AVS Forum banner

Alien Anthology (Blu-ray) Official AVSForum Review

28K views 76 replies 47 participants last post by  sl168 
#1 ·


The Review at a Glance: (max score: 5 )

Film:


Extras:


Audio/Video total rating:

 

( Max score: 100 )

 

85


 

 

 

 

Studio and Year: 20th Century Fox - 1979, 1986, 1992, 1997
MPAA Rating: R
Feature running time: 116/137/115/109 minutes
Genre: Sci-Fi/Horror

Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: AVC (MPEG-4)
Video Aspect: 2.35:1, 1.85:1 (Aliens)
Resolution: 1080p/24


Audio Format(s): English DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio, English Dolby 4.1 surround (Alien/Aliens), French DTS 5.1, Spanish/Portuguese Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese
Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartright, Tom Skeritt, Harry Dean Stanton, Yaphet Kotto, John Hurt, Ian Holm, Michael Biehn, Bill Paxton, Paul Reiser, Lance Henriksen, Jenette Goldstein, Charles S. Dutton, Charles Dance, Winona Ryder, Ron Perlman, Brad Dourif, Dan Hedaya
Directed by: Ridley Scott, James Cameron, David Fincher, Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Music by: Jerry Goldsmith, James Horner, Elliott Goldenthal, John Frizzell
Written by: Dan O’Bannon, James Cameron, David Giller, Walter Hill, Larry Ferguson, Joss Whedon
Region Code: A

Blu-ray Disc release Date: October 26, 2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"In space no one can hear you scream"

 

 

Film Synopsis:


 

 

Alien: The terror begins when the crew of the spaceship Nostromo investigates a transmission from a desolate planet and makes a horrifying discovery - a life-form that breeds within a human host. Now the crew must fight not only for its own survival, but for the survival of all mankind.

Aliens: The only survivor of the Nostromo's deadly encounter with the alien, Ripley's escape pod floats in space for 57 years. After being rescued, Ripley's stunned when her story is met with disbelief. Then all communication is lost with the colonists who've settled on the alien planet. When the Company asks Ripley to accompany a team of high-tech Colonial Marines back to LV-426, she refuses. But she ultimately realizes that the only way to banish her fear is to confront it head on.

Alien3: Ripley is the sole survivor after her escape pad crash-lands on Fiorina 161, a bleak planet inhabited by former inmatese of a maximum-security facility. When she realizes an alien was also aboard her craft, she is shocked to learn the inmates possess no advanced technology or modern weapons. Yet no weapon can help Ripley after she learns that the alien terror has taken on a frightening and new personal dimension.

Alien Resurrection: Two hundred years have passed since Ripley made the ultimate sacrifice on Fiorina 161. But over the years, and after seven horrific failures, scientists have finally cloned a perfect replica of Ripley, which includes the alien Queen growing inside her at the time of her death. But this new breed of alien is far more intelligent than its predecessors - a fact the scientists don't realize until after The Betty has arrived with additional human hosts.

 

 

My Take:


 

 

I following is taken from the first page in the Alien Anthology keep case; When Alien was unleashed in theaters in 1979, the world as introduced to one of the most terrifying monsters in motion picture history and one of the most popular movie franchises of all time. Equal parts horror, sci-fi and psychological thriller, the Alien movies raised all three genres to a bold new level. I think that is a fairly true statement that correctly reflects my feelings on the Alien Franchise. This of course is strictly applicable to the first two films although I have no trouble watching Alien3 and Alien Resurrection. I will never forget the first time I saw Alien. I was 15 years old and went to see it at the movies after a friend raved about it. Not since seeing Jaws had I felt such gut wrenching fear although with Alien it was magnified by the visceral depiction, high level suspense and (at the time) amazing special effects. In my opinion the boogeyman had been given a new face. Of all the Alien films the chest bursting scene in the original is still the one that I find has the most effect. I guess that is a testament to John Hurts terrific performance but also because of the setting in which it occurs.

The script is strong and the characters are well developed which helps to draw the audience into the film’s conglomeration of fear which is built upon a homogeneous element that would prove to be one of the best big screen monsters ever. Aliens would follow seven years later and took the concept to the next level by incorporating more of an action based story. I prefer the extended cut of Aliens for its deeper storyline with respect to Ripley’s past and the little bit we get to see of the colonists on LV-46 (which includes Newt’s back story). James Cameron knows how to write/direct stimulating action and in Aliens we get it in spades. We see Ripley’s character become better defined and take on the strong female persona that will become her trademark. In addition there is a variety of characters in support who each add an element that enriches to the story. Personal favorites, two of whom are noted Cameron regulars, are Michael Biehn (Hicks) Bill Paxton (Hudson) and Jenette Goldstein (Vazquez). Honorable mention goes out to my man Lance Henriksen as “synthetic person” Bishop and Paul Reiser’s portrayal of corporate nebbish Burke. The pacing is spot on and once things get moving after the first act it never lets up. The ending gets just a little corny but perfectly caps an excellent thrill ride that is my favorite film in the series.

Alien3 and Alien Resurrection are not in the same category as the first two films in my opinion. Alien3 seemed like an unnecessary afterthought. I hated its opening segment which thoroughly derailed the rewarding aspects of the ending to Aliens. The story which takes Ripley to a prison planet lacked focus, inspired action and defining characters. It left the Ripley character in dire straits that could only end one way, and did. In an effort to reboot the franchise Fox released Alien Resurrection five years later. Taking place 200 years after the end of Alien3 it finds scientists in the process of cloning Ripley and the Alien queen gestating in her chest in an effort to come up with the ultimate weapon by design. While there are aspects of it that I like it eventually degenerates into a series of campy scenarios and cheesy dialogue that makes it hard to take seriously. Nonetheless both Alien3 and Alien Resurrection are built upon the foundational premise of the original film which holds interest for me as a fan so I tolerate their shortcomings.

The Alien films successfully traverse genre boundary lines and make for truly thrilling sci-fi/horror that adds a generous helping of action which sweetens the pot. It made Sigourney Weaver a household name and has proven to be a definitively successful movie franchise with a wide fan base. I have been hooked since day one and am absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to review this amazing set from Fox.

Each film gets its own disc and is presented in both their theatrical and special edition versions which is a nice touch. The entire set comes housed in a great looking book style keep case that is sturdily bound and features “pages” for storing each of the discs while including accompanying photos from each film. Also included is a pamphlet describing MU-TH-UR Mode and another with instructions on the use of the Disc Unbound feature which according to Fox makes navigating the multi-disc experience of the Alien Anthology seamless and faster. The keep case slides into a matching and sturdily constructed slipcover that makes for a handsome addition to any collection.

* It should be noted that I encountered some compatibility issues with Alien and my Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray player. The Director’s Cut of the film played the Ridley Scott opening just fine but when the film started the image was zoomed in and shifted 2/3’s of the way down and to the right. In order to correct the issue I needed to press the menu button then resume play. It took quite a bit of tinkering/frustration to come to this conclusion. It should also be noted that in order to get any of the discs to load I needed to clear persistent storage before playing each (every time). Neither issue was present on my Samsung BD-C7900 Blu-ray player. *

 

 

Parental Guide:


 

 

These films contains frightening images, graphic violence, language and sci-fi action.

 

 

 

 

AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65

**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**


(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Audio: 86


 

 

 

  • Dynamics:

  • Low frequency extension:

  • Surround Sound presentation:

  • Clarity/Detail:

  • Dialogue Reproduction:

 

 

 

 

Video: 85


(The rating above is an average of the two scores as indicated below)

 

 

 

 

 

  • Resolution/Clarity:

  • Black level/Shadow detail:

  • Color reproduction:

  • Fleshtones:

  • Compression:

 

 

Alien comes to Blu-ray Disc from 20th Century Fox featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 25 Mbps and lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 3.4 Mbps.

Aliens comes to Blu-ray Disc from 20th Century Fox featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 26 Mbps and lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 3.8 Mbps.

Alien3 comes to Blu-ray Disc from 20th Century Fox featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 20 Mbps and lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 4 Mbps.

Alien Resurrection comes to Blu-ray Disc from 20th Century Fox featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 30 Mbps and lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 3.9 Mbps.

In looking at these four films in high definition I couldn’t help but feel as though Alien and Aliens were a cut above Alien3 and Alien Resurrection. I will break my comments down into two portions, one for Alien/Aliens and the other for Alien3/Alien Resurrection. I will rate each set as a pair and average them together for an overall video rating.

I own Alien/Aliens on DVD and have seen them countless times which includes their theatrical presentations (although my recollection of them on the big screen is quite hazy). It should be noted that these are predominantly dark films shot in low lit environs that in general don’t make for punchy and vibrant imagery. Proper adjustment of your display’s white/black levels will ensure gleaning the most from them. Both Alien and Aliens have undergone 4k transfers and the results are excellent. Alien in high definition looks better than expected. Colors, especially primaries are rich and vivid. This can be seen in things like the Hawaiian style shirt worn by Brett or Parker’s blue headband. The opening sequence that pans across the colored lighting of the instruments panels, revealed clean rendering with no signs of color bleed or blooming. Blacks are stable and deep with only the finest gradations being mildly crushed. The static images of space have excellent contrast, visual depth and dynamic range. The dark and shadowy confines of the ship’s interior look great. The level of detail visible in the various interior sequences enable the texture of surfaces and the instrumentation on equipment panels to be discernible even in low lighting. The faces, hair and clothing of the crew is noticeable detailed as well. Complexions are realistically depicted with natural tonality and discernible refinement. Some of the visual effects left the video looking a little soft in places however this is innate and not problematic as fidelity is unaffected.

Aliens original film elements differ from Alien however the presentation shares similar attributes. Aliens primarily adheres to muted/filtered colors that consist of blues, grays, greens etc. with occasionally brighter elements that appear natural in depiction. It uses various types of lighting for illumination, especially during the sequences that take place once they arrive on LV-46. Contrast is bold without compromise, while blacks are elevated slightly which leaves them lacking punch. I don’t feel it negatively impacts quality as it is consistent with the visual style of the film’s remaining elements and tends to preserve detail in the plethora of darkened sequences that take place in the compound on LV-46. With the amount going on in the background during this film I would rather sacrifice a little dynamic range for added dimension. As much as I was impressed with the level of detail present in Alien, Aliens looks even better. The infirmary dream sequence where Ripley first meets Burke looks terrific. The finely articulated minutia in the texture of her skin/hair, Jonesy’s fur and Burke’s suit jacket is discerning. James Cameron uses lots of close-up camera work and the definition visible here is rewarding. Wide angle shots not involving special effects have appreciable depth and noticeable refinement that enhances perspective. On DVD this film has a readily apparent, and at times, distracting level of grain. Here grain is clearly present but appears to have been dialed down slightly. The result doesn’t infringe upon fidelity and in my compliments the presentation. Video score: Alien = 86/Aliens = 88/Total = 87

Neither Alien3 or Alien Resurrection received the recent care that went into Alien/Aliens but both are newer films that had been upgraded for previous home video release. Each utilizes stylized visuals that maintain a singular chromatic aesthetic and boldly applied contrast. Resurrection is primarily sepia toned with bronze highlights while Alien3 is consistently neutral with muted secondary hues. Alien3 is innately softer than Resurrection but presents a bit better due to the consistency in its filmed elements. Both films present well in high definition by exhibiting resolution and detail that easily improve upon any previous standard definition release. Alien3’s black levels are stable while Resurrection’s fluctuate between average and deep. In each case (more so in Resurrection) I felt that the difference between contrast/brightness failed to provide smooth transitions during sequences containing mixed light/dark elements. This impacted the perception of shadow detail but not to a deleterious degree. I noticed low level noise here and there with Resurrection being the more prominent (worst case being visible on the grid pattern in the metallic walkway in chap. 6 as Winona Ryder and company arrive on the science ship). Otherwise I didn’t detect any overt signs of video related artifacts or digital manipulation and was generally pleased with the faithful quality of these high definition presentations. Video score: Alien3 = 82/Alien Resurrection = 84/Total = 83

Each of these films comes to Blu-ray featuring lossless DTS-HD Master Audio surround sound. I was happy with the quality of each presentation and will rate them as a whole. Alien being the oldest of the four retains a front oriented presentation with low level ambience bled to the rear channels. This isn’t a bad thing as the mix conveys the film’s originally recorded elements without an ostentatious and unnatural display. The soundstage across the front of the room is wide and exhibits discernible channel separation. The rendering of dialogue and the clarity of the sounds/effects is quite good. The clarity of the dangling chains and dripping water in the large utility room during Brett’s search is notable. Dynamic range is limited by the age of the soundtrack however my subwoofer occasionally rumbled in response to the ships engines/thrusters.

Aliens has more of an aggressive soundtrack. Its presentation retains the positive attributes previously described for Alien while increasing dynamic range and adding a bit more atmospheric depth to the soundfield. Explosions and gunfire are punchier with robust low frequency support that doesn’t achieve the response/depth of today’s digital movie soundtracks but rumbles nicely. The integration of James Horner’s music and the action based sequences (in scenes such as Ripley and the APC rescue) has never sounded better. Alien3 and Alien Resurrection are increasingly more fulfilling in terms of implementing use of the surround platform and extending dynamic range. Both sound good with Resurrection being the more aggressive of the two. Front and rear channel imaging is excellent as off camera sounds and spatial cues cohesively mate with the events transpiring onscreen. There isn’t frequent use of deep bass, but when present (like in the chapter 11 gunfire exchange) it resonates with punctuated authority that energizes the room. All in all each presentations makes for an excellent experience that mates well with the source material and enhances the enjoyment of the Alien films.

 

 

Bonus Features:


 

 

DISC ONE: ALIEN

 

In addition to over 12 hours of candid, in-depth documentaries, you now have the ability to go even deeper into Alien Anthology history with nearly five hours of additional video Enhancement Pods created exclusively for this collection, presenting behind-the-scenes footage, raw dailies and interview outtakes from all four films. At topical points in the documentaries, you may access these pods to enhance your experience, or watch them on their own from the separate Enhancement Pod index.

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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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

  • The Beast within: Making Alien (9 segments) + Enhancement Pods

  • Superior Firepower: Making Aliens (11 segments) + Enhancement Pods

  • Wreckage and Rage: Making Alien3 (11 segments) + Enhancement Pods

  • One Step Beyond: Making Alien Resurrection (10 segments) + Enhancement Pods

  • MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience to access and control Enhancement Pods.
  • Pre-Production
    1. First Draft Screenplay by Dan O’Bannon
    2. Ridleygrams: Original Thumbnails and Notes
    3. Storyboard Archive
    4. The Art of Alien: Conceptual Art Portfolio
    5. Sigourney Weaver Screen Tests with Select Director Commentary
    6. Cast Portrait Gallery
  • Production
    1. The Chestbuster: Multi-Angle Sequence with Commentary
    2. Video Graphics Gallery
    3. Production Image Galleries
    4. Continuity Polaroids
    5. The Sets of Alien
    6. H.R. Giger’s Workshop Gallery
  • Post-Production and Aftermath
    1. Additional Deleted Scenes
    2. Image & Poster Galleries
  • Experience in Terror
  • Special Collector’s Edition LaserDisc Archive
  • The Alien Legacy
  • American Cinematheque: Ridley Scott Q&A
  • Trailers & TV Spots
  • Pre-Production
    1. Original Treatment by James Cameron
    2. Pre-Visualizations: Multi-Angle Videomatics with Commentary
    3. Storyboard Archive
    4. The Art of Aliens: Image Galleries
    5. Cast Portrait Gallery
  • Production
    1. Production Image Galleries
    2. Continuity Polaroids
    3. Weapons and Vehicles
    4. Stan Winston’s Workshop
    5. Colonial Marine Helmet Cameras
    6. Video Graphics Gallery
    7. Weyland-Yutani Inquest: Nostromo Dossiers
  • Post-Production and Aftermath
    1. Deleted Scene: Burke Cocooned
    2. Deleted Scene Montage
    3. Image Galleries
    4. Special Collector’s Edition LaserDisc Archive
    5. Main Title Exploration
    6. Aliens: Ride at the Speed of Fright
    7. Trailers & TV Spots
  • Pre-Production
    1. Storyboard Archive
    2. The Art of Arceon
    3. The Art of Fiorina
  • Production
    1. Furnace Construction: Time-Lapse Sequence
    2. EEV Bioscan: Multi-Angle Vignette with Commentary
    3. Production Image Galleries
    4. A.D.I.’s Workshop
  • Post-Production and Aftermath
    1. Visual Effects Gallery
    2. Special Shoot: Promotional Photo Archive
  • Alien3 Advance Featurette
  • The Making of Alien3 Promotional Featurette
  • Trailers & TV Spots
  • Pre-Production
    1. First Draft Screenplay by Joss Whedon
    2. Test Footage: A.D.I. Creature Shop with Commentary
    3. Test Footage: Costumes, Hair and Makeup
    4. Pre-Visualizations: Multi-Angle Rehearsals
    5. Storyboard Archive
    6. The Marc Caro Portfolio: Character Designs
    7. The Art of Resurrection: Image Galleries
  • Production
    1. Production Image Galleries
    2. A.D.I.’s Workshop
  • Post-Production and Aftermath
    1. Visual Effects Gallery
    2. Special Shoot: Promotional Photo Archive
  • HBO First Look: The Making of Alien ResurrectionM/li>
  • Alien Resurrection Promotional Featurette
  • Trailers & TV Spots
  • Two Versions of Alien Evolution
  • The Alien Saga
  • Patches and Logos Gallery
  • Aliens 3D 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

 

 



 

 

Final Thoughts:


The Alien films successfully traverse genre boundary lines and truly make for thrilling sci-fi/horror that have entertained audiences for over thirty years. I have been a fan since day one and am absolutely thrilled that it has finally arrived in high definition Blu-ray Disc. Fox has delivered one of the most impressive high definition releases to date in the Alien Anthology. Fans can revel in newly mastered editions of Alien/Aliens and quality high definition transfers of Alien3/Alien Resurrection that all far surpass any previous home video release. In addition the set devotes two Blu-ray Discs to the most comprehensive compliment of bonus features I have ever seen and houses it all in a beautiful package that is worthy of its contents. A true fans delight this is simply a must have and gets my highest recommendation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 








Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews





Reference Review System:


JVC DLA-RS20 1080p High Definition Front Projector (Calibrated by Jeff Meier)

Stewart Filmscreen - Studiotek 130 G3 100” 16x9 Screen

Anthem AVM50v THX Ultra 2 Preamp/Video Processor

Sherbourn Technologies - 7/200 Seven Channel Amplifier

Oppo BDP-83 Universal disc/Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)

Samsung BD-C7900 Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)

Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player (HDMI Audio/Video)

Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)

Oppo 970HD universal disc DVD Player (480i HDMI)

Philips TSU9400 Pro Series Touch Panel Remote Control

Canton "Ergo" Series speakers

Axiom Audio QS8 Quadpolar speakers

SV Sound PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)

APC AV S15BLK Power Conditioner/Surge Protector

Furman SPR-20i Stable Power Regulator

Wireworld, VizionWare, Audioquest, Better Cables, Best Deal Cables - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling

Cool Components - CP-CP102 cooling package


 

 
Alien Anthology (Blu-Ray)

  • Threads: 6
try {
if (typeof embedModuleDisplayOnce == 'undefined' || !embedModuleDisplayOnce) {
embedModuleDisplayOnce = true;
_gaq.push(["_trackEvent", "affiliate-d-embpro-mct-lo-t", "displayed", window.location.pathname, 0, true]);
}
}
catch (e) {}
 
See less See more
17
#2 ·
Thank you Ralph as I already jumped in and have the UK set coming, I happen to like all 4 movies and this waiting is driving me nuts. I even have a new popcorn popper ordered (just kidding)
 
#3 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by wvasko /forum/post/19398485


Thank you Ralph as I already jumped in and have the UK set coming, I happen to like all 4 movies and this waiting is driving me nuts. I even have a new popcorn popper ordered (just kidding)

With all the bonus features included, you'll need two poppers. One of my favorite film series. This will be on my Xmas list for sure...


Great review Ralph and thanks for your effort providing accurate details. You're the man!!!
 
#4 ·
Great review Ralph! Six disc set too? wow!



I've seen all of them countless time and i still come back to the very first and original Alien. IMO nothing beats the original. Although the rest are great there's just something about the first one that doesn't get old. Especially the droid guy. lol!



Collect!


Cheers
 
#5 ·
Number 2 has always been my favorite. I liked the Ripley/Queen fight among other things. Wish I had a dollar for each viewing, I could spend a month in Hawaii.
 
#6 ·
No one can hear you scream... about the price of this set. This thing is a walletburster. Happy to get this, but even at $90 at Amazon, that's $20 plus with a couple movies well not worth the price of admission. I trust this will drop to $60 and will then sell briskly.
 
#9 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by rdgrimes /forum/post/19399119


Order from Amazon UK. Mine was $57 shipped. Same discs, packaging a little different.


You tell-em I stutter, The 4 movie discs a tad over 14.00 a disc
 
#11 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by rdgrimes /forum/post/19399119


Order from Amazon UK. Mine was $57 shipped. Same discs, packaging a little different.

Wow... I had seen people say that before but, for some reason, I didn't believe it. Just bought mine. $90 is a stretch. $60 I can deal with. Be hard pressed to see it drop below that.
 
#14 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by robertc88 /forum/post/19399441


An extra dose of thank you and appreciation is in order for providing us with the review of this set, great job as always. You can have the next few days off!

Greetings,


You're very welcome Robert. I could use the time off but have a few in the hopper..




Regards,
 
#15 ·
I would love to watch these 4 films. I have actually never seen them yet, but heard great things about them. I hope I will be able to give these a rental on Blu sometime soon. Looks like neither NF or BB has them available to rent yet, but of course the discs have not been released individually yet.
 
#16 ·
Personally, I think those who balk at the introductory pricing would do well to simply wait. This BD set comes in at about the same price as the earlier Quadrilogy DVD set at the time of its initial release, but now - a few years later - that set can be had for around 80% off of its original cost!


Great review, Ralph. Quick question though: I see that you have an Oppo BD player in your equipment list. I had heard that Oppo players are having problems with playback of Alien and Aliens (see *here* ), and am wondering if you experienced a similar problem and, if so, how you dealt with it. Thanks.
 
#17 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Vlad Theimpaler /forum/post/19400083


Great review, Ralph. Quick question though: I see that you have an Oppo BD player in your equipment list. I had heard that Oppo players are having problems with playback of Alien and Aliens (see *here* ), and am wondering if you experienced a similar problem and, if so, how you dealt with it. Thanks.

From ralphs review, above-


"* It should be noted that I encountered some compatibility issues with Alien and my Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray player. The Director’s Cut of the film played the Ridley Scott opening just fine but when the film started the image was zoomed in and shifted 2/3’s of the way down and to the right. In order to correct the issue I needed to press the menu button then resume play. It took quite a bit of tinkering/frustration to come to this conclusion. It should also be noted that in order to get any of the discs to load I needed to clear persistent storage before playing each (every time). Neither issue was present on my Samsung BD-C7900 Blu-ray player. *"
 
#18 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by westgate /forum/post/19400371


From ralphs review, above-


"* It should be noted that I encountered some compatibility issues with Alien and my Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray player. The Director's Cut of the film played the Ridley Scott opening just fine but when the film started the image was zoomed in and shifted 2/3's of the way down and to the right. In order to correct the issue I needed to press the menu button then resume play. It took quite a bit of tinkering/frustration to come to this conclusion. It should also be noted that in order to get any of the discs to load I needed to clear persistent storage before playing each (every time). Neither issue was present on my Samsung BD-C7900 Blu-ray player. *"

I totally missed that, I went straight to Ralph's PQ/AQ critique.


Color me stoopid



Sorry, folks and apologies to Mr. Potts.
 
#19 ·
I hope Alien and Aliens have stereo surrounds now.


Alien was one of the rare 70mm presentations (though, a Panavision 35mm upconvert) with split surrounds and an LFE "baby boom" channel... an early 5.1 mix.


Aliens would need an audio remix overhaul, but absolutely deserves it, as it was originally in 4.0 for Dolby A printmasters. Prior home video releases spread the mono surround to the two discrete surrounds and filtered the bass to the .1 channel... a fake 5.1 encoding of said 4.0 printmaster.
 
#21 ·
I love the first two films and own a bunch of versions of both Alien and Aliens. I hesitated getting the blu-ray as have seen the disasters that a lot of the older films became in the move to blu-ray format. I have read a few reviews of this pack and they all seem to state the same as the review here. Now, I will just wait for a slightly lower cost
 
#22 ·
Ralph: Thanks for the excellent review. For those of us who are fans of the "Alien" films, it is safe to say that we agree on the fact that the first two films are the best of the four, by a large margin. I found the second two films barely watchable and only own the Alien/Aliens. Like the other fans here, I have watched both of them many times and have been waiting for the Blu-Ray release. I will wait until they are released individually to buy the first two. Hopefully that will be available by summer. You are spot on regarding the Director's Cut providing a better story, due to the background of the settlers on the planet.
 
#23 ·
"Alien" was transcendent. Phenomenal achievement.

"Aliens" was a great action adventure.

"Alien3" had some good moments, and a bold conclusion.

"Alien Res" was a waste, with only one good scene.
 
#25 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wizziwig /forum/post/19400912


Wouldn't the standard-def extras (most likely from the DVD version) be in PAL on the UK release? Not sure if that's worth saving a few bucks vs. the NTSC version.

Check the Aliens Anthology thread over in the Bluray Software forum. Its been verified that UK version extras do not contain PAL content. By all indications the US and UK versions only differ in their packaging(and price).
 
#26 ·
Guys, what exactly is the 'Workprint Version' for Alien 3? Unfinished scenes added in or something else? Do you all find it makes Alien 3 a better movie or not? I kinda liked the dark, desolate nature of Alien 3, but agree with Ralph, its intro really takes away from Aliens' conclusion. And, Aliens is just about as perfect a sci-fi (or any movie) can ever get!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top