Crowded Caribou
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Just got back from watching the 45th anniversary release of Alien in theatres, and I’m a bit conflicted. On the plus side it was Alien on the big screen, a grail experience for many of us, and for the most part it lived up to expectations; it’s more gorgeous than you remember, it hasn’t aged very much at all, even though the tech is all a bit analogue compared to the digital future we might imagine today, it still works extremely well with the truckers in space vibe the film is going for. It’s still as effective and scary as I imagine it was 45 years ago, Scott’s decision to hide the monster in shadow and play the majority of the gore off camera really pays off all these decades later (there are no silly rubber heads getting squished or whatever that could easily date the film), it’s the theatrical version so the pacing is far better, and the performances are universally fantastic. If I had to pick an MVP it might be Veronica Cartwright. Has any actor ever been able to sell terror like she can? Her eyes will haunt me till the day I die.
So, the bad. Bad might be too strong, the annoying things I noticed: there’s an extended interview with Scott by Fede Alveraz which serves as a teaser of sorts for Alien: Romulus which starts the movie. Alveraz talks a lot, Scott gives him soundbites back. I dunno, could have done without it. I know it’s an old movie, but I still want to suspend disbelief. Talking about putting Scott’s kids in spacesuits to make the sets look bigger right before we watch the movie means when the scene comes on we’re all thinking about kids in spacesuits instead of Kane, Lambert, and Dallas heading into danger.
The sound (at least in my screening) was wack. Sometimes the score was drowning out the dialogue, sometimes the dialogue was so blown out it was clipping. I know this was a digital presentation so it should be a simple plug and play deal at the theatre but there was something weird going on. I know it was a digital screening because there was a fair bit of motion smoothing applied. This was mostly noticeable on smoke and steam which had an uncannily smooth appearance, but the whole film looks like it’s been scrubbed for grain which, I dunno, some disaffected teen who’s more interested in TikTok than movies might appreciate it, but I just don’t like how it makes everything look a bit waxy.
One other thing I noticed; Lambert no longer strikes Ripley when Ripley arrives at medbay after Ash lets Lambert, Kane, and Dallas back on the ship. I always thought that moment was so raw, and any extra Lambert is always good in my book, but I’m confused- is that scene exclusive to the director’s cut? I was sure it was in the theatrical version as well.
Anyone else watch it this weekend? What are your thoughts?
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So, the bad. Bad might be too strong, the annoying things I noticed: there’s an extended interview with Scott by Fede Alveraz which serves as a teaser of sorts for Alien: Romulus which starts the movie. Alveraz talks a lot, Scott gives him soundbites back. I dunno, could have done without it. I know it’s an old movie, but I still want to suspend disbelief. Talking about putting Scott’s kids in spacesuits to make the sets look bigger right before we watch the movie means when the scene comes on we’re all thinking about kids in spacesuits instead of Kane, Lambert, and Dallas heading into danger.
The sound (at least in my screening) was wack. Sometimes the score was drowning out the dialogue, sometimes the dialogue was so blown out it was clipping. I know this was a digital presentation so it should be a simple plug and play deal at the theatre but there was something weird going on. I know it was a digital screening because there was a fair bit of motion smoothing applied. This was mostly noticeable on smoke and steam which had an uncannily smooth appearance, but the whole film looks like it’s been scrubbed for grain which, I dunno, some disaffected teen who’s more interested in TikTok than movies might appreciate it, but I just don’t like how it makes everything look a bit waxy.
One other thing I noticed; Lambert no longer strikes Ripley when Ripley arrives at medbay after Ash lets Lambert, Kane, and Dallas back on the ship. I always thought that moment was so raw, and any extra Lambert is always good in my book, but I’m confused- is that scene exclusive to the director’s cut? I was sure it was in the theatrical version as well.
Anyone else watch it this weekend? What are your thoughts?
submitted by /u/patch_worx
[link] [comments]
Continue reading...
