Aliens (Collector's Edition)

Rating:
Summary: defacing a classic....
Review: Enough with "Director's Cuts" and "Special Editions" already! Why has the DVD revolution become an excuse to shovel in useless "bonus" footage from the cutting room floor? Films are historical and artistic documents, and are meant to be seen they way they were originally released. "Aliens: the Special Edition" is a glaring example of this. You can argue up and down as to the merits of the 17 extra minutes of footage (I, for one, think they dilute the plot, hamper the pacing, and leave less to the viewer's imagination), but the fact remains that this is not "Aliens" as it was intended to be. If you're a purist, steer clear of this one. (That is, until the marketeers decide to make a few extra bucks by putting out an "Aliens: the Theatrical Release" someday).

Rating:
Summary: "Let's Go Marines! "
Review: When I first saw this movie, i was skeptical, i had heard of bad reviews of the movie from the series that was currently out (ahem -- Alien 3). I was terribly, terribly wrong. THis movie is great in every way. From the excellent acting from Micheal Beihn and Sigourney Weaver, to the special effects and the directing. Even the scenes created a feeling of atmosphere, making a great movie even better. I say if you love movies, go for it. I say if you hate movies, go for it. You will not be disapointed

Rating:
Summary: "Let's Rock! "
Review: This Aliens Special Edition DVD is the best of the Alien trilogy, with excellent sound and visual effects. Textures are sharp the colours are beautifully restored from the 80's. This DVD should have been remastered in full screen as well, as widescreen is great if you have a widescreen TV, but on a standard sized TV, the visual effects are somewhat lessened. The end sequence of Ripley vs. the Queen is excellent and I still get an adrenaline rush. Additional features are interesting and include an interview with James Cameron. I was disappointed in the quality of the photos in the gallery, rather pixelated. Overall an excellent DVD to add your collection and highly recommended for Alien enthusiasts as well as those who haven't seen this movie.

Rating:
Summary: The best of the series
Review: I think this is the best of the series of Alien movies. The addition of the new scenes add to the film & help some of the continuity. They also freshen it up & almost make it a new movie. Having the digital 5.1 sountrack available is great although, at least on my system, you have to remember to select it from the menu. The DVD transfer seems well done too.

Rating:
Summary: The Special Edition greatly adds to the experience
Review: At first, I was a little aprehensive about the Special Edition. I thought that they had to have taken out the footage for some reason. I figured it would be pretty bad. Boy was I wrong. The Special Edition added a lot to the story. It showed why the aliens didn't attack the barracades. It showed how the colony got overrun. I enjoyed this movie very much. For any fan of the Aliens movies, or for any fan of good ole action flicks with its share of kokes, this is the movie for you. I recremend this over the other one just because it explains how things heppened better.

Rating:
Summary: An Amazing Movie, Unberably Intense
Review: "Aliens" along with "Terminator 2" is a sequel that far surpasses the original. Everything about this movie is amazing, once the suspense starts the movie becomes almost unbearable, it is so intense that you almost can't stand it. It's ironic that both "Aliens" and "Terminator 2" are both directed by the great director James Cameron. After the movie is over you feel tired from watching this movie it wipes you out, but that's not a bad thing.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent use of DVD
Review: Having seen but failed to buy the special edition when it first came out I've been looking for it ever since. And now I found it on DVD. The film itself is of course excellent so of more interest is the use made of DVD. And in a word it's brilliant. The "Behind the scenes" and the Design Photographs are very revealing. It does lack a commentary track but the interview with Cameron is a good alternative. The picture and sound clarity are amazing. Probably the crispest picture I've seen. All things considered a definite must buy for any fans of the film.. even those who own the tape version.

Rating:
Summary: Setting the record straight on the "image quality"
Review: To anyone who assumes that the video quality is poor or too "grainy," please keep in mind that James Cameron and photographer Adrian Biddle chose to make this film look the way it does. Some say that it adds to the realism, making the film look like historic war footage. Others argue that it helps to minimize the "European studio look." This film was made at Pinewood Studios, where such classics as The Shining and The Empire Strikes Back were produced. But Aliens looks radically different. This film actually looks as if it was filmed on an alien world. 14 years after its initial release, I still can't believe that this film was produced for under $25 million! I think the adrenaline-to-cost radio is the best of any contemporary summer blockbuster. Gale Anne Hurd and James Cameron pulled off an artistic and financial masterpiece. And it's Cameron's best screenplay to boot. And it even has a Vietnam War analogy. To this day, action films seldom get as good as this!

Rating:
Summary: What? You don't own this disc?
Review: Everyone with a DVD player should have this classic movie in their collection. Of course, I am a bit partial, as this is my favorite sci-fi/action movie of all time. The DVD menus are absolutely outstanding. They aren't technologically groundbreaking, but they convey the atmosphere of the movie perfectly. I was, and still am, extremely impressed with them. My only complaint, and it's not really a complaint, is that this is the Special Edition. I still have a soft spot for the original... but you can always jump the colony scene (which I find corny) as it is conveniently placed in it's own chapter. Nevertheless, I am happy this movie got such a great treatment on DVD, and from Fox too, whom had previously given DVD lackluster support at best.

Rating:
Summary: Great Movie!
Review: I love this movie. This one is my favorite in the Alien series, the first Alien is my second favorite, then Ressurection, and finally Alien 3. The new version has great color and sound remastering, and the new footage is great too. I especially like the scene with the remote guns shooting the aliens invading the marines base. This version shows why Ripley was so attached to Newt, because she herself lost her daughter while she was asleep for 57 years. The Director's Cut also shows Newt's family on the colony before the Aliens invade it, showing Newt's dad with a face hugger attached to it which led to the doom of the colony. Buy this version if you are a Alien movie fan, and at least rent it if you are not.