberg]

I have the Alien DVD. I have the Aliens DVD. The fourth one interests me not at all.
But a director's cut of Alien3 would definitely end up on my "to buy right away" list.
Sounds to me like the restored footage would basically create an entirely new movie. How's that for profitability? Two separate movies from one! Let's do it!
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Scott
TheAngryJew's Movie Reviews at HBS.com

 

[Bjorn Olav Nyberg]

I agree, I would abolutely love to see this come through!
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[Nate Anderson]

Me too! I would love a director's cut of Alien 3. It's one of my favorites, probably becuase it's so dark and moody and nasty.
There are problems with the movie, but it's just so downbeat and effective. Amazing...
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[Chuck L]

Okay, so I am the oddball one here.
I loved the movie from the first time that I saw it in the theater. Every aspect of the film makes it for me my number one choice in the Alien Trilogy.
I very much would like to have a special edition of the film because I believe that it could only make the film even better than what it already is.
I believe that the biggest reason for such a backlash on this title with the general public was that it did not or was not designed to live up to ALIENS. It is a very smart movie that we have learned the general public tends to steer away from.
I do hope that one day we will see the footage that is sitting in the Fox Vaults and maybe then there will more of a general positive feel about this title.

 

[Kevin_M_M]

I defintely want this one but let me ask you this. Are studios more hesitant to redo movies released in series box sets unless they are doing over all the films in the series (i.e. Die Hard, etc.)???
not that i'd mind getting all four in 5-star editions but that probably wont happen and it seems unlikely theyd redo just one of alien series without the others.
but fox, please, by all means, prove me wrong!
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[David-alexander]

FOX rushed the 4 films on dvds to catch on the mania surrounding EPISODE ONE ( source: dvdfile ). while the video transfers where taken from new HD sources, I still think the movies could get an ultimate royal treatment and ALIEN 3 could then be offered in the full Fincher's version.
DTS would be nice! I too would repurchase the collection ( have it on lds and on dvds )

 

[Jim C]

While I would love to have all four films in DTS, I think Alien and Aliens are already fine special editions in their own right. But, like most members her who already own the Legacy set, I would also purchase an Alien Saga Ultimate Edition box set.
Alien 3 really needs the special edition treatment - something similar to the excellent Big Trouble in Little China and Fight Club DVD's.
David Fincher's original assembly of Alien 3 was about 2hrs and 15mins in length without end credits (mentioned in an interview David gave back in 1993). His version would have included much more character development, more graphic horror, more insight into the religious nature of the prisoners, a different take on the opening credit sequence (that would have been more mysterious, dreamlike and elliptical), a whole subplot involving Golic and the Alien and a far, far superior ending showing Ripley trying to come to terms with her fate. It's tragic that all these cut's were determined by a group of 18 year olds after a test screening in Long Beech, California.
BTW, Chuck L, you are not an oddball at all. There are thousands of people out there who share your passion for Alien 3 and want a SE DVD of this great film. I completely agree with everything you say in your post .

 

[Stephen Smith]

I believe this would be a must see.
If any studio can, Fox can.
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[Charles Maesschalck]

This just wont happen.... at least with Fincher involved....the relationship between him and the "Alien People - Producers etc.." is said to be very poor. I read an interview with him where he stated the project was screwed from the start, and there was no "directors cut version" the deleted scenes are most likely from the work print. The whole enterprise was started by commitee anyhow with two or more seperate scripts being joined together, making a less than cohesive whole.
Fincher never had the control over the project that Cameron or Scott had. It wasn't the directors vision that got filmed unlike with the first two films. I get the impression from Fincher he did not enjoy the experiance of filming Alien 3 at all.
It may be that he a very very long time from now he may (like Donner with Superman, or Coppola with Apocalypse) may do something but i find this very very VERY unlikely given his bad experiances (i mean just look at the attitude Donner has to Superman 2 he will never touch it again -granted he only shot 70% of the footage, but then again Fincher had Alien 3 taken away from him so the similarity remains)
Perhaps Fox could do a SE: without him by just including all those specials from the era of release, all the trailers, all the cut footage, a new documentary with interviews perhaps including fincher since this is far more likely than a commentary track i think. They could do something like this... but really i'd rather Fox release some more catalogue titles done well like Predator 2.
Jim i appreciate your anticipation for a better cut of Alien 3. I have always thought Alien 3 could have been as good as the first two if Fincher had been given free reign. I just dont think though that a Directors Cut could be made easily though and would likely be very expensice for Fox to do, as I beleive the longer cut you refer to was a unfinished work print and not a locked Directors Cut.
[Edited last by Charles Maesschalck on July 26, 2001 at 06:36 AM]
[Edited last by Charles Maesschalck on July 26, 2001 at 06:41 AM]

 

[Dharmesh C]

Donner has since changed his mind with regards to Superman2.
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[Jeff Kleist]

So our pleading to him worked? Fantastic! So now there's slightly more than a snowballs chance in hell of seeing a true cut of the film
Jeff Kleist

 

[Jim C]

I agree that Fincher never had an official director's cut of Alien 3 'locked in'. The nearest thing to his vision would be his original assembly of the film that was 2hrs 15mins in length. This version would not have included any of the reshoots that took place in LA.
As for comparing Fincher's experience with Alien 3 to Donner's Superman 2, Fincher was never fired from Alien 3, nor did he have the film taken away from him. Fincher's contract just didn't include final cut (very common for first time directors). I agree that he had a bad time making the film (largely due to pressure placed upon him when the executive producers decided to leave the set prior to principle photography), but I have several interviews where Fincher mentions how proud he was having the chance to work with so many talented people. He also goes on to mention how annoyed he was that so many important cuts were made to the film - something that he wanted to rectify with a director's cut.
I agree with Charles that the widely traded work print is not Fincher's vision of the film, yet it is closer to it. As I have mentioned before, I am sure all fans of this movie would still be content with having all the deleted scenes included in a supplementary section (like the Alien DVD), or if an early work print was included on a separate disc (like they did with Highlander: Endgame). This would cut down production costs, while still giving all the fans the chance to see the lost scenes.
As mentioned above, Richard Donner has recently mentioned that he would like to revisit Superman 2, and give fans of that movie a better insight into his vision of the film. This just goes to show that a bit of campaigning really can get results.
I'm sure Fincher would really like to have the chance to set the record straight on Alien 3 - it's been 10 years since he shot the film, and any ill feelings that existed back then must surely have eased somewhat. Alien 3 has built up a very firm cult following over the years and people have come to find that the film improves on repeated viewings. People who originally dismissed the film on first viewing have now found an appreciation for what Fincher/FOX were trying to achieve with Alien 3.
And to think that there is an even better version of the film locked away in a vault somewhere - it really does deserve to be seen by all the fans out there. I am confident a special edition DVD of Alien 3 would be a big seller, and certainly make profit.

 

[Norm]

I'd buy a directors cut of this film. If Fincher is willing to recut the film then I'm all for it.

I'll second that!
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[Scott W.]

A new cut of Alien 3 would be excellent! Either a director's cut or a special edition would suffice. C'mon Fox and Fincher, lets move on the notion.
Scott

 

[Jim C]

Many thanks for all those who posted their support here. I would also like to thank Peter for addressing this topic during the live chat last week. It's a shame there are no plans to release this - I am just hoping that we will get to see the 'real' Alien 3 one day.
For those who are interested in knowing more about the deleted scenes from Alien 3, I have posted a few links at this thread over in the Software forum:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/uub/...028821.html#12
hope you find them useful.
Regards
Jim