DVD
Review | Alien Quadrilogy
Written by: Kage
Alan
Like other fans of the “Alien” series, I was
downright pissed off when Fox announced it was going to release yet
another box set. I’d just plucked down $100 for the first set, so
they were going to have to do something pretty damn good to convince
me to get this next one. They did. Oh, did they ever! This is
probably (aside from the “Lord of the Rings” Director’s Cut box sets)
the most comprehensive look at a film or set of films that I’ve ever
seen. The studio has by far outdone themselves delivering an
absolutely incredible collection here. Can you tell I like it? Well,
instead of listing every single extra included on the 9 discs (that
would take more space than I have and several other reviewers have
already done that anyway), I’m going to approach each of the four
films and discuss their unique new cuts and then simply comment on the
extras.
Alien
Theatrical Cut: A
2003 Special Edition Cut: A-
Director Ridley Scott states right up front that
the theatrical version of “Alien” is still his preferred cut, but to
give the fans a treat, assembled a slightly altered version that
inserted previously cut scenes and tightened up others. A couple of the
new sequences, such as Lambert locating the source of the alien
transmission and Brett walking through a bay while the alien hangs
overhead, are terrific additions while others aren’t so much. Some fans
had complaints about a sequence where Ripley finds the crew’s bodies in
the alien’s nest, which essentially slows the pace of the film down, but
I actually believe it adds another unique dimension. Should it have
been originally included? Probably not, but it’s very cool to see. As
for the extras, there is a terrific commentary throughout containing
snippets from cast and crew all combined into a kind of “best of”
track. While it’s partially annoying because I was curious to hear
specific entire tracks, I’ve also listened to enough commentaries I was
initially excited about only to discover tons of dead air through most
of it. This one is constant and the extras on the supplementary disc
are simply OUTSTANDING. Anything and everything you could possibly want
to know about this movie can be found.
Aliens
Theatrical Cut: B+
Director’s Cut: A
The extended cut of this film was first introduced
onto Laser Disc in a rather expensive box set, which was worth it for
fans of not only the “Alien” series, but also FILM in general. Laser
offered collectors something extra whereas DVD is much more affordable,
user friendly and storage friendly. Anyway, the extended cut here
fleshes out several potential plot holes in the theatrical cut and
explains in greater detail why Ripley and Newt bonded like they did.
Again, the commentary is a “best of” between director James Cameron,
cast and other crew members and gives excellent background on the film
and its troubled production. Continuing on with that are the extras on
the supplementary disc. I had NO idea just what Cameron went through to
get this film made or how demanding and unrelenting he can be while
working. It certainly gives you a brand new appreciation for the film
and a warning for anyone who thinks they want to work for the director.
Don’t be a slacker!
Alien 3
Theatrical Cut: C-
Special Edition: B+
Can 30 minutes of restored footage really add
enough dimension to a generally crappy film and give it new meaning? In
the case of “Alien 3”, it does. I saw this one in the theatre the day
it came out and left just thoroughly disgusted. Oddly enough, though,
it was a film I enjoyed hating and would even pop in the VCR just so I
could comment on how bad it was. How did I know it was the studio’s
fault and not Director David Fincher’s? Well, anybody who watches the
supplementary material on the second disc will know just exactly what
the man had to put up with and it’s no mystery why he had NOTHING to do
with this box set. As for the film, this extended version fleshes out
characters, subplots and situations that make it a much more complete
film than it was before. What was up with the impregnated dog in the
theatrical version when it was supposed to be a pregnant ox? Why was
that changed? Why was the subplot about the alien being captured and
then released taken out? Damn studio. And the film may still end on a
depressing note, but the journey getting there is much more
fulfilling…in a nihilistic sort of way. If there’s any weakness in this
section of the box set, it’s that there are lapses of silence during the
commentary, which is slightly annoying. The documentaries, however, are
wonderfully revealing…in a reviling sort of way.
Alien Resurrection
Theatrical Cut: C-
Special Edition: C
After word got out about how the studio totally
screwed Director David Fincher’s vision of “Alien 3”, “Alien
Resurrection” looked to be more than anything else just a way for Fox to
make money on what had become a dead franchise. It’s sad, but happens.
Well, with the hiring of Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, this became very
much a French movie funded with American money and its European
sensibilities (despite a script by “Firefly’s” Joss Whedon) just didn’t
take with US audiences. I’m not surprised. Someone went overkill on
all the damn slime and gore, smoke coming out the alien’s mouths that
was never there before and forgot to introduce enough new story elements
to carry this film into fresh territory. It’s all just a combination of
the other films with little else going for it. Visually, “Alien
Resurrection” is extremely impressive. Storywise, it needed work.
Sigourney Weaver and Ron Perlman manage to carry the film a very long
way, but the end is so ridiculous that the overall impression of the
movie killed the franchise. The lesson for this film should have been
“less is better”, which also applies to the series. If and when the
“Alien” franchise is ever revisited (and I’m not talking about “Alien
Vs. Predator” either), hopefully it will be a much more well-thought out
film. On a plus side, the supplementary material for this film is
pretty damn outstanding.
Fox has released all 4 films in gorgeous Widescreen
transfers. Video and audio quality are all topnotch! Supplements are
in Full Screen, but that’s to be expected. So, tbhere you have it. Be
prepared to spend at least a week going through all the films and their
supplementary discs. Heck, even once you’ve finished that, there’s an
additional 9th disc with material that couldn’t be fit onto
the first 8. Call me crazy, but I believe it’s probably safe to say
that there won’t be a better set of this series out again. This is as
complete as it needs to be and it’s truly fantastic! For having been
the fault of the series demise (ask David Fincher if he’s still bitter),
Fox has gone to great lengths to make the fans happy here and it’s
worked. This is a phenomenal box set.
Set Rating:
A
DVD Special Features: A
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