Ok, now help me watch the Alien films! (1 Viewer)

[Todd K]

Ohh. Wow. Watched Aliens earlier tonight.

But let me have a final word on Alien -- It had some time to sink in. That's typical with me and movies, I have to give it some time before passing final judgment. I like it more in retrospect. In fact I was even thinking about re-watching it.


But back to Aliens. I was NOT disappointed. Where the first one packed suspense this made up for with action -- tenfold. Just a great, all-around story. I'll let this one sink in, too, but I thought I'd post some initial reactions. Everything was very nicely realized. I watched the director's cut, and was very happy I did so. Some of that stuff needed to be in there. Though I can see why they might have wanted to cut the early stuff about Ripley and her daughter -- it's a little cheesy and convenient that she left her daughter to go in space, then when she gets back she conveniently died at 66 when it's the future and people are probably living much longer and healthier lives at that point. If you needed a reason for Ripley to be closer to Newt, it would have been more interesting to find out somehow that Ripley had a daughter who died young, hence the reason why she decided to go into space in the first place.

And the earlier revelation of the face hugger was pretty scary in and of itself, I think it was nicely placed in the movie. One thing though, after hearing all the hype about these movies over the years -- there was way less featuring of chest-bursting than I expected. I guess those few times it was featured really made an impression on people!

I may post more on this later. I'm also now debating on whether or not I want to watch parts 3 and 4. They really should have ended it here, since it looks like Ripley found peace and might start something with Hicks, and I dunno, maybe have a repaired Bishop as her robotic butler and Newt as her adopted daughter. Seems a bit ridiculous for her to have to face off against those danged creatures yet again. I may decide to just read a summary of the sequels or something.

Thanks for reading, all, and more importantly, thanks for the advice!

 

[Scott Weinberg]

What's speaking there is someone who really LIKES the characters left alive at the end of Aliens and by all accounts, you absolutely should. They're great movie characters. Sure, they're archetypal and not very deep (hell, one's a machine), but it's a testament to James Cameron and that cast that I still get cringing little chills when Hudson, who has re-discovered his bravery about a split-second too late, screams furiously and violently as he's yanked to an icky demise. Ditto when the green and clueless Gorman actually goes back to rescue the tough-as-nails Vasquez, a woman who wanted to kill him, thereby saving her with a quick and painless death. Hicks is noble and loyal, Newt is without pretence and realistically very sweet. Bishop represents a great story, in that he allows Ripley to rethink her attitudes toward "synthetics" - plus when that dismembered little milk-covered freak reaches out to rescue the little girl...I still pump my fist just a little. And I've seen Aliens, like, 14 times by now.

And after all this intensity (moreso if you're watching the Director's Cut), Cameron gives us one more bout of alien insanity, offers a logical conclusion, and we fade out all peaceful and quiet. Beautiful.

And then I think about the half-cocked and stunningly tacky way in which those characters are handled in Part 3...over the opening credits no less, as if these characters aren't even worthy of spoken references... oh, it steams my clams, lemme tell you.

To my eyes, as a then-20-year-old and exuberant fan of Parts 1 & 2, to see the opening scenes of Alien3... It's like opening Toy Story 3 with a bunch of toys thrown into a raging fireplace.

Short version: Aliens rocks ass. Every character, every action scene, every freakin' frame. If James Cameron has ANY passion left for this series, I'd kill 37 baby ducks if he'd agree to write and direct an Alien 5.

OK, I'm just kidding.

(I'd only kill 31.)

 

[WillG]

I'm not sure Vasquez wanted to kill Gorman. I think she said that in the APC just because she was very frustrated that he was knocked out and wouldn't wake up.

 

[Scott Weinberg]

Yeah, you're right. But clearly she pretty much hates the guy. I always thought that those two characters dying together seemed oddly satisfying.

But Hudson's still the king.

 

[Robert Anthony]

This is one of the best "Boo" moments in any movie, honestly. And it's doubly amazing that it's done with no orchestra strings or no real setup, either. It's not exactly a "filled-with-dread-building-tension" moment as most horror films use to craft their "Boo!"

I first saw it on video, and horror movies on video just don't seem to work right, to me. The room isn't all the way dark, the screen is pretty small (I had a 19 inch screen at the time) and the sound isn't as loud and enveloping. So horror movies on TV just don't really engage me on that level, I have to pay more attention to the other things in the movie.

But that shot made me jump straight up off the couch. That had never happened before at home, and has never happened since. Well--not on a regular TV. It's happened a couple times since I got the projector.

Anyway, THAT'S effective scaring.

I recommend watching Alien 3 SE, but not Alien Resurrection. But yeah--you're probably going to be REALLY pissed at Alien 3 at the beginning. It might take a second viewing to fully open up to what it's offering, because what happens in the opening credits really DOES invoke a reaction from ALIENS fans that tends to cloud the rest of the movie.

 

[Matt Leigh]

Absolutely correct. Only watch the SE of Alien 3. If you can get by it, Alien 3 remains a true Alien movie in its heart. The mood and atmosphere are perfect. Alien Ressurection is a cartoon in comparison to the other 3 films.

 

[Malcolm R]

 

[Todd K]

Actually, I was referring to the early scene with Newt's father laying on the ground with the hugger attached to his face. It was my understanding that scene wasn't in the theatrical version, leaving a longer, more suspenseful buildup to the revelation of the aliens.


But the scene in the lab made me jump, too. I was watching in total darkness with a 5.1 setup on my 32" wega. The scary effect was nicely preserved on the DVD.

And as for the next two sequels -- I've kind of inferred what happens in the first few minutes of the movie, and it seems totally silly. And what's mentioned in Malcolm's second spoiler above also seems quite ridiculous. I think I will cool off on the Alien films for a bit.

 

[Robert Anthony]

I like Alien 3, but even I have to admit--there's absolutely no reason for that egg to be where it is. At all. None.

 

[Paul_Scott]

i just watched (most of) the bonus disc for Alien 3 last night and i can finally say i am glad i went for the Quad set.

i hated 3 when i saw it in the theater, and a second viewing of 4 from this set now makes me loathe that one as well, but the doc for 3 i found to be riveting.
and how great was it that they were able to get Vincent Ward to basically walk us thru his first conception of the film.
its like sitting down at the campfire and hearing Dad tell you a creepy story- all accompanied to some wonderfully evocative production paintings.
to me, that was like getting a bonus Alien story for free

as for the first two films,
put me down as someone who loves the original theatrical cut of Alien, loves the extended cut of Aliens, and was greatly disappointed by the DC of the first film.
the 'alien transmission' scene was also a hell of a lot creepier in the deleted scenes section of the original disc than it is in the new cut.
Thank God though that we not only got the film refurbished and looking better than i've seen even brand new films look, but we have the opportunity to watch the version we prefer.
what a radical concept- giving the actual consumer the choice!

this set is going to stand as (one of) the all time great package(s) of home video. i don't think its going to be de-throned any time soon, if ever.
the only thing i can see giving it a run for its money in terms of comprehensivness is the upcoming GWTW set.
in testament to how good the Alien 3 doc was...i'm actually temepted to give the film another shot now-


just one last thing- i saw the film when i was just a kid and it was in its original release.
i saw it on the biggest screen in town, and at the time it was being described as 'Star Wars meets The Exorcist'.
and believe me, before the sequels, before the comic books and action figures, and the phrase 'chest burster' entered the popular lexicon, this film was a blast of fresh arctic air that was bracing.
you just can't imagine how new and different and...alien every aspect of this film seemed at the time.
it seems standard and inevitable now, but at the time, everything about it was contrary to expectations.
you expected the 'monster' to jump out in the first act.
it didn't.
you expected certain people not to die.
they did.
you never expected the alien to 'arrive' in the way he did.
and when he did show up, he was so bizarre and shown in only quick insubstantial flashes that your imagination was fueled and not satiated.
also, that whole summer when i was goin ape-s#it over the film, you never saw any pictures of the creature...anywhere!
they purposefully withheld the creature from promotional material. it wasn't unitl the fall and Christmas time when they released some magazines and a photo-novel where you could actually sit down and savor the design of this thing.
compare that now to buying the moive and having the creature staring at you from the front of the jacket.
as a movie going experience, this film was right up there with Jaws, and Star Wars and Superman for me.
i treasure the memories of seeing it for the first few times, and feel sorry for people meeting it todya after so many countless rip-offs and retreads have diluted it potency.

 

[jason:g]

True.

And the movie still holds up on its own after all these years, mainly because it sets up a great atmosphere and believable world that sucks you in. Movies should be like this.

 

[Grant H]

Actually, I prefer the version with the original color timing, but I gave it to my dad when I "upgraded" to the quadrilogy set. So, the "theatrical cut" still isn't the original version of the film. I really miss the colder, greener look of the film and am surprised that more people aren't disappointed in the warm, pretty version of "Alien." Maybe I'll pick up another 20th anniversary edition some day for cheap.

 

[Bryan Tuck]

Resurrection, while pretty much a mess, is an interesting mess. It has a striking look, the premise had potential, and Sigourney Weaver gives a pretty good performance, all things considered, but I agree that it became too cartoonish.

The first 2 are classics, though.

 

[Holadem]

Cameron, in Aliens wisely concentrated in getting the motion right, rather than the details of creatures you barely make out in the dark anyway.

The "man suit with big scary headgear" were far creepier than anything in Resurrection.

--
H

 

[Ric Easton]

I still prefer to think of Alien3 and Ressurection as nightmares Ripley is having in hyper-sleep. I can't tell you how angry I was in the first few minutes of the 3rd film. It didn't get much better and I left the theater feeling rather empty.

Ric

 

[Joe Karlosi]

About ALIEN 3 :

I liked the early moments of the movie and thought the death of Newt was a very brave and realistic move, and one which I certainly never saw coming. It's the most credit I'll give to the film.

ALIEN RESURRECTION was a jokefest and a disgrace to the series all together.

 

[BarryS]

Has anyone read Roger Ebert's review of Aliens? He praises the film as a superb example of filmmaking, yet was horrified and left him "feeling wrung out and unhappy". It's an interesting read. It sounds like a positive and negative review at the same time.

"I have never seen a movie that maintains such a pitch of intensity for so long; it's like being on some kind of hair-raising carnival ride that never stops."

http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebert_.../07/68859.html

 

[Paul_Scott]

wow- reading that makes me want to see it again- immediately

watched the Bob Burns featurette on disc 9 a couple days ago for the first time and really enjoyed it.
his enthusiasm was infectious.

really glad i sprung for the quad now.