A Few Words About A few words about…™ Alien — in 4k UHD Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[WillG]

A couple of things about that scene have always bugged me, just a little. When Brett raises his face to drink in the dripping water, on a ship like the Nostromo, wouldn’t it be dirty? I know it was clean water the dripped on the actor, but the character would have gotten dirty water. Second, in a later scene, Parker describes the Alien as big, but even in this uncut scene Ripley and Parker do not see the creature. He’s gone.

I thought the directors cut was the complete scene, but this clip contains even more than that cut.

Brett doesn’t seem like the type of person that would care all that much. As for Parker, he says “whatever it was, it was big”. Not an illogical conclusion.

 

[Bryan^H]

Seems like people go nuts if the visual side gets changed but are eager for alterations to audio, and that confuses me...

I get that, but HDR didn't exist in 1979 either. So if they are going to do one and not the other it feels like the release is lacking to me. I want the best possible technical advance in 4K BD. It is the reason I bought into it.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I get that, but HDR didn't exist in 1979 either. So if they are going to do one and not the other it feels like the release is lacking to me. I want the best possible technical advance in 4K BD. It is the reason I bought into it.

Well, I don't advocate HDR when it tampers with the original colors either. I like HDR when it's used to display the original hues as accurately as possible.

I don't mind audio remixes as an option as long as I can get the original - which is the case with "Alien".

I just remain perplexed by the idea that "the best possible technical advance" overrides the original material. I got 4K UHD to see the movies presented as accurately as possible, not to use technology where it wasn't there in the first place.

Sorry if this sounds sanctimonious, but I just don't get it. Weren't the people who wanted pan and scan images just looking to take the best advantage of their TVs, too?

 

[Brent Reid]

Fantastic visual presentation, The lack of Atmos is just criminal! This film would benefit 100% from an Atmos track. So many atmospheric scenes screaming for height channels, and this scene with Brett looking for the cat with the rain, chains and well you get the idea


I have been saving for an Atmos setup for well over a year now after experiencing how amazing it is. And I can say I feel extremely cheated on this. Of the many movies I own in 4K, this is the one I would have liked it on the most.

Well, I don't advocate HDR when it tampers with the original colors either. I like HDR when it's used to display the original hues as accurately as possible.

I don't mind audio remixes as an option as long as I can get the original - which is the case with "Alien".

I just remain perplexed by the idea that "the best possible technical advance" overrides the original material. I got 4K UHD to see the movies presented as accurately as possible, not to use technology where it wasn't there in the first place.

Sorry if this sounds sanctimonious, but I just don't get it. Weren't the people who wanted pan and scan images just looking to take the best advantage of their TVs, too?

Well, I think you're both right! I don't mind audio being remixed at all, and will often choose a revised track when screening films for non-aficionado audiences. All I ask is for the original to always be be included.

What does perplex me is those who are ok with colour regrading, CGI "fixes", audio and AR alterations, etc, but get their knickers in a twist over colorization. Especially as the original B&W is always included anyway.

 

[Worth]

Well, I don't advocate HDR when it tampers with the original colors either. I like HDR when it's used to display the original hues as accurately as possible.

I don't mind audio remixes as an option as long as I can get the original - which is the case with "Alien".

I just remain perplexed by the idea that "the best possible technical advance" overrides the original material. I got 4K UHD to see the movies presented as accurately as possible, not to use technology where it wasn't there in the first place.

Sorry if this sounds sanctimonious, but I just don't get it. Weren't the people who wanted pan and scan images just looking to take the best advantage of their TVs, too?

While I agree with your overall sentiment, watching anything on video, in any format, is always going to be at best an approximation of the original. If you went to see Alien on opening night in 1979, it wouldn't have looked anything like the 4K disc. Even with perfect projection, it would have been significantly grainier, the resolution would have been sub-2K (likely sub 1080p), and the image wouldn't have been rock-steady, the way it can only be with digital.

 

[dpippel]

Not to mention relatively poor black levels.

 

[Lord Dalek]

Well, I think you're both right! I don't mind audio being remixed at all, and will often choose a revised track when screening films for on-aficionado audiences. All I ask is for the original to always be be included.

What does perplex me is those who are ok with colour regrading, CGI "fixes", audio and AR alterations, etc, but get their knickers in a twist over colorization. Especially as the original B&W is always included anyway.

This assumes that all the assets even exist for a remix in the first place. That does not appear to be the case as far as Alien goes (the raw first gen Foley and sfx masters are apparently long gone).

 

[KeithDA]

I agree it looks amazing in 4k. My memories of it have always been as a dark and dingy film but the HDR on this (I assume) really makes it shine. In fact, for a film I thought I knew quite well, it felt different, in the same way that Blade Runner felt 'new' on 4K too.

 

[titch]

Interesting new interview with Ridley Scott in The Hollywood Reporter about Alien, which has some details not covered in the two commentary tracks:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/h...t-reveals-how-iconic-scene-went-wrong-1213109

 

[Tino]

Happy 40th Anniversary to one of the most terrifying films ever made.

ALIEN

I saw this 40 years ago today when I was 16. I’ll never forget the great mood it evoked then and still today with its great music, visual effects, story and performances.

I’m going to spin this disc tonight in honor of its anniversary.

 

[PMF]

Happy 40th Anniversary to one of the most terrifying films ever made.

ALIEN

I saw this 40 years ago today when I was 16. I’ll never forget the great mood it evoked then and still today with its great music, visual effects, story and performances.

I’m going to spin this disc tonight in honor of its anniversary.

And now that you're finally hooked up and settled with the Panny 820, it's going to be one enviable night.
Happy Anniversary to vALIENtino.

 

[Tino]

And now that you're finally hooked up and settled with the Panny 820, it's going to be one enviable night.
Happy Anniversary to vALIENtino.

Ha. Good one Philip!

 

[dpippel]

 

[Johnny Angell]

 

[KeithDA]

I received Rinzler's 'The making of Alien' tome for Christmas and have just finished reading it. It's not particularly new (published in 2019) but there are some great new 'on set' images and 'behind the scenes' stories that make it a really enjoyable examination of one of my favourite films. Does every well-regarded film have to have such a difficult gestation and production...?
Recommended. Now to another spin of the UHD disc this evening......

 

[TravisR]

I received Rinzler's 'The making of Alien' tome for Christmas and have just finished reading it. It's not particularly new (published in 2019) but there are some great new 'on set' images and 'behind the scenes' stories that make it a really enjoyable examination of one of my favourite films. Does every well-regarded film have to have such a difficult gestation and production...?
Recommended. Now to another spin of the UHD disc this evening......

Rinzler also wrote a book on Aliens that came out a few months ago.

 

[Tino]

Rinzler also wrote a book on Aliens that came out a few months ago.

Yup. Have them both. Terrific books if you’re fans of the films.

 

[Neil Middlemiss]

Yup. Have them both. Terrific books if you’re fans of the films.

Me too!

 

[Tino]

Me too!
View attachment 85531

Ha. I think I have all those books too.

 

[DavidJ]

Rinzler also wrote a book on Aliens that came out a few months ago.

I hadn’t heard of these books, but I’ll definitely be checking them out.