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Aliens (1986)
R2 - Japan - Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Review written by and copyright: Jari Kovalainen (24th June 2006). |
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The Film
 Film buffs can be very passionate about movies and understand each other, but at the same time they can share a very different view. Some curse the big Hollywood productions and praise the European cinema, while some find these “European art films” simply boring. Some take the alternate route and focus on the low budget-cinema, hating all the countless remakes and sequels. Some are very open minded, regardless of genre or country. What ever that view is, every one of these film fans - whether they´re a more serious “scholar” or just a casual “popcorn fan” - have their own favourite films. Many even can name their “top 10”, even when it´s a task that requires to leave out many great films from the list. Some lucky ones can name just ONE film that they would take with them to that “desert island”. Over the years, by watching very different films, my personal view towards the motion pictures has widened a great deal, and making that “top 10”-list probably gets more difficult each day (let´s face it - so many great movies are out there). I still have to admit, that there´s one film that has strangely followed me through my (never ending) journey in movies. Seeing the film for the first time when I was young was an experience that I won´t forget, and after approx. 15 times (yes, I know - it´s nothing) the film still looks, sounds, and feels great. It´s an experience every time. That film is “Aliens (1986)” by director/writer James Cameron. It´s actually quite remarkable that a film like “Aliens” turned out to be such a big success in the terms of box office and even critical acclaim. After all, it´s a sequel to one of the landmark horror-films by director Ridley Scott; “Alien (1979)”, and there aren´t many sequels that you could consider at least equally good to their predecessors. It´s also one of those films that most people have enjoyed, regardless whether they like horror and Sci-fi, and even some of the “more serious” film critics have been putting their “thumbs up” this time. Of course Cameron was smart enough to make his own movie, rather than just a cheap imitation of the first one, but it´s not everyday that you´ll see a sequel this good and original. I assume that many people have already seen the film at least that one time, so there will be some minor spoilers in this review. I obviously also assume, that you have seen the first film. There´s probably no use to give an essay of the plot, but here it comes anyway, briefly. Basically “Aliens” starts where the first film left off, only 57 years later. The sole survivor (if you don´t count her cat, Jonesy) from “Alien (1979)”, Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is finally found and rescued by the deep-salvage team, after floating in her rescue shuttle in deep hyper-sleep over 50 years - in outer space. Ripley wakes up to a very different world, with no relatives, nor friends left. In the official hearing about the “Nostromo-incident” Ripley also learns that her story about the “unknown organism” found from the planet LV-426 is not entirely believable - nor is the fact that one of these organisms wiped out her whole crew in “Nostromo”. The hearing board revokes her license as a flight officer, taking away her only connection to the old world. Very early on the “company man” Carter Burke (Paul Reiser) is also introduced, and soon he has some news that eventually kicks the film into high speed. Planet LV-426 has been inhabited for over 20 years (by the planet engineers and their families), but suddenly the connection to that colony is lost. Hoping for the best but fearing the worst, the company sends Colonial Marines (along with Burke) to find out what has happened, and they also need Ripley to go along, as an advisor. She first says no, but after continuous nightmares and a sole promise by Burke that the possible creatures on the planet will be destroyed, she agrees to go along. Her status as a flight officer is also reinstated. When their ship is closing in on LV-426, we meet the Marines. This is the bunch of young actors at the time giving mostly great and memorable performances, and several names of the group just have to be mentioned at this point; Lt. Gorman (William Hope) - the fresh and inexperienced officer, Sgt. Apone (Al Matthews) - tough, but trusted leader, Cpl. Hicks (Michael Biehn) - quiet, but confident soldier, Pvt. Hudson (Bill Paxton) - gun-ho joker, Pvt. Vasquez (Jenette Goldstein) - spicy and macho female, Pvt. Drake (Mark Rolston) - mean, close partner with Vasquez, and also Bishop (Lance Henriksen) - an android on board. This group of soldiers, along with Ripley and Burke, land on the planet, only to face the traces of the battle that raced there, without any real knowledge what the situation is. The real fight for their lives begins when the greatest monster in cinematic history makes its appearance again, after 7 years. Like the tag line says, “This time it's war”. “Aliens” is a fine example of a film, where (nearly) every piece of the puzzle is in the right place. With a talented visionary like James Cameron at the helm, you´ve a director that has the knowledge of almost every aspect on the production, starting from the screenplay and ending to the post production and even special effects. Backing him up is the supportive production team of producer Gale Anne Hurd (then wife of Cameron), and executive producers David Giler, Walter Hill, and Gordon Carroll. From these names, Giler and Hill also penned the treatment together with Cameron, and with Carroll they have produced all the Alien-films (you could say that it´s their franchise now). Acclaimed British cinematographer Adrian Biddle created the dark and rough look of the film, and composer James Horner did an often subtle, but yet very effective and memorable score, in very little time. Of course, alien effects creator/second unit director Stan Winston should deserve a lot of praise for taking THE monster to the next level, and beyond (just look at the queen). In his crew were also two creature effects coordinators; Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff Jr., who went to supervise the effects on e.g. “AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004)”. We obviously can´t forget the man who originally designed Alien, H.R. Giger, even when he wasn´t involved in the sequel. All in all, a talented team were on their quest to create something that would eventually blow the audience away. Cameron has created the film that successfully combines different genres from horror to Science fiction, and from action to drama. There are moments where Cameron is taking his time to build some proper tension and suspense for his audience, and the reward eventually comes with a few rapid action-sequences that are really creating a unique mix of gunfire and old school horror (with sudden spooks) - something that is not really done after that in such a way. Like Cameron says, his sequel is “less horror, more terror”, meaning that creating the mood and atmosphere is more important than blood and shocking effects. There are also real human characters in the film, well written and portrayed. Character development is often the aspect that is missing from many films that operate in the same genre, but in this one even the supporting characters are well executed, and the relationship between Ripley and the young girl found alive in the Colony, Newt (Carrie Henn) brings the genuine warmth to the cold and violent world where the film is set. It´s the contrast that the film needs. Like Cameron implicates in the audio commentary, this is also a love story, as well as the revenge one (meaning that ultimately Ripley wants to get back at the creatures). It´s also interesting how different the characters are, and you really can´t tell which one of them is going to survive, if any, since the first look can be deceiving. Even though “Aliens” is what you could call a “serious film” - not trying to operate with lame humour, screaming teenagers or cute, young starlets - one of its best values still is that it´s - simply put - a hugely entertaining film. It´s a rollercoaster ride in the best sense of the word; first making you intrigued, then building the tension, and then providing the terror and action. After more calm moments in the middle - still keeping the tension, the film changes from the military mission to a survival story, keeping the audience in the palm of its hand all the way through. There are many surprises, many great moments, and great acting. Somehow, it all comes together in this film. Of course, after seeing the film several times, the biggest “rush” gotten from the first screenings of the film is somewhat faded, which also means that you start watching some scenes a bit more objectively. Since I believe that there´s no film that is absolutely “perfect”, you eventually start seeing a few more mediocre and dated optical effects and front projection scenes, and some bad editing decisions (one edit that always bugs me happens in the scene where Gorman and Vasquez confront the Aliens in the airlock). There are also some minor issues with the script. It´s also a fact, that “Aliens” has a mediocre budget (18 million $) compared to some other productions - even at the time, which means that there wasn´t always the money and time to make everything in a way that could´ve made the difference in the final movie. I really enjoyed most of the miniature and visual effects in the film (after all - this was a movie before the CGI-effects), and thought that Stan Winston´s crew had done brilliant work with the monster effects, but in some scenes there aren´t enough aliens to fully convince the audience that the big charge is on the way (since after all there were probably hundreds of them in the colony). I fully support the idea not to show too much if you want to keep the tension in a high level, but there were scenes that would´ve benefited from the additional monsters, or at least angles and shots (just a few here and there - nothing more). It´s of course hard to keep the balance in these issues, and Cameron has probably made the right decision by not going overboard with the monster-effects, and focus on the human characters. And yes, who am I kidding - the film was nearly flawless anyway. The version included here is the “Extended Version”, AKA “Director's Cut”, running 154:13 minutes (NTSC). Now even when Cameron admits in his introduction and elsewhere on the extras, that this longer version is his original, intended version of the film (and was cut solely to get the movie shorter), I still prefer “Theatrical version” to some extent. I grew up watching it - which might be the one reason, but there are some scenes in the longer version that I don´t fancy that much. Approx. 17 minutes of material have been added, and the main additions - and the most important ones - are as follows (as summed up in the IMDb): -Newt's parents discovering abandoned alien ship on LV-426. -Scenes of Ripley discussing her daughter. -Hudson bragging about his weaponry. -Robot sentry guns repelling first alien raid. -Hicks and Ripley exchanging first names. I feel (I might be in the minority on this one) that scenes involving Ripley´s daughter and the name exchange with Hicks didn´t necessarily bring anything that important to the story. They do reveal something from the softer side of Ripley and help to understand her tough times back in the world of the living, but her deeper emotions are better expressed in her relationship with Newt. Cameron admits in the audio commentary that the film basically plays better without the scene in LV-426 (origins of Newt and her family) after the hearing. Like he says, the alien ship is far from as impressive as it was in the original film, and to me this scene reveals too much, too soon. I like that we see the planet the first time with the Marines. Sentry guns-scenes are on the other hand great, and these were the scenes that should´ve been left in the original “Theatrical version”. They really portray how severe the thread actually is, and how determined and lethal the Aliens are. I didn´t have any particular objection with the rest of the scenes that were added to the longer version, and that version ultimately works fine - It´s just I also like the fact that the original version is still around, since it also has strengths of its own. In the case of “Aliens”, I don´t really want to choose between the versions, since I enjoy them both. Actors are indeed as important a factor in the film as the monster and special effects. Lead actress Sigourney Weaver is nearly perfect in her role as a strong woman trying to face her “internal demons” (like Cameron puts it) by going on the planet LV-426. Eventually she becomes a leader, and her maternal instincts also guide her to protect Newt by any means necessary. She will face her demons, and more. Weaver got nominated for “Best Actress” in the 1987 Oscar awards, which she lost to Marlee Matlin (“Children of a Lesser God”). It can be noted that the film won 2 Oscars (“Best Effects - Sound Effects Editing” and “Best Effects - Visual Effects”) and along with Weaver, was nominated for 4 other categories (“Best Art Direction - Set Decoration”, “Best Film Editing”, “Best Music - Original Score”, and “Best Sound”). Weaver became one of the most respected actresses in Hollywood (earning an additional 2 Oscar nominations along the way), although she hasn´t probably been as active as some other actors, always putting the family ahead of her career. One performance that most remember in the film and that should´ve been nominated for the best supporting actor in that year is the part of “Hudson” by Bill Paxton. His portrayal of a young and cocky soldier, who turns into a total nervous wreck is probably the best in his career (which has included good and bad films after “Aliens”). Paxton is one of those actors from the film that landed a pretty good career. Michael Biehn is also solid, and it´s hard to imagine the film now without him (he took the role in a hurry, when the original actor was fired). Biehn has fallen a bit into the “B-category” when it comes to Hollywood and their leading men, but he´s working regularly. Lance Henriksen became almost like a cult-actor in the sci-fi/horror -genre after his TV-series “Millennium (1996-1999)” and other genre-related work, and he´s just great in the role of android “Bishop”, creating the character that gains a lot of sympathy from the audience. Other actors playing Marines haven´t been as successful when it comes to their careers after “Aliens”, and I wish that Jenette Goldstein would land a role that would bring her more into the limelight (“Aliens” was her debut role). From the rest of the cast, Carrie Henn playing young “Newt” is really impressive, considering that it´s her first, and sadly the last performance as an actress. Her talent is clearly visible, but for some reason she didn´t continue in the acting world. Paul Reiser is best remembered for his hit comedy-series “Mad About You (1992-1999)”, and he´s the real corporate villain in “Aliens”, again a perfect choice. Along with the films like “Heat (1995)”, “Aliens” is also a film that hugely benefits from great casting, and where the most minor roles tend to stay in your memory. It´s not easy to sum up the movies that have a special, warm meaning to you, since a good movie is a bit like an old friend; it stays with you over the years, even when you don´t see each other for a while. To me, “Aliens” is as good a piece of entertainment as you can get, offering a great story, memorable actors, imaginative visuals, and everything from drama to action. It´s also one of the most suspenseful movies that I have ever seen, at least when you watch it for the first time - not forgetting the fact that it includes arguably the best monster of all times. It has its minor flaws here - and there, but nothing that would make this anything other than a timeless classic. Secretly, I guess I´m still waiting for the “new Aliens”. Not the remake or the sequel, but a film that would give the same impact and experience that this film has always given me. At the same time I know that this probably won´t happen any time soon. In the mean time, enjoy the film - it deserves it.
Video
The R2 Japanese -release is presented in Anamorphic 1.85:1. It looks good, but “Aliens” is a demanding film when it comes DVD-presentation and HT-enthusiasts. As Cameron explains in the audio commentary, the film stock used at the time by Kodak was higher speed negative than before, which created a rather grainy and sometimes noisy picture. Further more, the film has an intentionally raw and edgy look, with very deep blacks and cold, dull colours. A sterile white and grey look on the gateway station (where Ripley is, before going to the planet) and blue-ish colours in the colony - followed by rough looking red tones later in the film (when e.g. the power is cut) are well presented and reds nicely saturated, but the film is probably not the first choice to demonstrate your new LCD-screen. Sometimes the blacks looked a bit too strong, creating some murkiness and loss of detail, and some line shimmering can be spotted in selected scenes. There´s also some footage that is shot with a video camera (Marines and their cameras), which are intentionally very grainy. The film is relatively sharp, and free from the film artifacts. Based on the earlier R1-release (from 1999) that I still have and the image-comparisons from the net, this new transfer (meaning the new “Alien Quadrilogy” and “UE”-releases) isn´t a big improvement, perhaps very slightly though. It will be interesting to see how this will look on the HD-formats. The “dual layer” disc is coded “R2”, and is “THX certified”. There are 44 chapters.
Audio
Here comes the very good news. The Japanese -release includes an exclusive English DTS 5.1-track, along with English and Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1-tracks. Optional English and Japanese subtitles are also included. The difference with DTS (half bitrate) and Dolby Digital is not huge, but DTS offers some more bang for the buck, giving slightly more dynamic and punchier audio. Generally both 5.1-tracks are not quite in the level that you would expect for the action-oriented film like “Aliens”. You´ll miss some directional effects, and most of the action seemed to concentrate on the front speakers, leaving the music and ambience for the rears. The film includes some powerful material though, including the gun sounds (sentry guns-scenes just kick ass - plain and simple) and the aggressive wind that is blowing at the planet, and effective sounds like the motion trackers really keep the audience alert. The music sometimes works like a “sound effect” (e.g. the scene where the cocooned body opens her eyes), and again works like a charm. This is not a bad audio mix, far from it, and it´s probably just faithful to the original Stereo-mix (based on the IMDb, presented in 6-Track with 70 mm prints), but it might slightly disappoint the more surround-orientated audiophiles. It sounds good, but not “great”, I guess.
Extras
DISC 1: Before the film, you´ll get an brief “Introduction by director/writer James Cameron” -featurette, running 36 seconds. In here Cameron welcomes the viewers to the “Extended Version”, and says that it´s the version that he prefers. Optional Japanese subtitles are provided. The main extra on “Disc 1” is of course the audio commentary by director/writer James Cameron, producer Gale Anne Hurd, alien effects creator/second unit director Stan Winston, visual effects supervisors Robert Skotak and Dennis Skotak, miniatures technical supervisor (visual effects unit) Pat McClung, and actors Michael Biehn, Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen, Jenette Goldstein, Carrie Henn, and her brother Christopher Henn. Since there are several people in the commentary, they´re divided into different groups, giving selected comments along the way. Cameron does his thing in solo, Hurd and Winston are together, 2 x Skotak and McClung are together, and so are the actors Biehn, Paxton, Henriksen, and Goldstein. Siblings Carrie and Christopher Henn are also together for the obvious reasons. Now I personally prefer commentaries that are recorded “straight up” and with no apparent editing, but this commentary works pretty good in this way with different comments edited together. Cameron should´ve still deserved his own commentary, since he´s the person that gives the best of both worlds; About the technical aspect and tidbits, as well as the artistic ones (he doesn´t talk that much about the actors, though). He always has a clear view with every production that he does - for better or worse, so I always enjoy his stories. Visual effect-artist and Carrie/Christopher Henn are more like spicing the commentary every once in a while, and after a rocky start, Hurd and Winston get their stories going when the Alien effects start to emerge. Another choice for the solo commentary could´ve been the actors, since they provide the needed humor and lighter stories. Like in the film, Bill Paxton provides again some memorable stuff, making other cast members laugh. Clearly they have some good times after all these years, and all are proud about the film. Cameron starts with telling how the screenplay evolved into the film, and how he actually did 3 scripts at the same time, including the one to “Aliens” and one for “Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)”. The deal with the lead actress Sigourney Weaver took some time, but eventually (after she got 1 million $) she was ready to make the sequel. It´s nice to hear how Cameron calls her a “phenomenal actress” and “worth every penny”. Cameron gives some background of many technical aspects and certain special effects, and talks about his choice of 1.85:1-aspect ratio (he calls 1.85:1 simply as “widescreen”). At the time he didn´t like Anamorphic (lens), since it created some problems with visual effects, and he didn´t trust the Super-35 yet. Now he would choose the 2.35.1-ratio, like he has done in his later movies. Seven weeks of sound mixing was the big learning process for him, so he indeed wants to be part of every step of the way when making his films (thing that usually also causes some problems). He also tells about the costumes (e.g. military ones were different for every actor). It´s interesting when Cameron shares a few selected comments about the first film, and surprisingly also the controversial “Alien 3 (1992)” by director David Fincher. He wanted to honour Scott´s vision, and also mentions a few homages to the first film, in a form of a few set pieces. He calls “Alien 3” visually great work, but a “slap in the face for the fans”. He also talks about certain metaphors for the Vietnam war, mainly how the biggest weaponry can´t guarantee victory when the enemy is mostly unknown and you have to fight in their terms. Another more political hint comes towards the big corporations, and their power over everything. Of course, it´s very interesting to hear about the problems between the British crew and Cameron and producer Hurd, which peaked when the original first assistant director lead most of the crew into a minor mutiny. Eventually the atmosphere got better, fortunately. Cameron admits that the film was a certain transition for him of “non-union guerrilla filmmaking” to “union picture”, with standard tea breaks for the British crew and limited working hours per day. For the perfectionist like Cameron, it must´ve been tough. Among the problems with the crew, Cameron did have some different views when it came to the music and editing. Finally also these issues were resolved, and Cameron gives credit where it´s due. It was a pleasure of listening to the commentary, although I still feel that 2 different commentaries, even 3, would´ve been a better route with a classic film like this. Commentary includes optional Japanese subtitles. Disc also includes “THX Optimizer”. DISC 2: Second disc includes 12 very informative featurettes - including one “multi-angle” one, which all follow the same pattern. They include new interviews (sometimes mixed with vintage ones), with photos and “behind-the-scenes” and/or test footage-material (some featurettes have more and some less footage from the set). People are giving honest comments of both good and bad aspects of the production, and everything is covered from the screenplay to release of the film. I would´ve assumed that Cameron has a lot to say in the “Disc 2” also, but the core of his comments are left for the audio commentary, and you don´t really get to hear his point of view when it comes to certain problems during the production. These issues are still well covered by the rest of the cast & crew, though. You could say, that the audio commentary and these featurettes are supporting each other quite well, so you´ll enjoy them both. Let´s briefly look at the featurettes (which I watched together from the “Navigation Options”-menu like a lengthy documentary, running over 180 minutes - recommended choice): **”Superior Firepower: The Making of Aliens - Pre-Production”: 1) “57 Years Later: Continuing the Story” -featurette (11:03 min) focuses on the early development of the screenplay and how Cameron got involved, and also how the deal with Weaver was made. 2) “Building Better Worlds: From Concept to Construction” -featurette (13:31 min) tells about the early concept and designs of the spaceship “Sulaco” and other vehicles seen in the film, as well as the general designs of the colony. Those scenes were shot in the old power plant, and featurette also introduces that set. 3) “Multi-Angle Previsualizations” -feature (3:18 min) is a short series of video animatics, which includes 2 angles. You can watch this rough video test footage alone, or together with the finished scene. Optional audio commentary by miniatures technical supervisor Pat McClung is also included, or you can watch the material with music. 4) “Preparing for Battle: Casting and Characterization” -featurette (17:01 min) focuses on the casting, and shows how difficult it was sometimes (they tested at least 3000 people) - especially finding “Newt”. Most of the main actors get a chance to say something, although a few of them are taken from the vintage interviews (e.g. Al Matthews and his comments about the gun handling are priceless). **”Superior Firepower: The Making of Aliens - Production”: 5) “This Time It's War: Pinewood Studios, 1985” -featurette (19:41 min) is a great featurette about the general production at Pinewood Studios, England. As many people know, Cameron is - and was - a perfectionist, willing to work hard and long, expecting the same dedication from his crew. This caused some problems with the British crew at the time, which weren´t always ready to work such long hours, and were used to having their tea breaks every now and then. It´s clear that they did good work, but as clear is that they clashed quite hard a few times with Cameron. Related to this there are also very interesting stories involving the original cinematographer (fired - not hard to see why), and first assistant director (also fired, but then I guess re-hired). Like Stan Winston says, in Cameron´s set you usually have a “tough atmosphere”, but at the same time the results are many times worth it (or are they?). 6) “The Risk Always Lives: Weapons and Action” -featurette (15:15 min) focuses on the weapons used in the film and the action scenes around them. There were also a few “near accidents” during the production, which are also being discussed. It´s interesting to hear that Weaver hated guns more than anything, not an issue that you´ll see on the screen. 7) “Bug Hunt: Creature Design” -featurette (16:28 min) is a piece that for many is probably one of the most interesting ones, since it tells about the monster effects. You´ll see them all here; Chestbursters, facehuggers, and Alien warriors. 8 ) “Beauty and the Bitch: Power Loader vs. Queen Alien” -featurette (22:28 min) focuses on the most memorable monster in the movie - Queen Alien, and the ultimate battle between it and Ripley, who´s using the power loader. Queen was at the time probably the biggest full size monster ever created, and at the time there were no wire removal or other CGI-tricks, making it very unique even today. The featurette also shows the effects involving Bishop and the Queen. 9) “Two Orphans: Sigourney Weaver and Carrie Henn” -featurette (13:50 min) shows how special the bond was between Weaver and Henn in both real life and in the film, and Weaver was like a step-mother to her during the production. **”Superior Firepower: The Making of Aliens - Post-Production”: 10) “The Final Countdown: Music, Editing and Sound” -featurette (15:33 min) tells abut the important factors of post-production. Editing and sound mixing both had to be done in a quick way, and since there was a lot of material, this wasn´t easy. Very interesting is to hear the new interview from composer Horner, who had some issues with Cameron and Hurd during the very hectic composing period. He sounds somewhat bitter, but luckily old wounds got healed and Cameron and Horner worked again for “Titanic (1997)”. 11) “The Power of Real Tech: Visual Effects” -featurette (27:52 min) rounds up the visual effects work, and important factors such as miniatures and models. Even though some effects in the film are now dated, you have to respect these people behind the effects, and they´re nearly as important in the film as the actors. Almost, at least. Respect. 12) “Aliens Unleashed: Reaction to the Film” -featurette (11:41 min) shows how the film was ultimately received and how cast & crew witnessed this minor Aliens-phenomenon. It was a hit, even without any test screenings, and put the name James Cameron on the map for good. Easter Egg #1: “A Boy and His Power Loader” -featurette (09:38 min). On “Disc 2”, go to the "Post-Production" area. Navigate up from "The Final Countdown" -featurette selection, and highlight an icon at the top of the screen. Press "enter". This is a great story how a film school graduate got the job from James Cameron. Easter Egg #2: “DVD production credits”. On “Disc 2”, go to the “Navigation Options”-page. Use the number pad on your DVD player's remote to enter the US theatrical release date for the "Aliens"; 7-18-86. Disc also includes several different photo galleries (as well as the original treatment of the script), which includes hundreds of photos and most of them also include some supplemental text. Here´s the quick roundup (again, you can choose to watch “all Artwork” or “all Photos” from the “Navigation Options”-menu): **”Superior Firepower: The Making of Aliens - Pre-Production”: 1) Original treatment (“Alien II”) by James Cameron, David Giler, and Walter Hill - September 21, 1983. Includes 158 pages. 2) “The Art Of Aliens - Conceptual Art Portfolio”: -Gateway Station and Colony -Vehicles and Weapons -Aliens 3) “Cast Portrait Gallery - Photo Archive” **”Superior Firepower: The Making of Aliens - Production”: 4) “Production Gallery - Photo Archive” -Preparation for filming -The Narcissus -Gateway Station -Colony Life -The Sulaco -Arrival on Acheron -Main Colony Complex -Ripley and Newt -Final Battle and Epilogue 5) “Continuity Polaroids” 6) “Weapons and Vehicles - Photo Archive” 7) “Stan Winston's Workshop - Photo Archive” **”Superior Firepower: The Making of Aliens - Post-Production”: 8 ) “Visual Effects Gallery - Photo Archive” 9) “Film Finish and Release - Photo Archive”: -Music Recording -Premiere -Special Shoot Note, that all extras on Disc 2 include “forced” Japanese subtitles, but quite frankly they don´t really bother. The DVD comes in a very nice 2-disc digi-pack, which includes some advertising leaflets. The menu is half-Japanese, but fairly easy to navigate.
Overall
I said enough about the film already, so let´s keep this “short and sweet” (like Apone would say). “Aliens” is a film that you simply have to see, period. It´s almost like a synonym to the movie entertainment, and undisputed classic in its genre. R2 Japanese UE includes the “Extended version” of the film with exclusive DTS-track and digi-pack, and with a great set of extra-features. If you´re a real fan, you simply have to pick this up, since you wouldn´t tell me that you don´t want to see “Aliens” with DTS? That´s what I thought. This DVD is also a part of the R2 Japanese “25th Anniversary Alien Quadrilogy Ultimate Collection” set and “Alien vs. Predator Special Monster Box” set. This DVD is available at CDJapan.
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