Aliens: Theatrical Cut vs Special Edition
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- Опубликовано: 19 июн 2024
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Which version of James Cameron's Aliens is the best? I take a look at some of the key scenes once deleted and see how they play into the larger picture.
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Can you do a review on the YT channel alien anthology? It's a bunch of short films based on the alien franchise. Bill Paxton's son, James Paxton is in a number of them. I really find that they are well made. One of the films an Android makes friends with a face hugger.
@Brother Sanguinary It's on the DVD I think. It's been a good while since I looked at it. The one thing it didn't show was Burke's death scene
Alien Theory You bring excellent clarity and make fine points.
im just wondering if Ripley setting off the fire alarm in the med bay (after being locked in with 2 face huggers) actually opened some fire safety vents, allowing the aliens into the compound?
Hey, just wanted you to know how much I appreciate your content and that this video was what pushed me to go to the ISOT fundraiser site and pitch in some money (the bottom tier, I'm no rich mofo... Kids, wife, yada, yada.). I actually saw Aliens in the theater back in 87 when I was a scrawny 14 yr old and it terrified me. I still avoid it for the most part even though I own it on DVD as it still gives me nightmares if I watch the movie in full. However your videos are a great way to revisit without the nightmares and I really appreciate that. It's a weird comfort and deconstruction of the mythos. So please keep diving into every corner and finding every niche way to find new content. If I can find my old Starlog magazine from the 80s with Vasquez on the cover (before the movie came out) I'll send it to you to borrow if you don't already have it.
I've been mostly watching Alien Theory at night, mostly.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
"How about we build a 🔥,sing a couple of songs"
Game over man game over
How about a little hot chocolate?
He mostly post at night, mostly... lmao fucking gold
The sentry gun scene makes a massive difference.
Its a great scene but the acid produced by that many aliens being blown apart would have caused such damage that the building would have been cut in half!
One advantage of not having the sentry guns is it makes the aliens seems more cunning. They simply circumvent every obstacle put in their path...
@@The08450 I watched AVP the other night. A predator chops an aliens head clean in half.... no acid damage what so ever. That alien acid definitely varies in strength according to the plot of the movie.
@@davidthomas9190 yeah it really does...which is probably my only real gripe with ALIENS.
In ALIEN, the acid seems to be the biggest obstacle prohibiting the crew from just outright killing the Xenomorph.
So when I watched ALIENS for the first time, knowing this time there would be a swarm of beasts, I was sooo stoked to see how they would deal with the acid only to have it been almost no factor whatsoever apart from 3 scenes or so
That scene shows how smart the Aliens are. Shows why they were using the vents to get into operations later in the film.
R.I.P Bill Paxton
Now&Forever:)
The picture Ripley sees of her daughter in the Special Edition is of course, by the way, Sigourney Weaver's real life mother, actress Elizabeth Inglis.
Yes, and Newt's brother is indeed Carrie Henn's brother.
I never realised. That's awesome !!
I didn't know that. I always thought there is a family likeness but just assumed it was some form of photoshopping.
That explains that certain level of genuine emotion displayed on Sigourney's face, when she sees that photo.
Did not know that, thanks.
Alien Theory, you're the Ultimate Badass.
@Rombert Dillahuntsvalle I remember later on in the movie, when Lieutenant Gorman tells them he doesn't want any firing.
Frost asks, "What are we supposed to use, harsh language?"
A friend of mine in our group that was watching the movie shouted at the TV "SHARP STICKS! You said you had 'em, break 'em out!"
Absolutely bad ass !
YOU SECURE! THAT ....!
I met him once - he saud, "Who'er you?"
Rombert Dillahuntsvalle *knives, sharp sticks...
I remember seeing the special edition on laser disc in the 90's. My brother and I had already memorized the original cut, so to see Hadley's Hope with full power and running daily ops, it blew both our minds. That and the autogun sequence made the whole movie anew for me. And the satisfying button click of the grenade during Gorman's and Vasq's sacrifice.
Yup. You and I saw it about the same time. Laser disc version was sweet.
@@I_like_turtles_67 A long time ago I purchased the laser disc version copied to a VHS tape off someone on the internet. I had seen some of the deleted scenes because they were on the TV edited version; which I wore out my VHS tape of and needed a new copy. I love this movie period.
Friendly Metroid The novelization included the cut parts. I read that after I saw the movie.
@@aaawd445 Actually I cut my story short; the very first time I saw the movie was on TV, and it was the version you mentioned. I missed the first 40 minutes of it, but I vividly remember the autoguns during the watch. When the theatrical cut came out on VHS and I watched it properly, I was so confused by the lack of scenes I remembered. It wasn't until years later when we rented the laser disc that I finally realized there were two versions of the movie.
Yeah that was cool to see .
I love the sentry scene. Since I was young and before I really even payed attention to it being a part of the special edition. I always find the scene rather tense. So much yet so little ammo, and then, gone. I just appreciate a good sentry gun
ZART_Leader97 Yup, same. I’m a total sucker for automated defences.
They got em demoralised
We see Sentry guns all the time now in video games and in movies. They were a pretty new concept for me back then. Its no coincidence that every video game copys this movie for their space Marines
I just finished Alien:Isolation for the third time yesterday and I can't get over just how authentic it feels and how it slots neatly between Alien and Aliens as a trilogy
That game is great! So, terrifying. I get so tense playing, I have to take frequent breaks. Amazing Alien entertainment.
Wish it didn't have more than one Alien.
Try playing it with Alien Isolation Bay overhaul mod, the alien will search for you in the vents and it removes the leash and the stomping footsteps etc
@@Bloodrayne800 shit that sounds anxiety inducing, I wanna play it
@@Bloodrayne800 I thought it could already search for you in the vents on the highest difficulties. I swear I've seen it coming in and out of them for reasons other than just having seen me...
I love this Movie and Bill Paxton will always be the Ultimate BADASS!
RIP Bill Paxton! Always loved him in the movie Frailty, he was really an underrated actor.
@@DeathBYDesign666 watch One False Move-1992 Motion Picture.
@@DeathBYDesign666 I Agree with You! Bill was really good in Frailty and Truly underrated! Bill was Amazing in every single frame he was in the movie Aliens! RIP Bill!
@@ryangettig274 One False Move that was a good one!
Can you guys guess how many Movies Bill Paxton and Michael Biehn in together?
I still remember catching the train into town with a bunch of mates from school to see the theatrical release. we were 15 years old. After it ended we stood in the foyer glassy eyed and slack jawed, virtually unable to speak, utterly in awe of what we had just seen. There has never been anything like it done in cinema before. The whole movie was a massive and unrelenting adrenaline rush. How could this be any better? I wondered. Then years later I saw the special edition. Unbelievably, perfection was improved. A true masterpiece from the true master. I still watch it at least once a year...
Wow! Me too, except I was 30... My friends and I just hung in the theater to watch it again.
I could see that it raised the bar for SciFi action movies in general and it didn't conform to the lower expectations we always expected from sequels. It became the new Highmark used to compare future movies.
Sometimes, when watching movies, we get distracted by all the action to notice glaring flaws the second viewing reveals. But this gem holds up every time.
I had to wait for it to hit VHS as I was 10 at the time. Scared the living daylights out of me with how dark and creepy the whole film was. Everything from visiting the local video store to pick up one of the dozens of copies on the shelf, riding home while trying to look at the cover and not falling off my bike, getting home and opening the case with the pop and crack and then loading that brand new tape in the player and waiting for the pre-roll. This was in Australia and luckily our local video store didn't worry about age ratings and we could pretty much hire whatever we wanted!
Kids just don't get to experience that these days, and I feel sorry for them. I would have loved to have seen it in the cinema though, you're a very lucky bloke, that would have been an experience on a whole other level. I'm sure that's a memory you'll take to the grave. Cheers for sharing your memory of it. Vicarious, and all that :)
Aliens was just flat out probably THE best sequel ever, most sequels just go downhill
The only other contender is Terminator 2.
"James Cameron doesn't do what James Cameron does for James Cameron. James Cameron does what James Cameron does because James Cameron is... James Cameron."
BTTF, sorry! 🤷🏻♂️
The Empire Strikes Back though. And The Dark Knight.
How to Train Your Dragon 2
The Bourne Supremacy & Ultimatum
The Godfather Part II
Toy Story 2, 3, 4 (fuck Pixar for bringing me to tears every time)
Many MCU films
Many Star Trek films
Wrath of Kahn...
The special edition is objectively better, but I can't help but feel that the pacing is stronger in the theatrical version. One scene flows to the next just perfectly, and perhaps this is the result of all the extra effort that went into bringing the film down to a tighter run time. I agree first-time viewers should see the theatrical version too, especially because part of the fun of the special edition is the thrill of seeing new scenes.
That's very true, and I wish everyone would let go of the mindset that putting cut footage back in makes a movie better; lot of the time, it was cut out for very good reasons in the first place!
t_k_blitz exactly this.
For me, the Hadley Hope scenes totally ruined the movie's suspenseful build up in the first hour.
Can only watch the special edition now TBH. Know what you mean about pacing though & there are some real continuity clangers in the inserted scenes. Best by far is Hicks during Hudson's awesome "sonics, electronics" rant on the dropship. He's asleep! Wait, now he's awake! Oh, he's asleep again! He's awake again! And he's fallen back to sleep. Cue, "somebody wake up Hicks". Lovely stuff.
Good comment. I started watching the special edition, and the sentry guns scene made me fall in love with the movie. But when I once did the experiment and watched the theatrical version, I instantly felt the S.E. was too long and too "human", and could not escape from it, so since then I left the S.E. and now the theatrical is the better version for me.
I never even knew the 'Hudson speech' scene was only added in the special edition. I thought it had always been there, just shows how memory can fool you.
An absolutely brilliant scene.
Likewise! 😁
Your memory must have been poked with a sharpstick
The special edition is so much better because it makes more sense then the theatrical. Sadly tho still no Burke in a cocoon
I like the scene with the sentries. I think it shows just how many aliens they were fighting! I also love all the extra scenes with Bill Paxton, may he rest in peace!
I say it’s the best sci-fi movie ever. I was at the theater 🎭 when it released.
I’m jealous. I’m sure it was an incredible experience
I’d love to have seen Aliens in the cinema. It’s been my favourite movie ever since I saw it on VHS. I’m hoping that just maybe we’ll get a theatrical re-release like when T2 was remastered in 4K... assuming the virus doesn’t wipe out cinemas entirely.
Matrix then Aliens
Move_I_Got_This matrix was indeed an incredible theater experience. Never looked at spoons the same way after that one
Nah, it's not sci-fi enough, too much of an action film.
Good video, love Aliens! The Hadley Hope introduction was always the scene I didn't like in the SE though. Through the whole movie we are like embedded reporters to Ripley and the marines. We don't know more than the rest does, but the Hadley Hope introduction and the Newt/Egg scene at the end, strangely disconnects us from that viewpoint.
Same here. And even if Aliens really had to have an expositive opening that shows stuff, it shouldn't have lacked the gravitas, mystery and wonder of other similar scenes on the original trilogy to such an extent. This dissonance in tone always bothers me, especially on Jurassic Park 3 which takes it to 11.
I love the scene, but I completely understand your point. It is more interesting to see the colony first through Ripley's eyes, and Ripley finding the picture of Rebecca is truly all we needed. With that said, I don't think the scene being added hurts the film at all for we fans. Alien Theory is right that if you are a first time viewer, you should see the theatrical cut first. Afterwards, we already know the story so the scene of the functioning colony works fine. I support both versions of the film and whatever version someone likes better is fine by me! ;-)
Agreed. The seeing of the people alive at Hadley added absolutely nothing to the movie for me either.
My favorite scenes in special edition are the auto gun scene, really shows the tenacity of the aliens, and the Jordan family in the derelict ship scene, gives a little context on how the infestation started. The rest of the scenes I could take or leave.
I watched aliens four times during the quarantine and by god I legit think it’s a flawless film. Every time I see hicks, Drake, Hudson and vasquez escaping the hive, I think maybe drake will make it. Dude gunned down tons of aliens and covered everyone’s backs being the last man out a truly amazing badass who died too soon
i first watched alien and aliens in march of 2020. i FELL IN LOVE with it and now i’m a total fangirl. only wish i’d seen it sooner. quarantine was a good time to appreciate classic films. alien opened my mind up to other films like terminator, and now i have an immense appreciation for storytelling in film.
Drake! We are leaving!
He shoulda got his ass in the truck but he was too caught up in shooting up the aliens & it bit him in his arse.
When I was a kid, we taped Aliens when it was on TV as a Saturday night movie (or some other day of the week. I don't remember). This was in the 80's. It wasn't until we bought the movie on VHS did I realize that the one I watched again and again from TV was a longer version. I couldn't believe the official VHS we purchased was cut.
The TV version was missing the scene with Newt's parents, and it still feels out of place to me. But everything else (Ripley's daughter, the hallway guns, ect) was there.
I haven't heard any mention of this super early showing of a director's cut from anyone else, but I swear it's real. My parents still have the tape.
This is the version I grew up with as well. I believe they also cut out Hudson's speech on the drop ship.
We have the exact same version taped from TV on VHS as well. Actually, that was the only version that I ever knew since I was a kid, so you can imagine my surprise when I bought the DVD and the sentry guns, Ripley’s daughter, and all those other scenes (minus Newt’s parents scene) had not been included.
Strange how a lot of 80s TV shown blockbusters had done that. “Dune” by the De Launrentis’s had done the same thing by reinserting cut scenes that had been removed theatrically.
Yeah my dad saw that, and you should send it to dave's archives who does retro stuff
Ive got a TV cut on VHS as well... it cuts the entire opening sequence and starts with the crew manifest instead, no sentry guns, but it DOES include Hudsons badass speech, Vazquez talking about bees having hives not ants, and the bit where Ripley/Burke tell each other their first name
@@Debbiebabe69 Burke never deserved to know Ripley's first name, that slimey corporate sumbitch ;-) It's Hicks!
The tension caused by cutting Hadley's Hope genuinely makes the film better. Like... a lot better. Everything else is awesome, but seeing the colony before our main protagonist does kills a lot of great reveals.
This is probably the only additional scene I'd remove to make my ultimate cut.
Yeah absolutely. It's a great set-up.
@@anjakellenjeter eh, i’d cut the part where hudson outright speculates that there’s an alien QUEEN. too on the nose for me personally
On reflection I think you are right. So the scenes are ok to see on subsequent viewing of the film, as we know what happens. Of course it is the perfect bit of exposition for an Alien Theory video.
I like the Hadley's hope scene - it grounds the movie and gives faces to the tragedy that ultimately unfolded.
Going into this I had no doubt that the special edition was the superior cut. You make a really good argument for supporting the cut of the Hadley's Hope scene but personally really like it. That said, the addition of the sentry guns was the best addition with the way they are used to ratchet up the tension is utter brilliance.
Perfect timing, just hit 6am here in UK & with the virus lockdown I've lost track of time. I've been binge watching Alien Theory & suddenly a new vid appears! Great content! 👍
EDIT: I agree, Ripley finding out about her daughter should never have been cut. It gives a whole new context for her affection for Newt. Massive part of the story missing without it.
Personally, I didn't like the inclusion of Hadley's Hope at the beginning of the special edition. However, it doesn't bother me enough not to watch that version over the theatrical cut. Also, I'm from the UK and wasn't aware of Jay Benedict's passing. R.I.P.
Stay safe everyone. ❤️
I agree with your point about the Hadley's Hope sequence. To me, that sequence feels like unnecessary bulk. On balance I prefer the Theatrical Cut. I find that the picture is more refined and more to the point. (On a side note, my main reservation about either version is something common to both: The inclusion of the Newt character. Either Newt should not have been included, or killed).
There was a TV version (LaserDisc I believe) that had all the extra scenes, but not the Hadley's Hope segment. This is the best cut of the movie IMHO.
Suspense works best upon first viewing, hence I always recommend people to watch the theatrical cut sans Hadley Hope first and THEN the extended version. What I imagined in my mind seeing the aftermath of the alien attack was far more frightening than seeing Newt screaming at her facehuggered father.
I remember when Aliens first was in theatres it was the special edition. It double featured with The Fly. When it finally came out on VHS it was the theatrical cut. I thought I was crazy for years.
Did you see a special screening? I first watched Aliens in the early 90’s on broadcast TV which included many of the Special Edition scenes years before it was available on home video. I thought I was crazy for years for remembering the scene of Ripley finding out her daughter died and looking at a pixelated picture of her daughter and the scene of Hudson and Vasquez speculating about a Queen and mentioning insects.
@@MildMisanthropeMaybeMassive I was in my early teens so not sure if it was a limited release or test screen or ???? I just remembered the scene with Burke telling Ripley her daughter was dead then when I brought the VHS that scene was gone.
I've watched a bunch of movies that did similar things, Gladiator was like that.
The extended cut originated with the film's broadcast television debut on CBS in 1989,[2] which included several deleted scenes that were reinstated to extend the movie's run time.
However, while the CBS broadcast contained this then-exclusive footage, the film was also heavily censored for violence and profanity to meet network guidelines.[2]
The remaining additions were not made until the release of the Aliens: Special Collector's Edition LaserDisc in 1991,[1] for which James Cameron oversaw the creation of a definitive extended cut of the movie, now known as the Special Edition. Notably, two of the largest additions in the extended cut - scenes set on LV-426 before the
Xenomorph
outbreak begins - had not had their special effects finished during the film's production and thus remained incomplete. For the LaserDisc release, Cameron returned to visual effects artists Robert and Dennis Skotak and had them finish the sequences so that they could be included in the extended cut of the movie.[3]
Cameron had originally intended for the footage added to the Special Edition to be included in the film's theatrical release. However, 20th Century Fox representatives thought the film was showing "too much nothing" and spent an unnecessary amount of time building suspense.[4] Conscious that a film over two and a half hours in length would allow for fewer screenings per day (and therefore reduced profits), Fox had Cameron cut the run time by over 15 minutes during the editing process. Due to the lateness of the changes, virtually all of the additional sequences were retained in the novelization of the film by Alan Dean Foster. Since its release, Cameron has described the Special Edition as his preferred cut of the movie and the version he always intended people to see.
When they figure out the aliens are coming in above the ceiling is my favourite part.
that makes even more sense with the sentry guns scene reinstated.
I agree. I shit myself when I first watched it.
It's genius, but a second later we get to look at an entire army of muscly aliens crawling which is one of my least favourite things of the trilogy.
@@alexandrumircea why? Seeing them at the last second was why it was so good..
"..then you're not reading it right". Such a great scene the suspense was brilliant
I was 11 in 86 and first watched this fantastic movie. Not long after i heard a whisper of a deleted scene regarding the century guns. I didn't rest until i managed to get a copy, 3years later. I thought i'd died and gone to heaven. For me that scene was absolutely essential to this movie.
Special Edition, best version bar none.
I watched the SE for the first time a few days ago. I absolutely agree. The only thing I would have excluded from the SE is showing Newts Dad with the face hugger.
Lol. The Special Edition literally spoils itself. The movie is entirely gutted by the colonist scene.
@@shakes.dontknowwhatyergettin By that rational the title spoils the movie, you know once the colony is mentioned as having lost contact and as their destination. Unless someone honestly believes they will get to the colony and everything will be fine, like they wouldn't put aliens into the movie called Aliens. Maybe cut the one shot with Newt's dad with the face hugger, but the rest of the colony is good stuff.
I had no idea they even had this and Aliens is my favorite Sci fi of all time, the special edition blew my mind!
Finally, something to listen to as I glue minis.
The Emperor protects... From BOREDOM!
@@Grahf0 there are other minis and games you know. Including a couple ones with official Xenomorph figures.
What are you working on? Guardsmen here - Aliens & Starship Troopers are my ultimate motivators for my Astra Militarum
@@CaptainRufus they cancelled the line of models
Got a ten man squad of colonial marines for my astra militarum kill team. Still need to get paint on em!
I found the Hadley's Hope scenes to be crucial for the emotional development of the plot. In the Theatrical cut, there's a bunch of dead colonists I've never seen before. In the Special Edition, finding the colony in ruins hit so much harder because I felt more like I knew them.
Who is Hadley and why does he have hope
Between being held in suspense or getting hit with an emotional impact, I choose the former.
I'd argue that, from a thematic point of view, the reason why Hudson brings up the idea of an "ant hive" with a queen is that he's the one who was initially concerned about and stated that it's another bug hunt. A call back to a previous scene and serves an additional purpose that Hudson isn't just a bumbling character by being able to critically think... in his own way. It makes him more relatable which, in turn, makes his loss even more impactful.
To me, it shouldn't have that much of an impact since Hudson is simply saying what we're all thinking at this point especially when the Queen herself is hidden for like 90% of the movie for her own huge reveal.
Hudson was the most relatable for me. Everyone may act like they would be some badass in that situation but the truth is most of us would be scared just like him.
Honestly that he said that about there being a queen.... I didn't even think about it for the rest of the movie because I was so invested in it moment to moment.
Special Edition, every time. Like Cameron’s other extended works, Terminator 2 and The Abyss, I can no longer watch the theatrical versions of any those films, as they feel truncated, and lesser. As an aside, we are still waiting for the rumoured 4K remaster of The Abyss; but I guess Cameron is rather busy with his Avatar sequels at the moment.
I hadn’t heard of the sad passing of Jay Benedict Until I watched your video. For me, it was not his appearance in Aliens that I first came across him, but as a voice actor. In the 1982 UK dub of the Japanese puppet science fiction series, X-Bomber, retitled Star Fleet, he voiced the eager young hero, space pilot Shiro Hagen. He was also joined by two other members of the Aliens cast, Mark Rolston and an uncredited Al Matthews. When I first saw the Aliens SE, I thought, “He sounds familiar...” It was wonderful to finally put a face to the name. May he rest in peace.
Your tribute to the actor that played Newt's father and well wishes at the end of the video moved me to tears. Thank you so much for what you said and providing such wonderfully insightful commentary on so many aspects of this amazing franchise!
The sentry gun scene is still one of my favorites, the fact you see so little, but their expressions and the sound effects really give the feeling the aliens are 'wall to wall' and really add's to the claustrophobic atmosphere.
I don't know what edition I originally saw on TV in the 80s in Canada (remember, Cameron is a Canadian) only that it was advertised as 30 minutes not seen in the theatres. I hadn't seen it in the theatre but it was scheduled to run for three hours (which would include commercial breaks). I saw scenes like Ripley discovering Amanda's death, the guns, Ripley discussing with Newt where babies come from, but not all the scenes from the Special Edition, which I have never seen but looking forward to even all these years later.
I remember watching it and THANKFUL each time a commercial came for the reminder to breath normally again and ungrip my hands from the "easy" chair I was sitting in.
I was in my early twenties at the time and as Christmas approached and my various friends and family members asked me what I wanted for Christmas, this meek, 5 foot, 3 inch sweet, Christian woman would lean in and whisper intensely, "A Flame Thrower." What a great film and how much fun I've had suddenly breaking into dialogue from it at the drop of a hat through the years!
Glad to be a new subscriber to your channel. I think your analysis is always spot on. LL🙆🇨🇦🔥✝️
The Hudson speech is also great because you see him high five Vasquez. It showed that despite the roasting of each other that they're a unit still.
My favorite scene altogether is when Hudson gets his balls back and even though he dies, he goes out fighting to the last. He was scared to the soul. But like a true Marine, he fought back when the shit hit the fan. He didn't hold back, he was more than ready to die and fight back against these bastards that made him feel like a coward. I love that scene because he was an ultimate bad ass in the end. He wasn't all talk and all bravado. There was a true warrior in there. And anyone who has served in combat, myself included will tell you, you are scared. You are scared so bad inside anticipating everything to be a mine and you never know when you'll be hit and by what. But the only thing that can overturn ultimate fear in the human body, is ultimate anger! You fight BACK when it counts and with every ounce of emotion just as if you were in a street fight. That was Hudsons redemption.
Favorite quote:
Hudson: "Yo Vasquez, you ever been mistaken for a man?"
Vasquez: "No, have you?"
I love Hudson so much because as far as I'm concerned he is exactly how most of us would be in that situation, scared shitless but trying to survive!
Hick's final scene and the one in the med bay where he rescues Newt. I think the point that was trying to be made was that the waiting was what got to Hicks. When there was fighting to be done he was ready to go and fight.
BaronNate he also kills the most.
Hudson's attitude was this: I might be scared senseless, but if I'm going to die, I'm taking as many as I can with me!
As a Red Dwarf fan I was just happy to see Mac Mcdonald in the extended version. Such a hilarious guy in real life but whenever an English production needed an American... He was there 😂
*makes rimmers scream noise from "Quarantine"*
You deliver a whole other level of fan videos. Awesome comparisons and thoughts for two versions that I have watched hundreds of times.
Honestly, I never knew there could be someone who loved the Alien franchise more than me and then I came across your channel! Such great content and I relate and enjoy hearing your sentiments on all of it! Thank you.
I've been watching the Special Edition for the last 15 years until this year I rewatched the Theatrical Cut. I felt that two of the biggest changes were Ripley's motivation for being a surrogate mother for Newt, and the whole Hadley's hope sequence at the beginning. For the former, I almost got the feeling that the relationship was mostly tacked on, as we missed the key scene(s) with Ripley being informed of Amanda's death. However, for the latter, as you mentioned, the theatrical cut works better in initially building the tension and mystery, as we do not see the facehugger, and thus are just left thinking that something has gone wrong.
I haven’t watched the theatrical cut in longer than that I think, need to give it another watch. Yeah I love the special edition but I think it would be perfect with just the early Hadley’s Hope/Newt’s family scenes removed, nothing else.
I remember the whole audience gasping and murmuring amongst themselves when Ripley saw the facehuggers in the colony lab, as this is also their first time seeing the things since the last movie. I think the reaction would be much different and a lot more diluted had the Hadley Hope scenes were left in.
But if you have seen Alien before Aliens you know about the xenomorph lifecycle so the colony scene is not spoiling anything.
It's a bit like playing Alien Isolation without having watched Alien or Aliens. It's a stupid thing to do.
Hey congratulations on your documentary. I loved Vasquez and would love hearing her stories. And how she came up with her character. I always think it was a mistake to kill off some characters. She was one. Would have been great to see her play in a future aliens.
I keep retelling this on different replies, but there is a funny thing about her in that role that I love:
Supposedly, she misunderstood the casting call. That's why Bill Paxton's character Hudson says the line "Someone said 'alien', she thought they said 'illegal alien', signed up." she came to the movie to audition thinking it was about something else, and they found out about it.
Hence the joke.
I like Vasquez too but I also think that good and popular characters like her sometimes die. Aliens wouldn't have been such a good action film if not almost everyone died on Acheron.
@@rojaws1183 @foxibot I'd argue that this is exactly why this is so good of a movie - all of the deaths had an arc leading to them and at the end it was a "rewarding" death in blaze of glory for the characters that deserved it - Vasquez, Hudson, even Gordon. Drake is another one that worked great for both him, Vasquez and the reminder of the acid blood (also a call to what will happen later to Hicks).
Always bizarre seeing her in Titanic all 'Oirish'
@alien theory I love your channel, please never stop making videos.
Nice thoughtful touch at the end , a real pleasure to watch your work ! thank you.
One thing that I absolutely dislike in the Special Edition is the moments where they re-use aliens being shot (the said Sentry Guns scene pops up as one but can't point exactly another one - haven't seen the movie in a while - but those are there) or when an alien is snapping his jaws (Ferro's death, Burk gets caught, for example). Seems to me that they had just a couple of good shots of these and re-used each of it two or three times for the extended version. Otherwise I haven't seen the theatrical cut in ages, but when I was a kid I used to watch the movie on repeat, all the time, and found it flawless, even though I had the book right there next to me. Good times...
Thus said - Hudson's speech takes the cake for me here. Showing how overconfident the marines are is making their asses handed to them later so much rewarding, not to say how it puts even more to his arc. RIP Bill.
Yea I totally agree with you, the Ripley's daughter scene never should have been cut out ! And in my opinion a lot of other scene should have also never been cut, because the more on screen time iI'l get with the film the better !
Holy crap, i wasn't expecting this at all!!
Bless AT for the amazing content.
Thank you for the awsome Alien content on extended version. And updates.
The very first time I watched Aliens I was 15 years old, and I found and streamed it online entirely because I knew that Halo had taken some inspiration from it. I didn't know anything about multiple versions, but the version I ended up with was the special edition. The film absolutely blew my teenaged brain, and I was an instant and rabid fan. It is by far my favorite science fiction film, and in my top five films of all time. And yes, I went back and bought SEVERAL copies of the movie, so I've paid for my sins :P
Honestly, I can barely watch the theatrical cut. Any time I try it just feels like it has massive holes. I know that's because the special edition is the first one I knew, but the entire thing for me just flows so well that taking any of the material out feels like reducing what it is. Every scene is a building block that both fleshes out the universe and deepens the struggle to be faced.
I appreciate the theatrical version as a technical masterpiece of editing, but for me it's like seeing a masterful surgeon remove perfectly healthy organs. The work is impeccable, the body can live without that lung or that kidney, but the work ultimately accomplished a finished product that was less than it was at the beginning.
When the film was played on CBS in '89, they added some of the missing scenes back to the film. the one scene they did leave out was Hadely's Hope.
THAT scene could've only worked as a flashback recount after they found Newt. Again, Aliens' first hour built a lot on suspense like the first movie.
I love your stuff man this was great, you're definitely one of my favourite content creators that i actually really look forward to watching your videos
Im so happy Everytime I get a notification of your new videos man. Keep the good job
I like that the captain of Red Dwarf is on Hadley's Hope.
That's Dennis, the doughnut boy.
you might see Rimmer hiding some wear, just imagine the alien queen refusing to cacoon rimmer cos he'll corrupt the alien colony or something like that
I never thought anybody else was a big fan of Alien all this years, then I come a cross couple off ppl you are one of them thanks for the videos Alien theory 🖤
Woah, did not know that documentary was being made. I loved both parts of "In search of darkness" so now I am super hyped. Glad you get to be involved in it too!
Sigourney should have won an oscar for this role, she was absolutely terrific!
The theatrical version is great. However, every time I watch it, I just can’t help but feel something is missing. That’s about the time I jump up and reach for the Special Edition.
Same
The first names scene, Hudson’s “ultimate badass” speech, and the scene with Amanda Ripley are ones that I would personally keep.
First off, congratulations on all of your success because you truly deserve it. Secondly, it's like you peered into my brain and mirrored exactly how I feel about each of the deleted scenes. My favorite deleted scene would have to be the sentry gun attacks or Ripley finding out about Amanda.
One of my earliest memories is my cousin and I sneaking into the lounge room to watch the video our parents watching and being caught because we both jumped up screaming during the med bay scene when the face hugger nearly got Noot and Ripley under the bed lol
Aliens is the only Movie to genuinely scare the shit out of me, give me nightmares and cause me to be scared going to bed after watching it each year it came on tv until I was in my teens lol needless to say it’s my favourite movie!
I had a similar experience when I was 4 and snuck in to watch it. My grandfather knew I was there and thought it was funny seeing my scared reactions. He wasn't laughing when I would wake up screaming from the nightmares.
When are you going to compare the 1992 theactral cut & the 2003 assembly cut of Alien 3, its going to be alot to talk about in that one.
@Mr. Firestone * I liked the Assembly Cut better too, except the scene when Ripley throws herself in the fire. It looked weird in the Assembly, I liked it better with her holding the baby Queen.
Favorite scene is when Ripley says to Vazquez “I hope you are right! Because one of those things wiped out my entire crew 24 hours! And if the colonists have found that ship no telling how many of them have been exposed!” The look on Vazques face was priceless!
Great video. I admire your passion for these films, and it bolsters my own, making me want to rewatch them all over again.
"We're on an express elevator to nostalgia....goin' down!! WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO!!!!"
thedoneeye your comment deserves a like. So I gave you one. Of course it’s an honour that you get it from me. But that’s just stating the obvious... :-)
@@rexremedy1733
THANK YOU SIR!!! MAY I HAVE ANOTHER!!?? 😉
"Alright sweethearts what're you waiting for? Breakfast in bed? A day in the corp is like a day on the FARM! Every meals a BANQUET! every paycheck a FORTUNE! every formation a PARADE
I LOVE THE CORPS!!!"
I also liked seeing Burke stuck to the wall, I guess he was "nailed to the wall" lol.
Absolutely, but I think Cameron was right to leave it out because the gestation period for the chest-burster would have been at odds with the other instances including, of course, the original in Alien. Not that Burke didn't deserve it, mind you.
That was a great video Man that was really cool. I appreciate the effort and detail you put into it. I think my favorite scene from the special edition is probably the century gun part. It gives you more of a sense of what they're dealing with.
I don’t really care how many times I’ve seen your episodes, man. I freakin love listening/watching them and will watch them over and over and over again. I bet playing the tabletop Alien RPG with you at the table would be one of the best games EVER! Lol... thanks for all the awesome videos, man.
I definitely prefer the special edition! Especially since I got that sweet 30th anniversary box set a while back.
I love Aliens because it's the anti Star Trek. Humanity in the Star Trek universe have eliminated many of its follies including the acquisition of wealth. Where as greed, inhumanity, and boorishness are still prevalent in the Alien universe. Then too I like how Aliens virtually destroyed the myth of laser guns as the prefer weapon of the future and that projectile weapons haven't become obsolete. Now I couldn't understand why they wasn't using some kind of laser or beam weapons when I first saw Aliens but, I now know that the physics behind any beam weapons isn't practical and applicable in combat. Plus Aliens I think that they finally got the idea of an android right accept they're not called android. They're called synthetics or artificial person.
What do you mean by lasers being impractical? And excellent comparison.
Why not both?
LOL, in Star Trek, they would try to have a Vulcan officer meld mind with the xenomorph to communicate with it. And if it comes to it. use the transporter and beam it out into space.
@@PungiFungi 😂
I mean it is relatively clear, there aren't enough powerful chargers for everyone to use these guns. So only executives and higher ups can have laser rifles
KAPPA
Your best video sir. Favorite scene...Hudson redemption and sad demise. He went out an ultimate badass! Thanks for all you do A.T. The tribute was very nice.
How they should be watched.... Alien - theatrical cut, Aliens - Special Edition. Then turn your DVD, Amazon Prime or Digital download off and forget everything else from 1987 on in regards to Alien movies
RIP Jay Benedict
I agree that it’s always best to watch the theatrical cut of Aliens first. It’s such a tight movie without an ounce of wasted time that it still deserves to be seen and enjoyed I think. While the film is called Aliens, I think not seeing the colony scene at the start does help to build tension. Who knows, maybe it really is a downed transmitter?
I always wondered about the re-use of the exploding alien footage during the sentry gun scene. Was that scene cut early enough in production that they didn’t film any alien deaths for it? Did Cameron always intend to re-use the footage and hope no one would notice (you’d think he would have at least flopped it for that)? Was it maybe always intended for that scene and they decided to insert it into Drake’s death when the sentry guns were cut? Or did they originally film something for the sentry gun scene and they just couldn’t find it when it came to re-assembling the special edition? I’d be interested to know, as it’s uncharacteristic of Cameron to do something like that I think.
On the subject of James Cameron, I wish he would hurry up with a 4K print of Aliens! 😅
It’s definitely James Cameron’s fault that I used to have unreasonable expectations of deleted scenes. You look at Aliens, The Abyss and Terminator 2 and everything cut is pure gold. Back in the day when DVDs came with deleted scenes I’d instantly buy them expecting the same sort of thing from all film makers, but the truth is, most scenes are cut for good reason!
Happy Aliens Day everyone!
I just gotta say this man, I absolutely love you and your channel. As Hudson said you are state of the badass art.
Wow!!!! I really enjoy your commentaries! You are a combination of a philosopher and a composer when it comes to Aliens. Love the small things you pull out and state your case for how impact full certain scenes are on this film.
My favorite scene that should have never been edited were the sentries. My heart rate was through the roof and I had already seen the movie several times!
The Hadley's Hope scene blew me away. It made Newt's change from a normal little girl to the feral, terrified little girl so much more impactful. The scream scene when she sees her dad with the facehugger emotionally floored me when I first saw it. Absolute gut wrenching terror. That scene should have never been removed.
Without the special edition we would never have found out that the same guy who ran Hadley's Hope also captained Red Dwarf (although how he escaped the destruction of one to command the other is never made clear 😉)
Xenomorph jaws, nibbling at his toes, fun, fun, fun, in the dark, dark, dark...
Fantastic video as always!
I've found your videos always have solid structure/flow combined with seamless editing, I hope you never run out of ideas for Alien related videos! 🙂
Came across your channel recently, and love it btw. I first saw Aliens via cable in the late 80's and it's fascinating for me to realize that the cut I saw was edited down from the special edition! There were definite cuts in what I saw (the Hadley's Hope scene was still cut but so many of the others ("her 11th Birthday", Sentry guns, "see you, Hicks") were included in the cable edit I saw.
19:12 "Discussing the queen": I always felt this was a missed opportunity for the science officer/team to offer something cerebral. To conjecture things that are evidenced by observation and experience and therefore might reasonably be anticipated. After all, the aliens (the word "xenomorph" grates with me: it sounds so pompous for a start) are hosting in humans and emerging vaguely humanoid which suggests they might have acquired (human) vulnerabilities. But questions about what Nostromo's "Mother" gleaned, and even a search of the CCTV and lab notes at Hadley's Hope could have given the Sulaco crew a basic heads-up. Ridley Scott gave his characters the chance to reflect and plan how they could combat the invader eg. to corral their alien using flame-throwers and airlocks. By contrast, the Sulaco crew arrived with a weak Plan A, and no Plan B.
Aliens might offer thrills, but languishes because of a shoot'em up narrative. Since the aliens probably have vision (eyes hidden behind cranial carapace) but use other unspecified senses too (they evidently navigate the complex of Hadley's Hope), it would have been obvious for a science officer to have looked for and evaluated all clues and evidence in formulating any strategy. Yet Bishop shows no such initiative. Would Weyland-Yutani knowingly send the space marines so under-prepared? No thought was given to shielding/disguising/cloaking the drop crew's presence? Then when attacked, no planned use for diversionary tactics; no thought to creating distractions (moths to a light) and so forth? Would Weyland-Yutani's really be so casual about risking their entire enterprise at Hadley's Hope in such a cack-handed manner? Tough guys for sure; but not showing the initiative and capabilities of a modern soldiery.
I never understood how an alien entered the drop ship without the knowledge of the guard or the pilot. Why would it not attack the pair on the ground in the order it encountered them? And then why and how would it remain hidden on the craft when they lifted-off? (It is after all a massive creature).
The Special Edition is the better version. Aliens is a logical "Cameronised" follow-up; but Ridley's alien was more beautiful(?), mysterious and the film in general thought-provoking. James Cameron gives no such consideration with his Aliens film and goes for thrills only. A pity, because it would have enhanced his contribution to this landmark genre if he'd included elements that made the viewer think about alien culture (if only momentarily).
Favourite Aliens scene? 🤔 Not sure. Ripley recovering Newt then coming across the alien egg chamber, possibly? Incredible heroism that has me in love with Ripley forever! But an arresting moment when she sees where the two of them have wondered in to. Also, curious to see the "soldier aliens" not entering the hatchery: is it out of bounds to them, or have they finally learnt caution, self-preservation…fear even? For at this late stage in the film the aliens had themselves sustained big losses. Why did they back-off from a solitary combatant such as Ripley? Was there "alien communication" behind their behaviour? Aliens is an astonishing film; but I could have imagined some aspects being better dealt with. A spectacular film that missed-out on being stupendous. Sigourney Weaver's performance was as deserving of an Academy Award as any; simply outstanding.
Theatrical cut is superior. The Ripley/Newt relationship felt totally believable and organic without all the background info. Also, I like the lack of back story for Ripley. It keeps her more of a mystery and lets the audience fill in the blanks. Hard Recommendation for the original cut. Shorter run time without losing any impact.
Oh boy I've been waiting for this video! The special releases of all the alien movies always add to the original movie releases, in my opinion, they always make the movies better
your narration is pure gold sir.
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Strong female characters without having weak male ones & banging on about social justice & political correctness, just celluloid perfection!! 😁
Indeed true strong female characters with out which shows that females true strength not in the world today but tomorrow
Yeah, I hate that marvel was like oh captain marvel is the first strong female
Ahem Aliens!?
Loved this video. Very excellent insights. Thanks.
I love this guy's voice. It's perfect for story telling! Thanks for another great video!
Shane Black destroyed predator. I have a strong dislike for him now.
Just discovered your channel with this video and I love the content!
One of my favorite scenes in Aliens is probably the same in both versions (I cant remember), but its the scene where Hicks and Hudson rescue Newt and Ripley in the Medbay. And my very favorite part is pretty small, and none of the other characters make a note of it, but nonetheless I think its amazing direction and acting and just awesome.
Its when Hicks and Hudson break into the Medbay. Hicks goes for Ripley while Hudson goes for Newt. And if you watch you can see Hudson rush in without any hesitation and puts himself between the facehugger and Newt. Up until this point he's been loud, brash, and even pretty cowardly. But in this moment, he does it quietly, no bravado or his trademark ranting, and selflessly protects Newt with his own body. Just an awesome character moment that I love and dont think gets enough credit. Bill Paxton was an amazing actor and I miss him
IDK if anyone else has the same experience as me with Aliens but the thing is that for many years the Special/Extended Edition was the only one I've known.
When I was a teenager my parents agreed to me watching the film but not to me staying this late to watch it.
Thus they recorded it for me on VHS.
Turns out that by the stroke of luck the Aliens broadcasted on that night was the Special Edition which I watched on that VHS for many, many years.
I think I was an adult when I first bothered to watch the Aliens on TV - mostly because my own, recorded VHS tape was slowly wearing out.
I was amazed and kinda disturbed by the "missing scenes" so much that I've actually contacted the TV station to inquire about it (It was incidentally the same TV station the old recording was made from).
The inquiry most likely didn't reach anyone familiar with the franchise because the only reply I've received was that this is the version they received.
For a few more years I was sure they basically lied to me and the movie was being shortened for time.
When the DVDs with the Special Edition appeared in my country along with a small booklet explaining the whole deal I was finally given the answer.
So yeah. I can't really pick my "favorite scene" from the Special Edition because that Special Edition is basically the ONLY Edition that's existed for me for most of my life.
AT, you add a great deal of thoughtful humanity to the Aliens franchise. All on your own. I look forward to seeing (or at least hearing?) you in Aliens Expanded, which I've pre-purchased in part because you're a part of it. =)
The scene at the beginning where you find out Ripley's daughter died while she was in cryo sleep but you know at the end when Newt calls her Mommy is the reason the two have a connection.
Yes, the special edition is what we the viewer should of seen because it makes the most sense too draw us the audience in more & i now understand why Ripley went so hard too save little newt.
Excellent video and I especially liked your outro, the kind words about the deceased actor, COVID-19 comments, etc.
I personally like the tense and tight theatrical cut. Yes there are some good added scenes in the director's cut (especially Bill Paxton in the dropship). Taken as a whole, I think the buildup to the climax is better in the theatrical cut; then again, I grew up with that version and didn't learn about the director's cut until the late 90's, on DVD. Keep up the good work on these videos.
Missed this great content of this awesome channel
A great start to my Sunday morning, thanks AT. 👍🙂
I couldn’t agree more with every sentiment you made. This is exactly how I have felt growing up with the Theatrical Cut & later being introduced to the Special Edition.
Love the contents!!! I love this movie and have this version on my PC. But as a kid I watched the original version so much and sorta agree with you in everything. But as someone who grew up loving this franchise as much as Star Wars. The extended version is a gift.
At the end of one of the Sentry Guns scenes Bishop comes over the PA and says they have a problem and Hudson says "Well that's a switch." I love that line and wish it had found its way into the theatrical cut.
Congrats on the doc man