Aliens

Linkdump for March 30th from 13:25 to 16:32

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Sometime between 13:25 and 16:32 on March 30th, I thought this stuff was interesting. You might think so too!

  • The Male Power Fantasy (and why Mad Max and Captain Kirk don’t fit): This relates to a theory I have, which is that the archetypal Western Male Hero is James Bond, to the degree that people (Mainly straight white men) start to see every Western Male Hero as James Bond. Which is to say an aggressively masculine, quip-spitting, hyper violent womanizer. The ultimate Male Power Fantasy. A new supermodel love interest (or two) every film, a gun in his hand, and no consequences for his actions.
  • So many biological genders: If anyone tells you that there are 2-3 sexes in the world I want you to just go ahead and slap them.
  • Fight Club and toxic masculinity (with a side of Mad Max: Fury Road): Hold up – you mean there are people who watch Fight Club and don’t realise that Tyler Durden is meant to be full of shit?
  • Geisha FAQ: Please do not spread misconceptions about these hard-working women artists. They deserve respect and have persevered for centuries with women at the forefront of these professions.
  • Earth is dangerous: I really want a science fiction story where aliens come to invade earth and effortlessly wipe out humanity, only to be fought off by the wildlife.
  • Of privilege and nostalgia: The reality is, there was never a time when everyone could just enjoy things. To be able to say you had that time is to admit the privilege you had at not having to think about problematic behavior because it didn’t negatively affect your life.
  • To everyone else in the galaxy, all humans are basically Doc Brown.: Random Headcanon: That Federation vessels in Star Trek seem to experience bizarre malfunctions with such overwhelming frequency isn’t just an artefact of the television serial format. Rather, it’s because the Federation as a culture are a bunch of deranged hyper-neophiles, tooling around in ships packed full of beyond-cutting-edge tech they don’t really understand.
  • Snarky but amusing and thorough Romeo and Juliet analysis: SUMMARY: Romeo and Juliet is a stunningly rich play that is mostly about how feuds fuck people over badly and how if you have to wait until YOUR KIDS OFF THEMSELVES to figure that out you deserve to lose your children. Romeo and Juliet are victims of the feud and its mindless death-lust, not perpetrators of death on others. They’re not supposed to be figures of ridicule OR representatives of True Love: they’re supposed to make the audience go “oh BABIES, no, you’re going to end so badly” and then be sad when they do.
  • The singular “they”: Next time someone complains about singular “they” I’ll point them to this 17th century rant against singular “you”.

Linkdump for March 30th from 11:01 to 11:37

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Sometime between , I thought this stuff was interesting. You might think so too!

Alien Quadrilogy

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Just in case any Alien/Aliens/Alien^3^/Alien Resurrection fans happen to stop by here who haven’t heard about this yet…

…you really need to hit Amazon and order your copy of the Alien Quadrilogy.

Press release with full specifications follows (though be aware that while mostly correct, it apparently contains a few inaccuracies — for full, correct specs and reviews, see The Digital Bits’ review):

A L I E N QUADRILOGY

BURSTING WITH 45 HOURS OF BONUS MATERIALS AND NEVER-BEFORE-AVAILABLE VERSIONS OF EACH MOVIE, THE DEFINITIVE 9-DISC SET LANDS ON DECEMBER 2, 2003

Fox Home Entertainment Sets The DVD Bar With Ridley Scott, James Cameron, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Original Film Editors, Five FX Companies And More To Deliver The Ultimate Alien Collection

CENTURY CITY, Calif., — The Alien Quadrilogy is hatching! The ultimate nine-disc Alien DVD collection, loaded with never-before-available versions of each movie, plus a bonus disc, explodes on December 2, 2003 from Fox Home Entertainment. Featuring 45 hours of never-before-seen footage, the Alien Quadrilogy includes the original theatrical releases of each of the four films in the franchise plus alternate versions of each film and out-of-this-world bonus features including new director commentaries, original screen tests and production footage. A ground-breaking initiative from Fox Home Entertainment, the significant under-taking marks the first time a studio’s home entertainment division has finished a theatrical film (Alien3). Working closely with Directors Ridley Scott, James Cameron, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, original film editors, and teams from Fox Restoration, Fox Sound, Visual Effects houses, TCFHE and the DVD producer coordinated the restoration of original footage, reconstruction of original audio, new visual effects and foley work, and much more to allow fans to experience the Alien franchise as never before. The most highly anticipated box set of the year is set to infiltrate homes this holiday season with a suggested priced of \$99.98 U.S./\$139.98 Canada.

On January 6, 2004, the Alien singles DVD discs will land. The two-disc Collector’s Editions of Alien, Aliens, Alien3 and Alien Resurrection will be loaded with the never-before-available versions of each film, plus commentaries from the world-renowned directors, behind-the-scenes featurettes and much more for a SRP of \$26.98 U.S./\$37.98 Canada. Pre-book date for the singles is December 10, 2003. The Alien Quadrilogy bonus disc is exclusive to the box set.

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES

Presented in English 5.1 Dolby Digital (except for Alien and Alien Resurrection, which are also presented in English 5.1 DTS), French Dolby Surround (Canada only) and Spanish Dolby Surround (U.S. only) sound. All films are anamorphic widescreen with their original 2.35:1 aspect ratios (except for Aliens, which is presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio) and THX certified.

ALIEN
  • The original 1979 theatrical version of Alien and the 2003 Director’s cut
  • An introduction by Director Ridley Scott, Dan O’Bannon, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt and more
  • Brand new commentary by Ridley Scott and the technical crew
  • Nine brand new documentaries:
    • “Star Beast” — On developing the Alien story
    • “The Visualists” — the direction and design of the film
    • “Truckers In Space” — Casting the movie
    • “Fear Of The Unknown” — Behind the scenes at Shepperton Studios in 1978
    • “The Darkest Reaches” — Developing the Nostromo and Alien planet
    • “The Eighth Passenger” — Creating the Alien
    • “Future Tense” — Focusing on the music and editing of Alien
    • “Outward Bound” — Peering into the film’s visual effects
    • “A Nightmare Fulfilled” — Reaction to the film’s opening
  • A Multi-Angle Scene Study on the Chestburster sequence with optional commentary by Ridley Scott and the production team
  • Sigourney Weaver’s original screen test with optional commentary by Ridley Scott
  • Seven deleted scenes with a deleted footage marker and deleted scene index
  • The first draft of the screenplay by Dan O’Bannon
  • Ridleygrams — Original thumbnails and sketches by Ridley Scott
  • Storyboard Archives
  • The Art of Alien including a cast portrait gallery, production gallery, the sets of Alien, H.R. Giger’s Workshop, continuity polaroids and VFX gallery
  • The original theatrical posters and stills from the premiere
ALIENS
  • The original theatrical version – available for the first time ever on DVD – and James Cameron’s special edition version of Aliens
  • An introduction by Director James Cameron
  • Brand new commentary by James Cameron, Michael Biehn, Jenette Goldstein, Carrie Henn, Terry Henn, Lance Henriksen, Gale Anne Hurd, Pat McClung, Bill Paxton, Dennis Skotak, Robert Skotak and Stan Winston
  • James Cameron original treatment
  • Nine brand new featurettes:
    • “57 Years Later” – Continuing the saga
    • “Building Better Worlds” – From concept to construction
    • “Preparing For Battle” – Casting and characterization
    • “This Time It’s War” — A look back at Pinewood Studios, 1985
    • “The Risk Always Lives” – Weapons and action
    • “Bug Hunt” — Creature design
    • “Beauty And The Bitch” — Power Loader vs. Queen Alien
    • “Two Orphans” — Revisiting Sigourney Weaver And Carrie Henn
    • “Aliens Unleashed” — Reaction to the film
  • The Art of Aliens including conceptual art portfolio, cast portraits, production gallery, continuity polaroids, Stan Winston’s workshop, VFX gallery and premiere stills
  • Deleted footage marker and deleted scene index
  • Multi-angle videomatics with optional commentary by Miniature Effect Supervisor, Pat McClung
  • An Easter Egg
ALIEN 3
  • The original theatrical version and a restored pre-release version with more than 30 minutes of never-before-seen footage
  • Brand new commentary by Cinematographer Alex Thompson, Editor Terry Rawlings, VFX Designers Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff Jr., Visual Effects Producer Richard Edlund, and actors Paul McGann and Lance Henriksen
  • 11 new featurettes:
    • “Development” — Concluding the story
    • “Tales Of The Wooden Planet” — Vincent Ward’s vision
    • “Pre-Production III” — The making of Alien 3
    • “Xeno-Erotic” — H.R. Giger’s redesign of the Alien creature
    • “Production: Part One, Part Two, and Part Three” — Behind-the-scenes on the production of the movie
    • “Adaptive Organism” — Creature design
    • “Optical Fury” — Visual effects
    • “Music, Editing And Sound”
    • “Post-Mortem” — A reaction to the film
  • E.E.V. Bio-Scan — A multi-angle vignette with optional commentary by Alex Gillis
  • The Art of Alien 3 including conceptual art portfolio, production gallery, and visual effects
  • Furnace construction time lapse
  • Storyboard archives
ALIEN RESURRECTION
  • The original theatrical version and an extended cut with alternate opening and ending sequences
  • An introduction by Director Jean Pierre Jeunet
  • Brand new commentary by Director Jean Pierre Jeunet, Herve Schneid, Alec Gillis, Tom Woodruff Jr., Pitof, Sylvain Despretz, Ron Perlman, Dominique Pinon and Leland Orser
  • First draft of the screenplay by Joss Whedon
  • 11 new featurettes
    • “From The Ashes” — Reviving the story
    • “French Twist” — Direction and design
    • “Under The Skin” — Casting and characters
    • “Death From Below” — Underwater photography
    • “In The Zone” — Basketball scene
    • “Unnatural Mutation” — Creature design
    • “Genetic Mutation” — Creature design
    • “Genetic Composition” — A listen to the music
    • “Virtual Alien” — Computer generated imagery
    • “A Matter Of Scale” — Miniature photography
    • “Critical Junction” — A reaction to the film
  • Multi-angle rehearsal footage
  • A Mike Carro photo gallery, a conceptual art gallery, VFX gallery, a promotional photo archive and continuity polaroids
  • Storyboard archives
  • An Easter Egg
BONUS DISC
  • A brand new Q&A with Ridley Scott
  • “Experience in Terror” — A promotional featurette from 1979
  • “Alien Evolution” — Channel 4 U.K. exclusive documentary on Alien
  • A complete laser disc archive of Alien and Aliens
  • Original theatrical trailers and TV spots from all four films
  • “Aliens In The Basement” — Inside the Bob Burns ALIEN Collection
  • Dark Horse cover gallery — Anthology of 11 issues of the ALIEN comics
  • DVD-ROM feature — Script to screen comparisons

SYNOPSES

ALIEN

Alien is the first movie of one of the most popular sagas in science fiction history, and introduces Sigourney Weaver as Ripley, the iron-willed woman destined to battle the galaxy’s ultimate creature. The terror begins when the crew of a spaceship investigates a transmission from a desolate planet, and discovers a life form that is perfectly evolved to annihilate mankind. One be one, each crew member is slain until only Ripley is left, leading to an explosive conclusion that sets the stage for its stunning sequel, Aliens.

ALIENS

In this action-packed sequel to Alien, Sigourney Weaver returns as Ripley, the only survivor from mankind’s first encounter with the monstrous Alien. Her account of the Alien and the fate of her crew are received with skepticism – until the mysterious disappearance of colonists on LV-426 leads her to join a team of high-tech colonial marines sent in to investigate.

ALIEN 3

Lt. Ripley (Weaver) is the lone survivor when her crippled spaceship crash lands on Fiorina 161, a bleak wasteland inhabited by former inmates of the planet’s maximum security prison. Ripley’s fears that an Alien was aboard her craft are confirmed when the mutilated bodies of ex-cons begin to mount. Without weapons or modern technology of any kind, Ripley must lead the men into battle against the terrifying creature. And soon she discovers a horrifying fact about her link with the Alien, a realization that may compel Ripley to try destroying not only the horrific creature but herself as well.

ALIEN RESURRECTION

Ellen Ripley (Weaver) died fighting the perfect predator. Two hundred years and eight horrific experiments later she’s back. A group of scientists has cloned her-along with the alien queen inside her – hoping to breed the ultimate weapon. But the resurrected Ripley is full of surprises for her “creators,” as are the aliens they’ve imprisoned. And soon, a lot more than “all hell” breaks loose. To combat the creatures, Ripley must team up with a band of smugglers, including a mechanic named Call (Winona Ryder), who holds more than a few surprises of her own.

A recognized industry leader, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is the marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming on VHS and DVD as well as video acquisitions and original productions for the U.S. and Canada. Each year the Company introduces hundreds of new and newly repackaged products, which it services to more than 70,000 retail outlets — from mass merchants and warehouse clubs to specialty stores and e-commerce — throughout North America. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is a unit of Fox Filmed Entertainment, a Fox Entertainment Group company.

Puts me to sleep every time

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Early fall, 1997.

James, Richard and I had just gotten out of a late showing of that year’s Sci-Fi/Horror film, “Event Horizon“. None of us had known quite what we were in for when we decided to go, aside from the most basic premise of “something creepy happens in space,” but it looked fun, so off we were.

We had a blast. The movie itself, if you haven’t seen it, is either really good or really horrible, depending on how you look at it. As a horror movie, it’s pretty good — as a science-fiction movie, it’s horrendous. That night, though, we just had a lot of fun with the horror movie part, sitting in the dark in a huge theater, jumping at all the cheap thrills and loud noises, and thoroughly enjoying it.

Leaving the theater sometime after midnight, we were so jazzed on adrenaline that we were bouncing off the walls, so we stopped off at the local grocery store for some snacks.

“I like it here,” commented James as we walked down the aisles. “It’s warm…the lights are on…there’s air…. Can we stay?”

We got to the checkout counter, and I started skimming the tabloid headlines as James and Richard paid for their goodies. “Hey guys,” I said, and held up the latest Weekly World News. “Alien’s Last Words!”

James just looked at me and deadpanned, “Ack. Ack ack. Ack ack ack ack. Ack.”

Eventually we headed back to my apartment. Once we got there, James decided that he was still too amped from the movie to have any chance of going to sleep. In order to relax and calm down, he decided the best thing to do would be to watch a nice, calm, relaxing movie.

Like Aliens.

True to form, he was asleep before the movie ended.