It was the movie that put British Cinema back on the map, if not just for a brief period. Alien became the first real science fiction horror movie, and for the year of 1979 it was the movie on everyone’s lips.
Alien initially launched in a minor way, however as soon as the public reports were coming back obviously raving Alien received a massive Re-launch. At the time it received more publicity than any other movie at that time in the UK.
The Alien Definitive Edition is an example of similar issues in the movies releasing. Alien is one of the first Definitive Edition DVD’s to be released in the UK. The idea behind these editions is that they receive the attention they deserve. Issued in the now increasingly popular tin boxes (made of recycled materials) the releases look striking. Each DVD in the Definitive Edition range has been reproduced to the highest possible standard, the quality in respect of sound and picture quality has been reproduced to be almost as good as HD (High Definition) format, but at a reduced price. In doing this the movie itself sits on one disc, with a second disc containing the movies special features. Both produced to the same standards, the discs are not bogged down with multiple language formats either so that the sound quality can be at its optimum.
The Nostromo is a mining vessel travelling back to Earth after an incredibly prosperous journey. Its crew is captained by Dallas (Tom Skerrit), his team consists of six others Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), Kane (John Hurt), Ash (Ian Holme), Lambert (Veronica Cartwright), Parker (Yaphet Kotto), and Brett (Harry Dean Stanton). All the crew are in a deep sleep known as hypersleep this not only helps the journey to go quicker, but it also reduces the effects of aging. Way before the arrival back on Earth the Nostromo receives a
distress signal from a uncharted planet LV428, reacting on its instincts the ships onboard computer system known as Mother wakes the crew early.
The crew are forced against their better judgement to land on the planet and seek out the source of the distress call. Dallas, Lambert and Kane all venture out into the planets horrific conditions to find the beacon. What they find however is proof of Alien life, the first proof in history. They find a dead pilot, more than four times the size of any human being. They also find thousands of egg shaped pods; these are of particular interest to Kane, a man with more than a passing interest in all things science. On this occasion his interest has served him an injustice, as an egg explodes into his face.
In Space No-One Can Hear You Scream…………
I saw Alien back in 1982 when it was first shown on British Television, such an event was this, that my father defied the law and bought the colour television down from the loft so we could see the movie in all its glory (we only had a black and white license). This sort of event only happened twice in the time he was alive, once for Alien and once for Raiders Of The Lost Ark. I remember the hype for the British Television premier of Alien; it was being advertised weeks before it was shown. And all day, there was a trailer between each show on the ITV. I remember thinking at the time, I have never seen anything like it, it was atmospheric and chilling, without ever becoming stagnant in its storyline. Twenty Five years later and I still feel as passionately about this amazing movie, as I did all the way back then.
Even now its scale is truly epic; it’s a big, big movie. Ridley Scott the director made the spaceship look and feel like it was 100 miles long; but at the same time creating the effect of being totally claustrophobic. While things are fine he shows you miles of corridors and great big rooms and cabins; however when the normal hum drum of day to day life is over and things become more action packed the rooms are reduced in size dramatically.
Even if you have not seen Alien, you may be familiar with a scene that has been imitated throughout recent movie history. In this scene Kane having awoken from his slumber after being attacked by an alien life form (on set referred to as the face hugger) feels that everything is ok. He laughs and jokes with his colleagues all the time having a vacant memory of what led him to the circumstances he now finds himself in. But things are far from ok as he discovers setting down for his first meal, food seems to cause a reaction which after a long painful scene to watch ends with a slightly different alien (known as the chest buster) bursting out of his chest. Once you have seen this image, it’s in your mind for life. Its not the special effects that blow you away, it’s the whole process, watching Kane squirm as this thing forces its way out of him. It’s a chilling, disturbing moment, but at the same time its one of the best pieces of modern cinema history.
Everything about Alien is perfect; I challenge anyone to find fault in the way it’s produced. You might not necessarily like it, it’s not for everyone’s taste as you can imagine. But when you look at it, love it or not the imagery, the story, the acting; it’s all just so perfect.
The movie has a certain style about it in that, the way the cast are delivered to you there is no real star of the movie. In fact some of the top billed stars are the first to bow out of this movie; John Hurt being a prime example. The feel the spaceship has about it prior to waking the crew, makes you feel on edge as if the creature of the movies title could actually already be onboard. Jerry Goldsmith’s haunting musical score from the opening credits, to the almost non existent soundtrack that accompanies most of the movie, is a fundamental part of that feeling of uneasiness that the movie gives you.
For all this profound stuff that makes up the movie, the reality of the movie is very straight forward and simple. To sum the movie up in one sentence: An Alien hunts down and kills the crew of a spaceship. And realistically that’s all the movie is, its just those little things that make it up to be more than you had ever dreamed off in this type of movie.
The version of Alien you are greeted with in this DVD set is the original version before the cuts that were made to get the movie released. As a result you get to find out what happened to a certain member of the crew, who in the original release just pretty much disappeared. There is also a lot more character development and idle chit chat, that at the time was felt detrimental to the impact of the movie. In reality all it actually does is adds an extra level of fear to the situation, especially when you know that one of the characters engaged in idle conversation (that is often in stark contrast to events) is about to meet their maker so to speak.
Special Features
• Audio commentary from director Ridley Scott – In this often off the wall conversational piece Scott often talks about the problems getting the movie made cost him personally. He discusses the firm hold Fox had over him, at times unsure whether Scott was out of his debt, and more noticeably counting each penny that was spent.
• Introduction from director Ridley Scott – Scott says a brief few words and talks about the addition of the material not previously seen in the movie (if its present more often than not its as a special feature).
• Dan O'Bannon's first draft screenplay – I never took the time to look at this, but I gather from a fleeting glance the version we should have seen was to be on a much grander scale, with a very different story.
• 'The Art Of Alien' featurettes and screentests – This section looks in detail at the Alien itself, its design by H.R. Giger. And the look at the sexuality of the Alien and how its movements and looks adapt to sexual interaction, and at times sexual organs.
• Galleries – The usual series of photographs and still from production of the movie. Even on this great edition of this DVD, picture galleries are a thing that baffles me in the presence of them being on the DVD.
• Deleted scenes – Some scenes not included in the movie as well as a couple of scenes that have been reinserted into the movie, but for you to look at on an individual basis as apposed to being part of the major movie.
• Trailers – Both the UK and the US trailers are featured here, they are pretty much the same but I feel the UK trailer has more impact and works better in respect of the fear factor of the movie.
Alien: The Definitive Edition is a fantastic movie to have in your collection, from its striking cover design and use of metallic covers. To the magnificent movie contained in that box, its an all round winner.
You can get the DVD on the High Street for between £12-£15. Or you can go to play.com where you can get the movie including delivery for just £9.99.
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Production Year: 1979 - Science Fiction - Director: Ridley Scott - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Sigourney Weaver, John Hurt, Tom Skerritt, Harry Dean Stanton, Ian Holm, Yaphet Kotto, Veronica Cartwright
Production Year: 2007 - Science Fiction - Director: Francis Lawrence - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Alice Braga, Charlie Tahan, Dash Mihok, Will Smith, Salli Richardson, Willow Smith
Exceptional review of an exceptional film; actually i consider the very first science fiction horror film to be INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, though this one really brought everything on a modern special effects scale. Chris
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with screenwriters Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett, produced a work of genuinely original cinematic sci-fi withAlienthat, despite the passage of years and countless ...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
By transplanting the classic haunted house scenario into space, Ridley Scott, together ... more
with screenwriters Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett, produced a work of genuinely original cinematic sci-fi withAlienthat, despite the passage of years and countless ...
Postage & Packaging: free Super Saver Delivery Availability: Usually dispatched within 2 to 4 weeks...
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