Original Alien Trilogy - Special Editions vs Theatrical

[Teelie]

Fox absolutely paid for Biehn's likeness (the image that comes up on his death report to The Company -- a promo photo from Aliens was used) ...Biehn has gone on record that he was paid more for his likeness appearing in Alien3 than he was to actually be in Aliens.

That's right. I forgot it was actually the opposite. They had to buy him out of Alien 3 rather than try to keep him in it. Alien 3 was such a trainwreck with so many changes I got those details backwards. Everything else I mentioned is more or less accurate, although the timeline of what went where is still murky.

The first drafts were with Hicks and Newt and little Ripley, then they rewrote it a few times with the wooden ship and monks with Ripley, then I think there was another draft where even more weirdness went on and then finally they settled on the script with the monks turned to prisoners although with Weaver's involvement it consistently went with "no guns."

 

[Ethros]

Aliens SE (rare example where deleted scenes add to story and character; but yes, the theatrical is more taut)

The scene with Ripley finding out about her now deceased daughter is absolutely essential to me. It completely changes the dynamic she then has with Newt and you view it. And at the end when Newt runs to Ripley to hug her and cries "mommy", you know how much it means to both of them.

 

[Gary Mitchell]

The meddling that went on with Alien 3 is legendary in the AVP fan community.

Wait a minute...AVP stands for Alien Versus Predator right? There's actually an AVP fan community?

 

[Ethros]

Wait a minute...AVP stands for Alien Versus Predator right? There's actually an AVP fan community?

Some of the AVP comics were pretty cool. But I assume it means for the Alien/Predator franchise as a whole perhaps

 

[Gary Mitchell]

^ah. I think I've only seen the movies.

 

[Mike Farley]

If we include the AvPs, I think I enjoy AvP more than Prometheus or Covenant (given that there is a lot of alcohol involved) but yes, AvP:R is sooo far down that list... there are probably one or two Sharknadoes one could place above it.

The internet is not big enough to put AvP:R in its proper place.

 

[davejames]

The scene with Ripley finding out about her now deceased daughter is absolutely essential to me. It completely changes the dynamic she then has with Newt and you view it. And at the end when Newt runs to Ripley to hug her and cries "mommy", you know how much it means to both of them.

Yeah I agree it gives their interactions a whole new meaning, but to me there's something a bit too contrived about the idea, and it feels like this weird piece of news and tragic backstory that comes out of nowhere and that the character didn't really need. The trauma Ripley suffered through in the first movie is already more than enough to set up what's to come, and she certainly doesn't need another reason to want to save this poor, traumatized little girl trapped on an alien-infested colony.

In fact I think it works a lot better if Ripley becoming this protective mother figure to Newt is something we just sort of see happen organically, and not after being telegraphed strongly beforehand.

 

[Teelie]

Wait a minute...AVP stands for Alien Versus Predator right? There's actually an AVP fan community?

Some of the AVP comics were pretty cool. But I assume it means for the Alien/Predator franchise as a whole perhaps

^ah. I think I've only seen the movies.

Yes, there is a community for the combined universe, not the movies specifically. The comics started it although Predator 2 was right around that time with the alien skull easter egg and spread from there into video games and eventually the movies.

There are also some halfway decent books and some equally terrible ones.

 

[Solariabsg25]

At the end of the Alien 3 alt cut, the alien doesn't burst out of Ripley's stomach at the end when she's falling to her death. Just wondered why that was, was it not part of the original plan, or some thought it was silly or something?

There was a reshoot done as Terminator 2 was released, and they felt the simple "self-sacrificing via molten metal" would have been thought to be too close to the climax of that movie.

I prefer the special edition of all the movies, except the ending of Resurrection, as this ending seems to shows Earth abandoned and devastated, so I'm unsure why there was such a big deal about trying to keep the Aliens from getting there.

 

[Harvey]

Fox absolutely paid for Biehn's likeness (the image that comes up on his death report to The Company -- a promo photo from Aliens was used) ...Biehn has gone on record that he was paid more for his likeness appearing in Alien3 than he was to actually be in Aliens.

At first Fox balked at paying Biehn for his likeness (there was a dummy made that looked like the actor to show the character's body; this was changed so as to be unrecognizable).

Later, in editing, they decided to add the images of the characters to the computer report that opens the movie, and ended up shelling out for Biehn's likeness, anyways.

The extended versions all have their charms, but the only one that I prefer to the theatrical is Aliens. The assembly cut of Alien 3 is an interesting alternate, but both versions have their shortcomings, and neither is a great movie.

 

[Nightowl1701]

I prefer the special edition of all the movies, except the ending of Resurrection, as this ending seems to shows Earth abandoned and devastated, so I'm unsure why there was such a big deal about trying to keep the Aliens from getting there.

It's called dramatic irony. Ripley spent the whole series trying to save the Earth, only to finally arrive (257 or so years after she left it) to find there's no world left to save. Now she's the (half)alien invader.