The ALIEN saga on AMC
 

On wednesday Nov 13th, there is a 2 hour documentary on the ALIEN movies starting at 8pm. Does anyone know if this is the same documentary on the ALIEN Legacy bonus disc that was available a couple years ago?

Wed at 8pm...hmmm I must watch this.

I am so there.

Re: The ALIEN saga on AMC
 

It probably isn't the same docu on the bonus disc. IIRC, that docu is only about an hour long (yep, 67 mins according to the digital bits review). AMC's gotten into commercials big-time, but stretching 67 mins into 2 hours with commercials would be a little excessive! :)

There have been rumors about an Alien 5-star DVD coming out next year - maybe the AMC program is something new for that new release?

Re: Re: The ALIEN saga on AMC
 

:drool:

This looks very good. When I saw this was going to be on, I marked it in my TV guide. Guess Michael Biehn was upset that he wasnt asked back for Alien3. Wasnt everyone?
Hope they come out with a Directors cut of that and a new movie would be nice too.

Re: The ALIEN saga on AMC
 

Definitely not the same one. I have it, and it just covers the making of the original.

Here's some more info on the documentary that premieres tonight. :)
Sounds cool!!!

Alien Saga
135 min. *with commercials
“In space, no one can hear you scream.” So says the poster for 1979's “Alien,” but there was plenty of screaming in theaters as audiences flocked to the sci-fi shocker, and later to its three grisly sequels.
John Hurt, whose stomach was integral to one of the franchise's most memorable moments, narrates this look at the making of the series, which made Sigourney Weaver a bona fide action hero and helped launch the careers of directors Ridley Scott, James Cameron and David Fincher. Interviews include cast members Weaver, Tom Skerritt, Michael Biehn, Veronica Cartwright and Lance Henriksen; production personnel; and conceptual artist H.R. Giger, who designed the horrifying extraterrestrial. Also: outtakes and behind-the-scenes footage.



Rating: TV-PG
Content: Suggestive Dialog, Strong, Coarse Language, Violence
Category: Documentary
Release Year: 2002



Additional Airings
Date Time
Thursday, 14 2:50 PM
Sunday, 17 2:20 PM

also it seems like that weaver did a nude scene in one of them since on the commercial, for one of the new scenes we see her take off her top.

Where did you hear about him being pissed he wasnt asked to return?

Maybe it was in a promo for the doc tonight.

Anyhoo, this show was a pleasure to watch. I can't imagine them not putting this on any future dvd release. I just wish there was more insight to the behind the scenes problems on Alien³.

Good show. Cool seeing Carrie Henn all grown up too.

I had read in my Entertainment Weekly while being interviewed he was not happy that he wasnt asked back and then it said, In Space no one can hear you Whine.
Personally I think it was a mistake to spend so much time on Henns and Biehns characters in Aliens and then throw it all away. What a waste.

I was kinda shocked that Siqourney stuck up for the movie because I still think that the quality of the movie is chalked up to the people behinds the scenes not knowing what they wanted to do. I remember reading about the dozens of scripts that they wrote and then didnt film and the one they filmed was the Best?
I also remember reading that Siquorney didnt want any guns in Aliens 3 and that was a big mistake. Actors should not be given too much input. They should just show up and act.

They do talk about doing a 5th movie. I hope they can do it.

Yes it was. I was really suprised to see her on there. Every time i watch "Aliens" i wonder what she looks like today.

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I had read in my Entertainment Weekly while being interviewed he was not happy that he wasnt asked back and then it said, In Space no one can hear you Whine.

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I'll back up Michael Biehn on this one. Screw EW and thier little quips.

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Personally I think it was a mistake to spend so much time on Henns and Biehns characters in Aliens and then throw it all away. What a waste.

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I couldnt have said it better myself. Then again I try and disreguard 3+4 anyway.

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I was kinda shocked that Siqourney stuck up for the movie because I still think that the quality of the movie is chalked up to the people behinds the scenes not knowing what they wanted to do. I remember reading about the dozens of scripts that they wrote and then didnt film and the one they filmed was the Best?

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I really think the whole monastery thing should have stayed...it would have been a much more interesting enviroment than a prision. I mean a prision in space...whoop-dee-doo, not like that hasnt been unsed in sci-fi before.

The movie did suffer from people not knowing what to do, it also didnt help that FOX promoted it as a movie it wasnt.

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I also remember reading that Siquorney didnt want any guns in Aliens 3 and that was a big mistake.

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Thats funny...i thought she said she liked shooting the guns and stuff.


We can only pray that Aliens vs. Predator doesnt get made by that Paul Anderson dude. "Event Horizion" was cool, but his ass doesnt need to be directing a film of this magnatude.


Did anyone record this on DVD-R or something? I got it on tape but it'd be nice to have it on DVD.

ALIEN3 reeked.

My problem with it was pretty much that it dispatched with Newt and Hicks. Go through all of that trouble to save them, and then just kill them in crash? Lame lame lame.

I wish they would've made the William Gibson script into a movie. Or at least a version of it.

Any word on a repeat of this?

I was only able to catch some of the beginning involving Alien.
It was cool to see this featured though since I own two.

http://home.mindspring.com/~pal531/_uimages/Alien1.jpg

Damn! I wish I'd seen this. Hope it's on again.

I actually really enjoyed Alien 3. Completely different feel than the first two, but it has some enjoyable dialog. The CGI is kinda crap, but I love the interplay between Ripley and the prisoners. I was disappointed Hehn and Biehn were killed off but thought the movie certainly had it's merits. Definitely highly underrated in my opinion.

4 just sucked tho. A travesty.

Mordred

I looked on TV Guide and it's playing right now on the east coast on AMC...and it will also be played again on Sunday at 2:20 I believe.

Good thing it's being played again since I missed it...hopefully i'll be able to tape it or something. Although I'd definitely LIKE to have it in digital form.

Pretty damn good doc.

I loved seeing the screen tests for the first film. Two things surprised me:

1. I can't believe what an elaborate set they built just for a screen test

2. I can't believe that had Weaver do a nude scene in a screen test. That scene wasn't even in the final film!
Ha, Ha! What a bunch of horny bastards :) "Bring in the women to screen test. All right, let me see your knockers."

Is any of that screen test footage on the DVD?

please tell me that amc had the big block or the blurs over weiver. since then hopefully the new dvd release (if) will contain this scene uncut.

I think the character of Newt lasted just as long as it should have. For me it reminds me of sitcoms that bring a little kid on every other year for the cuteness factor. What do I know though, I loved Alien³.

You didnt see anything....the frame cut off right above her chest.




Actually, i never really saw Newt as a "cuteness" factor....if anything the cat from "Alien" was more of a cuteness factor than Newt.


Newt would have been an interesting charater to have seen grown up....If Ripley and or Hicks had raised her she probably would have turned into an even more bad-ass alien killer than Ripley.

One of the many reasons that I LOVE Alien3, and why it's my favorite Alien film. Takes you down roads you'd never expect it to. Aren't there enough formulaic action flicks out there which go exactly the way you intend them too? (Additionally, Newt would have to have been replaced with another actress since Carrie Henn had obviously aged in the six years between films, while Newt was in suspended animation...and who would have bought that?)
The acting is superb all around and the visual style is amazing. I still get chills at Ripley's death scene. I'm confident that this film will, over time, become regarded as highly as the first two. I'm sure a lot of David Fincher bandwagon jumpers have re-evaluated their stance on Alien3, after realizing that it was their man's first film. I hope someday Fincher can do a director's cut, as I'm sure he had little creative control on the final cut, being his first film and all.

Have you seen her breasts? Trust me, it's not a pretty sight.

She's a very attractive woman, but she needs to keep that top ON at all times.

Pretty much what the early Dark Horse ALIENS comics series were about.

If Weaver wanted out of the movie franchise, they could've had an adult Newt take her place.

No, Alien 3 took me down a road i already saw. Ripley pretty much trying to off a lone alien by herself while everyone else is getting killed. Sounds familar? It should...thats pretty much what happened in "Alien".

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(Additionally, Newt would have to have been replaced with another actress since Carrie Henn had obviously aged in the six years between films, while Newt was in suspended animation...and who would have bought that?)

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Its not anymore hard to swallow than to see Ripley age 6 years in "Alien 3" when only a few weeks or so have passed since "Aliens" took place.


Sweet! Any recommendations?

Uhh, isn't that what pretty much happens in ALL of the Alien films?

:rolleyes: It's far less obvious when someone has aged six years as an adult, than when they've gone from child to teen.

I suppose you could say that, but i think there is a bit of a difference between taking on a single alien vs. an entire colony of aliens.

Being stalked by a single monster is scary, being stalked by 100 is even more scary.

The point trying to make is that Alien 3 didnt bring anything new to the franchise. "Alien" gave us the inital threat, "Aliens" gave us a bigger threat. Alien 3 gave us a threat that we already know Ripley can handle.

"Well, she doesnt have any weapons" - Yeah but the alien isnt going to attack her because shes hosting a queen.

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:rolleyes: It's far less obvious when someone has aged six years as an adult, than when they've gone from child to teen.

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I noticed a difference in age between "Aliens" and "Alien 3"...but maybe i'm just picky.

It doesnt matter......they goofed up Newts age in "Alien 3" anyway. They say shes 12 when it fact she was probably 2 or 3 years younger than that.

And they probably would have got a new actor to play Newt anyway.

Like Lancer Henrickson said in the documentary, Alien 3 was too dismal. People left the theatre in a downer mood. It was once said, if Ripley is going around the whole movie depressed and has no hope left, how can we route for her?
The plot Device of killing off two characters that we grew to love in Aliens was the first strike against the film, the second were bad characterizations and third was the heroin dying.
A lot of bad ideas that I am surprised the writers of this film couldnt figure out. After the first two Alien movies, did they really think that we wanted to see everything done thrown down the tubes?
Why couldnt Newt have been in the next movie and in a different setting with Hicks too. This was esentially a new family and who said they couldnt have carried on that thread against an even bigger threat, the Alien planet or something else for that matter.
They blew it. They could still make a movie with all three of these characters. In S.F anything is possible. Just make it that those werent really them on that ship and they were replaced by the "Company" or something.

Give a good send off.

Does anyone one when this program is repeating on AMC? I haven't watched AMC in months, but I might have to make an exception for this...

I agree with the many criticisms of the Alien 3 premise and exectution. Amazing it ever got off the ground.

The Dark Horse comics series, as it pertains to ALIENS.

They actually did quite a few series, but there was a drop-off in quality after the first few. Sort of over-farming their fields.

The earliest (and best) series are:

ALIENS 1-6 (black and white) by Mark Verheiden and Mark Nelson

ALIENS 1-4 (color, sometimes called volume two) by Mark Verheiden and Denis Beauvais

ALIENS: EARTH WAR 1-4 (the third volume in the cycle) by Mark Verheiden and Sam Kieth

These were also reprinted as trade paperbacks.

Beware, though, as after ALIEN3, Dark Horse went back and "remastered" the three trade paperbacks, changing the names of "Newt" and "Hicks" to different names to keep their stories in line with the films. I'm not quite sure how they handled Ripley's character (she doesn't appear in the series until the final page of ALIENS Volume 2 #4). They also colored the first series. The retitled graphic novels are OUTBREAK (for the first recolored black and white volume), NIGHTMARE ASYLUM (for the second volume), and FEMALE WAR (formerly EARTH WAR).

If you're interested in these, I would recommend not getting the "remastered" volumes and either seeking out the original comics or the original editions of the graphic novels.

There was also an ALIENS VS PREDATOR series that is well worth having. It has been reprinted in a trade paperback, and, since it doesn't contain any characters from the movies, it's still available in its original format. There have been several ALIENS VS PREDATOR series, but the only that's really worth having is the first one by Randy Stradley, Chris Warner, and Phil Norwood. It's the one that's just called ALIENS VS PREDATOR

I'm familiar with the 3 novels that continued the story of Newt and Hicks but i have no clue as to how i can find the orginal prints of these books. Maybe see if Borders or B&N can order or search for older copies perhaps?


I believe someone posted future aring dates. One was Yesterday (Thursday) and i believe its on again on Sunday.

I recorded it on tape but i really hope someone out there got it on DVD-R.

Well worth the viewing for the interviews and the info behind "Alien" mostly.

I hear Lance Henrickson is signed for the Alien vs Predator movie.

Never read the comics, what can they possibly do with the story and who wins?

AMC is reairing the Alien Saga documentary. It is on Sunday, November 17, 2002 at 2:20PM.

I'm setting my VCR to tape it.

Well, I finally got the chance to see the Alien Saga today. It was a pretty good documentary, but Fincher was noticeably absent in all the Alien3 discussions.

Ever seen any other Fincher movies (Seven, Fight Club)? Dismal is the name of the game.

The plot Device of killing off two characters that we grew to love in Aliens was the first strike against the film, the second were bad characterizations and third was the heroin dying.
A lot of bad ideas that I am surprised the writers of this film couldnt figure out. After the first two Alien movies, did they really think that we wanted to see everything done thrown down the tubes?

I believe at the time, Sigourney Weaver would only agree to make this film if Ripley was allowed to die (she didn't want to be typecast). Kinda makes the ending a foregone conclusion. As for Newt and Hicks, it was a ballsy move to kill them off (and one I personally admire).

I think that the reason most people don't like this film is that they came in expecting a typical popcorn-flick sci-fi action-adventure and wound up getting a dark, philosphical/theological-based story populated with anti-heroes, something that was an unwelcome challenge to their intellect and expectations, and I think that says a lot about the quality of the viewer as well as the movie.

Well, i believe the blame falls on FOX for this. As seen in the documentary they made Alien3 look exactly like that.

Somehow I missed the replays of this. Are there any more re-airings that anyone knows about?

I was unaware that they had actually gone in and redone these to bring them in line with the movies. It's a shame.

I have to say that the 4 issue Aliens is quite possibly the greatest comic I've ever had the pleasure of owning. The story is great, but the artwork by Denis Beauvais is absolutely incredible. It's full color airbrush work. Every page looks like a painting. All the covers are incredible and are suitable for framing. The back covers of the comics form a 4-part picture of the Alien Queen that is stunning. AFAIK never did another comic again which is crime against humanity. (In highschool I actually did pencil copies of the covers of these comics and sold them for $5 to my friends who all wanted copies)

When Alien3 came out I was hoping that they would use this story line (haha!) but alas it was not to be. The result was good, but Verheiden's story here would have translated incredibly well to the silver screen... except for the fact that Ripley's only in it on the very last page. Earth War the next series sucked and removed any joy I had from the closing. What a let down.

I cannot recommend the original series highly enough. Find a copy, you won't be disappointed.

Mordred