From: wbarnes@sura.net (Bill Barnes)
Subject: Re: Aliens Special Edition -- Yuck!
Followup-To: rec.arts.sf.movies
Organization: SURAnet, College Park, MD, USA, NA, Earth, Milky Way
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 23:18:53 GMT

[I'm sure the r.a.sf.movies people are just THRILLED to see this post...8-]

In article <1992Aug28.202513.2213@kong.gsfc.nasa.gov> jonke@kong.gsfc.nasa.gov (Stephen Jonke) writes:
>I just rented this and is it only me, or are there others who really dislike
>all the extra footage?  Most discussions in the past seemed to be dealing
>with the picture quality and grainyness (which I thought was good for the
>most part except maybe one or two short sequences), but I don't recall
>anyone discussing the merits (or lack thereof) of the extra footage.

Well, as a general rule I liked the extra footage, but...well, we'll get to
the specifics later.

>A general gripe is that most of the scenes add nothing to film other then
>in lengthening an already long film.  The only exception might be the remote
>sentry stuff which was mildly interesting.

Oh really?  Hmmm, the long sequence at the beginning on LV 426 shows what
life on the colony was like prior to the Alien infestation, as well as
how the infestation got started (presumably with Newt's father).  The
bit about Ripley's daughter explains, IMHO, quite a bit about her bonding
with Newt (beyond the stereotypical maternal reaction, that is) and shows
us a side of her we didn't even know about.  The sentry guns bit helps the
whole "barricade inside Operations" make more sense and transitions between
scenes, which felt abrupt to me in the original movie, are made smoother.
Hudson's hypothesizing about the Alien Queen is known as foreshadowing 'round
here (maybe a little too obviously 8-).  Newt and Ripley talk about babies
and death and stuff, bonding them a bit closer.  Even Hudson's inane comments
about, "I am the *ultimate* badass!" during the drop emphasized his breakdown
later.

There were some scenes that were probably unnecessary, like the final
pronouncement on Ripley in her hearing, Burke's comment about "Building
Better Worlds," the pan through the interior of the Sulaco prior to the
marines waking up, etc.  But I don't think you can say they added nothing.
Well, you can, but I'm gonna disagree with you!  8->

>A second complaint is that many
>of the additions/changes in dialog are really pretty "gushy" -- in particular
>the exchange of first names scene nearly made me throw up!  Someone along the
>line realized this and edited the stuff out for good reason!  If you haven't
>seen this version, you'd get an idea of what I mean by "gushy" dialog by
>watching Cameron's film, xxxxx (can't remember the name -- the one about
>the aliens underwater), which has some of the "gushiest" dialog around.
>Phony emotions might be a better way to put it and if Cameron isn't put
>under control he tends to spout the stuff!

Actually, I thought the exchange of names was reasonably well-done.
It was their way of acknowledging they had grown close without
bursting out into a corny, "I LOVE YOU!" line.  Their relationship
wasn't purely professional but it was wasn't puerily prepubescent
either.  (Sorry, couldn't resist a bit of alliteration there...8-) And
this was the only new scene I considered borderline gushy.  Which other
ones did you consider gushy.

I admit, Cameron did kinda get out of hand in The Abyss (that's the
one you're trying to think of) at times, but I think it's a tribute to
his ability as a director - as well as his actors' - that he could
pull off some "gushy" lines and not induce nausea in me.

>By far, the worst addition to the film is the longest addition.  The scenes
>in the beginning of the S.E. edition taking place on LBxxx (whatever the
>name -- obviously I have trouble remembering names!)  Although these scenes
>are reasonably well done, their effect is to give us a glimpse early on
>of what happened and how the colony was wiped out.  When watching the original
>version, although you had some idea of what happened just from seeing the
>first film, the lack of seeing anything specific added to the mystery and
>enhanced the "I don't know what's going to happen next" aspect of the film.
>Plus, you knew instantly that they would find Newt (or her brother or both),
>where as in the originally released version it was suprise.

I will agree that that first scene drastically alters the feel of the
rest of the movie, but I think it's a trade-off.  In the original, you have
no idea what's happened to the colonists, so there's an extra edge of
suspense; that edge is lost in the extended version, since the audience
has a good idea of what happened.

However, you do gain something too: we meet Newt beforehand, so we can
compare her relatively normal young girl behavior to her shell-shocked
state later, thus giving it more punch, as well as finding out what's
happened to at least one of her parents; we are told then about the
corp who says, "Go look at a grid referrence," which foreshadows the
revelation of Burke's greed (perhaps a bit too obviously, but at least
it was out of the blue like it was in the original); and we see what
colony life is like and again can compare it to what it's like after
the Marines arrive.

>Incidentally, by reading through some of the extras on the disc (which are
>quite good (except for the occasional "here's Cameron drinking tea with
>Paul Reuben" pictures), I found that the special fx for the above sequence
>were finished specially for the special edition.  Early on they must have
>realized that the sequence probably would NOT be a good idea, but Cameron
>must have felt differently.  Well, Cameron was wrong.  I suppose it shows
>that directors really aren't Gods and are definitely NOT the only person
>involved in the end result of a released film.  The S.E. edition really
>feels like something Cameron wanted to do simply because he didn't want all
>that extra footage he shot to go to waste.  Well, it was a waste to start
>with and that's why it was edited out.  It's all part of making a good film
>-- you need to know what should be edited out, as well as what should be
>included and Cameron definitely needs help in this department.

Actually, Cameron, I believe, has the final call on all his films.  The movie
Aliens was the way it was because that's how Cameron felt it should be,
given the time constraints place upon him (i.e. it should be under 140
minutes).  The special edition of Aliens is that way because this is how
Cameron feels the film should be without time constraints.  If he just
"didn't want all that extra footage he shot to go to waste," why didn't
he stick in the infamous scene where Ripley discovers Burke cocooned
in the wall?  Because he felt it shouldn't be there either.

[God, I just love these objective arguments! 8-]

>Oh, the letterboxing does wonders for the film, but I only wish that there
>were a "less then special" edition that was a letterboxed version of the
>film as it was released in the theaters (or include the extra footage
>in the extras section instead of the film itself, as will be done for
>the Alien special edition.)  As it is, (IMHO) there is not yet a good
>letterbox version of Aliens.

Suit yourself.  I happen to favor the special edition over the actual movie.
However, I will agree that the two have a surprisingly different feel,
considering they are still the same movie with just 15 minutes of footage
seperating them, and I think, if one wants to compare the two, that they
should see the actual film first then watch the special edition.

[I'm *still* kicking myself for not seeing Aliens when it came back for
Finals Film Week at the Hoff Theater...]
-- 
Bill "Whassamatter?!  Can't you take a joke?!" Barnes   wbarnes@sura.net
Disclaimer:  The author apologizes for any thought-provoking material he may
	     have accidentally included and promises not to do it again.
Datclaimer:  My employers wouldn't WANT to share some of my opinions.
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases