ALIEN/ALIENS LD box sets vs. past and future DVDs (1 Viewer)

[Christian Dolan]

I have an affordable lead on both the "Alien" and "Aliens" laserdisc boxsets. Is there any supplemental material that either didn't end up on the previous DVD editions, or that isn't slated to appear on the new 5-Star versions? Is there any other advantage to owning the laser versions?

Also, which edition of the orginal theatrical cut of "Aliens" on laser looks/sounds the best?

Thanks,

Christian

 

[Gary_E]

Is there any other advantage to owning the laser versions?

They're good for an exercise routine. I hated those CAV sets, too many side changes. When the DVDs were announced, I dumped the LDs for $30.00 each.

-Gary

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

There is a lot of text on both discs. Don't hesitate to pick them up if you want the complete archive on the making of those 2 films.

Neil

 

[Dwayne]

Never owned a LD player but I heard that the 5.1 for Alien had better sound than the otherwise excellent DVD. I believe that the LD uses split surrounds where the DVD is mono in the rear for the most part. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Brad_W]

Speaking of Alien, is it me or is the 5.1 sound on the DVD too lite/soft? I mean I really had to crank up the volume to hear everything. Even the Fox logo was HORRIBLE (and what I mean by horrible is that the snare roll begining sounded like it was being played by an old phonograph in the apartment next to me!!!!). I know that doesn't really mean anything, but still, you'd think they would remaster and improve the soundtrack. I hope the rumoured Alien 5-star edition comes out next year because I would really enjoy a better 5.1 soundtrack.

 

[alan halvorson]

Aliens, at least, is worth owning for a lot of still photos that didn't make it to the dvd. Plus some text. I've always believed, but am not positive, that the Alien dvd and LD were identical in extras.

Brad: You're not imagining things. The Alien was deservedly critized for it's low volume level when it first appeared.

 

[Michael Reuben]

Never owned a LD player but I heard that the 5.1 for Alien had better sound than the otherwise excellent DVD. I believe that the LD uses split surrounds where the DVD is mono in the rear for the most part. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

It depends on what you mean by "better sound".
The DD 5.1 on the Alien LD -- and it's only on the THX CLV LD with no supplements, not on the CAV box set with extensive supplements -- was taken from the 6-track 70mm master. It's a different mix from what most people are used to. Some lines of dialogue are dropped, and several music cues are changed (notably in the landing sequence).
When the THX LD was released, fans complained loud and long about the "changes" in the 5.1 track -- though they weren't really changes, but just an alternate version that most people hadn't heard before. For the DVD, the producers tried to respond to those complaints by going back and creating a new 5.1 version of the original soundtrack. The version is faithful to what most people had previously heard in theaters and at home, but in direct comparison to the 70mm mix, it doesn't have as much bass and has little or no split surround activity.
Which one is "better"? That's a matter of personal taste. Personally I prefer the standard theatrical mix on the DVD, but your mileage may vary.
As for the supplements, I've never done a head-to-head comparison, but I think most of the Alien supplements made it onto the DVD. Aside from the supplements, the CAV boxset of Alien isn't really worth owning. The picture is vastly inferior to the DVD, and the sound is nothing special.
The supplements on the Aliens boxset are extensive, but I'm willing to bet they'll all be included in the upcoming 5-star edition. I'm hoping, also, that the 5-star edition will use seamless branching to present both the theatrical and director's cuts. Other than supplements, there's no reason to own the Aliens boxset. The picture is a notorious mess, which was the subject of a lot of spin-doctoring and finger-pointing at the time it appeared.
M.

 

[Michael Reuben]

Also, which edition of the orginal theatrical cut of "Aliens" on laser looks/sounds the best?

To my knowledge, the original theatrical cut was released on laser twice: a very early version that's P&S and a later THX remaster in OAR with 5.1 sound. I've never seen the early P&S disc, and I wouldn't want to. The THX remaster is excellent.

M.

 

[alan halvorson]

Michael: Your memory sure is different from mine. The Aliens box set was widely considered one of the top releases in its day. I seem to recall that it made some top ten lists for video and sound quality. There was indeed some discussion about grain but, still, it was a must have. I recently viewed my box set. While the dvd exceeds the LD by no small margin, it was highly watchable and the grain was not annoying (I rarely noticed it), at least through my player. I'm pretty certain, however, that ones opinion on this title is very player dependent.

You're right about the early P&S version - it was ugly. Do you remember the controversy when Fox orginally announced widescreen versions of Alien and Aliens? They were to cost $100 each and be totally barebones! The LD community put up quite a howl about that. Petitions were circulated (I signed a couple). In the end, Fox delayed the releases, made them all-CAV and special editions, but kept the price.

 

[Michael Reuben]

The Aliens box set was widely considered one of the top releases in its day.

I don't disagree, but I think that much of the box set's reputation was due to the fact that, at the time, it was one of the most elaborate special editions ever released by anyone, including Criterion. It set the standard for subsequent special editions of Cameron films like The Abyss and Terminator 2. Indeed, it was largely the success of the Aliens director's cut on LD that persuaded Cameron and Fox to revisit The Abyss.
But I also remember substantial criticism of the video and debate about what went wrong. Many excuses were offered by those involved, including Cameron, but some years later the THX LD of the theatrical cut of Aliens appeared, and all the supposedly insuperable grain problems had been licked. Widescreen Review published a brief article in which the whole Keystone Cops story of the transfer process was told as an example of things that can go wrong in telecine. (The title of the film and the names of the players weren't mentioned, but anyone familiar with the Aliens box set could identify the film.)
The CAV box set came out in 1991 -- that's ten years ago, another age in home video. At the time, people were so glad to have the extended cut, the supplements and the strong colors featured on the box set that they put up with the grain and noise. And I'm sure the set did make some top ten lists for video and audio, because there just wasn't that much competition in 1991. Today, in comparison to what's out there, no one would put up with the box set's transfer for an instant. People would be drawing comparisons to Highlander, and they'd be right.
M.

 

[Aaron Reynolds]

Aside from the supplements, the CAV boxset of Alien isn't really worth owning. The picture is vastly inferior to the DVD, and the sound is nothing special.

While I cannot compare the CAV Alien LD to the DVD, I will say that the PCM soundtrack on the CAV Alien disc is absolutely spectacular. It is clean and clear and beautiful to listen to.

I owned both the pan & scan Aliens and the later THX/DD CLV Aliens theatrical cut, but not the boxed set. The pan & scan is not worth getting. It doesn't even have digital sound, and the analog sound isn't as good as it could have been. The THX/DD LD of the theatrical cut, though, is an excellent LD.

Man, just talking about them makes me want to watch 'em!