Which cuts of the Alien films do you prefer?

[Kirkman1987]

With the release of The Alien Anthology, It seemed like a decent time to ask this as many are no doubt watching the films this week. I'm still trapped in the DVD age, but brought out my Quadrilogy set for viewing.

Anyway, Which of the two cuts of each film do you prefer, and why?

Alien: Theatrical - Scott still prefers this version, and the pacing is off in the DC. I really like the scene where Lambert smacks Ripley (and it's a real smack), but it feels a bit out of place in the middle of the introduction of the face hugger. I also like the slower pace of the Theatrical cut, with many scenes being slightly trimmed in the DC. I don't feel strongly either way about the egg morphing scene.

Aliens: Theatrical - It seems most fans prefer the SE, but It's too long and most of the additions don't really add much. The colony scene is the biggest mistake. The alien ship model is unimpressive and the scene itself takes away the experience of seeing the colony as Ripley and the marines see it. I feel the sentry guns grant the Marines too much saftey and kill suspense. everything else just slows down the movie to one degree or another.

Alien 3 - Assembly cut - I'm conflicted, as neither version is perfect, but the AC feels fuller. The Theatrical cut is better paced, but guts the story. I also prefer the dog burster in the TC. I've come to appreciate Alien 3 a lot more with the AC, as you get to know the characters much more.

Alien RES: Theatrical - This movie is awful, and the SE hurts it even more with the alternate opening and extended stupidity. I don't really care though, The TC sucks too.

 

[davejames]

Definitely prefer the theatrical versions. There are some cool little bits in each of the extended versions, but the movies as a whole no longer flow as well.

I mean, the early colony scene in Aliens is wonderfully directed and it's cool as hell getting to see the alien ship again, but as you say it spells things out WAY too clearly about what happened to the colony, and removes an awful lot of the mystery and suspense.

 

[Pingfah]

Alien: Theatrical - Scott still prefers this version

If that is the case, why did he bother with a Director's Cut?

 

[Kirkman1987]

Alien: Theatrical - Scott still prefers this version

If that is the case, why did he bother with a Director's Cut?

The linear notes (at least on the Quad release) written by Scott notes that The DC title was a marketing gimmick, and the cut was created to give fans added incentive to see the film when it was re-released. The Theatrical is his preferred cut.

 

[Pingfah]

That's disappointing. I actually prefer that cut myself, it seems a little snappier.

Aliens, theatrical definitely. All the extra stuff in the special edition is cool, but that is the only reason they included it. Most of it doesn't service the plot at all, and in fact seriously interferes with the suspense and the pacing.

Alien 3, the assembly cut, although I don't hate either version. Several very talented actors get juicier parts in the Assembly cut though.

Alien 4. Who cares.

 

[crouteru]

Alien - I usually watch and prefer the Director's Cut because it takes out some redundant footage from the Theatrical Version and adds in some interesting deleted footage, such as the cocoon scene.

Aliens - Without a doubt the Special Edition. Hard to believe this wasn't the actual Theatrical release. It adds more context to Ripley's character, plus we get to see the derelict again.

Alien 3 - Well obviously the Special Edition for reasons I think don't need explaining. It still feels incomplete though.

Alien Resurrection - The Theatrical Version is better because the opening and ending of the Director's Cut is just silly, although the subtle references to Newt at various points were a nice nod to continuity that were oddly cut.

 

[Kegg]

The Director's Cut of Alien definitely has tighter editing overall (compare and contrast the two chestbuster scenes, for example); but I'd still go with the Theatrical cut because I feel the slight improvements of the director's cut don't outweigh the basically wise decision to cut the scene where the Captain and Brett are being turned into aliens... which I prefer basically for dramatic reasons; keeping the focus on the final stretch of the movie just on Ripley struggling to survive is more interesting to me.

 

[MPH]

Alien: Theatrical cut. In the directors cut I like the Lambart slap, the Alien dangling before he kills Brett I also liked the small scene where the alien see the cat in the box and just slaps it out of the way, but the cocoon scene just pointless.

Aliens: Has to be the directors cut for me I mean how can you cut the sentry guns bit out!! Plus there is lots of good little dialogue from Hudson completly cut out.

Alien3: The theatrical is the best for me as the pacing is off with the assembly cut plus it makes more sense.

Alien Res: Only ever see the theatrical version

 

[Candlelight]

Alien: Theatrical Edition
I've only seen the DC once and it felt off to remove certain scenes. The Cocoon scene was great but it does fit best as a deleted scene.

Aliens: Special Edition
It's hard to not prefer this version. Sub-plots are fleshed out, not to mention a very major action sequence. The whole before-the-aliens-arrived sequence on LV426 is great to watch.

Alien 3: Assembly Cut (but with reservations)
The Assembly Cut does make the film a richer experience but making the alien come out of an ox doesn't sit with me (Murphy's emotional link with Spike the dog is removed from the movie for one), and the removal of the chest bursting scene at the end seems a poor move. I prefer the prisoners finding everyone in the EEV rather than Clemens finding Ripley on the beach; considering how the EEV "landed" it does make her survival after such an impact highly unlikely. If a cut were made of both good bits (), I'd gladly vote for that. Hell, I've got Final Cut Pro, I'll make one myself at some stage.

Alien Resurrection: Theatrical Edition
Only because it's the only one I've seen. This is the only movie of the four I have no interest in seeing again, so probably won't see the Special Edition for some time.

 

[Caligula]

Alien - One of my all-time favorites is made even more enjoyable by its Director's Cut, which coincidentally I watched just last night!

Aliens - Like with Cameron's Terminator 2: Judgment Day, both versions kick ass, but the longer version is superior.

Alien 3 - Oh, boy.... Honestly? I prefer neither. I suppose technically the Assembly Cut is better, but that really wouldn't be saying much. It's still unpleasant. And to think this was the first R-rated movie I ever saw theatrically....

Alien: Resurrection - I've only ever seen the theatrical version. Liked it the first time I saw it, but it loses a LOT in repeated viewings. That said, I still like it better than movie #3.

 

[Goliath]

I generally prefer the theatrical cuts, but my preferred version of Aliens is actually a somewhat extended version that I've only seen on television.

I don't think there's a name for this version. It adds some but not all of the additional material from the extended edition: Ripley getting the news about her daughter, the sentry guns, and Ripley's brief conversation with Hicks before she goes to rescue Newt.

I thought this actually improved the movie a bit, whereas the full extended version did not. The problem with the extended version, for me, is that it takes too long to get to LV-426. But I thought the character bits in the TV version were nice, and the sentry guns added to the suspense, without affecting the pacing.

 

[Brikar99]

"Aliens" is the only one I'm familiar enough with to make any kind of judgment (though hopefully, I'll get the new bluray set soon enough to rectify that) but I definitely prefer the 'special edition' there. At the very least, I think the scene with Ripley finding out about her daughter is pretty key and should have remained in the film. The rest of it is good, fun stuff, but not quite as necessary.

 

[Lonemagpie]

Alien- Theatrical. It would have been DC, but for the turning-into-an-egg scene, which is daft

Aliens- SE, because the added stuff about Ripley's daughter gives us a reason why she's so bonded with Newt

Alien 3- Assembly Cut. It's just closer to what Fincher had in mind

Alien Resurrection- Theatrical. The SE doesn't really add anything memorable except a very badly CGed feeble joke that's totally at odds with the tone of the rest of the film, and a dodgy tag scene. There's a reason why its acronym is ARSE.

 

[Pauln6]

I haven't seem most of the newer versions but I don't think I'm going to like the egg morphing scene in Alien. I liked most of the additions in Aliens DE except for the early scene with Newt's family. The stuff with Ripley's daughter was cool but the scene on the planet reveals too much too soon.

 

[saturn5]

The original cut of Alien is fine with me, never bothered to see the directors cut. Aliens SE the best for the sentry guns alone

 

[LitmusDragon]

I think in the case of Alien and Aliens the theatrical cuts are objectively better, but from the perspective of someone who has seen the movies umpteen times the director's cuts are more fun to watch at this point. There are certain changes in both director's cuts that work better than the original films but taken as a whole the theatricals are better.

The SE of Alien 3 works a lot better in my opinion, both objectively and for nostalgia purposes.

I haven't watched Alien 4 in ten years. Since I own it now I'll get around to it eventually I suppose. My recollection is that the only really good scene was where Ripley finds the roomful of her clones.

 

[Hyperspace05]

Aliens: Theatrical cut, of course. The SE/directors cut kills the tension. The theatrical cut is a masterpiece in editing.

 

[Ethros]

There's a reason why its acronym is ARSE.

Probably Alien original, Aliens SE (a must), Alien 3 SE, but I'm easy on that one, and yeah, Resurretion, who cares?

 

[Chris_Johnston]

I only own ALIEN & Aliens on DVD, so I can't comment on the remaining two.

I prefer the Theatrical Cut of ALIEN, not only because of the pacing and the fact that some of my favorite shots got cut out in exchange for the new bits, but also that when they brightened the image, a lot of nice little subtle detail got washed out.

As for Aliens, I like the Special Edition best, but Bill Paxton kinda got on my nerves during the dropship landing, with his "Hey Ripley! Check this out..." bit. He says "Check this out" about 8 times in the space of a minute.

 

[Admiral Shran]

Alien - Theatrical Cut. It's got better pacing, is Scott's perferred version, and thankfully doesn't include the cocoon scene.

Aliens - Director's Cut. It adds a lot to the sub-plots, particularly Ripley's interactions with Newt. While seeing the colony before the Aliens attack does take away a little of the suspense, I don't think it harms the movie.

Alien 3 - Theatrical Cut. The Assembly Cut is a mess.

Alien Resurrection - Theatrical Cut. Even for someone like me, who defends RES as an enjoyable movie, the Director's Cut is a fucking joke.