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(Quien Es Mas Macho) The Alien Extended Edits

Which extended cut of Alien rulz?

  • Alien Appendix 2: The Virtual Workprint by Meedermow

    Votes: 1 50.0%

  • Alien: The Hybrid Cut by Leonenut

    Votes: 1 50.0%

  • Alien - Extended Edition by Mr. E

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Alien - Extended Edition 2 by Samrosenbaum

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    2
  • Poll votes is visible for users with special permission.
D

DoctorM

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I've been meaning to check an extended Alien edit. But now there are as many cuts as Matrix edits!

Which is the best? You decide.

Edit:
For others who are looking for the differences between these edits, here is a summary of each as I understand them:

Alien Appendix 2: Virtual Workprint:
Pretty much a re-issue of Alien Redux (another fan edit) that utilizes all existing footage from multiple DVD releases. Upscaled (entirely) from letterboxed to anamorphic.
Some of the added footage is raw on-the-set recordings. Some alternate audio (lower quality and without effects) has been used (occasionally replacing finished audio). Don't be surprised to hear off-camera direction.
Looks and sounds like a workprint. This is for the person who wants everything known to exist.

Alien EE (Mr. E):
14 minutes of added footage. All sourced from the Quadrilogy's 2 cuts plus the deleted scenes on the second disc (converted to anamorphic when necessary).

Alien EE v2:
The above edit with an extended version of the cocoon scene and some audio/musical fixes.

The cocoon scene has been moved to before the self destruct is set.
From what I can tell the finished/polished version has been replaced with the raw deleted footage version.
As described by Imdb:
(The scene) originally opened with flat, static shots of Ripley clumsily descending a ladder, now opens with a low-angle tracking shot of Ripley descending much more smoothly.
Click to expand...

Alien Hybrid Cut (LeoneNut):
The theatrical cut was used as a foundation and most of the added content from the Director's cut has been added (minus a scene that shows too much alien too soon, and a 2 second bit with Jones the cat).
The cocoon scene is again moved to before the self destruct is set.
Deleted scenes that were restored (and considered for the Director's Cut) have also been added. These scenes were already anamorphic and DD 5.1.
No footage has been upscaled or upmixed.
 
My choice is the Virtual Workprint.
 
I would say mine, but I'm biased :smile:

The Virtual Workprint has every piece of footage possible (some of it in rough shape) and some alternate sound fx and dialogue.

Mine is a polished extended cut with everything in good quality and 5.1 sound, so doesn't include unrestored or anamorphically upconverted footage.

Take your pick
 
LeoneNut said:
The Virtual Workprint has every piece of footage possible
Click to expand...
That's why I prefer this one. It's the most complete view of what Ridley Scott filmed and had in mind for this movie.
 
I picked the Sam Rosenbaum version...although I need to put a third polish on my own version sometime. Version 1.0 just added a bunch of deleted scenes...all of the anamorphic stuff (from the Quadrilogy DVD) and the extended Derelict entry/crane lowering and meeting and coming up with the net idea after Kane's death converted to anamorphic. Version 2.0 restored the original sound effect of the Derelict transmission to that scene (from the 20th Anniversary Edition). Version 3.0 will use the sound from the 20th Anniversary version of the meeting scene (it's a complete sound mix there, but on the Quadrilogy DVD it's just production audio for some reason...a fact I didn't know at the time of editing my 1.0) and also anamorphisize and add music (from the 2-disc soundtrack, some un-used cue probably) to the 20th Anniversary version of the Alien Lair scene...since as Sam Rosenbaum pointed out, that version is twice as long, more disturbing, and better edited. I think with all of those changes, the movie would finally be ideal for me. I don't think either the Director's Cut or the 1979 Theatrical Cut are the best cuts of the movie...a lot of the deleted scenes (from both versions, since Scott had to tinker with deleting other footage to add the new stuff in his DC) are really good, flesh out the movie and don't hurt the pacing at all.

That's my 2 cents. I'd like to see this virtual workprint someday, though...
 
I got a huge laugh from when Ridley Scott said in the extras for the Quadrilogy that the 'Director's Cut' in the set isn't really. It's more like 'just another cut'... he still considers the theatrical version his ideal version.

I liked seeing some of the deleted content in it, but all the suspense and the mystery of what the alien looked like were bled out of the film.

That's one of the reasons I'm curious to see some of these edits.
 
DoctorM said:
I liked seeing some of the deleted content in it, but all the suspense and the mystery of what the alien looked like were bled out of the film.
Click to expand...

That's something I don't like about those deleted shots of the Alien sidling up to Lambert. Makes it look crap, and not the creepy xenomorph we all know and love.
I never understood those DC shots of the Alien watching Brett either, takes the suspense right out of the moment.
 
I am pretty sure that shot of the alien hanging from the chains in the landing leg was the only added shot of the alien in the 'director's cut', so I am confused over DoctorM's comment.

OK, according to schnittberichte there is a 4-second shot of the Alien's face snarling at Jones added to the DC. So that's two added shots...but they are short and it's not like full-body shots or anything. Although I agree that the shot of the alien hanging by the chains is odd and totally out of place (I think they idea of the shot was that you wouldn't know what you were looking at, but because the creature is now so iconic, you instantly recognize it...had that shot been in the movie in '79, it would be a different story) and should really be cut.
 
LeoneNut said:
I would say mine, but I'm biased :smile:

The Virtual Workprint has every piece of footage possible (some of it in rough shape) and some alternate sound fx and dialogue.

Mine is a polished extended cut with everything in good quality and 5.1 sound, so doesn't include unrestored or anamorphically upconverted footage.

Take your pick
Click to expand...

Actually there isn't anything in the "virtual Workprint" that didn't come from an official DVD. So while quality varies it remains totally watchable.

And it was made to represent what the 3 hour rough cut looked like. so it isn't meant to be polished.
 
So it sounds like the virtual workprint is the most complete, but that LeoneNuts' edit took into account the suspense of what to add or not add?
 
i've not seen leonenut's edit yet so i've not voted

but it will come down to extended cut or fanedit cut - i'm assuming i'll like the fanedit cut better... :)
 
Before Alien was released a 3 hour rough cut was shown (I can't remember the location right now). Apparently this version showed a lot more of the alien. I really agree that "less is better" works for the film. but now as we all have seen the creature many times over it would be cool to see that version. My personal opinion is the the alien in "ALIEN" is the scariest version. The Aliens versions were good. Alien3 looked like something from the Muppets jumping around (way to go GoMotion!!). And the CGI ones in part 4 looked like a videogame to me.

Alien is my all time favorite film. Heck. If they realeased evey inch of fim on a 10 DVD set I'd watch it.
 
I watching a thing about the "Director's Cut". Is there any footage removed/altered from it, or is it just a slightly extended cut?

I'm actually surprised I don't know the answer.
 
There is about 6mins worth of scene extensions, but Ridley Scott also tightened up a lot of the rest of the movie with just little trims here and there, totaling about 7mins of cuts. So the movie actually winds up being about a minute shorter. His reason for doing this was to get the pacing of the flick more in-tune with what audiences of today are used to seeing. He's also made it clear that the Director's Cut is not by any means his preferred cut. He considers the theatrical cut his definitive version, but allowed Fox to use the "Director's Cut" title to sell the edit better.
 
ReverendBeastly said:
There is about 6mins worth of scene extensions, but Ridley Scott also tightened up a lot of the rest of the movie with just little trims here and there, totaling about 7mins of cuts. So the movie actually winds up being about a minute shorter. His reason for doing this was to get the pacing of the flick more in-tune with what audiences of today are used to seeing. He's also made it clear that the Director's Cut is not by any means his preferred cut. He considers the theatrical cut his definitive version, but allowed Fox to use the "Director's Cut" title to sell the edit better.
Click to expand...

I actually wish he didn't get involved in it. Before he did they actually cut together a longer version without deleting anything. When he got involved he started over and we got just 6 min more.
 
All of the other stuff that was going to be edited back into the film is presented, fully restored, on the bonus disc for Alien from the Quadrilogy set. If you want to see the extra scenes and everything that was originally in it, I think one of these edits does that. If not, it wouldn't be too hard to do it yourself.
 
ReverendBeastly: I did know that the 'Director's Cut' is a bogus description, and I agree with him. I prefer the theatrical cut much more.
Based on the strength of this poll though, I will be giving the Virtual Workprint a go. I'm intrigued by the 'kitchen sink' approach (though Leonenut seems to get the concept of suspense).
I might be forced to watch a couple cuts.

I do recall that the Director's Cut does have new color timing as well (not that I'd be able to tell you what was changed).
 
I used the Special Edition DVD for the Virtual Workprint rather than the Director's Cut. My reasoning was to make sure I didn't miss any footage. And since the DC does exclude footage it was an easy decision.

Also again I wasn't driven by the most pristine picture anyway. I was going to be mixing footage from different sources of different quality to represent something that would be rough anyway. I actually though of adding a timecode but I know that would have pissed people off.

Overall I think the VW came out very different from the final film. There is actually only 2 chapters that don't have extra footage. But they all have the original score and production audio whenever possible. So not only do you see different stuff you hear much more dialog including alternate dialog. I knew someday others would do a more tight extended cut. I wanted to do something different.

Not counting the time it took to collect the clips, I spent a solid 2 months doing the edit.

It's for the die hard Alien fans like myself.
 
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