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[BattleMonkey]

I just checked, the whole tunnel/turret sequence of Aliens DC was over in little over 1 minute.

10 minutes :lol

 

[dalyr95]

The aliens accessed the compound through the access tunnel, the most direct and secure way. How were they to know the Marines had set up sentry guns and that they'd be near impenetrable. Once they realise they can't win they retreat. Seems fairly logical to me

 

[megashock5]

Personally, I love Alien and Aliens equally, though they're very different films.

I agree with this. And, really, they almost had to be different. The first one worked from a horror/suspense perspective because the thing could be lurking around any corner and you only caught glimpses of it up until the end. If there's one thing horror movies have shown is that once you have fully seen the monster and been exposed to it, it becomes a bit less frightening.

So Cameron couldn't really hide the thing around the corner again since we now knew what it looked like. So what could make it scary again? Tons of them swarming around. Scary in a different way than the original, but scary nonetheless.

Bascially:
Alien=it could be anywhere!
Aliens=they're everywhere!

 

[Anton Sugar]

They may have said something like that, but the scene went on forever and dozens of aliens were killed for ultimately no reason whatsoever.

Compare this to the way they acted when the marines discovered the nest or when the came in through the ceiling in medical.

In general Aliens does portray the creatures with less individual intelligence than Alien, but in this scene it totally tips the balance and completely changes the audience perception of them.

The theatrical cut is vastly superior.

Eh, I'm kind of divided. Just technically speaking, the turret scene was awesome. Almost a "last stand" situation, a count down to when they would break through, and then it stops.

At the same time, I agree--it makes the Aliens seem a bit hive-mindish, and not the individual killing machine that the first one was.

 

[Dyno]

The aliens have come off intelligent throughout the movies though it's sporatic and unpredictable.

In AR two Aliens reviewed their confinement and then attacked a third so that its acid blood would burn through the flooring. That single scene showed intellegence working on multiple levels. On one track is knowledge regarding the composition of their surroundings and how to alter it. The social aspect is equally impressive; two aliens deciding to gang up on a third. Apparently the aliens will kill each other when it suits them. That's not a trait you usually find in the natural world.

 

[Ollie Pooch]

I like the way Snrub thinks!

I agree with what megashock5 said... and James Cameron really plays off the suspense created in the first. You know what's coming but not when, and by the time the colonists first encounter the woman cocooned in the wall and the aliens start waking up (some of my favourite shots of the film), the tension is almost unbearable. Then it's released with the final reveal of the fully grown alien and all hell breaks loose.

The '2 aliens attack another' scene in Resurrection was one of the (if not the only) inventive and interesting scenes in the movie.

 

[Furret]

Eh, I'm kind of divided. Just technically speaking, the turret scene was awesome. Almost a "land stand" situation, a count down to when they would break through, and then it stops.

At the same time, I agree--it makes the Aliens seem a bit hive-mindish, and not the individual killing machine that the first one was.

You have it.

The scene is very well shot but destroys the mystique of the aliens and was rightly cut.

The same aliens that just a few hours later learn to cut the power to the medical section throw themselves mindless against the turrets again and again until they slowly work out this is a bad thing.

A clear example of when the film became too much a Vietnam War flick and not enough an Alien one.

It was possibly even inspired by this quote from Ho Chi Minh: "You can kill ten of our men for every one we kill of yours. But even at those odds, you will lose and we will win."

 

[Furret]

I like the way Snrub thinks!

I agree with what megashock5 said... and James Cameron really plays off the suspense created in the first. You know what's coming but not when, and by the time the colonists first encounter the woman cocooned in the wall and the aliens start waking up (some of my favourite shots of the film), the tension is almost unbearable. Then it's released with the final reveal of the fully grown alien and all hell breaks loose.

The '2 aliens attack another' scene in Resurrection was one of the (if not the only) inventive and interesting scenes in the movie.

They stole it from the comics.

The bit where the infected guy put his chestburster through the other guy is from the first Aliens comic book series too.

 

[mantidor]

Bascially:
Alien=it could be anywhere!
Aliens=they're everywhere!

This sums it up perfectly, which is why I find it hard to like both equally, personally I'm more of an Alien fan. And I have neve been a fan of Cameron to be honest.

I don't remember that part, sorry. Basically, Ripley fought really hard to protect Newt and at the end of Aliens she was triumphant. To take that away in mere minutes takes ruins her triumph. For me anyway.

And thats why Alien 3 is awesome (for some of us). Alien was not just suspense, it was almost nihilistic, and had the advantage of the element of surprise, the most important of course the chestburster scene. The beginning of Alien 3 just made me recall that feeling of "anything can happen" and "this is a pretty messed up, inhuman universe". Killling those two for me wasn't dissmising what happened before, it was a way to show just how hopeless the Alien universe is.

I can get somewhat what you say, because the ending of Alien 3 was perfect and Ressurrection completely destroyed that, the Ripley from resurrection is so different that I just pretend is someone else though.

I think I was lucky I saw 3 without knowing anything about the production hell it went through, if I were lead to believe it was going to be Aliens 2.5 to see the final result would be dissapointing to say the least.

 

[agrajag]

imo it's just anti-climatic story-telling

 

[Raist]

Terminator series says hi.

Spoiler

And Star Wars

 

[spookyfish]

They stole it from the comics.

The bit where the infected guy put his chestburster through the other guy is from the first Aliens comic book series too.

For truth.

 

[GhaleonEB]

I agree with this. And, really, they almost had to be different. The first one worked from a horror/suspense perspective because the thing could be lurking around any corner and you only caught glimpses of it up until the end. If there's one thing horror movies have shown is that once you have fully seen the monster and been exposed to it, it becomes a bit less frightening.

So Cameron couldn't really hide the thing around the corner again since we now knew what it looked like. So what could make it scary again? Tons of them swarming around. Scary in a different way than the original, but scary nonetheless.

Bascially:
Alien=it could be anywhere!
Aliens=they're everywhere!

That's as perfect and succinct a distinction between the films as I've seen. Bravo. :lol

And yeah, one of the keys to Aliens' success is in not trying to replicate the first film, but to build on its characters and ideas in a different direction. I think they compliment each other nicely. I think Alien has aged better, though.

I like all the little parallels to the first film in Aliens, such as the announcer voice/music at the end, the alien getting on board and being blasted out into space as in the first film. But also that Cameron knew not to start out going full throttle. The first action scene take place an hour into the film, after a long, sustained build up. Similar to how the chest burster scene in Alien took place half way through the film. The subsequent sequels are in such a hurry to get to the action they forget the suspense, story and mood. (We're what, 20 minutes into Resurrection and there's aliens running around everywhere?) Cameron knew to take his time.

 

[Macam]

Spoiler

And Star Wars

Star Wars is far more consistent as a series than Aliens; you can effectively divide them into halves. The Terminator series is closer, but it's still not as radically inconsistent as Aliens. The first two are pretty cohesive in themselves.

Every Alien movie feels more like a substantially different reinterpretation and/or extension of the franchise's initial premise rather than any sort of coherent set of narratives and styles.

...at least, to me.

 

[bone idle]

Alternate universe could have had;

Fincher+Gibson=Alien3
Boyle+Garland=Alien4

Gibson's script:
http://www.awesomefilm.com/script/Alien3.txt

BOYLE ON DIRECTING ‘ALIEN 4′:
“Oh my God, that one. Very close actually. In fact I met Sigourney and Winona, which was a great pleasure. Had chips – French fries I should say – with Winona. But I backed out of it. I was terrified of the special effects.”
source

 

[BattleMonkey]

Spoiler

And Star Wars

There is crap material to come out of Star Wars, though there is not a franchise that comes close to size of material of the GFFA. It's pertty tough when you got over 30 years of non stop mateial being produced for your franchise.

Terminator had 2 shit movies out of 4. A crappy TV show, awful comic books....

2 classic films that have spawned nothing but poop.

 

[Ollie Pooch]

For truth.

And there goes the last remaining thread of respect i had for Resurrection. :Lol

Well, actually I never really had any.

Killling those two for me wasn't dissmising what happened before, it was a way to show just how hopeless the Alien universe is.

It was a shocking move, but yeah - the appeal of Alien 3 is in the absolute bleak world it presents. It's a miserable movie, really.. but i still love it.

 

[Beardz]

Aliens vs Predator was terrible, terrible, terrible.

Really though, I can't think of a more popular movie franchise that is so utterly hit and miss as the Aliens franchise.

 

[NotTheGuyYouKill]

I finally got around to watching Resurrection... I had gotten the Quadrilogy set for Christmas, and it was my first time watching the entire Alien series.

Christ, Resurrection was bizarre. I'm half-convinced it's just a really subversive comedy or something.

I was confused on this one thing... once Ridley and co. find out it's heading to Earth, they change course to... Earth? What the hell happened? They crashed the ship into Earth? It looked like they blew up an entire continent.

The movie is probably worth watching with your friends just because of how unintentionally funny it is. The only real bright spot in the movie is Sigourney Weaver. She's just fucking awesome, even half-bonkers here.

Alien and Aliens are definitely my favourites (same rank, different reasons). Alien 3 would be, but Jesus, it's just plain depressing, hard for me to get into it. Don't really like the ending.

I wonder if anyone considered making another Alien sequel (I've heard about the prequel). Would love to see Weaver kick some ass again.

But damn, AR is hilarious. From the alien with the puppy dog eyes to Purvis getting blown away in a hysterically over the top fashion to the guy who picked out his own brain. So bizarre.

Danny Boyle for another Alien film would be rocking in my book.