The Alien Anthology Blu-Ray Review

The Alien Anthology Blu-Ray Review


Synopsis: Brace yourself for a whole new breed of Blu-ray: Four powerful films...eight thrilling versions...in dazzling, terrifying, high-def clarity with the purest digital sound on the planet. Two bonus dics and over 65 hours of archival and never-before-seen content, including the totally immersive MU-TH-UR mode feature, makes this definitive Alien collection! 

Review: The Alien movies are one of the top science fiction franchises out there!  The original Ridley Scott film was slower moving, but ground breaking in the realm of serious and creepy space drama.  The follow-up Aliens was an early James Cameron action epic.  Alien 3 was the first filmmaking attempt from the great David Fincher.  Then, we got the ill-recieved Alien: Resurrection back in the late 1990s.

We finally get all four films in an ultimate edition on blu-ray.  To see the Alien films in high-definition is absolutely stunning.  I've become somewhat of a high-def snob over the past few years with pathetic transfer after pathetic transfer and I can tell you that all four of these films look amazing.    They are primarily shot in darks, but man when you get a good shot of a queen alien in high-definition, it all pays off!  We’re talking NO grain.  None whatsoever!

This huge and very nicely packaged boxed set includes over 60 hours of bonus features.  Yeah...60 hours!  This boxed set collects all of the bonus features offered in the various editions over the years, plus more!   I haven’t made my way through all of if yet, but I’ve seen a lot of it previously.  Without a doubt this is the ultimate collected set for any Alien fan.

Here is the full rundown of whats include in this amazing boxed set:

Disc 1: ALIEN

**1979 Theatrical Version
**2003 Director’s Cut with Ridley Scott Introduction
**Audio Commentary by Director Ridley Scott, Writer Dan O’Bannon, Executive Producer Ronald Shusett, Editor Terry Rawlings, Actors Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton and John Hurt
**Audio Commentary (for Theatrical Cut only) by Ridley Scott
**Final Theatrical Isolated Score by Jerry Goldsmith
**Composer’s Original Isolated Score by Jerry Goldsmith
**Deleted and Extended Scenes
**MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream

Disc 2: ALIENS

**1986 Theatrical Version
**1991 Special Edition with James Cameron Introduction
**Audio Commentary by Director James Cameron, Producer Gale Anne Hurd, Alien Effects Creator Stan Winston, Visual Effects Supervisors Robert Skotak and Dennis Skotak, Miniature Effects Supervisor Pat McClung, Actors Michael Biehn, Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen, Jenette Goldstein, Carrie Henn and Christopher Henn
**Final Theatrical Isolated Score by James Horner
**Composer’s Original Isolated Score by James Horner
**Deleted and Extended Scenes
**MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream

Disc 3: ALIEN 3

**1992 Theatrical Version
**2003 Special Edition (Restored Workprint Version)
**Audio Commentary by Cinematographer Alex Thomson, B.S.C., Editor Terry Rawlings, Alien Effects Designers Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr., Visual Effects Producer Richard Edlund, A.S.C., Actors Paul McGann and Lance Henriksen
**Final Theatrical Isolated Score by Elliot Goldenthal
**Deleted and Extended Scenes
**MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream

Disc 4: ALIEN Resurrection

**1997 Theatrical Version
**2003 Special Edition with Jean-Pierre Jeunet Introduction
**Audio Commentary by Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Editor Hervé Schneid, A.C.E., Alien Effects Creators Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr., Visual Effects Supervisor Pitof, Conceptual Artist Sylvain Despretz, Actors Ron Perlman, Dominique Pinon and Leland Orser
**Final Theatrical Isolated Score by John Frizzell
**Deleted and Extended Scenes
**MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream


Disc 5: Making the Anthology

The Beast Within: Making ALIEN

**Star Beast: Developing the Story
**The Visualists: Direction and Design
**Truckers in Space: Casting
**Fear of the Unknown: Shepperton Studios, 1978
**The Darkest Reaches: Nostromo and Alien Planet
**The Eighth Passenger: Creature Design
**Future Tense: Editing and Music
**Outward Bound: Visual Effects
**A Nightmare Fulfilled: Reaction to the Film
**Enhancement Pods

Superior Firepower: Making ALIENS

**57 Years Later: Continuing the Story
**Building Better Worlds: From Concept to Construction
**Preparing for Battle: Casting and Characterization
**This Time It’s War: Pinewood Studios, 1985
**The Risk Always Lives: Weapons and Action
**Bug Hunt: Creature Design
**Beauty and the Bitch: Power Loader vs. Queen Alien
**Two Orphans: Sigourney Weaver and Carrie Henn
**The Final Countdown: Music, Editing and Sound
**The Power of Real Tech: Visual Effects
**Aliens Unleashed: Reaction to the Film
**Enhancement Pods

Wreckage and Rage: Making ALIEN3

**Development Hell: Concluding the Story
**Tales of the Wooden Planet: Vincent Ward’s Vision
**Stasis Interrupted: David Fincher’s Vision
**Xeno-Erotic: H.R. Giger’s Redesign
**The Color of Blood: Pinewood Studios, 1991
**Adaptive Organism: Creature Design
**The Downward Spiral: Creative Differences
**Where the Sun Burns Cold: Fox Studios, L.A. 1992
**Optical Fury: Visual Effects
**Requiem for a Scream: Music, Editing and Sound
**Post-Mortem: Reaction to the Film
**Enhancement Pods

One Step Beyond: Making ALIEN RESURRECTION

**From the Ashes: Reviving the Story
**French Twist: Direction and Design
**Under the Skin: Casting and Characterization
**Death from Below: Fox Studios, Los Angeles, 1996
**In the Zone: The Basketball Scene
**Unnatural Mutation: Creature Design
**Genetic Composition: Music
**Virtual Aliens: Computer Generated Imagery
**A Matter of Scale: Miniature Photography
**Critical Juncture: Reaction to the Film
**Enhancement Pods

**MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience to Access and Control Enhancement Pods

Disc 6: The Anthology Archives

ALIEN

Pre-Production

**First Draft Screenplay by Dan O’Bannon
**Ridleygrams: Original Thumbnails and Notes
**Storyboard Archive
**The Art of Alien: Conceptual Art Portfolio
**Sigourney Weaver Screen Tests with Select Director Commentary
**Cast Portrait Gallery

Production

**The Chestbuster: Multi-Angle Sequence with Commentary
**Video Graphics Gallery
**Production Image Galleries
**Continuity Polaroids
**The Sets of Alien
**H.R. Giger’s Workshop Gallery

Post-Production and Aftermath

**Additional Deleted Scenes
**Image & Poster Galleries
**Experience in Terror
**Special Collector’s Edition LaserDisc Archive
**The Alien Legacy
**American Cinematheque: Ridley Scott Q&A
**Trailers & TV Spots

ALIENS

Pre-Production

**Original Treatment by James Cameron
**Pre-Visualizations: Multi-Angle Videomatics with Commentary
**Storyboard Archive
**The Art of Aliens: Image Galleries
**Cast Portrait Gallery

Production

**Production Image Galleries
**Continuity Polaroids
**Weapons and Vehicles
**Stan Winston’s Workshop
**Colonial Marine Helmet Cameras
**Video Graphics Gallery
**Weyland-Yutani Inquest: Nostromo Dossiers

Post-Production and Aftermath

**Deleted Scene: Burke Cocooned
**Deleted Scene Montage
**Image Galleries
**Special Collector’s Edition LaserDisc Archive
**Main Title Exploration
**Aliens: Ride at the Speed of Fright
**Trailers & TV Spots

ALIEN 3

Pre-Production

**Storyboard Archive
**The Art of Arceon
**The Art of Fiorina

Production

**Furnace Construction: Time-Lapse Sequence
**EEV Bioscan: Multi-Angle Vignette with Commentary
**Production Image Galleries
**A.D.I.’s Workshop

Post-Production and Aftermath

**Visual Effects Gallery
**Special Shoot: Promotional Photo Archive
**Alien 3 Advance Featurette
**The Making of Alien 3 Promotional Featurette
**Trailers & TV Spots

ALIEN RESURRECTION

Pre-Production

**First Draft Screenplay by Joss Whedon
**Test Footage: A.D.I. Creature Shop with Commentary
**Test Footage: Costumes, Hair and Makeup
**Pre-Visualizations: Multi-Angle Rehearsals
**Storyboard Archive
**The Marc Caro Portfolio: Character Designs
**The Art of Resurrection: Image Galleries

Production

**Production Image Galleries
**A.D.I.’s Workshop

Post-Production and Aftermath

**Visual Effects Gallery
**Special Shoot: Promotional Photo Archive
**HBO First Look: The Making of Alien Resurrection
**Alien Resurrection Promotional Featurette
**Trailers & TV Spots

ANTHOLOGY

**Two Versions of Alien Evolution
**The Alien Saga
**Patches and Logos Gallery
**Aliens3D Attraction Scripts and Gallery
**Aliens in the Basement: The Bob Burns Collection
**Parodies
**Dark Horse Cover Gallery
**Patches and Logos Gallery
**MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience

Interest Range: Sci-Fi, Action/Adventure

 

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