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Here's a film that really doesn't need any introduction for anyone
reading this. Quite simply, ALIENS is one of the best sequels
ever made. In what is a rare, amazing feat, it not only provides
a worthy continuation of the original story, it builds upon the
themes and situations of the first film, offering something both
familiar yet new, and successfully morphs from horror to a sci-fi
action-o-rama of the tallest order.
It is some 50-odd years after the alien ate its way through the
Nostromo, leaving only Lt. Ripley to blast it out of the airlock
and risk her fate to hypersleep. She is picked up by some sort
of probe ship, and quickly brought back to stand up to an inquisition
on just what happened to the Nostromo. Of course, "the company"
doesn't believe her tall tale of vicious acid-for-blood aliens
and thousands of eggs awaiting to hatch. Foolish folks.
It is here that the film could have sunk and turned into a piece
of crap. Ripley discovers to her horror that a colony of miners
(including families!) has set up shop on the planet of the derelict
spacecraft that housed the first ALIEN, and now contact has been
lost. It is here that she has to make a pivotal decision on whether
to return with an army of military "grunts" on a rescue
mission, or say "forget it." Of course, she goes back
(there wouldn't be a movie if she didn't), and it is to Director
and Writer James Cameron's credit that not only do we buy this,
he makes it seem almost necessary. I let you ask yourself, seeing
the film again, why this is. A good example of character dictating
action, not the other way around.
Anyway, once the team descends upon the lost colony and the action
starts anew, the film shifts from the straightforward horror of
the ALIEN of yore to a kick-ass action bonanza. I'm reminded of
Roger Ebert's review, where he comments that he had never seen
a film sustain such a deliberate pace of successive action sequences.
This film, after about the halfway point, just takes off like
a rocket and doesn't stop. It is exihiliarating.
And, to the delight of ALIEN fans everywhere, this disc is the
"Director's Cut," with footage reinstated back into
he film under the supervision of James Cameron, who had to make
changes (like most of his films) to keep the running time to an
acceptable level for theatrical play. Personally, I'm of mixed
opinion on the added scenes. I think many of them are really cool,
and some additions involving Ripley and her maternal issues should
never have been cut in the first place. There are also some bits
about stationary guns and stuff that are cool, though their removal
doesn't affect the story much, but either way, in or out, they
work.
However, the only scene I guess I really have a problem with
is the early sequence where Newt's family goes in to investigate
the ALIEN spacecraft and meets an unfortunate end. Personally,
this rather long scene is unnecessary, and shows us something
that, for me, plays better in the mind (I found it far more chilling
to hear Newt reflect on her feelings than see it). Anyway, no
matter, it is great to have the director's cut out on DVD.
In the end, and you don't need me to tell you, this is a kickass
film, and also one of the few big budget sci-fi horror films that
plays equally well to the masses and the critics. And the Queen
Alien, well, I think she is still unrivaled in terms of the visual
and mechanical effects. I don't care how much CGI you throw at
me, Stan Winston's work here is just unparalleled, and all the
more impressive given the fact that it is entirely "live"
and on set, with the exception of a couple of miniature shots.
For proof, just check out the alien in ALIEN 3, which due to compositing
and such is just no match for the Queen. And, horror of horrors,
I'm sure if ALIENS was made today, it would be some CGI mess.
Bleech.
Video: How Does The Disc Look?
The previous laserdisc incarnation of ALIENS was a controversial
release, and the only place prior that you could obtain the coveted
Director's Cut. That transfer, quite frankly. was rather poor
(in my mind) due to excessive grain. While, yes, the film was
shot intentionally to appear a bit grainy, I just thought the
laserdisc had way too much.
So, I was a bit concerned about how this new DVD would look.
Luckily, I was really relieved with the final result. Unlike the
other ALIEN films, this was shot 1.85:1, and it is presented in
a THX certified, anamorphic transfer downconverted form a high-definition
master. Black level is dead on, colors very rich and pure, and
this is a much more saturated-looking film than the muted tones
of the first and third ALIEN films.
And, gone is the severe grain of the laserdisc, so for the most
part of the transfer has smooth and filmlike appearance. However,
there still is grain in some scenes, as well as a few specs and
dirt on the print (but pretty slight). This is not a perfect transfer,
and I'm sure some will still find a bit of fault with it. But,
quite simply, it blows away the laserdisc, and is certainly better
than any edition I've seen. Having a HD 16x9 disc of this is just
too cool. Though again not "perfect," I ain't complaining!
Audio: How Does The Disc Sound?
The audio really kicks. Overall, it is stronger and more aggressive
than the first ALIEN disc, though not quite up to snuff with the
subsequent two films. Bass is very deep and powerful, and the
surround usage is pretty aggressive. Occasionally, though, I thought
the high-end was a little harsh and brittle, and sometimes the
dialogue was a bit overpowered. The music is rendered well, but
for some reason, doesn't quite seem as "transparent"
and ethereal as the first film's mix.
However, this is a different kind of experience. The first film
again is more of a horror piece, where this is an all-out action
flick. Impact is the name of the game here, and overall I was
very pleased, though in the end the soundtrack sounds a bit dated
at times. Still, though, a winner.
There is also a separate English 2.0 mix provided, which of course
can't compare to the full 5.1 mix, but is a nice addition for
those without Dolby Digital setups, as it does sound a bit better
than the downconversion via the player. There are no foreign tracks
included; however, there are English and Spanish subtitles and
English Closed Captioning.
Supplements: What Goodies Are There?
The supplements on ALIENS are good, though not as impressive
as the gangbusters first disc of ALIEN. Of course the main attraction
is the full director's cut. Unfortunately, the biggest omission
here is the lack of all the text from the laserdisc box set, which
is very unfortuante. It seems more effort here was spent on the
menus than the extra content.
In addition to the director's cut, there are a few behind the
scenes video production pieces. First is a nice if perhaps flat
12-minute interview with James Cameron, which is pretty old. Still
it is informative, though to be honest it would have been nice
to hear his thoughts on the film now. There are also eight quick
video segments with behind-the-scenes snippets of some of the
miniature work, including the "loaders," as well as
Queen footage and other production goodies. And like the first
disc, there is a massive still gallery, with production photos,
artwork and drawings. I haven't gone through it all, but artists
and those interested in the creative develop of the film will
love it.
Beyond that, there really isn't much else. There is the bevy
of theatrical trailers for all the films and the ALIEN Resurrection
video game (yawn), as well as a nice booklet with notes and bios.
There is also a hidden screen of production credits, and some
very cool menus, with 3D effects using the video screens and soldier
motif of the film.
So, though I wasn't blown away by the supplements here, the director's
cut alone probably close to worth the price of admission, and
the other supplements offer maybe an hour of interest, but aren't
quite as exciting as they could have been. A missed opportunity.
Parting Thoughts
For $29.95, this is a great deal. The director's cut of this
film has been sought-after for ages, and is finally here on DVD.
The transfer is head and shoulders above all previous versions,
and if the supplements are good but not the ultimate, no matter.
You shouldn't be disappointed with this purchase. Highly recommended.
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