• Best of the Alien Quadrilogy
    187 replies, posted
I watched the fourth yesterday, wasn't all that bad but it was far from the first two
[B]This is how I would rank them:[/B] [U]Theatrical films:[/U] 1. Aliens (great) 2. Alien (great) 3. Alien 3 (pretty weak, the cuts hurt the story/themes/characters too much. Damn those meddling studios! :argh:) 4. Resurrection (shit) [U]Extended/director's editions on the Quadrilogy:[/U] 1. Alien 3 (in this form it's my favourite alien film. To be fair though, the opening rescue scenes were better in the theatrical version, and I also prefer the dog scenes to the ones with the ox.) 2. Aliens (improves upon the already perfect theatrical version) 3. Alien (pretty much just as good as the theatrical version, but the canonically suspect cocoon scene - even though effective - makes me prefer the theatrical version) 4. Resurrection (the extra material adds very little, the revised opening and closing parts are actually worse)
i never saw resurections old ending, i might youtube it
[QUOTE=gnome;22006124]All right, I mean I can accept that the original concept of the alien was quite different, but I suppose I just like the way it turned out better. Supernatural shit for the most part just doesn't interest me as much as more "believable" science fiction. [editline]11:14AM[/editline] That part of Resurrection always weirded me the fuck out. It's weird enough that she's practically making out with an alien, but she's also basically related to the thing.[/QUOTE] If you want something believable, watch the Science channel. [editline]10:46PM[/editline] And Resurrection is one of the worst pieces of shit I've ever seen. [editline]10:49PM[/editline] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDNrnpefGio[/media]
I enjoyed the first two films equally, as horror and action are my favorite genres. I personally like the "not invincible, hive mind creature" better than the "invincible, supernatural rape incarnate", because realistic sci fi is more appealing to me.
I love the art direction in these movies
I like the second one.
I watched the first predator a couple of days ago, didn't like it at all really.
I'm looking forward to that Alien 3 blu-ray. I've never seen the directors cut either. That being said, If you have to watch a specific version of a film for it to be any good, it's fundamentally flawed to begin with.
[QUOTE=Mr. Scorpio;22011347]If you want something believable, watch the Science channel. [/QUOTE] Yeah, because believability plays NO part at all in fictional entertainment.
[QUOTE=gnome;22027647]Yeah, because believability plays NO part at all in fictional entertainment.[/QUOTE] Well it does take a back seat, people do watch films to escape reality for 90minutes and see the impossible and extraordinary.
Yeah but these are [i]science[/i] fiction movies to begin with. Having an invincible monster with no real explanation is pretty much as anti science as you can get.
[QUOTE=Mabus;22027825]Well it does take a back seat, people do watch films to escape reality for 90minutes and see the impossible and extraordinary.[/QUOTE] I understand that, I'm just saying that making something invincible is breaching the boundaries of science fiction into supernatural magic.
I have to say it, but I liked Alien 3 better than Resurrection.
[QUOTE=gnome;22027647]Yeah, because believability plays NO part at all in fictional entertainment.[/QUOTE] When I watch something, or when I read something, I want something that doesn't at any point make me say, "that's fucking retarded". That means I don't want to see bad story telling, or flawed logic, or hokey executives friend acting. Abstract concepts such as invincibility that are only nebulously referred to, those are fair game. Now, you may be looking for some sort of fully accurate science novel that includes no disreputable concepts, and it's your privilege to be a boring person and not understand the point of fiction, most especially science fiction. Perhaps when you were reading Do Androids Dream of Electric sheep, your eyes bulged in anger at the nonsensical proposal that people can just plug into a machine and share a share a sense of connectedness for a figure. Perhaps in 2001 the idea of a Star child made your hiss with revulsion, or in I Have No Mouth and I must Scream the idea of a machine with hate made your eyes roll back into your head. Unfortunately, the point of science fiction isn't to satisfy your limited ideas for what is and isn't plausible, it's to take one bit about the world, blow it up, and stable it to the front of your face so that you can see it better. It doesn't matter that you think invincible things are dumb, it's that the Alien is a psychotic dream, a corporeal representation of insatiability, and lust, and violence. And the point of the Alien isn't to be some big bad bug ruled by some mama bug, it's to take all the most horrible bits about our humanity, turn it into a monster, and tell us, this thing is still human. It's still part of you. When you make it a bug, it takes away the point of the creature. It makes the first film irrelevant. That may not be how the story ended up going, but that how the scenes were shot. That's how the creature was designed. That's how the story was written. It may have lost it's lynch pin due to the pinheadedness of a bunch of jerkoff Hollywood producers, but the heart is still there if you take the time to think about it. So yes, realism has absolutely nothing to do with science fiction. All that matters is that it is an examination of our world and the things in it. And some things do that very well, and I think this story did that very well, if you're willing to think about what's being conveyed. If "invincible things are dumb" is your attitude, well then I can hardly say you'll go far creatively. [editline]03:53AM[/editline] [QUOTE=Blargtastic;22027871]Yeah but these are [i]science[/i] fiction movies to begin with. Having an invincible monster with no real explanation is pretty much as anti science as you can get.[/QUOTE] The science in science fiction is a misnomer. Nothing in science fiction is scientific. Is AM scientific? Are the Buggers scientific? Is great Cthulhu scientific? Hell everything about the Alien is unscientific. How can an organism the size of a cat grow into something bigger than a man with no food? How can it have acid blood, why would it have claws if it wasn't predatory, where could such a thing evolve, I mean the whole concept of the alien is completely nonsensical. Everything about it is. Yet it's the fact that it's invincible that bothers you, it's the moment it becomes in the slightest bit abstract that you get frustrated? So if I offered some weak ass explanation to it's invincibility, like if I said "it's skin is made of adamantium", you'd be satisfied? Maybe, but then there'd be no point in explaining it because it would be cold and clinical, and it would have no emotional effect. Explanations are for science textbooks. You want a world that's entirely explained and consistent, like I said, watch the science channel, because you're never going to find that in science fiction. At least not semi decent science fiction. [editline]03:55AM[/editline] [QUOTE=gnome;22029813]I understand that, I'm just saying that making something invincible is breaching the boundaries of science fiction into supernatural magic.[/QUOTE] So is having acid for blood. Want to find me a way that an organism can have acid blood that can eat through a bulkhead, yet not turn them into a puddle of sick, be my guest.
We're in some real pretty shit now.
[QUOTE=NEUFDANIELS;22036449]We're in some real pretty shit now.[/QUOTE] It's like what I said to my teacher in fourth grade. "Don't mess with my science fiction, or I'll hit you with a shovel and fuck your mother."
[QUOTE=Mr. Scorpio;22036478]It's like what I said to my teacher in fourth grade. "Don't mess with my science fiction, or I'll hit you with a shovel and fuck your mother."[/QUOTE] Hang on, you said that to your teacher in fourth grade??? ....What was her reaction? So why, if you like Science Fiction with explanation, would you be alright with an alien being invincible? Solely because it has all this other "unscientific" stuff along with it, you're okay with going that extra step farther?
I made a thread about the first 2 (the best) But it died, oh well.
[QUOTE=Gar;22037023]Hang on, you said that to your teacher in fourth grade??? ....What was her reaction? So why, if you like Science Fiction with explanation, would you be alright with an alien being invincible? Solely because it has all this other "unscientific" stuff along with it, you're okay with going that extra step farther?[/QUOTE] She called me a genius and bought me a new car. Then we flew to the moon and I shook hands with the unholy demons living on it's dark side. Did you even read what I wrote? I just said I don't give two shits about explanation, what's important is that it's relevant to the real world. Everything else is optional.
I watched the Assembly Cut of Alien 3 last night, I didn't realise I had it on my Quadrilogy DVD. But I liked it, I thought it was really good. Fuck the haters. Even in it's original form it's still better than Resurrection.
[QUOTE=Rusty100;22037763]I watched the Assembly Cut of Alien 3 last night, I didn't realise I had it on my Quadrilogy DVD. But I liked it, I thought it was really good. Fuck the haters. Even in it's original form it's still better than Resurrection.[/QUOTE] A liquid nitrogen enima is better than Resurrection.
which is why i don't get why resurrection has higher ratings on RT and such
[QUOTE=Mr. Scorpio;22036215] So is having acid for blood. Want to find me a way that an organism can have acid blood that can eat through a bulkhead, yet not turn them into a puddle of sick, be my guest.[/QUOTE] There's Alien universe fansites explaining, scientifcally, and in detail, how the creature can theoretically have concentrated acid for blood, but not harm itself. But there's a far more simple answer: It's an alien substance, do you think other world materials are going to act the same as the ones we have on our planet?
[QUOTE=Armotekma;21977697]quad = 4 so wouldn't this be like, trilogy?[/QUOTE] True fans pretend a fourth alien was never made.
[QUOTE=Mr. Scorpio;22037272]She called me a genius and bought me a new car. Then we flew to the moon and I shook hands with the unholy demons living on it's dark side.[/QUOTE] Fun trip, you sound super cool. [QUOTE=Mr. Scorpio;22037272] Did you even read what I wrote? I just said I don't give two shits about explanation, what's important is that it's relevant to the real world. Everything else is optional.[/QUOTE] Anyway, generally Science Fiction includes some sort of explanation for things, it's what separates it from Fantasy, where you can easily write everything away to being magic. Suspension of disbelief is still necessary, given what Science Fiction is out there, but one thing stands to remain is that it should be possible. It may not be possible yet, but it should be in the future. When you said you loved Science Fiction so much, I thought you were including this part...my bad, I'm sorry. Look at it this way, you like having a good story. Having the alien be invincible is lame to the story. It doesn't aid anything in the plot. In fact, having it be invincible would remove any reason for having a story. All the characters would just die, there'd be no point to it. If they can't fight the enemy, there's no entertainment value in it, it's just people dying by a magical space monster. (Like so many wonderful Syfy Original movies...)
[QUOTE=JaegerMonster;22043923]There's Alien universe fansites explaining, scientifcally, and in detail, how the creature can theoretically have concentrated acid for blood, but not harm itself. But there's a far more simple answer: It's an alien substance, do you think other world materials are going to act the same as the ones we have on our planet?[/QUOTE] Ah, but "it's an alien material" isn't an explanation. I could just as easily say that their skin is made of adamant and that's why they're invincible. [editline]08:28PM[/editline] [QUOTE=Gar;22048054]Fun trip, you sound super cool. Anyway, generally Science Fiction includes some sort of explanation for things, it's what separates it from Fantasy, where you can easily write everything away to being magic. Suspension of disbelief is still necessary, given what Science Fiction is out there, but one thing stands to remain is that it should be possible. It may not be possible yet, but it should be in the future. When you said you loved Science Fiction so much, I thought you were including this part...my bad, I'm sorry. Look at it this way, you like having a good story. Having the alien be invincible is lame to the story. It doesn't aid anything in the plot. In fact, having it be invincible would remove any reason for having a story. All the characters would just die, there'd be no point to it. If they can't fight the enemy, there's no entertainment value in it, it's just people dying by a magical space monster. (Like so many wonderful Syfy Original movies...)[/QUOTE] Guess what sport? [B]Everyone dies in Alien.[/B] Well not everyone. Ripley launches the thing out of an airlock, but she still doesn't actually kill it. I've already explained this. Read the thread, I wrote a fucking essay on this exact topic two days ago, I won't do so again. And that's absolute nonsense. I just referenced a bunch of science fiction that doesn't have hardly any explanation whatsoever, and those titles are some of the best ever written. I just explained to you motherfuckers what science fiction is.
Alien was awesome Aliens was an action film but awesome Alien 3 was awful Alien Resurrection was basically Jason X with Ripley.
[QUOTE=FoxMeister;22048302]Alien was awesome Aliens was an action film but awesome Alien 3 was awful Alien Resurrection was basically Jason X with Ripley.[/QUOTE] Alien Resurrection was a combination of midgets with shotguns and Alien 34.
[QUOTE=Mr. Scorpio;22048149]I've already explained this. Read the thread, I wrote a fucking essay on this exact topic two days ago, I won't do so again. [/QUOTE] I did. All I saw is they had ideas that were cut that you liked that you are holding onto so hard and think that they are still in despite obvious evidence to the contrary. Don't get so upset. If you want to get Scientific, (Which I doubt, apparently Science Fiction includes everything except Science,) the one xenomorph in Alien was alone. Had no backup, had no reinforcements...had no commander. You could say that the massive amounts of them in Aliens maybe changed some stuff up. Not getting rid of it, but you see what would happen if there was a whole army of them instead of just one lone monster. But you're right, that's getting a little too Sciencey for any good Science Fiction, it's better off just to say some wizard, I mean, Hollywood producer did it.
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