Cheap Aliens (Special Edition) (DVD) (James Cameron) Price

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Customer Reviews of Aliens (Special Edition)

Aliens
James Cameron's big-budget, special-effects-driven sequel to Ridley Scott's "Alien" might lack the carefully orchestrated tension of its predecessor, but its unrelenting pace and Weaver's smart, tough performance carry the film into its own nightmare orbit. Essentially an action film pitting a squad of scared, trigger-happy grunts against a teeming nest of truly frightening monsters, "Aliens" benefits from its superb small cast--including Lance Henriksen and comic Paul Reiser playing against type as a devious corporate slime-ball--as well as director Cameron's breathless pacing and air-tight direction. Just wait til Mother arrives!

Marketing ploy to enjoy
If you're not the type to run out and replace your VCR collection as soon as the new format arrives, you probably appreciate a slightly clever ploy to spring for a new version of a classic. An additional 17 minutes of film may seem little justification for this expensive proposition. But seeing the slimey xenomorphs on DVD is reward enough for a fan. The discs include the theatrical release and the director's cut along with other extras, which include an interview with director James Cameron. Cameron dwells excessively on his strained patience dealing with a British film crew. His comments may reveal insight into Cameron's choice to forgo taking the director's seat for the third film (which received some critical acclaim but disappointed fans). <
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>I originally screened Aliens in the theater in July 1986. I remember watching the credits roll with the powerful soundtrack that kept the heart pounding as the last of the text disappeared. Even with the lights coming up, the sound of a slithering alien sent chills down my spine. Sadly, this part of the track is missing from this set. <
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>Successive viewings have not spoiled enjoyment of this finely crafted script and its special effects. Rubber suits, scale models and puppetry have never been used to such great effect. The scenes involving the "drop ship" are stunning. The breathless sequence that takes the drop ship from the mother ship to the planet's surface is but one of many that make this nightmare so real. <
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>Few pauses and a lot of action pace this relentless story. Cameron's decision to write Marines into the confrontation was nothing shy of genius. The Marines think they're heading to a "bug hunt." Bill Paxton's Hudson, who provides comedic relief, describes the array of weaponry they bring. But for all the techno gadetry and fire power, the Marines find themselves stranded amid an army of aliens intent on making them hosts for more bugs. Sigourney Weaver's Ripley, whom we didn't know was a parent from the original release, provides a first-rate performance in the escape ahead of the massing aliens. <
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>Cameron's tip of the hat to Hitchcock is one the best moments in cinematic history. The confrontation in the bowels of the disintegrating atmosphere generating plant is as disturbing as anything science fiction has to offer. Not since Hitchcock's "The Birds" has there been anything like it. And, there's more. The final battle with the queen alien is a masterpiece of action filming. Not until the survivors are snuggly tucked into their cryotubes, do we finally get to gasp a sigh of relief.