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Alien Quadrilogy

post #1 of 85
6/9/08 at 12:40pm
Thread Starter 
There probably were many threads dedicated to this set over the years. It's a five year old release. But i can't find any...

Just got this today. I've always craved for it, and it's beautiful. It was way overpriced here, and I refused to pay for it. A friend of mine traveled to the states last week and I couldn't let the chance go.

Can't believe the amount of extras available. I'm a sucker for behind the scenes documentaries, so i am set for weeks.

The box is big, but it's well crafted and the artwork is pretty good.

For $50 I think it's a great deal. I also got The Thing collector's edition and a Gizmo plush doll. All in all, very satisfied with the purchase.


Now I need to get my hands on the Blade Runner set.
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post #2 of 85
6/9/08 at 12:45pm
I get to pay tribute to the guy who concieved that this Saturday. I hear it is a helluva set.
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post #3 of 85
6/9/08 at 12:55pm
Got this Christmas of 2003 and it was probably the best present I had gotten in years. It helps that Alien is my favorite movie of all time, but even if I was just a casual fan that set is worth it. So much great stuff on it. I've had it for almost 5 years and I don't think I've watched everything on it. It was on sale at either Circuit City of Best Buy a few weeks ago for $20. 9 discs for $20? I almost picked it up just so I could say I got it for that kickass price. Just a great, beautiful set.
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post #4 of 85
6/9/08 at 1:18pm
Have they revamped the packaging, or do you Yanks still have to put up with 'the Accordian of Doom?
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post #5 of 85
6/9/08 at 1:19pm
I got it with the $20 deal. I'm still finding a friend worthy enough to inherit my ALIEN single-disc.
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post #6 of 85
6/9/08 at 1:24pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Graham View Post
Have they revamped the packaging, or do you Yanks still have to put up with 'the Accordian of Doom?
Still accordion.
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post #7 of 85
6/9/08 at 2:04pm
When I was still doing DVD reviews, it took a good solid week to watch this thing in entirety.

This is when I was single, and had no other job or college classes in between.

You've got your work cut out for you, Tati. And it's worth every single sainted minute or your time.

Also, judging from the fact that you didn't own this before, I take it this will be your first encounter with the Alien 3 workprint?
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post #8 of 85
6/9/08 at 2:11pm
Thread Starter 
Actually no. I downloaded a copy of the Assembly cut a few months ago. It Vastly improves what i already thought was a good movie.

And i've seen the "extended" cut of Aliens.

Alien and Resurrection will the the new ones for me.

But i mainly got the set for the extras. They look incredible.
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post #9 of 85
6/9/08 at 2:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tati View Post

But i mainly got the set for the extras. They look incredible.
They are.
Just wish we got the Alien 3 extras we were 'originally' going to get...'The Hellboy' always said those will NEVER see the light of day.

A break-down of disc 6 from 'The Digital Bits'
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post #10 of 85
6/9/08 at 3:12pm
Great set but would it be that difficult to call it a tetralogy or quartet instead of coming up with the made-up word quadrilogy? It's so idiocracy.
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post #11 of 85
6/9/08 at 4:18pm
Hey, mastronikolas, here's a fun trip down memory lane.

Christ, has it really been 5 years?
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post #12 of 85
6/9/08 at 4:53pm
I got mine back in 2004. My only regret is not getting the the set inside the plastic alien skull.

The extras are incredible.
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post #13 of 85
6/9/08 at 5:12pm
I got this in 2004, and still haven't dug through all the extras, let alone the various cuts.

My brother was kind of surprised that I bought the set, considering how much I hated Resurrection and still hadn't seen Alien 3 then. But considering the TLC given to the franchise via the De Lauzirika Seal of Approval I couldn't let something that massive go unbought.

Best Buy was selling that for $20??? Jeez. Somebody would have gotten a real nice Christmas gift if I had known.

Also, I'm keeping my Alien single-disc for the isolated score and Ridley Scott commentary. Just cause.
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post #14 of 85
6/9/08 at 5:22pm
It's one of my favorite sets. It has been said a thousand times, but the extended cut of Alien3 is actually pretty great, although I still would have rather seen the whacked-out wooden-planet-full-of-monks version.
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post #15 of 85
6/9/08 at 5:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Barg View Post
Also, I'm keeping my Alien single-disc for the isolated score and Ridley Scott commentary. Just cause.
Yep, you're not the only one.

This was one set I never expected to drop in price that much. Crazy.
Then again, it is FOX(think X-Files seasons)
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post #16 of 85
6/9/08 at 5:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Barg View Post
Also, I'm keeping my Alien single-disc for the isolated score and Ridley Scott commentary. Just cause.
That's understandable. I'm keeping the ALIEN RESURRECTION discs because of Ron Pearlman.
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post #17 of 85
6/9/08 at 5:29pm
I wish they did insanely in-depth DVDs like this more often. Such a great thing.
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post #18 of 85
6/9/08 at 5:31pm
Christ, I read in-depth and it made me think hi-def.

Is there such a thing for the Aliens films?
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post #19 of 85
6/9/08 at 5:40pm
I got this for my birthday... only not. Turned out to be a collection of the four movies' single-disc edition.
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post #20 of 85
6/9/08 at 5:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bees?! View Post
Christ, I read in-depth and it made me think hi-def.

Is there such a thing for the Aliens films?
I don't think so. It's funny though. Aliens looks pretty poor in some parts. And I don't think it's the transfer - I just think that's how it is. I wonder what a hi-def version of that movie would look like. Not too great, I'm thinking. Of course the other flicks - including the original - look pretty spectacular in this set. It sucks that my favorite one doesn't.
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post #21 of 85
6/9/08 at 6:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin Matchstick View Post
I wonder what a hi-def version of that movie would look like. Not too great, I'm thinking.
That was my thought when I read Bees' question. Just happened to catch a large chunk of Aliens on cable late one night last week (wife:"What are you doing? Haven't you seen that like 1,000 times?"), and for the first time on my HD behemoth, and found some muddiness in spots throughout.
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post #22 of 85
6/9/08 at 6:31pm
It will be fucking glorious in HD.
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post #23 of 85
6/10/08 at 3:24am
Aliens might be the most entertaining of the films, but yes, it's rather ugly. Cameron can make a good looking film, no doubt, but following up Scott is no easy feat. It's also the only one that's not beautifully wide like the others. Plus I think shitty 80's film stock was working against him.
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post #24 of 85
6/10/08 at 5:22am
Yup, Cameron swore that the Kodak stock was responsible for some of the grain, and that his vision, at the time, wouldn't fit the aspect ratio used for Alien. I think he regrets it now.

But we haven't had a DTS release yet have we? That'd be another bonus for a blu-ray version.
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post #25 of 85
6/10/08 at 6:06am
I seem to recall(possibly from the commentary) that is was an issue with filming models and mattes, and that he had problems while working on Escape From New York. I could be wrong, but either way, Scott's film is gorgeous, particularly the scenes inside the alien craft.
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post #26 of 85
6/10/08 at 9:27am
Love this set so much, the three hour documentaries alone are just incredible. But I love it for introducing me to the Alien 3 workprint, which just made me reassess that film completely. It's still a little rough around the edges, but that extra breathing room really lets it shine at times.

I do find it entertaining that the documentaries for Alien, Aliens and Alien 3 are all kinds of fraught, but the documentary for Alien R portrays everyone as having the time of their lives and wisely omits Whedon from the footage.
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post #27 of 85
6/10/08 at 10:51am
I'll only blu now, so can't wait for these to be released (well if AR didn't make it, I think I could go on living).
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post #28 of 85
6/10/08 at 12:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spike Marshall View Post
I do find it entertaining that the documentaries for Alien, Aliens and Alien 3 are all kinds of fraught, but the documentary for Alien R portrays everyone as having the time of their lives and wisely omits Whedon from the footage.
The very first talking head in the ALIEN RESURRECTION documentary is...



I agree though that it's telling that the first three films were all incredibly difficult to make and resulted in bold and interesting films, while the fourth was a cakewalk and turned out to be unwatchable shit.
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post #29 of 85
6/10/08 at 12:35pm
Oh Litmus, you and your crazy Photoshop!

I love the Alien 3 workprint, but the alien spawning from a cow is all kinds of wrong. The dog was perfect, considering how it moves and such.
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post #30 of 85
6/10/08 at 1:01pm
I could of done without "In the Year 2525", though...

It really takes me out of an 'Alien' film, (fuck, ANY film), where the director (or more likely studio) [feels like they HAVE TO] wink at the audience...'Resurrection' was even worse. Sure you can HAVE humour, just keep it within the confines of your plot and charactors; if you NEED to envolve the audience to get a cheap laugh, make sure you're making a 'Scary Movie'-type film...then I won't have to witness it.
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post #31 of 85
6/10/08 at 1:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nexus-7 View Post
Oh Litmus, you and your crazy Photoshop!
Not Photoshop in that case. Just DVD Capture. That's straight from the DVD!

I don't mind "In The Year 2525" in ALIEN 3, especially given how it's butchered to the point of almost being unrecognizable. I was more annoyed with the mention of WalMart in the special edition "virgin"* of ALIEN RESURRECTION.

* Watch Jean-Pierre Jeunet's intro to the SE. French accent = comedy.
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post #32 of 85
6/10/08 at 2:39pm
This thread convinced me to order this from deep discount.
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post #33 of 85
6/10/08 at 4:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Litmus Configuration View Post
I was more annoyed with the mention of WalMart in the special edition "virgin"* of ALIEN RESURRECTION.

* Watch Jean-Pierre Jeunet's intro to the SE. French accent = comedy.
Shit...missed that.
Doesn't mean I'm going to stick THAT disc in my machine just to piss me off about this film more.
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post #34 of 85
6/10/08 at 4:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Ripoll
This thread convinced me to order this from deep discount.
I'm amazed there isn't a person on this planet who doesn't own this yet.
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post #35 of 85
6/10/08 at 6:49pm
Congratulations Tati! Ive owned this set since I got the local version of it at a clearance sale from a local Newspaper's suscriber store, and Its been one of my favorite dvd sets ever since.
Although the Ripley clone/fetus on the inner cover still gives me the creeps, dammit.
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post #36 of 85
6/10/08 at 7:00pm
Does Whedon say a lot in the documentary, because I've honestly mentally blocked his contribution and would hate to think he actually had something to say.

I know that Whedon's get off on blaming Jeunet for butchering his script and all, but from what I can see the problem with Resurrection is that Jeunet stuck to the script as much as possible. Reading Whedon's script is just torture and loads of the really dumb stuff in the film is right there in black and white, all Jeunet (as a hired gun with a limited use of English at the time and bereft of his usual collaborator) could do was just shoot what was written.

I honestly think that Jeunet's stylisation is great at times, but his fantastical embellishments really work with the goofy tone of the script to sabotage the film.
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post #37 of 85
6/10/08 at 7:09pm
The best part of Alien Resurrection was when Dan Hedaya pours himself a whisqube.
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post #38 of 85
6/10/08 at 7:11pm
I actually kind of dig the scene where the Aliens break out and proceed to fuck things up royally, but it really is a film that I find quite staggerinly inept.

And unlike some of you folks I can't even ironically appreciate the badness.

And yet I'd happily watch it over Aliens.
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post #39 of 85
6/10/08 at 7:14pm
Jeunet was horribly wrong for an Alien film and it's now obvious that somewhere down the line he realised that and decided to shut up, shoot the damn thing and use the paycheck to devote himself to the whimsical fantasies back home.

Whedon's script was bad and contrary to what he proclaimed, all the crap in the movie originated in the script. As for the stuff that was altered or excised, if he really believes that a Chinese super-mercenary, a buggy chase through a geodome and an albino, flying, vampire alien would make the movie better, he's an idiot.

And Spike, that is called going insane. Enjoy the ride.
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post #40 of 85
6/10/08 at 7:25pm
The underwater scene works, but that's about it. Other than the fact they're holding their breath for about 5 minutes.

It's still a pretty film, but that can't save it. Watching that opening night in a packed theater was the most grumbling I've ever heard from an audience.
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post #41 of 85
6/10/08 at 8:43pm
Alien Resurrection is redeemed ever so slightly if you can be bothered to compare it to Aliens Vs Predator.
Otherwise, it just about qualifies as watchable, mainly for Perlman and the underwater scene.
Generally very fond of this set, though. I still have an awful lot to get through.
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post #42 of 85
6/10/08 at 8:48pm
For all its numerous fuckups, i must say, I still kinda like Sigourney Weaver's autistic child Ripley in Resurrection. It's just such a bizarre, interpretive-dance kind of performance. That, Perlman, and the failed experiment room make the film at least watchable, till the Newborn drags the film screaming into the shitter.
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post #43 of 85
6/10/08 at 9:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by SAIRUS View Post
I'll only blu now, so can't wait for these to be released
Thanks for the lower electric bill, Sairus. The amount of douche chills I got from you should keep my air conditioner off all summer.
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post #44 of 85
6/12/08 at 12:36am
I love this dvd set, especially the info about how Alien 3(at one time)was suppose to take place on a wood planet with monks.
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post #45 of 85
6/12/08 at 10:35am
Alien resurrection never really bothered me too much. The tone was always a little off, not really in tune with what came before, so I always kind of looked at it as a bizzaro world Aliens story. Kind of like a side story, or an alternate reality version. Same goes for the AVP flicks... but that's more or less out of a tingling sensation that leaves an icky taste in my mouth.
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post #46 of 85
6/12/08 at 1:39pm
RESURRECTION is more FIREFLY than ALIEN... but AVP and especially AVP:R make me long for characters like the goofy (yet distinctive) space pirate mercs from RESURRECTION.
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post #47 of 85
6/12/08 at 3:55pm
When I first saw Resurrection it was like my Phantom Menace. I was so, so pumped for the film - I had recently discovered Jean Pierre Jeunet's City of Lost Children and Delicatessen, and I was so excited that this incredible director was taking the helm of my favorite franchise. I picked up every magazine, downloaded every wallpaper, screensaver, etc. Hell I even went to see Speed 2 because the trailer for Resurrection was playing in front of it. It was the first film I really just got so super psyched over. I obsessed over every detail of it from the moment I read (in Parade of all places) that it was being made.

What a massive, massive dissapointment. I can watch parts of it today, but jesus the Newborn just sucks my soul.
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post #48 of 85
6/12/08 at 6:32pm
I remember seeing Resurrection while home for my college's Thanksgiving break that year. I hadn't seen much of anything outside of the trailers online and certainly wasn't aware of Jeaunet's track record (which would have just made the film more disappointing to me, I think). I just remember calling it gooey, not gory. (Was hoping for something along the lines of Aliens. Oops.)

I still haven't watched the DVD, outside of perhaps 20 minutes of the Quadrilogy doc.
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post #49 of 85
6/12/08 at 6:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mastronikolas View Post
Jeunet was horribly wrong for an Alien film and it's now obvious that somewhere down the line he realised that and decided to shut up, shoot the damn thing and use the paycheck to devote himself to the whimsical fantasies back home.

Whedon's script was bad and contrary to what he proclaimed, all the crap in the movie originated in the script. As for the stuff that was altered or excised, if he really believes that a Chinese super-mercenary, a buggy chase through a geodome and an albino, flying, vampire alien would make the movie better, he's an idiot.
You can rip on Whedon all you want, but his scripts (multiple) were much better than the movie.

I also like Weaver's performance in it. And it looks real pretty. But it just doesn't work.
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post #50 of 85
6/12/08 at 7:05pm
How are the scripts better? I've read two of his drafts, one with a more toned down ending and one with the hovering combine harvester and they are both ridiculously horrible. Even Dan O'Bannon's first Alien script is better than the Resurrection script, largely because Whedon seemed to be setting up his own stuff rather than trying to deliver a decent Alien film.
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