Aliens - Alien - This time its war.

I enjoyed AR when it was released at the cinema, but it definitely doesn't stand up to a second viewing! I saw it on DVD recently and I thought it was awful.
I liked AVP though - it's not a classic but I thought it was OK.

Alien 3 stanRAB up to repeated viewings. I'd like to see the extended version.

BTW, The Abyss is James Cameron's best film, so there. :p
 
Well, it was an alien hybrid.. thing. It was still a predator and murdered/attempted to murder a few people before its demise.

I don't think it removes the brilliance from the original aliens either but I still think it was a silly conclusion.:)
 
I prefer the original, too. I like the sentry scene, and don't mind the daughter scene (although neither are really necessary). I strongly dislike seeing the colonists go fetch the alien. I think it's best when the first time the marines see the colony is also the first time we see it, so we explore it together. And we have no idea what they are going to find when they find Newt. Having Newt introduced in advance spoils it.

That said, the original is a bit slow for the first half. It's all on Earth, with Ripley being investigated, and board meetings and talking talking talking. It starts to get interesting about when they get on the ship and we meet the marines, and then it just gets better continuously up until the end.

(A3 is more or less the reverse. Good first half, getting exponentially worse the closer you get to the end.)

T2 is my favourite Cameron film. In the Director's Cut, with the subplot about the machine learning and becoming more human.
 
I think the Aliens: Director's Cut is the definitive version. I thought the hubbub of activity within the Colony in these scenes helped contrast just how quiet it was when the USCMs arrive...

Alien3 is very much underrated I think, especially again, the Director's Cut
 
i watched aliens last night again.

i can't see a film being made now where a child was so constantly being menaced can you?

and as for newt - how weird that she wasn't even remotely annoying!
 
Easily the greatest sequel in film history. As has been said, Cameron succeeRAB where most sequel makers fail in that he doesn't try to supersede the original, but instead introduces a new dimension to it.

Alien takes the suspensful approach and Aliens the action-adventure approach. Neither is better than the other but both are the very best of their genre.

It's only a shame that the two remaining sequels are a pair of turRAB.
 
Ah, right.:)

But my question still stanRAB... I've seen a Director's Cut release as well. Anyone know how it differs from the special ed?
 
As far as I know the descriptions "Special Edition" & "Director's Cut" had more to do with marketing than any major differences with the Director's Cut being a re-release of the Special Edition a few years later.
 
Excellent timing too..........when Vasquez shouts;

"Let's rooooock!!!!"

After that point, it's wall-to-wall gung-ho action and suspense!!!!
 
Bought the quadrilogy from HMV yesterday and eagerly put Alien 3 in the machine. You were all right - a vast improvement on the theatrical release. It's quite staggering how much difference the additional footage made. I struggle to understand why it was cut from the original.

I also enjoyed the documentary features about the production and pre-production. Have to say, it's made me look at Fincher in a different light. I already knew from Fight Club and Seven that he was a capable director, but had no idea how much pressure he was under from the oRABet. As his crew attested, a very talented man. A couple of things surprised me, though: particularly Michael Biehn's (Hicks) reaction to not being in the film and the amount he was paid for having his photograph used.:eek: Extortionate.

The original script for the film sounded interesting too. I don't know how many of you are aware of it, but it was set on a wooden planet in a monastery and the alien used the sewage system to move about. The monks were pulled down as they sat on the toilet and they all thought it was a demon spirit or something. Surreal in the extreme, but I think it could've worked. Shame it never made it past the storyboard.
 
We watched both Alien and Aliens in my Media class last year, I have to say I enjoyed Aliens more. Alien was good but I enjoyed the concept of Aliens more with lots of them and it has some great action scenes.
 
Back
Top