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Famed director Ridley Scott knows how to play up the calm-before-the-storm with spellbinding authority. Before a victim would get munched, Scott would focus without musical crescendos but rather, the tinkling of some obscure prop; some minor detail would come into frame. Back to the victim's sweat-dripping, eye-shifting face. We share in his or her raw fear of being prey. What was that sound? Where is everybody? ....I feel like I'm being watched. The story is about a 7 member mining crew, on the Nostromo space ship, on their way back to earth. They are in hyper sleep for the duration of the trip back (taking months). Yet the Nostromo (on auto-pilot), receives a signal from a planet, and wakes the crew up to investigate. The signal is more than what they were expecting. |
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Sigourney Weaver is famous for her lead role as Ripley, and should be. Her unique voice and body language consistently conveyed a sense of mellow strength and pillar of justice, even at the expense of her life or someone else's. And given the generous close ups she gets in Aliens, Weaver has a great, somewhat simple face that one doesn't get tired of watching. The crew were cranky, raunchy, a bit lazy, but highly skilled workers. Perhaps like real life. The acting is utterly believable. Strangely you notice that most of the crew come across very independent (except for Kotto and Stanton), and are really there to do a job and get it over with. It's when the alien is introduced, these employees begin to band together in teamwork and relations change from coworker to comrade. The sexual activity on board was left to the imagination & is even addressed in a deleted scene. But it was presently subtle--you can just sense it--and this was specifically intended. Interestingly, there is supposed to be a tension between the two women that isn't explicitly apparent. Early in the film, the women's tension begins right after Ripley, Sigourney Weaver, originally wouldn't allow some of the crew back inside after their expedition. Cartwright was outside screaming with abandon to be let back inside. Further, in the supplemental section, there was a scene that was cut off the original movie that bolsters this sense of tension. The two women, actually Carwright, physically attacks Weaver in a scene of frustration. In fact, the theatrically released scene takes off about 5 seconds after the women's scuffle to convey the literal sense of lingering tension between them. A very interesting effect, Ridley. It's always men fighting like this, ya know? With great acting, a claustrophobic story, and creepy, sweaty, industrial cinematography, Alien holds you by the throat. The killings are brutally violent, yet we don't see everything--thank God (the supplemental section also noted that there was more violent gore that wasn't used). Most of the time, we're not sure where the alien is, and when we see it, it's hard to understand its movements in the quick exaggerated close-ups. The beginning isn't fast pace at all. But the ending throbs and is a white knuckler. The only qualm I have with the story is, WHY would "the company" have a self-destruct unit on their ship? Oh well, it makes for a good ending...or is it the ending...? |
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Picture Alien got the best treatment (rare for Fox Entertainment on DVDs). THX, a 16x9 anamorphic transfer, widescreen Format 2.35:1 original ratio; what more could a dvd enthusiast ask for? Bravo! Except for future HD-DVD/ HD-Satellite transmissions, this current DVD is the very best way you are going to view this movie. Colors are full yet muted appropriately. The set designs are so defined, heavy looking and convincing, I think at this writing it couldn't have been produced much better. Except for a few space-matting jobs, blacks were deep and rich, whites never bloomed, definition of hair and detail were clearly defined. Note the particular reference when Ash takes a cotton swab up close to the face-hugger's knuckle. Convincing, fine detail that feels live. Flesh tones looked normal. Slight video noise was apparent, but rare. Grain in "outdoor" shots was also barely apparent. & I agree with Scott, very nice opening credits sequence. |
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Audio Well, Fox re mastered the audio into it's appropriate (and originally intended) 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound (or "6 channel"). Very pleasing, and while I read a few reviews that mentioned that the rear surrounds weren't very active, I heard otherwise. Front staging of the sound seemed anchored and appropriately panned with ease. The surrounds were split and more active that expected. Granted, the audio source is a bit dated leaving dynamic range, depth, and alive atmosphere lacking 1/2 of what Dolby Digital 5.1 wraps audiences in today. However, it is presented well, and a welcomed pleasure. The score by Jerry Goldsmith is haunting, first class and matrimonial with this movie without gushing all over the place. The score couldn't have been better. A pleasing mix. The disc also includes an audio commentary by Ridley Scott made in Jan 1999 EXCLUSIVELY for this dvd of Aliens, and it tremendously entertaining and educational. Note the space suite economics, and the origins of set designs. Scott even has a part of his anatomy in one scene. You'll have to hear the audio commentary to find this fascinating feature out.... Amazing that some of the script was rewritten and/ or created ON THE SPOT in some of the scenes. Ridley Scott also mentioned that casting for this film was extremely important and he took a long time in gathering his cast members. An Isolated Original Score (!), and Alternative music track including the natural sounds of the set when camera was rolling!! Amazingly generous and terrifically boasting what a DVD is capable of showing fans. (Will Warner Brothers ever learn?) Unfortunately, Fox rarely adds all of this extra material to the shamefully few DVDs it cranks out. Granted the Alien series is among many videophiles top favorites and a less than stellar job would have many (MANY on the Internet) fans of the series giving them hell for not putting forth this worthy extra. So here's to hopes that Fox will make these extra strides in the future. Wonderful new menus and their effects! Bravo to this extra work! Included are: over 10 deleted scenes, Art work and Photo Galleries, Original story boards, theatrical trailer, interactive menus (normal and should be), scene selection, DVD-ROM Enhancements: Screen saver (PC/Mac) and Web links. English DD 5.1, 2.0, French 2.0, Subtitles: English; Spanish. 1979 Approx. 116 minutes, rated R. |
