Which Alien DVD do I buy?

I have them all and IIRC the lastest is the best wrt PQ. I don't know if Alien was every made with DTS or not. However, note that Alien has a fair amount of film grain - some people just can't handle that.

larry

Well, it only takes about 2 minute to pull up the info on all the editions and see what type of audio is used.

larry

These have DTS:

Alien (Quadrilogy) (20th Century Fox) 754kbps
Alien Resurrection (Quadrilogy) (20th Century Fox) 754kbps
Alien vs. Predator (20th Century Fox) 754kbps

All the Alien Movies from the Quadrilogy have DTS
which are the same as the New 2 disc collectors editions
That's the same as the Quadrilogy except sold in 2 disc packs and doesn't come with the ninth disc of special features.

Here's the link to the Alien with DTS

http://www.amazon.com/Alien-Two-Disc...?ie=UTF8&s=dvd

Since folks very familiar with the Alien series might be watching this thread, might I ask - has there ever been an R1 disc of any sort of Alien Resurrection that was similar to the theatrical cut shown outside the U.S. where several shots were not shortened or removed to please the MPAA?

I didn't realize AR had that "issue". Probably because it was the weakest of the series and didn't pay that much attention.

larry

And here I was thinking AR was one of the best.

Well shall I spiel the beans shall I. The best version is the original first edition which sounds more truthful to the 70mm six-track Dolby stereo version oh yeah!

The mix when A&B the differences like when (Dallas is in the air ducts) the sound of the music is and most of the wonderful sound effects are placed on left and right.

Dialogue and some occasional sound effects are placed in the centre channel, but only at certain times.

Now be my guess and A&B the two versions, you'll hear that part of the centre phantom music and sound effects have been mixed over the original centre channel mix, this will make softer sounds difficult to hear now. LOL, The dts mix is nothing but a scam for this sad DVD, realise and to sucker you into buying it just because it got dts on it! It was naff and naff piss poor re-mix!




Rating for picture 10/10
Rating for sound 10/10




Rating for picture 5/10
Rating for sound 2/10

The only real differences is audio commentary, tweaking the brightness values for the image wow, I have a brightness control on my SONY KX-27 PS1 wow big rip off deal we have going hear.

Shame, shame on you (Ridley Scott) I would have expected greater statue of work on this piss poor RIP OFF!!!

One other thing the quid RIP OFF box-set is denying is the Jerry Goldsmith isolated score.

No for presentational playback of Alien the first DVD edition will suffice as being true to the 1979 original.

And don't bother with both version of Alien on that RIP OFF quid set the Dolby stereo mix is the same piss poor re-mixing by the sad re-mixer who did I guess he's not putting his name on the credits, because they'll be mob outside his home!

Guys I know what to look for and listen for and the best version without an doubt what so ever is the original first edition. I liked how (Ridley Scott) raved about the (six-track Dolby) on the audio commentary, but makes no reference to it on the Alien RIP OFF quid box-set, hmm, strange don't you think.

Special edition Aliens picture 9/10
Special edition Aliens sound 7/10

I think Gale Anne Hurd said something in a science fiction magazine around 1986, Starlog? That the 70mm version is the way to see and hear Aliens, something like that, but don't quote me on that.

All I can say is I missed the opportunity to seeing the 70mm version and knowing its strengths on technical issues for sound, well that film is a gem it's awesome from start to the last moment when you hear a face hugger slivering from left centre and right on the end credits.



Original Aliens picture 10/10
Original Aliens sound 10/10

Special edition Aliens picture 9/10
Special edition Aliens sound 7/10

Seeing the original version of Aliens was never realised separately onto DVD except for the THX laserdisc with glorious six-track Dolby stereo sound, well the only original version is to be found on the quid? Box-set it's a mixed box-set wit pros and cons, but you hath to know what to look for and listen for.

I have so many version of the first two films on DVD and laserdisc it's difficult to choose over the bunch which one do you like, well I guess it depends on the type of mood you're in, one day you might play to you're friends, that's the original version that they think they heard in the cinema but only saw the 35mm version without realizing what differences there are between 35mm Dolby stereo and 70mm six-track Dolby stereo.

AlienS, rather than Alien, would be the better choice for house-shaking effects. Being a horror/suspense movie, the effects in Alien are more commonly of the subtle, raise-the-hair-on-the-back-of-your-neck variety.

Picture 10/10
Six-track Dolby stereo digital with spilt-surrounds 10/10

Alien 3 here's another realise that was also produced for the wide format 70mm exclusive presentation of six-track Dolby stereo, I missed this version, instead I had to settle for the Dolby stereo SR which sound great well ok, it was petty the UCI cinema at Tower park Poole based here in Dorset didn't have THX to really showcase the film off!

The original version which is found on both DVD sets first edition and quid box-set is the same, except, except I what to swing from the frigging chandelier now, oh my god, I knew they where having difficulties with the production but this version really take the piss! I can't talk about this version no more, oh the horror!

Alien resurrection wow, I first saw this at the Lee Valley UCI 12 screen site when attending for a projectionist interview back in 1997, I didn't get the assignment at that site but I do not forget a single thing about presentational sound playback!





The film was presented in dts and the dts sucked -10/10! sure dts sounds different, different so you will have less data loss of sound due to bit rate and no pops between where reels are spliced together wow big deal it really sucked, it might have sounded better in a top notch THX sound system cinema, rather than a substandard cinema!

It did however sound great at my little home cinema where warmness of sounds over the three-screen captivated my full attention! Sub bass extension is plenty to slam kick punch and drop down to Alien killing depth!

LFE.1 on the exclusive sub bass is, wow when the little differences between scenes like, ricochet a bullet of a few walls and killing some poor ole sausage dead in his tracks!

The special edition of Alien resurrection, well I'd sooner feed that to the bitch! It was a load of bollocks! Oh the horror!

Picture 2/10
dts sound 5/10

"Get away from her you bitch"!

When the cargo door raises and locks into place on the centre channel its deep I mean DEEP!!!! Yeah centre channel can just have as much equal bass
than the LFE.1!


The surrounds on Aliens original six-track Dolby stereo mix is out of this word with an assorted mix of low end that is placed deeply when the doors open on the drop ship sequence.


"We're on an express elevator to hell - going down!"

Quick question JBL but what size of screen do you watch the original Alien and Aliens on because to me Aliens in particular suffers very badly on the DVD format....so many problems with the picture and it's not the grain which should be there i'm talking about....both the original and quad boxsets suffer this problem and also the original Alien is a lot softer and filtered than the latest quad box set version which i believe has been taken from a newly printed master which had a short cinema run before hitting DVD......

The music we hear during Alien is isolated i also believe it was Jerry Goldsmiths alternative score which is there and it's a great score but anyways i think regarding image quality we might have to disagree on this one....regarding sound quality i would sure like to hear the Dolby 70mm six track presentation...is that on the original Alien and Aliens DVD release ?

FoxyMulder

I use a SONY KX-27 PS1 its she's old but she'll hold. Differences between the two, well I'd have to turn the home cinema on and look for the differences in aspect ratio of the 2.35:1 scope.

The CAV laserdisc box set of Alien well that is slightly cropped off on the horizontal.

I know if looking at the CAV laserdisc and when comparing it to the first edition DVD there is a huge leap in differences there's more width to the 2.35:1 scope, and the colours have richer texture more, crisper and shaper definition!

I used to view on a 29inch screen and i used to consider some films being reference quality....i then bought a projector and now view on a 106inch screen and trust me my perception has changed....so many flaws that you can now see that were invisible even when you went up close to the screen.....edge enhancement is especially easier to see ( unfortunately ) but then so many faults with old DVD's not holding up as well as more recent ones with the odd exception.

Blow your socks off and buy a projector.

You can have one of those rich bitch plasma screens and I'll bet you £1.00 the image is (over scanned) £1.00! Size doesn't mater my ageing 4:3 SONY monitor got more on horizontal width than my mate's lemon plasma screen.

If he could adjust the horizontal hold to display more width then I might have viewed plasma screens with positive attitude over expense, what donkeys do they train to calibrate these screens?

So the answer is Alien first edition mate.

Don't forget it's a transfer from film to video and video is always going to be plagued with slight problems.


Film is original television isn't.
David Lean

Alien collection CAV box-set individual Alien DVD first editions and Alien quad box collection. This sounds perfect on the JBL control 5 and the JBL control 1 surround array, not to mention the JBL 4645 THX sub bass.

Nooooooooooo..... i don't have a plasma....i have a projector....2 totally different technologies.....here's a link to the forums which discuss projectors.....My Projector is a Panasonic AE700....great for movies.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=68

FoxyMulder

Hmm, needle in a haystack within a haystack mean anything that's the overall index page mate I need the link to you're thread or post mate.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=68

I have heard that LED is going to be doing something new for the DLP projectors with less problems with lifespan of the bulb. Wow if I had dosh mate that's what I'll be waiting for. 60.000 hours yeah I wonder how much over the cost of xenon tubes for cinema where costs are huge, over halogen bulbs for the common home video projector might be slightly less but still expensive to keep the video projector operational.

Yeah I would like to have a video projector very much and then I can build the THX baffle wall for the loudspeakers and say bon voyage to my CRT, I'll still keep her until she gives up the ghost.

FoxyMulder

I'm not much of a Sherlock Holms mate, but just where is your thread or post showing the overall look of the home cinema set-up with the Panasonic AE 700?


Bugger me ! Fast food ain't what it used to be!

bgillyjcu

You might consider the Quad set just for the amazing 2nd disk docs. They're like having 4 extra movies. Once I watched the 2nd disks in series during a week and not the films. Perhaps the best `making of' content ever produced. The same company is doing the Blade Runner Final Set.

I had the original Quad Pkg and changed over to the 2 disk sets. Didn't like opening that huge folder.

Just a Thought

E

Is there any version of Aliens in which the explosion of the atmospheric processor is somewhat loud? I have the original single disc version and the sound on that scene, which is really the climax of the movie, really sucks. Otherwise probably my favorite movie.

Buy the Blu-ray version.

I wouldn't touch the Blu-Ray version with a ten foot barge pole, shall I tell you why, because it would be the one with the cowed up soundtrack.

I'll bet you £1.00 pound because that's all Blu-Ray is worth! £1.00!