Opinions on the Alien movies

[saturn5]

I was really impressed with 3 and thought 4 was vapid. I don't get the Firefly thing, though.

3 is appalling, it just throws away all that was terrific about 1&2, it's the film network execs are shown to teach them what they shouldn't greenlight. It really doesn't understand what people loved about the other movies.

Lots of traces of Firefly in Alien 4. USM is the Alliance, the Betty is very Serenity, Cal is very River and Ron Pearlman's character very Jayne. Plus Kim Flower's (in the Zoe role) delectable backside. In the end Ripley is the new Mal

Of course it wouldn't do for me to say other than I disagree in every respect.

About Alien 3 rather than the Firefly aspect I take it? Just nip along and vote in my poll, it should settle the issue

 

[Sean Aaron]

Re: When should you stop watching the Alien films?

I was unhappy I saw Alien3 in the cinema and only saw the fourth one when it aired on television. Even with no additional charge beyond the TV license I wanted a refund.

 

[Deckerd]

What a nonsensical poll. It can only be voted on by people who have seen all 4. What is it supposed to prove? That people should have selective memory wipes?

 

[Distorted Humor]

Re: When should you stop watching the Alien films?

Aliens suck (Ducks thrown objects)

 

[iguana_tonante]

Re: When should you stop watching the Alien films?

Alien and Aliens are both classics in their own right. Skip Alien3. Resurrection was kinda funny, in a dark humorous kind of way.

I probably saw AvP, but I don't remember any of it.

 

[saturn5]

What a nonsensical poll. It can only be voted on by people who have seen all 4. What is it supposed to prove? That people should have selective memory wipes?

It's the ultimate expression of preference

 

[saturn5]

Re: When should you stop watching the Alien films?

Aliens suck (Ducks thrown objects)

You better duck, I'm going to get my pulse rifle!

 

[Distorted Humor]

Re: When should you stop watching the Alien films?

Aliens suck (Ducks thrown objects)

You better duck, I'm going to get my pulse rifle!

(Sets up one of those nifty motion sensing autocannons in my defense... and asking bishop to fly in a dropship to get me the heck out of here...)

In all seriousness, 1 and 2 are classics, 3 isn't as bad as I remembered, and 4 is so bad its almost campy.

 

[1001001]

Re: When should you stop watching the Alien films?

First two films were excellent.

The rest were craptacular.

 

[Distorted Humor]

I can actually see the Firefly Alien 4 connection in regards to the crew. But I will take the serenity crew over that of the Betty anyday... (If I was stuck on a desert island with the females of the serenity crew, it would be one of the few times i would be tempted to disable any rescue beacons )

 

[Deckerd]

I don't see any connections. I've never made any connections, which is why I suspect that what people see is what they want to see. This works both ways of course.

It first dawned on me when someone tried to insist that Deckard raped Rachel. Of course I made him see sense but it opened my eyes to the suggestibility of science fiction fans.

 

[saturn5]

I can actually see the Firefly Alien 4 connection in regards to the crew. But I will take the serenity crew over that of the Betty anyday... (If I was stuck on a desert island with the females of the serenity crew, it would be one of the few times i would be tempted to disable any rescue beacons )

I don't know, once again, Kim Flowers backside, mmmmmmm Cal is pretty hot too and Ripley still the business.

It's a debate for another topic but I believe Deckard does rape Rachel. He forces himself upon her, she succumbs like a Gothic romance heroine. But remember she's a replicant, she has no choice, she can't fight him off and she can't call for help, if she goes to the police they'll kill her, she's a non person. It may turn to love later but still (the 'romance' between Tracy Scoggins character and Methos on Highlander covers similar territory, he takes her as his sex slave but they eventually fall for one another)

 

[Hartzilla2007]

It's one of those great entries in the action genre and one of those sequels that is so dominant that it makes its predecessor feel like a prequel that only exists to set up this definitive entry.

Interestingly you also get that feeling from reading the back of the Alien VHS box.

 

[Distorted Humor]

I don't see any connections. I've never made any connections, which is why I suspect that what people see is what they want to see. This works both ways of course.

Well, a LOT of people have made the connection of Firefly, a JW written story about a old spaceship and its crew of oddballs, and the Betty crew, a JW written old spaceship and its crew of oddballs. Of course, Firefly is MUCH better...

 

[Deckerd]

I can actually see the Firefly Alien 4 connection in regards to the crew. But I will take the serenity crew over that of the Betty anyday... (If I was stuck on a desert island with the females of the serenity crew, it would be one of the few times i would be tempted to disable any rescue beacons )

I don't know, once again, Kim Flowers backside, mmmmmmm Cal is pretty hot too and Ripley still the business.

It's a debate for another topic but I believe Deckard does rape Rachel. He forces himself upon her, she succumbs like a Gothic romance heroine. But remember she's a replicant, she has no choice, she can't fight him off and she can't call for help, if she goes to the police they'll kill her, she's a non person. It may turn to love later but still (the 'romance' between Tracy Scoggins character and Methos on Highlander covers similar territory, he takes her as his sex slave but they eventually fall for one another)

I only brought it up as an example. No fishhook.

 

[JohnChod]

Re: When should you stop watching the Alien films?

Alien was a horror movie in a sci-fi setting - the invincible creature hiding in the dark until the moment it leaps out and kills you. Not only was it practically indestructible, you couldn't injure it because the blood would eat through the ship's hull and you'd end up dead anyway.

Aliens was OK, but it was a completely different type of movie - not that that's necessarily a bad thing. The horror of the first movie was replaced by the blazing action of the second. The fear of the corrosivity of the blood was minimized as it flew all over kingdom come. Although enjoyable, the atmosphere of the first film was what makes it my favorite.

So, I voted to stop after Alien, even though Aliens is still a good flick.

I don't mind Alien3 as much as a lot of people do. It had some pretty sizable issues that invalidated much of Aliens (death of Newt, etc.), but it returned to a slightly more creepy atmosphere. OK movie, but I could have done without it.

I don't think about Resurrection all that much. Definitely weird, but it had its moments.

I saw AVP and thought it useless. Never saw AVP:R.

 

[RogerWaters]

Re: When should you stop watching the Alien films?

I loved Alien & Aliens. As as I'm concerned that's were the franchise stops. I've seen 3 & Resurrection, but regretted seeing both. They just were just really crappy movies that not only did not add anything good to the franchise, they seemed to make the first two worse. I don't mind the AVP movies, but I don't own them nor do I plan to buy them.

 

[davejames]

Re: When should you stop watching the Alien films?

Alien3 may not come close to the quality of the first two, but I still really love it's moody, operatic style and fantastic score. And compared to most of the horror movies made today (and especially the Alien movies that followed), it almost looks like a classic of the genre.

That said... it DOES tarnish the previous movie a little too much, and the saga would probably be better off without it.

 

[Expo67]

Re: When should you stop watching the Alien films?

Definately after viewing Alien and Aliens. The first two movies will always be the best ones.

The less said and viewed of the third and fourth, the better.

 

[Andrew_Kearley]

Re: When should you stop watching the Alien films?

Alien 3 is a (admittedly flawed) masterpiece. Anyone would be a fool not to see it, especially in the workprint version that's available on DVD, which gives you a much better idea of what Fincher was trying to do before the suits fucked with it. And what an amazing cast.

I'd say watch the first three. The first is the best, Alien 3 is pretty close to it. Aliens is an exciting action/war movie, worth watching but not really on a par with the other two.