I finally saw the four movies in Sigourney Weaver's Alien series

[Orac Zen]

Alien and Aliens are both IMO quite brilliant, albeit in somewhat different ways. They're movies I can watch over and over again.

And, speaking personally, the protagonist was a woman, a badass woman. Finally a female in a SF movie with more to do that carry trays or scream.

That was the icing on the cake for me. Ripley rocks.

The third movie is a mess; nothing about it appealed to me, and the T2-ripoff ending was just ridiculous. As for Resurrection, it's simply another demonstration that whatever it is about Whedon that people consider so marvellous doesn't work for me at all. Throw in the godawful Winona Ryder and...yeah. Not a fan of that one either.

 

[Harvey]

Jean-Pierre Jeunet, director of City of Lost Children, Amelie, and A Very Long Engagement. Not just "someone."

I don't know any of those, sorry.

They're all French films, although City of Lost Children stars Ron Perlman and A Very Long Engagement features Jodie Foster. All three are very good. The City of Lost Children is an especially wonderful (and dark) fantasy film that is worth seeing.

 

[Maurice]

...The room filled with nonsense blinky lights----audiences have caught onto that trick by now...

I assume you mean the MOTHER room? I don't know why people have such problems with it. Have you looked at a server room with all the winking and lit status LEDs? Every light in that set is labeled: I can read "ALARM LIGHT" and what looks to be "LOCKOUT AIR LOCK" on another. They're just "system on/working" indicator lights.

 

[Daneel]

Alien is a classic, and pretty much the gold standard in sci-fi/horror. Great director, terrific cast, gorgeously shot, atmospheric, creepy... good stuff. Yeah, a few of the effects don't hold up as well today (some of them never did -- the jarring cut when Ash's head is on the table comes to mind), but it's still an outstanding film.

My favourite in the series, however, is Aliens: it had all the things that made the first film great and took them to new places, ramping up the thrills considerably. As an action movie, it's a wild ride, but there's also an emotional core present. And yes, some of the dialogue is a little corny at times, but damn, it is such a quotable movie ("Maybe you haven't been keeping up on current events, but we just got our asses kicked, pal!").

Alien 3 is criminally underrated; sure, it definitely has its problems, but that's mainly due to constant studio interference. In spite of all that, David Fincher managed to craft a solid film. The cast is certainly capable, the atmosphere is suitably bleak and chilly, and Ripley's climactic suicide is an appropriate end for the character.

Alien Resurrection, unfortunately, is largely a mess, and definitely my least favourite of the series. Having Joss Whedon write the screenplay was a good idea, but it got butchered; the final result effectively demonstrated that Jeunet simply wasn't the right person to direct it. He's usually a fine filmmaker, but his directing sensibilities were incompatible with the script, and, if I may say so, the Alien series as a whole. It has a few good scenes, but the movie is generally a waste, and unnecessary -- I would have preferred they stopped at Alien 3.

 

[Trubinator]

I liked all four Alien films. I agree that Resurrection was the weakest though.

 

[Pingfah]

Jean-Pierre Jeunet, director of City of Lost Children, Amelie, and A Very Long Engagement. Not just "someone." Language problems were definitely one of the difficulties the film faced, as Jeunet's English wasn't great, especially in 1997 (it's improved since).

But another problem the film faced was Whedon's screenplay, which had its problems (Michael Wincott's death early on is incomprehensibly stupid, for example). It also had budgetary difficulties (at least one major set piece had to be dropped, and the ending was revised). And some of the line readings by Winona Ryder are absolutely painful to hear, especially in the first half of the film.

A4 had all the ingredients to be an amazing film, I'm a big fan of both Jeunet and Whedon, (and Marc Caro was the production designer as well), and an excellent cast, some of whom were already very well versed in Jeunet's film making process. Somehow though, they managed to completely fuck it up against all odds. Spectacular really.

Anyway, this is definitely the first time i've ever seen anyone claim Alien Resurrection to be a better film than Alien. That's bordering on criminally insane.

 

[Deckerd]

If someone could re-shoot Alien Res with the worst stupidities removed: getting rid of Michael Wincott at the beginning; giving Winona Ryder a speaking role; having the timeline seemingly all happen in one day; and most of all getting rid of the Schlock Baby it could almost be a good film. Alien 3 the revised cut is now my favourite since it now makes sense. It's easily the best thing Sigourney Weaver has done. Despite all the hacking, bickering, flouncings and denouncings the sets are marvellous and the atmosphere is wonderfully claustrophobic and full of foreboding.

Anyone who says Alien is just another monsters in space movie is like someone saying Blade Runner is just another dystopian future noir movie.

 

[Deckerd]

I love Alien - even if it is "monsters in space". Ridley was on a roll. Highly atmospheric and plenty of gotcha's. And, speaking personally, the protagonist was a woman, a badass woman. Finally a female in a SF movie with more to do that carry trays or scream. Alien is the best SF movie trailer ever too.

Agreed. Best of the bunch.

I know I'm in the minority, but I actually enjoyed the Extended cut of Alien 3 more than I did Aliens. Like the first one, there was a lot of atmosphere. Don't get me wrong though, Aliens was a really good (and highly quotable) action flick. I thought the fourth film was pretty forgettable.

Copy cat

 

[Pingfah]

^ Alien 3 has grown on me exponentially since seeing the workprint. I always thought it was OK, had some great ingredients and good scenes and a great cast (love Brian Glover), but the workprint is a much much better cut.

 

[Ward Fowler]

I love Alien - even if it is "monsters in space". Ridley was on a roll. Highly atmospheric and plenty of gotcha's. And, speaking personally, the protagonist was a woman, a badass woman. Finally a female in a SF movie with more to do that carry trays or scream. Alien is the best SF movie trailer ever too.

Agreed. Best of the bunch.

I know I'm in the minority, but I actually enjoyed the Extended cut of Alien 3 more than I did Aliens. Like the first one, there was a lot of atmosphere. Don't get me wrong though, Aliens was a really good (and highly quotable) action flick. I thought the fourth film was pretty forgettable.

Copy cat

Game over, man. GAME OVER!!

 

[Deckerd]

Game over, man. GAME OVER!!

 

[Lonemagpie]

Y'all need this book:
http://74.54.78.50/~telosco/culttv/ctv-main02.php#bmonsters

Not that I'm biased or anything...

Anyway, AR is fun, but its big problem is that it's a compendium of highlights from the previous trilogy, made as a cash-in. It brings nothing new, and thematically doesn't fit. It's also the one film in the series where the Special Edition is actually worse than the theatrical cut (the crap CG and rubbish gag at the start are *really* out of place). It's so appropriate that the acronym for it is AR:SE

Alien is brilliant, a great haunted house movie in space.
Aliens is brilliant, a great Vietnam war movie in space.
Alien 3: SE is almost brilliant, a nihilistic reminder that the Alien universe is deadly.
Alien Resurrection is... a fun compilation.

Thematically, the trilogy does work with the old folkloric maiden mother and crone triptych of female archetypes. The problem with AR, again, being there isn't a fourth archetype, so it just sort of... wanders.

 

[Rackon]

Jean-Pierre Jeunet, director of City of Lost Children, Amelie, and A Very Long Engagement. Not just "someone."

I don't know any of those, sorry.

Then you need to make their acquaintance, as they are each fascinating and distinctively quirky, entertaining...and memorable.

You will have to read subtitles (no big deal) though since they're in French. Start with City of Lost Children. I also highly recommend Delicatessen.

And Decker, please don't misunderstand me, Alien is not "just another monsters in space movie" IMO - . It's the mother and father of doom laden and forboding atmosphere and a quite superior monster in space movie - being a highly successful commercials director, Scott knew exactly how to push buttons. The opening sequence is unsurpassed for creeping dread. Except for the chest burster scene, most of the movie is suggestive rather than overtly gory. The film is masterfully cast, acted, directed, designed, shot, edited and scored - I can never think of Hansen's Romantic Symphony the same way since I saw Alien in theater.

Alien is in my top ten SF of all time.

 

[byron lomax]

Alien is one of my favourite films. It evokes a real sense of science fiction wonder and terror unlike a huge majority of popular sci-fi films. The scenes on the derelict ship are really fascinating. The alien itself is strange and unpredictable, as opposed to the vicious but dumb creatures of the later films.

I love Aliens because it departs so strongly from the first film and tries something new in the same universe. The gruelling intensity of the first encounter between the marines and the hive is unforgettable, and rarely matched in action or horror since. Though I never bought the idea that Ripley would agree to return to the planet.

Alien 3 is a pretty good movie, but it takes a long time to get going - it aims at building atmosphere, but only really gets good when the action heats up. The religious overtones are pretty hokey and seem half-realised, obviously salvaged from the previous version of the film that was abandoned. Up against the first film's genuine alien landscape and atmosphere, it seems cliched and pretentious. And yes, I hated the killing of Newt and Hicks as well.

I can barely remember Resurrection, only that it aimed to expand on the alien mythos and failed. Lots of horror cliches and very slimy aliens, and a silly hybrid creature that showed the series was low on ideas.

I'm not sure what other people think of them, but I for one enjoyed Mark Verheiden's Aliens comics from the 80s. The first series was a great shaggy dog story with different perspectives on the emergence and spread of the alien threat on Earth. The second had a great story with an insane general who thought he could control the aliens, with beautiful airbrushed artwork. It got a bit more hit-or-miss after that, but was still one of the better franchise adaptions IMO.

 

[Rarewolf]

seemed like the fourth could have opened the room for more movies

There's an irony that that the only one of the 4 that leaves her awake/alive for a sequel, is the one that doesn't have one.

I like all of them. And the AVPs. AVP2 shows the infestation Aliens doesn't. If Res is on TV I'll usually watch it.

 

[MyCylon]

I enjoyed all four movies. I'd probably rank them like this:

1. Alien
2. Alien 3
3. Aliens
4. Alien 4

I'm not quite sure about the last two. I like "Aliens" a lot less and "Alien 4" a lot more than most, I think.
The last time I watched "Aliens" I remember being disappointed by how run-of-the-mill it felt to me. A well-made action flick, but not much more really.
"Alien 4", on the other hand, certainly had its problems. But I will say (to my own surprise) that I really liked the new Ripley. Here was a character both very familiar and yet totally unkown at the same time. It put an edge and a spin on the movie that I really liked (plus Weaver was able to successfully pull of the portrayal).

 

[Starbreaker]

I liked Alien Resurrection. I don't think you can blame any faults of the movie on Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Everything he touches is gold.

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

My ranking:
1. Aliens
2. Alien
3. Alien vs. Predator
4. Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem
5. Alien Resurrection
6. Alien 3

Although, the ranking doesn't really tell the whole story.

Aliens is just pure, adrenaline fueled brilliance. It's a kick ass action movie with a great big heaping of heart. It's also James Cameron's most quotable movie, quite a feat in itself considering this is the guy who also gave us the numerous catchphrases of The Terminator, Terminator 2, & Titanic.

I'm more of an action fan than a horror fan, so it's no surprise that I rank Aliens above Alien. Still, I can see why people like Alien so much. I love it just for all of the great characters. Any movie where you can get Ian Holm, John Hurt, Harry Dean Stanton, & Yaphet Kotto all on screen at one time is gold in my book! In fact, when I think "Alien," the first person I think of isn't Ripley; it's Parker.

There's a huge drop from #2 to #3 here. Alien vs. Predator is a stupid movie, totally worthless except for in the few scenes where it fulfills the promise of its title and shows Aliens fighting Predators. However, it made no sense for them to make this movie a PG-13. It should have been a hard R.

Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem rectified that but nearly everything else about it was worse. Much of the action is so dimly lit that I can't tell what's going on. None of the human characters are particularly worth rooting for. And when it comes to my Alien movies, I prefer a more exotic setting, such as a spaceship or an ancient Mayan temple.

Alien Resurrection is crap. It's a cynical attempt to cash in on the most popular bits from Alien & Aliens.

Alien 3 is an interesting movie. On paper, it should easily make it into the top 3. However, the movie is very poorly executed from a visual standpoint. The action scenes give no sense of geography and it's too difficult to distinguish the characters from each other.

 

[Trubinator]

I don't consider AVP:R part of the canon. AVP I'm not sure about, but it's not fair to include it in a ranking with the four Alien films.

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

^Even when I find the AVP films far more watchable than the last couple regular Alien films?