My favorite Paul Reiser story from the Aliens set is when he was there for his first day, surrounded by all the guys in fatigues, one of the producers came onto the set and said "Who's that jerk blocking the shot?"
@@sparksdrinker5650 Did you know that Viggo Mortensen broke his toe when he kicked the orc helmet? Did you know that the Twin Pines Mall became the Lone Pine Mall? Did you know Han fired first? Did you know that when asked if he'd be able to make Blazing Saddles today, Mel Brooks said "We couldn't even make it back then" lol
I remember seeing this movie in the theater and when Ripley says her famous line "Get away from her you bitch" the whole audience cheered and clapped, I'll never forget that moment. 😮😮😊❤
HA,HA,😸I knew you guys would love ALIENS.And the SPECIAL EDITION VERSION as well.A magnificent sequel.Up there with TERMINATOR 2:JUDGEMENT DAY,EMPIRE STRIKES BACK,GODFATHER 2 and TOP GUN:MAVERICK.
I love Ripley's comment to Gorman. - Forget it. Shows she's a true leader willing to forgive and forget when someone realizes their mistake. She accepts then moves on. Strong character.
Also, notice how Gorman makes no attempt to take command or insert himself as Ripley's second. He follows Hicks' lead, recognising that Hicks is the far more experienced soldier and Hicks is following Ripley, and so is he
@@johnbeans2000 Also, I like how Burke isn't some calculating, brilliant evil genius. To quote Futurama, he's a Monkey of medium intelligence who wears a suit. He didn't plan for the colony to get wiped out, this whole mission was his hail Mary to try and salvage the situation and then sicking the Facehuggers on Ripley and Newt was yet another Hail Mary to salvage an even WORSE situation.
Yeah. And Gorman wasn't a bad guy. He was just way over his head, with an initial arrogance probably mostly derived from insecurity. It was more the Company's fault for putting him in that position.
I went and saw a 70mm print of Aliens at a theater a few years back. Since it was a 70mm showing, there was an intermission in the middle while they switched film reels. When the second reel started there was a problem with the audio, and there was no sound for about a minute. Instead people in the audience just shouted out every line the characters were saying until the audio came back. It was a fun experience.
Seeing this in a packed theater during it's run was one of the most amazing experiences ever. When Ripley said "get away from her you bitch" the entire theater lept to its feet and cheered. Great memories.
Yep, 1986 the whole theater erupted! They cheered when we saw the loader, then yells of "F*** YEAH!" after her iconic line! 😆 Best theater experience I ever had.
Same here, from Montreal, Canada. The design in story telling was top notch. Cameron went from Terminator to this and became an iconic film maker over night.
The bit I remember from seeing it opening night was during the final attack on the marines, when Ripley says "That's inside the room" and the audience figured it out a half second before the characters do. You could hear the massive intake of breath as folks realized what was going on
Alien is the pinnacle. It started it all. It is superior to all. Aliens is to Alien what Terminator 2 is to Terminator. Aliens and T2 are both very good and fun sequels, but they are inferior to their predecessors.
@@markbrowning4334 i can understand your point when it comes to Alien being superior, even though i personally love Aliens more. But T1 better than T2?? You're delusional.
@@vubevube Delusional?? Really?? We're going to fire off insults based on cinematic taste? We can be civil and discuss, or I can cream your ass with details to back my point. I'd rather just be civil and hope that at least one other person on the comments can do the same. Would you like to be that person, or do you want to go through the ringer?
Jenette Goldstein, who played Vazquez was killed in Aliens, killed in Terminator (she was the foster mother) and died on the Titanic (she died with her family in the lower decks).
I like that you mentioned both actors as well as said assaulted as well as killed. The usual line you see on every reaction is ‘bill Paxton is the only actor..’ etc 😂
One of my top 5 favorite movies of all time. Best sequel! The only movie I know that make 2+ hours feel like less than 1. When I first saw it in theaters, there was a literal standing ovation in the theater when Ripley finally closed the airlock. Like Cameron knew the audience will need a few seconds to applaud during that closeup on Ripley.
Supposedly, when Cameron was pitching his idea to the studio he wrote "Alien" on the board, added an "S" to the end, and then drew a vertical line through the "S" to make a "$". He wasn't wrong.
THE most detailed and gratifying film-maker documentary I've ever seen is the 2-hour feature on making this movie. All in-camera and practical effects. It's brilliant.
The Xenomorph Queen is the largest puppet in the history of Hollywood. It's about 14 feet tall and 20 long to the tip of the tail, and is hung from a crane (part of the reason the head crest is so big is to hide the cables). It's a combination of hydraulics, rod puppetry, and two stuntmen _inside_ working the arms. Operating the puppet required 14-16 people. On the other hand, the thermonuclear blast of the processor going critical was a very simple and cheap effect: They built a shallow wooden tray with a hole in the bottom and filled it with shredded cotton balls. They pushed a light bulb up through the hole in the box while also turning it from dim to bright. Little work in post, and it's a mushroom fireball rising through the clouds.
Whoa! Thank you for this, I really wanted to know how they made that Alien!! It's also very hard to believe the blast was a simple effect... it felt so huge!
The cargo exoskeleton also was a person mimicing the movement that they needed in the suit from behind. I believe it was a powerlifter that memorized the fight scene and had to move in sync with Ripley.
@@maplenutsreact A lot of that "Hugeness" comes from the inserts of the characters inside the ship reacting to the light outside and the SOUND DESIGN of the explosion. You can get away with a simple effect if everything AROUND that effect supports the idea!
One of the hallmarks of a great film is if the effects still hold up today. This and The Thing have amazing special effects that hold up to any CGI today.
One of the producers of the Alien films once stated in a behind the scenes interview that Alien was the Haunted House, and Aliens was the Roller Coaster Ride. My favorite part of Aliens is at the end when Newt grabs Ripley after the Big Boss Fight and calls her Mommy! Gets me EVERY time...
Especially with the added scene of Ripley finding out that Amy died. This whole movie is about second chances for Ripley. Getting her daughter back and keeping her promise is part of that. Thats why Alien 3 is such a fking insult.
@@LukeLovesRose Well said. I don't "hate" Alien 3, but I don't like it either. It's more of an alternate reality to me, I prefer and stick with the Aliens "happy" ending.
@@minnesotajones261 I do hate Alien 3. To me, watching that movie is like drowning in sewage. It was the WORST example of a studio-made film. They showed nothing but contempt what made Cameron's masterpiece so successful.
@@LukeLovesRose There's some deep dives on what happened on that film. And while the studio definitely shares the blame, I suspect the majority lies with the producers Walter Hill & David Giler. They were the ones who wrote that pile of cr*p and many of their decisions on the film seemed to emanate from them being pissed off about 1) Hill not being allowed to direct the first film, 2) them losing the Writers Guild arbitration on the first film regarding Dan O'Bannon's credit and 3) Fox passing over Hill again in favor of Cameron on the second film. They wrote the film on the fly after throwing out the script (and director) during pre-production and I think it's telling that one of the first things that happens during their script is the off screen deaths of 2 of the 3 characters Cameron had added to the story.
18:12 For me that little girl, Newt, delivered the ultimate Boss Line in this entire movie when Ripley explained to her "These people are here to protect you. They're soldiers." Newt looked her straight in the eyes only a "It won't make any difference." Holy! That sent shivers down my spine! That look on her face, like "You know it and I know it." Talking about Foreshadowing! They screwed up this epic line big time in our german version. The deepest circle of hell for these Dialogbook Autors. In our version her line was replaced with "I don't care. I don't want it." Now I ask you, does this alternativ line have the same effect as the original! Never in a thousand cold winters!
@@LukeLovesRose Horrible indeed. That moment is priceless in the original. But some Genius was willing and able to send all the atmosphere down the drain.
Fun titbit: The APC M577 armoured vehicle was build over an actual vehicle, the airplane towing tractor Hunslet ATT77. They sure made a towing tractor look cool. 🙂 An absolutely awesome sequel and movie in its own right. Once it gets going it's relentless with so many iconic lines and scenes. A true classic.
Almost everything in the film that could be functional was. The pulse rifles were modified Thomson submachine guns that were capable of firing live rounds. The lockers each had the character's names on them and had working card readers to unlock them. There was even a tool box that had an internal power pack to run all the power tools in it, that never appeared in the movie. It was later purchased by a collector and he confirmed that all of the power tools were not only functional, but of high quality. Cameron loves his practical effects and the effort he puts into the shows.
"The greatest trick Jim Cameron ever pulled is convincing the world he was an action director." Oh, he does action superbly, but his real gift is suspense, energized and maximized by excellently integrated action!
A little formulaic. The buildups and false endings and surprises leading to the last fight are the same in his first two terminator movies and Scott's Alien and in Aliens.
According to the actress who played Newt (Carrie Henn), when she slides down the vent away from Ripley as they try to escape, she intentionally screwed up the scene several times so she could keep going down the chute because it was so much fun. Cameron apparently wasn't amused. :)
All of us kids who watched this on tape, knew exactly how Hicks felt when we played Halo CE as adults, going through the Flood levels with the shotgun.
In a deleted scene, Ripley runs into Burke when she goes looking for Newt, Burke has been cocooned, he's hurting and tells Ripley its inside him, Ripley hands him an explosive device and leave him there, you can find the scene on RUclips
For me personally, the best scene in this movie is when Ripley first finds the Queen. She demonstrates what she is capable of, then the Queen signals her drones to back off. The eye roll when the egg tries to hatch is priceless.
Hicks sleeping throughout the drop is a very useful skill developed by a lot of soldiers - when they go to battle, they have no idea when they'll be allowed to sleep again, so they use every possible moment to rest up. Also, Al Matthews (Apone) was a Vietnam vet, so his acting was supported by a lot of experience. Also, a rookie C.O. like Gorman was specifically picked by Burke/the Company to ensure the mission "fails" and there are specimens inside some of the survivors.
Fantastic reaction, as always. You're one of the few reactors to clock the wordless conversation between Ripley and the Queen. There are behind-the-scenes docs, mostly available here on YT, that show how they did all the crazy stuff in this movie. Long story short, lots of high-tech puppetry, and a lot of miniatures. The Power Loader and the Queen Alien were both extremely elaborate puppets. One of James Cameron's rules for this movie was that he didn't want any of the aliens to ever look like a human being in a suit. Also, in case nobody else mentions it, the story of how Cameron pitched his idea for an Alien sequel to Fox executives is a classic: he walked into the conference room and wrote "Alien" on the chalkboard. He silently turned to the execs, then looked back at the board and wrote a big "S" at the end, making it "AlienS". Another silent look to the execs, then back to the board: two vertical lines turn the S into a dollar sign, making "Alien$". They greenlit the project on the spot. Apocryphal, maybe, but pretty funny.
False. It's a sound effect of a facehugger in the dark. There's no egg hatching, no indication whatsoever where it takes place or when. The queen did not bring an egg with her, and did not lay an egg on the Sulaco. It's been 30 years. Those BS fan theories have been destroyed in every possible way.
I LOVE that moment with Ripley and the queen alien. After she shows what the flamethrower can do, she looks up at the queen. I love Ripley's expression and that silent exchange between them. "You dont hurt my baby and I won't hurt yours."
If you guys like Aliens now in 2024... just think how a lot of us older folks felt when we watched it when it first came in theaters back in 1986! AMAZING! INSTANT CLASSIC!
I've always thought that the Company purposefully sent a unit with a green lieutenant in charge, figuring that he would be more susceptible to Burke's suggestions.
The marines make this movie. They actually kick ass but get thrown into a situation beyond their control. Vasquez, Hudson and Hicks are beasts, even if Hudson says everything, WE would be thinking in such a situation. The other Alien films are okay, unfortunately they have to be compared to the first two, which are masterpieces of cinema. If you don't watch them, you really won't be missing anything of great significance. I could rewatch Aliens again and again and again. Ellen Ripley rules.
ALIEN 3 is okay, but I always found it really depressing. Prometheus was okay, but I hated that it looked really hightech and modern in comparison to ALIEN although it is set several years before it. ALIEN Resurrection is a parody, and ALIEN Covenant is just bad. Let's see if ALIEN Romulus is able to breathe some fresh air into the genre.
LOL, yeah most people think they'd be Ripley in Alien as well, but the fact is most of us would be Lambert, complaining all the time. crying and freezing in terror when confronted by either the Arachnagina face huger, or the fully grown Xeno. Love your reactions, totally subscribing now.
The woman in the picture as Ripley’s daughter was actually English actress Elizabeth Inglis (born Desiree Mary Lucy Hawkins,) Sigourney Weaver’s mom. At Sigourney’s age, Elizabeth looked exactly like Sigourney, like twins. At age 14, Susan “Sue/Susie” Alexandra Weaver changed her name to Sigourney after reading The Great Gatsby, inspired by the minor character. Have you two seen The Abyss? Excellent movie that was very difficult to make. James Cameron almost drowned, and the cast were driven to the point of needing therapy. I recommend the extended director’s cut. Always watch the director’s cut of any movie, if available. It’s amazing what great stuff gets cut from movies. If you watch Close Encounters of the Third Kind, definitely watch the extended version.
I'm so glad that you chose to watch the Special Edition, if only for that brief scene of Ripley finding out she's outlived her daughter. The rest of the Special Edition stuff you can sort of do without. But that tiny scene adds so much to me in regards to her character arc and the underlying theme of motherhood, that it always blows my mind that it's not part of the theatrical cut...especially since again, it's literally only like a minute or so. This 40 year old man is not ashamed to say I cry every time Newt throws herself into Ripley's arms with that "mommy!" , and it's partially because of that tiny scene before the board meeting.
James Cameron (and his team)!!! Has to be the GOAT... What they did with 86 effects it's just unbeliveable. All practical, matte paintings, miniatures etc and how much better everything feels. Nowadays it's just shiny smooth cgi that gets boring so fast...They didn't build a real loader but how they shot that, it feels 100% real... Perfect sequal. Story and characters 10/10...
Can I just say, when this film came out, it was a massive hit! I think I saw it at least a handful full of of times when it came out…Sigourney Weaver was nominated for THE OSCAR BEST ACTRESS for this film.
A number of techniques ended up being used to create the Queen alien. A crane was used to stabilize the main body of the creature. The head and neck of the alien was hydraulically controlled. Hydraulic lines ran from the neck controls to a little support stand that literally had steering wheels on it to crank the Queen’s head around. The whole process was new and exciting to see on something of that size.” The crew ended up using the hydraulic method for other parts of the alien as well, with the body, tilt, and turn being accomplished this way. Other body parts of the alien, such as the legs, utilized the puppeteer method. Another creature effects coordinator commented, “Her legs were controlled externally by puppeteers, rods, etc that would move her legs.” Specific parts of the Queen’s face, such as the lips, jaw, and tongue were controlled by cables that allowed complete movement. Ultimately, 14-16 operators were needed to make the Queen alien completely mobile. The producer of the film, Gale Hurd, noted, “She was huge, she weighed a lot, and to choreograph the movements of the Queen with the two people that were creating her movements was always a challenge and did eat up quite a bit of production time. On the other hand, we got every shot that we needed within our shooting schedule, which remained on budget and on schedule.” The original Alien Queen was 15 ft tall and weighed roughly 3000 lbs.
"Get away from her, you bitch!" One of the best sci-fi duopolies ever made. The other being the two movie Terminator franchise. I'm so glad that Hollywood exercised a measure of control and never made any more sequels. Yep, no more Alien movies whatsoever. 👍 😎 Fun Fact: Theatrical movie debut of Jenette Goldstein. Historical Fact: Al Matthews, who plays a Marine sergeant in this film, was in real life the first black Marine to be promoted to the rank of sergeant in the field during service in Vietnam. Gun Enthusiast Fact: James Cameron personally designed the M-41A pulse rifle. He based it on the WW2 Thompson sub-machine gun. The pistol used by Colonial Marines is a Heckler and Koch VP70. Movie Magic Fact: The full-size queen puppet was actually too big to fit into the elevator. For the shot where she is seen there, her tail was removed, and yet the back of the elevator still had to be opened to accommodate the prop; smoke effects, dark lighting, and a black curtain at the back obscure this. Cute Kid Fact: When filming the scene with Newt in the duct, Carrie Henn kept deliberately blowing her scene so she could slide down the vent, which she later called a slide three stories tall. James Cameron finally dissuaded her by saying that if she completed the shot, she could play on it as much as she wanted. She did and he kept his promise.
There is an episode of Star Trek Voyager that rips themes from Aliens. Right down to Janeway gearing up to battle the Aliens as the only person left capable. There have been other movies and TV that did the same. But none have surpassed Aliens yet.
@@JamesJoyce12 Ghostbusters, Terminator.... Fury Road wasn't half bad actually. But I think the next one may be more along the lines of the crap Hollywood has been kicking out lately.
"Were gonna need a bigger boat." "Ill be back." "Get away from her you b***h!" "Hasta la vista, baby." "Im gonna make em an offer he cant refuse." "May the Force be with you." Peak cinema has lines that stand the test of time.
@@LukeLovesRose Gotta love 70s, and especially 80s media. Best decades for action one-liners, iconic TV, Movies and music. Birth of the "Summer Blockbuster". Computers and video games coming home. Unforgettable entertainment experiences. A few others. "That's no moon." "Yippy-kiyay...." "Get to the choppa." A fun time to grow up. So much new to discover.
this was the most hyped up, high expectation movie and it shattered expectations. the greatest blockbuster ever made. my dad was physically sick when he got home from seeing this in the theater back in 86 because it was so intense.
Favorite quote of today's reaction, @ 35:23, "Is she taping two giant guns together? It's how you make a super gun." Keep 'em coming -- love watching with you two!
this must be the extended/special/director's edition, where you actually see the colonists get infected/attacked. i grew up watching the theatrical cut, where it just goes right into losing contact with the colonists, and i gotta say i still like that version more. i don't always need to see what happens. sometimes the mystery makes it more intriguing. just the sequence of events where all contact was lost, going to investigate, and then finding only Newt as a survivor. that played merry hell with my imagination, all the ways it could have happened. made it seem more frightening.
Personally, I prefer the Director's Cut over the Theatrical. Most of the added scenes are a definite enhancement over the Theatrical Cut IMO. However, I would love to see a version that removes the scenes involving Newt and her parents. The scenes themselves are fine, but they mess with the pacing of the film, and as you point out, the mystery of what is occurring.
Great reaction, guys. Chandra, you definitely get it. This is a special movie in the history of roller-coaster ride, thrilling blockbusters. My friend saw it in the theater back when it came out-I was so jealous that I didn’t. He said the vibe was electric.
I knew you two would LOVE Aliens! Easily one of the greatest sequels ever filmed! A lot of people hate Alien 3, Alien: Resurrection, and the two sequels, but I love them all in their own way! Love your reactions!
Most people seem to hate Alien 3, there is so much stuff out there about it not being as intended etc. Trouble is, the film we have is what we've got and personally, I Love It! If you need heroes you can relate to and redemption arcs and feel good fluffy bunny endings with hope shining through, don't watch it. But what it does is pitch the worst against the worst in a claustrophobic and poisonous environment. There are no heroes only survival. It does have Ripley, as does IV, and both films are worth watching for their own reasons. Just don't expect the same as these, both are darker. Thanks to the both of you, you're fun to watch.
A lot of complaints I see about 3 are basically about what it's not and what it doesn't have. It's not REALLY a sequel to 2, in vibes or character arcs. But if you move past that you can judge it as a movie, it creates an intense situation involving Ripley and aliens and WYCorp, and that's what an Alien movie is. Don't get me wrong I've only seen Alien 3 once and Aliens probably a dozen times in one form or another, but it doesn't seem necessary to pretend it doesn't exist.
Got to see this the summer it came out at a night showing at just 3 years old. Holy CRAP this was a rollercoaster ride 💪🏾 Hudson was an INSTANT favorite😂 I can still remember someone screaming out DAMN when he got dragged under by the Xenomorphs.
Doesn't Ripley KNOW that the Company knows about the Aliens? It's been a while but I thought in Alien they learn the andriod was given directives by the Company to preserve the alien at all costs including the lives of the crew and that Ripley learned that. So while she's standing in the room with all the Company board members it would have been a perfect time to be like "I know that you know - you told our android to bring it back."
No, she doesn't know what the Company knows, because not even the Company knows what the Company knows. They didn't even know to look for the derelict until Burke sent the colonists to investigate. Whoever sent the Ash and the Nostromo to retrieve the aliens at any cost, washed his/her hands of it and never talked about it again.
@@miller-joel It wasn't only on Ripley's ship that the company put in those rules and an android, because they didn't know about this aliens yet, only in case one of their ships ever encountered any alien (or received an alien message), so it would have gone the same for every one of their ships, the rules were the same: go look for them or else, and... crew expendable! It was secretly at that time, but later on everybody knew the android was on every ship, just not why the company did that. And those rules did stay a secret.
@@Keyboardje It's not clearly stated, but there are indications someone in the Company knew about the signal and replaced Ash at the last minute. The crew obviously didn't know he was an android. Why keep that a secret? One of the great things about Alien is that it leaves it ambiguous and allows you to debate those things 45 years later, instead of spelling out some lame story, like Prometheus or Covenant.
By combining Starship Troopers with E.T., we get a wonderful scenario of Johnny Rico riding the bicycle across the moon with Michael Ironside's upper body in the basket. 😊
I love that you guys have a real appreciation for the design and CG composition of this film...especially given the age of the film. I always thought this film was a classic in the annuals of scifi. Nice to see another generation embracing one of the scariest aliens ever created. Great reaction! Thanks you and continued success with your channel. 👽❤👍
One thing I learned growing up. The two things you should always have on you is a good pocket knife (a Leatherman is even better) and a cigarette lighter.(Even if you don't smoke). You will be surprised how often those come in handy.
@@jh5131 my grandpa taught me to carry a knife. Later I switched to a multi tool (super handy when I worked as a maintenance man) and being a smoker taught me to always carry a lighter.
@@RMBittner strike anywhere matches in a waterproof container works too. It's just hard to find strike anywhere matches these days(yeah I'm getting old)
The thing about Ripley is that CAN'T do everything. She's not a Mary Sue. Shes a flawed and vulnerable human who gets by through intelligence, humanity and sheer force of will. That's why she's such a fantastic and iconic character.
Each Alien movie embodies a different type of horror genre. Alien - Haunted house horror movie Aliens - Action-horror movie Alien3 - Locked room horror movie Alien: Resurrection - Body horror movie Alien: Prometheus - Psychological horror Alien: Covenant - Slasher horror "Alien vs Predator" and "Alien vs Predator: Requiem" are not horror films - they were attempts to bring a successful Dark Horse Comics crossover event to the big screen.
I first saw this at the cinema in 1986 (I think it was '86) when I was about 19 - 20 years old. When I came out of the cinema with my friends, I could hardly walk - my legs felt like rubber and I felt physically exhausted. Possibly the single most amazing cinema experience of my life.
Saw this in the theater at 14. Packed house. The atmosphere in that theater can never be topped. When the door lifts up and she delivers that iconic line, the entire crowd went berserk. Cheering, cursing, pumping fists in the air…was just incredible. Will never forget it. Great reaction 😊 👍🏼
I saw it about ten years ago at the Albert Hall in London, with a live orchestra doing the score - at the end of the screening James Cameron and Sigourney Weaver came out to take a bow
Had the same experience when I first saw it. Including a standing ovation in the theater when Ripley finally closed the Airlock. I have yet to see that with any movie in the last 20-30 years.
@@DocMicrowave love it. Yeah, I haven’t either. The only one that came close was opening day, at noon, on like a Wednesday, biggest theater in the city (Manhattan), jam packed with teenagers cutting school….Rocky IV. That one was just a perfect storm
@@jjsdad4952 Lol, Nice! I first saw it a theater on 44st just off times square. Sophisticated crowd with lots of tourist sprinkled in. First time I had been to such a fancy looking theater. Hence the standing ovation at the end, like they were at a Broadway play. I think I saw it at least twice more elsewhere in the following weeks, on a date and with friends. As soon as it came out on VHS I bought a copy.
Yep, 1986 the whole theater erupted! They cheered when we saw the loader, then yells of "F*** YEAH!" after her iconic line! 😆 Best theater experience I ever had.
you should watch the third and fourth Aliens movies - Aliens 3 and Alien Resurrection - just so you can be up to date on the old school Alien movies and then you can safely watch the behind the scenes videos about what happened with the third and fourth movies that caused them to be what they were. they absolutely were a departure from what fans wanted but if you enjoy the franchise then you might actually have a lot of fun watching the video essays that break down what happened, what the studios were thinking, what the unused scripts intended to do before the movies got made, etc. theres a lot of good videos on RUclips about it like "Alien 3 What Happened" from Matt McMuscles and "Alien 3 WTF Happened To This Movie" from JoBlo Originals are both really cool videos covering a lot of Hollywood lore behind the third movie.
Actually had the chance to see this in theaters a few years back (I think around when the Alien Anthology blu-ray was coming out). Was a 1 day showing only figured hey... why not. I was pleasantly shocked when I got the theater and by the time the movie started it was a packed house. Tons of Aliens fans! So many scenes got cheers, audience clapping with approval and overall enjoyment of seeing one of the greatest action movies ever on the big screen. When Ripley comes out of the room with the Power loader everyone cheered massively and went silent just as she came towards the camera and quite literally everyone in the theater in unison said "Get away from her you bitch!" as Ripley said the line. Endless cheering throughout the entire scene including when she ejects the Queen out of the airlock. A movie for the ages that hits all the right notes even today.
A great science fiction series Farscape which was on the Sci-fi channel from 1999 to 2003 starring Ben Browder, and Claudia Black. Ben is an Astronaut, John Crichton, who gets lost in space after he gets sucked into a wormhole and ends up on a living ship, a Leviathan or a giant Space Whale, full of escape Alien Prisoners. Claudia is a humanoid alien called a Sebecean who is forced to join them. She is thrown out of the space military, Peacekeeper, she was part of by her superior officer, Captain Crais, and becomes a fugitive. She and John fall in love through out the 4 seasons. The creators of the show are Rockne Brannon from Seaquest and Brian Henson and the Henson Creature Factory to make the aliens and the makeup effects.
As a ST and SW fan, the weirdness of Farscape put me off at first, but the show really drew me in and I fell in love in with the show. It's so amazing too because you don't know what you'll get from one season to the next. And I had to dig around the interwebs, would have been ten years ago now (might be easier these days) to find "The Peacekeeper Wars" movie, aka the final season of Farscape. So worth it, though!
14:46 Good memory, Jordan. Yeah, Captain Dallas from the first film was dragged away...in the EXTENDED version, Ripley comes across his cocooned body and Dallas mumbles "kill me." then Ripley takes the flame thrower to him.
This sure is fantastic movie. Next, end of the trilogy, Alien 3 ...way, way, wayyyy to underrated finale. Alien 4, not a classics like first three, but still a fun scifi monster movie . And I do mean f u n 🤓👍
If you guys watch the third film be sure to watch the Director's Cut Alien 3 version of the film because it was far better in my opinion than the theatrical version.
Watched Aliens in One of the biggest theaters in Portland Oregon, THE EASTGATE THEATER that is now closed, has been for many years. The crowd in the '80s ( in most theaters ) were very active, when a movie was really good to great, This movie was no different. When she comes out of the mech storage area, inside the mech and says... GET AWAY FROM HER YOU B**** Everyone in the theater jumped up out of their seats and I mean everyone! and cheered, it was so FREAKING AMAZING 👊💯
I love that on opening night of this movie, the guy who played Burke reportedly took his mother. When his character died, she apparently said out loud “good”. You know you did a great job acting if your mom is happy you died lol
It's Cameron's original story, as intended to be watched. Removing scenes for the theatrical cut created plot holes and weakened Ripley's character and motivations.
@21:50 "This definitely still feels like a horror movie." Thank you. People have this idea just because there's guns and action in ALIENS that it somehow negates the horror of the situation. ALIENS is full of horror and more importantly, terror. "At least they gave Gorman a redemption arc." Damn right. Next to Ripley and Newt he has the most complete character arc in the film. Greatest film ever made.
So there’s a version of Alien3 that’s call The Assembly Cut. That is fantastic. The theatrical not so much. The theatrical takes away all of the character development and isn’t worth it. But I hugely recommend Alien3 Assembly Cut
The theatrical version is downright painful. The Assembly Cut is... endurable. Alien Resurrection (the fourth one) is decent but doesn't really make sense unless you have endured Alien 3. It still suffers in comparison to the first two, and I don't think it is good enough to be worth watching Alien 3. Stop after the first two and appreciate them for what they are.
@@Slugbug Does the assembly cut fix the horrible magic egg retcon? No. Does it treat Hicks and Newt with the respect they deserve? No. So how is it tolerable?
That power loader vs queen scene was done with one full size prop, hanging from the ceiling, with limited movement capabilities - and one 30cm-miniature model! :)
Well done, Chandra and Jordan! I loved your reactions. This was my favorite movie for many years, and now you know why too. ✌ They don't make too many perfect movies with all cylinders firing.
The xenomorphs always fascinated me since they're completely dependent on some compatible species finding the eggs. Once the eggs are discovered the colony can be established so long as there are enough hosts around ... but you gotta think the hosts eventually run out, then I guess they all just die out and then a bunch of time passes and something else finds the remaining eggs. Interesting lifecycle.
18:39 "I'm so stressed out. This movie is really good at building tension." The ping of the Colonial Marines motion detector might be the single most stress-inducing sound in movie history. Every blip is 9 feet tall, dripping with slime, and has way too many teeth.
One of the great things watching this movie in cinemas is staying to the very end if the credits…and hearing the face-hugger scuttling from one side of the theater to the other!
![Eminem - Fuel (feat. JID) [Official Lyric Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/t5H_CewqpKA/mqdefault.jpg)
"Hey Vasquez, have you ever been mistaken for a man?"
"No. Have you?"
Greatest burn in cinema history🤣
Paul Reiser took his Mom to the premiere. When he was asked if she liked the movie, he said "she cheered when I died."
LOL.
I think dozens of commenters rush to every single Aliens reaction to try to be the first one to post that story.
My favorite Paul Reiser story from the Aliens set is when he was there for his first day, surrounded by all the guys in fatigues, one of the producers came onto the set and said "Who's that jerk blocking the shot?"
@@sparksdrinker5650 Did you know that Viggo Mortensen broke his toe when he kicked the orc helmet? Did you know that the Twin Pines Mall became the Lone Pine Mall? Did you know Han fired first? Did you know that when asked if he'd be able to make Blazing Saddles today, Mel Brooks said "We couldn't even make it back then" lol
It sounds like something my mother would do.
This is why us 80's kids got up in arms when Jennifer Lawrence said there weren't any female action stars before her.
And Sarah Connor!
Don't forget Princess Leia.
"How many other strong female actions stars have there been? None, really." Yeah. right.
And she's a lousy actress herself
100%
Game over maan, game over.
RIP Bill Paxton, you left us too soon.
"What are we gonna do now ? We're doomed we're f!cked ! " Great actor , I heard he was a great guy too !
Yea it was too early for him... RIP
He improved that line too
❤
@@gregorygant4242 He was. Saw him speak in NYC back in 2013 and he was just a cool, great guy, and pretty funny to boot.
I remember seeing this movie in the theater and when Ripley says her famous line "Get away from her you bitch" the whole audience cheered and clapped, I'll never forget that moment. 😮😮😊❤
Nothing makes me happier than seeing people react to aliens for the first time
HA,HA,😸I knew you guys would love ALIENS.And the SPECIAL EDITION VERSION as well.A magnificent sequel.Up there with TERMINATOR 2:JUDGEMENT DAY,EMPIRE STRIKES BACK,GODFATHER 2 and TOP GUN:MAVERICK.
Nothing makes me happier than seeing people react to ALIEN 3 for the first time :)
@@per3ofskyNoooooo
T2 is another great one
Aww yay! It was such a fun movie to watch!!
You have NO IDEA how viral Hudson's "Game over man! Game over!" was when this movie came out. It showed up EVERYWHERE🤣
For many years
Oh I bet! It's suuuuch a good line, especially coming from his character!
It's still an ongoing meme
I admit I still say it
Also, Vasquez's, "Let's rock!!!"
"maybe we got 'em demoralised" is one of my all time favourite quotes. RIP Bill Paxton.
Same
I love Ripley's comment to Gorman. - Forget it. Shows she's a true leader willing to forgive and forget when someone realizes their mistake.
She accepts then moves on. Strong character.
Also, notice how Gorman makes no attempt to take command or insert himself as Ripley's second. He follows Hicks' lead, recognising that Hicks is the far more experienced soldier and Hicks is following Ripley, and so is he
@@weldonwin very true. Gorman is underappreciated! He had a big redemption!
@@johnbeans2000 Also, I like how Burke isn't some calculating, brilliant evil genius. To quote Futurama, he's a Monkey of medium intelligence who wears a suit. He didn't plan for the colony to get wiped out, this whole mission was his hail Mary to try and salvage the situation and then sicking the Facehuggers on Ripley and Newt was yet another Hail Mary to salvage an even WORSE situation.
@@weldonwin I always say, he isn't a bad guy, just incompetent.
Yeah. And Gorman wasn't a bad guy. He was just way over his head, with an initial arrogance probably mostly derived from insecurity. It was more the Company's fault for putting him in that position.
I went and saw a 70mm print of Aliens at a theater a few years back. Since it was a 70mm showing, there was an intermission in the middle while they switched film reels. When the second reel started there was a problem with the audio, and there was no sound for about a minute. Instead people in the audience just shouted out every line the characters were saying until the audio came back. It was a fun experience.
That did sound like fun. I would like to see it in a theater again.
No way! Now that's the mark of a good movie haha
I’d love that.
There's still reels of this movie in existence?
Seeing this in a packed theater during it's run was one of the most amazing experiences ever. When Ripley said "get away from her you bitch" the entire theater lept to its feet and cheered. Great memories.
Same here! There was also a literal standing ovation when Ripley finally closed the Airlock.
Good times! The 80's rocked!
Yep, 1986 the whole theater erupted! They cheered when we saw the loader, then yells of "F*** YEAH!" after her iconic line! 😆 Best theater experience I ever had.
Same here, from Montreal, Canada. The design in story telling was top notch. Cameron went from Terminator to this and became an iconic film maker over night.
The bit I remember from seeing it opening night was during the final attack on the marines, when Ripley says "That's inside the room" and the audience figured it out a half second before the characters do. You could hear the massive intake of breath as folks realized what was going on
I wish i couldve been there. It sounds like the most thrilling and glorious night at the movies. But alas, i was only 4 at the time
"Aliens" is the pinnacle of the entire Alien series. Watch the rest if you're curious, but this one is BY FAR the best.
The first 2 are great movies the rest are just overly studio controlled slop.
Alien is the pinnacle. It started it all. It is superior to all.
Aliens is to Alien what Terminator 2 is to Terminator.
Aliens and T2 are both very good and fun sequels, but they are inferior to their predecessors.
Alien is a superior horror movie.
Aliens is a great action movie.
@@markbrowning4334 i can understand your point when it comes to Alien being superior, even though i personally love Aliens more. But T1 better than T2?? You're delusional.
@@vubevube Delusional??
Really?? We're going to fire off insults based on cinematic taste?
We can be civil and discuss, or I can cream your ass with details to back my point.
I'd rather just be civil and hope that at least one other person on the comments can do the same.
Would you like to be that person, or do you want to go through the ringer?
Bill Paxton and Lance Henriksen are the only two actors to be killed or assaulted by an alien, a predator and a terminator.😊
Jenette Goldstein, who played Vazquez was killed in Aliens, killed in Terminator (she was the foster mother) and died on the Titanic (she died with her family in the lower decks).
@@willv7868 Ya she was a favorite of James Cameron who directed all three movies. 😊
@@willv7868 She died in a Lethal Weapon film, too, diving board bomb.
I like that you mentioned both actors as well as said assaulted as well as killed. The usual line you see on every reaction is ‘bill Paxton is the only actor..’ etc 😂
Michel Biehn faces Aliens, Terminators and The Abyss :)
The Golden Standard of how movies should be made!
One of my top 5 favorite movies of all time. Best sequel!
The only movie I know that make 2+ hours feel like less than 1.
When I first saw it in theaters, there was a literal standing ovation in the theater when Ripley finally closed the airlock. Like Cameron knew the audience will need a few seconds to applaud during that closeup on Ripley.
Supposedly, when Cameron was pitching his idea to the studio he wrote "Alien" on the board, added an "S" to the end, and then drew a vertical line through the "S" to make a "$". He wasn't wrong.
Hahahaha simple, yet effective
That's was back when studios wanted to make $$$.
B4 The Message😮
THE most detailed and gratifying film-maker documentary I've ever seen is the 2-hour feature on making this movie.
All in-camera and practical effects. It's brilliant.
From a time when movie makers really had to work Hard to sell the effects.
This movie was amazing.
Ooooo I want to see that!!
The Xenomorph Queen is the largest puppet in the history of Hollywood. It's about 14 feet tall and 20 long to the tip of the tail, and is hung from a crane (part of the reason the head crest is so big is to hide the cables). It's a combination of hydraulics, rod puppetry, and two stuntmen _inside_ working the arms. Operating the puppet required 14-16 people.
On the other hand, the thermonuclear blast of the processor going critical was a very simple and cheap effect: They built a shallow wooden tray with a hole in the bottom and filled it with shredded cotton balls. They pushed a light bulb up through the hole in the box while also turning it from dim to bright. Little work in post, and it's a mushroom fireball rising through the clouds.
Its true. They only made the head and torso of the T-Rexfor Jurassic Park right? Spielberg wanted a full size puppet like the Queen
A lost art.
Whoa! Thank you for this, I really wanted to know how they made that Alien!! It's also very hard to believe the blast was a simple effect... it felt so huge!
The cargo exoskeleton also was a person mimicing the movement that they needed in the suit from behind. I believe it was a powerlifter that memorized the fight scene and had to move in sync with Ripley.
@@maplenutsreact A lot of that "Hugeness" comes from the inserts of the characters inside the ship reacting to the light outside and the SOUND DESIGN of the explosion. You can get away with a simple effect if everything AROUND that effect supports the idea!
One of the hallmarks of a great film is if the effects still hold up today. This and The Thing have amazing special effects that hold up to any CGI today.
One of the producers of the Alien films once stated in a behind the scenes interview that Alien was the Haunted House, and Aliens was the Roller Coaster Ride. My favorite part of Aliens is at the end when Newt grabs Ripley after the Big Boss Fight and calls her Mommy! Gets me EVERY time...
Especially with the added scene of Ripley finding out that Amy died. This whole movie is about second chances for Ripley. Getting her daughter back and keeping her promise is part of that.
Thats why Alien 3 is such a fking insult.
@@LukeLovesRose Well said. I don't "hate" Alien 3, but I don't like it either. It's more of an alternate reality to me, I prefer and stick with the Aliens "happy" ending.
@@minnesotajones261 I do hate Alien 3. To me, watching that movie is like drowning in sewage.
It was the WORST example of a studio-made film. They showed nothing but contempt what made Cameron's masterpiece so successful.
@@LukeLovesRose There's some deep dives on what happened on that film. And while the studio definitely shares the blame, I suspect the majority lies with the producers Walter Hill & David Giler. They were the ones who wrote that pile of cr*p and many of their decisions on the film seemed to emanate from them being pissed off about 1) Hill not being allowed to direct the first film, 2) them losing the Writers Guild arbitration on the first film regarding Dan O'Bannon's credit and 3) Fox passing over Hill again in favor of Cameron on the second film. They wrote the film on the fly after throwing out the script (and director) during pre-production and I think it's telling that one of the first things that happens during their script is the off screen deaths of 2 of the 3 characters Cameron had added to the story.
@@snowdenwyatt6276 Make excuses for that s**t-show all you want. Its still the worst movie in the Alien franchise.
18:12 For me that little girl, Newt, delivered the ultimate Boss Line in this entire movie when Ripley explained to her "These people are here to protect you. They're soldiers." Newt looked her straight in the eyes only a "It won't make any difference." Holy! That sent shivers down my spine! That look on her face, like "You know it and I know it." Talking about Foreshadowing! They screwed up this epic line big time in our german version. The deepest circle of hell for these Dialogbook Autors. In our version her line was replaced with "I don't care. I don't want it." Now I ask you, does this alternativ line have the same effect as the original! Never in a thousand cold winters!
Seriously?? They actually put that line in the German version?? Thats horrible
@@LukeLovesRose Horrible indeed. That moment is priceless in the original. But some Genius was willing and able to send all the atmosphere down the drain.
Fun titbit: The APC M577 armoured vehicle was build over an actual vehicle, the airplane towing tractor Hunslet ATT77. They sure made a towing tractor look cool. 🙂
An absolutely awesome sequel and movie in its own right. Once it gets going it's relentless with so many iconic lines and scenes. A true classic.
Cool fact
years ago the "armored transporter" was found. how lucky that this relic from the movie still exists! 😊
Almost everything in the film that could be functional was. The pulse rifles were modified Thomson submachine guns that were capable of firing live rounds. The lockers each had the character's names on them and had working card readers to unlock them. There was even a tool box that had an internal power pack to run all the power tools in it, that never appeared in the movie. It was later purchased by a collector and he confirmed that all of the power tools were not only functional, but of high quality. Cameron loves his practical effects and the effort he puts into the shows.
The practical effects in this movie was off the charts amazing.
Back when you really had to work to sell the scene.
The shoes Ripley is wearing while she was on the loader were made/sold by Reebok. They were a huge success. I still have my pair.
Don’t sell them is my 2 cents
@@eshuorishas9987 They're still in their original box.
Nice, I've always wanted those and the Nike Vandals from Terminator
"The greatest trick Jim Cameron ever pulled is convincing the world he was an action director."
Oh, he does action superbly, but his real gift is suspense, energized and maximized by excellently integrated action!
A little formulaic. The buildups and false endings and surprises leading to the last fight are the same in his first two terminator movies and Scott's Alien and in Aliens.
According to the actress who played Newt (Carrie Henn), when she slides down the vent away from Ripley as they try to escape, she intentionally screwed up the scene several times so she could keep going down the chute because it was so much fun. Cameron apparently wasn't amused. :)
It's always good to annoy Cameron, as he has often been such a jackass to his actors.
He let her slide down as much as she wanted after getting the shot
@@Stogie2112 So I've heard. The Abyss was said to be a nightmare.
Ha! No surprise... Jim is known to be like a dictator behind cameras. Perhaps that's the reason why his movies are so good.
@@edudario1974 His movie 'Were' so good, before he started getting obsessed with blue aliens instead of these badass Aliens.
All of us kids who watched this on tape, knew exactly how Hicks felt when we played Halo CE as adults, going through the Flood levels with the shotgun.
You had me in the first half.
I thought this was going to be about how they basically remade Aliens at the beginning.
Those flood sections are honestly better than some of the actual alien games (I'm looking at you colonial marines 😬)
OMG you're so right!! I love love love Halo CE so much, but totally didn't make that connection.
Vasquez was John Connor's foster mother in Terminator 2.
And the Irish Mom with two kids in Titanic! And the cop who got exploded on the diving board in Lethal Weapon 2.
In the countless amount of times I've watched both movies, I only found this out last month when someone commented that on another reaction channel
Add the Enterprise B Science Officer in Star Trek Generations
Jenette Goldstein.
And detective Shapiro in Lethal Weapon 2.
In a deleted scene, Ripley runs into Burke when she goes looking for Newt, Burke has been cocooned, he's hurting and tells Ripley its inside him, Ripley hands him an explosive device and leave him there, you can find the scene on RUclips
It was removed because it didn't make sense. The facehugger puts the host in a coma for several hours.
For me personally, the best scene in this movie is when Ripley first finds the Queen. She demonstrates what she is capable of, then the Queen signals her drones to back off. The eye roll when the egg tries to hatch is priceless.
Ripley's thoughts: "Deal's off. Poached egg time, bitch." 🔥
Hicks sleeping throughout the drop is a very useful skill developed by a lot of soldiers - when they go to battle, they have no idea when they'll be allowed to sleep again, so they use every possible moment to rest up.
Also, Al Matthews (Apone) was a Vietnam vet, so his acting was supported by a lot of experience.
Also, a rookie C.O. like Gorman was specifically picked by Burke/the Company to ensure the mission "fails" and there are specimens inside some of the survivors.
Not only was Al Matthews a Vietnam vet, he was the first black Marine to be meritoriously promoted to sergeant.
I still find it funny how Ripley’s sock was resilient enough to stay on her foot as the Queen alien pulls off her sneaker
Fantastic reaction, as always. You're one of the few reactors to clock the wordless conversation between Ripley and the Queen. There are behind-the-scenes docs, mostly available here on YT, that show how they did all the crazy stuff in this movie. Long story short, lots of high-tech puppetry, and a lot of miniatures. The Power Loader and the Queen Alien were both extremely elaborate puppets. One of James Cameron's rules for this movie was that he didn't want any of the aliens to ever look like a human being in a suit.
Also, in case nobody else mentions it, the story of how Cameron pitched his idea for an Alien sequel to Fox executives is a classic: he walked into the conference room and wrote "Alien" on the chalkboard. He silently turned to the execs, then looked back at the board and wrote a big "S" at the end, making it "AlienS". Another silent look to the execs, then back to the board: two vertical lines turn the S into a dollar sign, making "Alien$". They greenlit the project on the spot. Apocryphal, maybe, but pretty funny.
The Last Starfighter (1984) for some lighthearted sci-fi with aliens. 😃
yes.... "lighthearted"..... Except for that one scene🤣🤣🤣
Oooo sounds fun, thank you!
YES! "The Last Starfighter" is an underrated gem of a sci-fi movie!
And there's. . . three scenes where the "lighthearted" *really* takes a vacation.
YES! The Last Starfighter is a wonderfully campy movie which is a great counterpart to this one.
It’s an awful movie
If you go to the end of the credits, you can hear an egg hatch that the mother left on the ship.
False. It's a sound effect of a facehugger in the dark. There's no egg hatching, no indication whatsoever where it takes place or when. The queen did not bring an egg with her, and did not lay an egg on the Sulaco. It's been 30 years. Those BS fan theories have been destroyed in every possible way.
I LOVE that moment with Ripley and the queen alien. After she shows what the flamethrower can do, she looks up at the queen. I love Ripley's expression and that silent exchange between them. "You dont hurt my baby and I won't hurt yours."
If you guys like Aliens now in 2024... just think how a lot of us older folks felt when we watched it when it first came in theaters back in 1986!
AMAZING! INSTANT CLASSIC!
I've always thought that the Company purposefully sent a unit with a green lieutenant in charge, figuring that he would be more susceptible to Burke's suggestions.
The marines make this movie. They actually kick ass but get thrown into a situation beyond their control. Vasquez, Hudson and Hicks are beasts, even if Hudson says everything, WE would be thinking in such a situation. The other Alien films are okay, unfortunately they have to be compared to the first two, which are masterpieces of cinema. If you don't watch them, you really won't be missing anything of great significance. I could rewatch Aliens again and again and again. Ellen Ripley rules.
ALIEN 3 is okay, but I always found it really depressing. Prometheus was okay, but I hated that it looked really hightech and modern in comparison to ALIEN although it is set several years before it. ALIEN Resurrection is a parody, and ALIEN Covenant is just bad.
Let's see if ALIEN Romulus is able to breathe some fresh air into the genre.
Aliens and Predator is definitely my favourite sci-fi movies of all time. Amazing cinema
The power loader looked so real that companies called and asked where they could buy it.
One of the best reactions I've seen to Aliens online from the both of you- great job!
Really liking you guys stuff. Nice to see new folks enjoying the greats.
me 2
LOL, yeah most people think they'd be Ripley in Alien as well, but the fact is most of us would be Lambert, complaining all the time. crying and freezing in terror when confronted by either the Arachnagina face huger, or the fully grown Xeno. Love your reactions, totally subscribing now.
The woman in the picture as Ripley’s daughter was actually English actress Elizabeth Inglis (born Desiree Mary Lucy Hawkins,) Sigourney Weaver’s mom. At Sigourney’s age, Elizabeth looked exactly like Sigourney, like twins.
At age 14, Susan “Sue/Susie” Alexandra Weaver changed her name to Sigourney after reading The Great Gatsby, inspired by the minor character.
Have you two seen The Abyss? Excellent movie that was very difficult to make. James Cameron almost drowned, and the cast were driven to the point of needing therapy. I recommend the extended director’s cut. Always watch the director’s cut of any movie, if available. It’s amazing what great stuff gets cut from movies. If you watch Close Encounters of the Third Kind, definitely watch the extended version.
"Everyone wants to be a Ripley, but I'd probably be a Hudson." So true for most of us! 🙂
Your theater wish is about to come true. April 26th Alien (1979) will be in theaters for a limited time to celebrate 45 years since its release.
I'm so glad that you chose to watch the Special Edition, if only for that brief scene of Ripley finding out she's outlived her daughter. The rest of the Special Edition stuff you can sort of do without. But that tiny scene adds so much to me in regards to her character arc and the underlying theme of motherhood, that it always blows my mind that it's not part of the theatrical cut...especially since again, it's literally only like a minute or so. This 40 year old man is not ashamed to say I cry every time Newt throws herself into Ripley's arms with that "mommy!" , and it's partially because of that tiny scene before the board meeting.
James Cameron (and his team)!!! Has to be the GOAT... What they did with 86 effects it's just unbeliveable. All practical, matte paintings, miniatures etc and how much better everything feels. Nowadays it's just shiny smooth cgi that gets boring so fast...They didn't build a real loader but how they shot that, it feels 100% real...
Perfect sequal. Story and characters 10/10...
After the movie came out there were actually several big companies that asked if the loader was real and if so, where they could buy them! :D
Can I just say, when this film came out, it was a massive hit! I think I saw it at least a handful full of of times when it came out…Sigourney Weaver was nominated for THE OSCAR BEST ACTRESS for this film.
A number of techniques ended up being used to create the Queen alien. A crane was used to stabilize the main body of the creature. The head and neck of the alien was hydraulically controlled. Hydraulic lines ran from the neck controls to a little support stand that literally had steering wheels on it to crank the Queen’s head around. The whole process was new and exciting to see on something of that size.” The crew ended up using the hydraulic method for other parts of the alien as well, with the body, tilt, and turn being accomplished this way.
Other body parts of the alien, such as the legs, utilized the puppeteer method. Another creature effects coordinator commented, “Her legs were controlled externally by puppeteers, rods, etc that would move her legs.” Specific parts of the Queen’s face, such as the lips, jaw, and tongue were controlled by cables that allowed complete movement. Ultimately, 14-16 operators were needed to make the Queen alien completely mobile. The producer of the film, Gale Hurd, noted, “She was huge, she weighed a lot, and to choreograph the movements of the Queen with the two people that were creating her movements was always a challenge and did eat up quite a bit of production time. On the other hand, we got every shot that we needed within our shooting schedule, which remained on budget and on schedule.” The original Alien Queen was 15 ft tall and weighed roughly 3000 lbs.
All incredible effects. Back when you had to really work to sell the optics.
"What do you mean they cut the power?! They're animals!"
"Get away from her, you bitch!"
One of the best sci-fi duopolies ever made. The other being the two movie Terminator franchise. I'm so glad that Hollywood exercised a measure of control and never made any more sequels. Yep, no more Alien movies whatsoever. 👍 😎
Fun Fact: Theatrical movie debut of Jenette Goldstein.
Historical Fact: Al Matthews, who plays a Marine sergeant in this film, was in real life the first black Marine to be promoted to the rank of sergeant in the field during service in Vietnam.
Gun Enthusiast Fact: James Cameron personally designed the M-41A pulse rifle. He based it on the WW2 Thompson sub-machine gun. The pistol used by Colonial Marines is a Heckler and Koch VP70.
Movie Magic Fact: The full-size queen puppet was actually too big to fit into the elevator. For the shot where she is seen there, her tail was removed, and yet the back of the elevator still had to be opened to accommodate the prop; smoke effects, dark lighting, and a black curtain at the back obscure this.
Cute Kid Fact: When filming the scene with Newt in the duct, Carrie Henn kept deliberately blowing her scene so she could slide down the vent, which she later called a slide three stories tall. James Cameron finally dissuaded her by saying that if she completed the shot, she could play on it as much as she wanted. She did and he kept his promise.
Blade Runner, Mad Max, Planet of the Apes, Star Wars??
There is an episode of Star Trek Voyager that rips themes from Aliens. Right down to Janeway gearing up to battle the Aliens as the only person left capable.
There have been other movies and TV that did the same. But none have surpassed Aliens yet.
@@JamesJoyce12 Ghostbusters, Terminator....
Fury Road wasn't half bad actually. But I think the next one may be more along the lines of the crap Hollywood has been kicking out lately.
"Were gonna need a bigger boat."
"Ill be back."
"Get away from her you b***h!"
"Hasta la vista, baby."
"Im gonna make em an offer he cant refuse."
"May the Force be with you."
Peak cinema has lines that stand the test of time.
@@LukeLovesRose Gotta love 70s, and especially 80s media. Best decades for action one-liners, iconic TV, Movies and music. Birth of the "Summer Blockbuster". Computers and video games coming home. Unforgettable entertainment experiences.
A few others.
"That's no moon."
"Yippy-kiyay...."
"Get to the choppa."
A fun time to grow up.
So much new to discover.
this was the most hyped up, high expectation movie and it shattered expectations. the greatest blockbuster ever made. my dad was physically sick when he got home from seeing this in the theater back in 86 because it was so intense.
Favorite quote of today's reaction, @ 35:23, "Is she taping two giant guns together? It's how you make a super gun."
Keep 'em coming -- love watching with you two!
Aww that makes me so happy! ❤
Love at the end when Newt yells “mommy!”
this must be the extended/special/director's edition, where you actually see the colonists get infected/attacked. i grew up watching the theatrical cut, where it just goes right into losing contact with the colonists, and i gotta say i still like that version more. i don't always need to see what happens. sometimes the mystery makes it more intriguing. just the sequence of events where all contact was lost, going to investigate, and then finding only Newt as a survivor. that played merry hell with my imagination, all the ways it could have happened. made it seem more frightening.
Personally, I prefer the Director's Cut over the Theatrical. Most of the added scenes are a definite enhancement over the Theatrical Cut IMO. However, I would love to see a version that removes the scenes involving Newt and her parents. The scenes themselves are fine, but they mess with the pacing of the film, and as you point out, the mystery of what is occurring.
Great reaction, guys. Chandra, you definitely get it. This is a special movie in the history of roller-coaster ride, thrilling blockbusters. My friend saw it in the theater back when it came out-I was so jealous that I didn’t. He said the vibe was electric.
I knew you two would LOVE Aliens! Easily one of the greatest sequels ever filmed! A lot of people hate Alien 3, Alien: Resurrection, and the two sequels, but I love them all in their own way! Love your reactions!
Most people seem to hate Alien 3, there is so much stuff out there about it not being as intended etc. Trouble is, the film we have is what we've got and personally, I Love It! If you need heroes you can relate to and redemption arcs and feel good fluffy bunny endings with hope shining through, don't watch it. But what it does is pitch the worst against the worst in a claustrophobic and poisonous environment. There are no heroes only survival. It does have Ripley, as does IV, and both films are worth watching for their own reasons. Just don't expect the same as these, both are darker. Thanks to the both of you, you're fun to watch.
A lot of complaints I see about 3 are basically about what it's not and what it doesn't have. It's not REALLY a sequel to 2, in vibes or character arcs. But if you move past that you can judge it as a movie, it creates an intense situation involving Ripley and aliens and WYCorp, and that's what an Alien movie is. Don't get me wrong I've only seen Alien 3 once and Aliens probably a dozen times in one form or another, but it doesn't seem necessary to pretend it doesn't exist.
Thats why i love 80's movies, are the best !!! And i was a kid at that time so i react like u guys
Got to see this the summer it came out at a night showing at just 3 years old. Holy CRAP this was a rollercoaster ride 💪🏾 Hudson was an INSTANT favorite😂 I can still remember someone screaming out DAMN when he got dragged under by the Xenomorphs.
Got me beat by 3 years lol
You mean 13?
@@MrYin90210 🤣
You can thank Stan Winston for the design of that Alien Queen. That man was a true magician of animatronics.
Doesn't Ripley KNOW that the Company knows about the Aliens? It's been a while but I thought in Alien they learn the andriod was given directives by the Company to preserve the alien at all costs including the lives of the crew and that Ripley learned that. So while she's standing in the room with all the Company board members it would have been a perfect time to be like "I know that you know - you told our android to bring it back."
I'm mean... 57 years later? Would they still actually what am I saying of course they would 🙄
No, she doesn't know what the Company knows, because not even the Company knows what the Company knows. They didn't even know to look for the derelict until Burke sent the colonists to investigate.
Whoever sent the Ash and the Nostromo to retrieve the aliens at any cost, washed his/her hands of it and never talked about it again.
@@miller-joel
It wasn't only on Ripley's ship that the company put in those rules and an android, because they didn't know about this aliens yet, only in case one of their ships ever encountered any alien (or received an alien message), so it would have gone the same for every one of their ships, the rules were the same: go look for them or else, and... crew expendable!
It was secretly at that time, but later on everybody knew the android was on every ship, just not why the company did that. And those rules did stay a secret.
@@Keyboardje It's not clearly stated, but there are indications someone in the Company knew about the signal and replaced Ash at the last minute. The crew obviously didn't know he was an android. Why keep that a secret?
One of the great things about Alien is that it leaves it ambiguous and allows you to debate those things 45 years later, instead of spelling out some lame story, like Prometheus or Covenant.
You are correct those loaders aren't real. It's a suit and there's a second person inside it, puppeting the arms and legs.
So freaking cool though
By combining Starship Troopers with E.T., we get a wonderful scenario of Johnny Rico riding the bicycle across the moon with Michael Ironside's upper body in the basket. 😊
I love that you guys have a real appreciation for the design and CG composition of this film...especially given the age of the film.
I always thought this film was a classic in the annuals of scifi. Nice to see another generation embracing one of the scariest aliens ever created.
Great reaction!
Thanks you and continued success with your channel.
👽❤👍
One thing I learned growing up. The two things you should always have on you is a good pocket knife (a Leatherman is even better) and a cigarette lighter.(Even if you don't smoke). You will be surprised how often those come in handy.
This is 💯 true. I never realized this until I started carrying both about 5 years ago. My cheap multi tool has saved the day soooo many times
Absolute facts.
@@jh5131 my grandpa taught me to carry a knife. Later I switched to a multi tool (super handy when I worked as a maintenance man) and being a smoker taught me to always carry a lighter.
Darn it, I’m a pipe smoker who prefers wooden matches. A lighter would likely be a lot better for survival!
@@RMBittner strike anywhere matches in a waterproof container works too. It's just hard to find strike anywhere matches these days(yeah I'm getting old)
The thing about Ripley is that CAN'T do everything. She's not a Mary Sue. Shes a flawed and vulnerable human who gets by through intelligence, humanity and sheer force of will. That's why she's such a fantastic and iconic character.
"Which is good, cause....I'm scared" 😂
"Game over, man. Game over!"
Immortal quote
Each Alien movie embodies a different type of horror genre.
Alien - Haunted house horror movie
Aliens - Action-horror movie
Alien3 - Locked room horror movie
Alien: Resurrection - Body horror movie
Alien: Prometheus - Psychological horror
Alien: Covenant - Slasher horror
"Alien vs Predator" and "Alien vs Predator: Requiem" are not horror films - they were attempts to bring a successful Dark Horse Comics crossover event to the big screen.
Interesting take.
But watching Alien 3 still feel like drowning in sewage to me
I first saw this at the cinema in 1986 (I think it was '86) when I was about 19 - 20 years old.
When I came out of the cinema with my friends, I could hardly walk - my legs felt like rubber and I felt physically exhausted. Possibly the single most amazing cinema experience of my life.
Saw this in the theater at 14.
Packed house.
The atmosphere in that theater can never be topped.
When the door lifts up and she delivers that iconic line, the entire crowd went berserk.
Cheering, cursing, pumping fists in the air…was just incredible.
Will never forget it.
Great reaction 😊 👍🏼
I saw it about ten years ago at the Albert Hall in London, with a live orchestra doing the score - at the end of the screening James Cameron and Sigourney Weaver came out to take a bow
Had the same experience when I first saw it. Including a standing ovation in the theater when Ripley finally closed the Airlock.
I have yet to see that with any movie in the last 20-30 years.
@@DocMicrowave love it. Yeah, I haven’t either.
The only one that came close was opening day, at noon, on like a Wednesday, biggest theater in the city (Manhattan), jam packed with teenagers cutting school….Rocky IV.
That one was just a perfect storm
@@jjsdad4952 Lol, Nice!
I first saw it a theater on 44st just off times square. Sophisticated crowd with lots of tourist sprinkled in. First time I had been to such a fancy looking theater.
Hence the standing ovation at the end, like they were at a Broadway play.
I think I saw it at least twice more elsewhere in the following weeks, on a date and with friends.
As soon as it came out on VHS I bought a copy.
Yep, 1986 the whole theater erupted! They cheered when we saw the loader, then yells of "F*** YEAH!" after her iconic line! 😆 Best theater experience I ever had.
you should watch the third and fourth Aliens movies - Aliens 3 and Alien Resurrection - just so you can be up to date on the old school Alien movies and then you can safely watch the behind the scenes videos about what happened with the third and fourth movies that caused them to be what they were. they absolutely were a departure from what fans wanted but if you enjoy the franchise then you might actually have a lot of fun watching the video essays that break down what happened, what the studios were thinking, what the unused scripts intended to do before the movies got made, etc. theres a lot of good videos on RUclips about it like "Alien 3 What Happened" from Matt McMuscles and "Alien 3 WTF Happened To This Movie" from JoBlo Originals are both really cool videos covering a lot of Hollywood lore behind the third movie.
I don't know of a movie with santa as an alien, but I do know one where he's a viking.
"Violent night". Worth watching.
Actually had the chance to see this in theaters a few years back (I think around when the Alien Anthology blu-ray was coming out).
Was a 1 day showing only figured hey... why not.
I was pleasantly shocked when I got the theater and by the time the movie started it was a packed house. Tons of Aliens fans!
So many scenes got cheers, audience clapping with approval and overall enjoyment of seeing one of the greatest action movies ever on the big screen.
When Ripley comes out of the room with the Power loader everyone cheered massively and went silent just as she came towards the camera and quite literally everyone in the theater in unison said "Get away from her you bitch!" as Ripley said the line. Endless cheering throughout the entire scene including when she ejects the Queen out of the airlock.
A movie for the ages that hits all the right notes even today.
A great science fiction series Farscape which was on the Sci-fi channel from 1999 to 2003 starring Ben Browder, and Claudia Black. Ben is an Astronaut, John Crichton, who gets lost in space after he gets sucked into a wormhole and ends up on a living ship, a Leviathan or a giant Space Whale, full of escape Alien Prisoners. Claudia is a humanoid alien called a Sebecean who is forced to join them. She is thrown out of the space military, Peacekeeper, she was part of by her superior officer, Captain Crais, and becomes a fugitive. She and John fall in love through out the 4 seasons. The creators of the show are Rockne Brannon from Seaquest and Brian Henson and the Henson Creature Factory to make the aliens and the makeup effects.
farscape is something special, isn't it? ❤
As a ST and SW fan, the weirdness of Farscape put me off at first, but the show really drew me in and I fell in love in with the show. It's so amazing too because you don't know what you'll get from one season to the next.
And I had to dig around the interwebs, would have been ten years ago now (might be easier these days) to find "The Peacekeeper Wars" movie, aka the final season of Farscape. So worth it, though!
Aliens is amazing. It holds up so well, looking better than many modern films. Good decision watching the special edition.
This and T2 are the greatest two squeals ever made
Sequels too,lots of squealing in the theatres I bet.
You forgot Gremlins 2.
Squeals?? 😂😂😂
14:46 Good memory, Jordan. Yeah, Captain Dallas from the first film was dragged away...in the EXTENDED version, Ripley comes across his cocooned body and Dallas mumbles "kill me." then Ripley takes the flame thrower to him.
Which is not canon, because Ripley says here that she's never seen anything like it.
I am writing this to help out Shandra and Jordan and this video, and this channel with the algorithm🥰
Your thumbnail for this should’ve been your faces when the alien rises up out of the water. AWESOME!
This sure is fantastic movie. Next, end of the trilogy, Alien 3 ...way, way, wayyyy to underrated finale.
Alien 4, not a classics like first three, but still a fun scifi monster movie . And I do mean f u n 🤓👍
One of my favorite movies of all time! Always love when good reactors cover it
If you guys watch the third film be sure to watch the Director's Cut Alien 3 version of the film because it was far better in my opinion than the theatrical version.
Don't watch the third one.
Watched Aliens in One of the biggest theaters in Portland Oregon, THE EASTGATE THEATER that is now closed, has been for many years.
The crowd in the '80s ( in most theaters ) were very active, when a movie was really good to great,
This movie was no different.
When she comes out of the mech storage area, inside the mech and says...
GET AWAY FROM HER YOU B****
Everyone in the theater jumped up out of their seats and I mean everyone! and cheered, it was so FREAKING AMAZING 👊💯
I love that on opening night of this movie, the guy who played Burke reportedly took his mother. When his character died, she apparently said out loud “good”. You know you did a great job acting if your mom is happy you died lol
Name’s Paul Reiser, who until that time was known in the sitcom _My Two Dads._
LOL "How do you fight something that big??" >>Ripley walks in with giant robot
thank you for doing the directors cut! tells a much more complete story.
It's Cameron's original story, as intended to be watched. Removing scenes for the theatrical cut created plot holes and weakened Ripley's character and motivations.
@21:50 "This definitely still feels like a horror movie."
Thank you. People have this idea just because there's guns and action in ALIENS that it somehow negates the horror of the situation. ALIENS is full of horror and more importantly, terror.
"At least they gave Gorman a redemption arc." Damn right. Next to Ripley and Newt he has the most complete character arc in the film.
Greatest film ever made.
So there’s a version of Alien3 that’s call The Assembly Cut. That is fantastic. The theatrical not so much. The theatrical takes away all of the character development and isn’t worth it.
But I hugely recommend Alien3 Assembly Cut
Alien 3 isn't a bad film, it ruins the ending of Aliens though and doesn't really add anything to the story.
Agreed
No. They are both crap. Same magic alien egg on both versions.
The theatrical version is downright painful. The Assembly Cut is... endurable.
Alien Resurrection (the fourth one) is decent but doesn't really make sense unless you have endured Alien 3. It still suffers in comparison to the first two, and I don't think it is good enough to be worth watching Alien 3. Stop after the first two and appreciate them for what they are.
@@Slugbug Does the assembly cut fix the horrible magic egg retcon? No. Does it treat Hicks and Newt with the respect they deserve? No. So how is it tolerable?
That power loader vs queen scene was done with one full size prop, hanging from the ceiling, with limited movement capabilities - and one 30cm-miniature model! :)
Heck yea Special Edition… you guys did it right! ❤
Well done, Chandra and Jordan! I loved your reactions. This was my favorite movie for many years, and now you know why too. ✌ They don't make too many perfect movies with all cylinders firing.
Aliens is a masterpiece and has been a huge influence on the movie and gaming industry. This and Terminator 2 are just perfect sequels.
The xenomorphs always fascinated me since they're completely dependent on some compatible species finding the eggs. Once the eggs are discovered the colony can be established so long as there are enough hosts around ... but you gotta think the hosts eventually run out, then I guess they all just die out and then a bunch of time passes and something else finds the remaining eggs.
Interesting lifecycle.
My favorite factoid is that Bill Paxton (Hudson) is the only person to be killed by a Predator, Xenomorph, and a Terminator.
lance henriksen(bishop) has the same dubious pleasure!too bad bil paxton is no longer with us!..
@@boqndimitrov8693 I don't count Alien 3 ;-) so I say he survived... :-D
He's also in Alien vs predator 😉
He was killed by Arnold in The Terminator, and assaulted be him in True Lies.
@@DocMicrowave lucky!😄
18:39 "I'm so stressed out. This movie is really good at building tension." The ping of the Colonial Marines motion detector might be the single most stress-inducing sound in movie history. Every blip is 9 feet tall, dripping with slime, and has way too many teeth.
Great watch.
Alien3 next!, ignore the haters. It’s decent.
Watch the extended cut.
One of the great things watching this movie in cinemas is staying to the very end if the credits…and hearing the face-hugger scuttling from one side of the theater to the other!