Ridley Scott is great for DVD material because he often likes to tinker with his work, although the original versions are still the best in my opinion. That is also the case with the original ALIEN. This DVD version has deleted scenes supplemetal material, including all the ones used in the 2003 version, plus the other deleted scenes, along with audio commentary by Scott, plus isolated/alternate musical score of the film. Even Ridley Scott himself said the original is still his preferred edition. The film transfer is about the same, so unless you liked the 2003 edition, and a few features exclusive to the 2-disc edition, there not much else that's different from the 2004 2-disc edition (which is also featured in Alien Quadrilogy)and this one, except price in most cases. If Ridley would have used the 2003 edition as the original in 1979, it would have probably changed the films that followed, so in that sense it's worth watching once. But for me, it just doesn't work as well for subsequent viewings, and you can understand what Ridley means by saying the original just works better. In all honesty either set would work for any fan of the films, but if you can live without the 2003 version, this edition works perfectly and might just save you some $$$Read full review
I recently reread the movie novelization of this title, and decided that it was time for it to enter my video library. I specifically wanted something more than a used copy on VHS from a defunct video store, and did want to experience the movie closer to a "Director's Cut" version. And this one did very nicely. The original Alien movie was ground breaking for it's look and feel, from an eclectic crew on an industrial space vessel, to the exploration of an alien ship, to the frantic battle for survival with a creature that they have real understanding of. The monster was one of the most chilling creatures to appear on screen in that day, with it's numerous life stages and it's remorseless hunting of the crewmembers. This particular version includes some nice extras, notably several dropped scenes and some running commentaries about making the movie. It also has a gallery of several of the creature designer's rough sketches, showing the evolution of the monster. On the down side, this is not a definitive Director's cut edition, so the movie itself is still the original. (Not terrible, just a point for me.) The menu is sometimes difficult to manipulate. And I found myself somewhat disappointed with the cut scenes, most likely due to both my imagining of them from the book, and the advancement of the storyline over the years, changing from the original concept. Still, if you love sci-fi horror movies, this one is a classic, and noted for setting the stage for other similar movies later on. If you're just a fan of the cast and director, an excellent movie to watch some late night.Read full review
This dvd presents the movie in it's original form. This is not a director's cut, but I fail to see a need for one for such an exemplary movie. Extras include director commentary and deleted scenes, both of which are interesting for long time fans and give insight into the origin of this classic franchise. This movie, like Star Wars did two years earlier, has "lived in" science fiction elements and settings. This approach toward production design helps to immerse the audience into the world of the movie, as the settings are not spotless, shiny, and perfect like Star Trek, but rather are dirty and used, futuristic but very utilitarian. This helps the viewer to concentrate on the plot and the performance of the cast, rather than flashy wizbang technology. Truly one of the greatest horror films, and presented here flawlessly.Read full review
I repurchased this movie, because the one I had was locking up, which I contribute to DVD rot. I really like this movie as well as "Aliens", I also have both of these movies on Laser Disc as well. The movie is suspense and keeps you on the edge of your seat. This movie is also made for a big screen and will immerse you in the action, when I say big screen I mean a 110" or bigger. This was also the first movie my wife and I saw together.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
I had already seen all the movies but never had collected them. I only watched the last two as I had the 1 & 2 on VHS and had seen them recently, which is why I wanted the last two. They had very clear pictures, were in excellent condition. I am very pleased with my purchase. I think they all are scary, but the first one was the scariest.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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