DVD News

Alien films get collected on Blu-ray!

By Patrick Luce Jul 16, 2010, 16:03 GMT

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment has announced the Alien Anthology will debut on Blu-ray for the first time ever on October 25 internationally and on October 26 in North America. The Alien Anthology will be available for a suggested retail price of $139.99 U.S. / $179.99 Canada.

All four Alien films have been reinvigorated for an intense Blu-ray high-definition viewing experience and the release will also mark the debut of MU-TH-UR Mode.

The new function is a fully interactive companion that takes the extensive materials in the Alien Anthology and puts them in the user’s hand – connecting fans to special features on all six discs and instantly providing an index of all available Alien content - including over 60 hours of special features and over 12,000 images.

For the first time ever, the studio has united the material from every home video release of the Alien saga including the 1991/1992 laserdisc releases, the 1999 “Legacy” release and 2003’s groundbreaking Alien Quadrilogy release into one complete Blu-ray collection.

The set also includes two versions of each film and over four hours of previously unreleased exclusive material such as original screen-tests of Sigourney Weaver prior to filming the original Alien, unseen deleted scenes, thousands of still photographs from the Fox archives, the previously unseen original cut of “Wreckage and Rage: The Making of Alien 3,” and much, much more.

Alien Anthology set breakdown and special features:

DISC ONE: ALIEN:
 
1979 Theatrical Version
2003 Director’s Cut with Ridley Scott Introduction
Audio Commentary by Director Ridley Scott, Writer Dan O’Bannon, Executive Producer Ronald Shusett, Editor Terry Rawlings, Actors Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton and John Hurt
Audio Commentary (for Theatrical Cut only) by Ridley Scott
Final Theatrical Isolated Score by Jerry Goldsmith
Composer’s Original Isolated Score by Jerry Goldsmith
Deleted and Extended Scenes
MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream

DISC TWO: ALIENS:

1986 Theatrical Version
1991 Special Edition with James Cameron Introduction
Audio Commentary by Director James Cameron, Producer Gale Anne Hurd, Alien Effects Creator Stan Winston, Visual Effects Supervisors Robert Skotak and Dennis Skotak, Miniature Effects Supervisor Pat McClung, Actors Michael Biehn, Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen, Jenette Goldstein, Carrie Henn and Christopher Henn
Final Theatrical Isolated Score by James Horner
Composer’s Original Isolated Score by James Horner
Deleted and Extended Scenes
MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream

DISC THREE: ALIEN3:

1992 Theatrical Version
2003 Special Edition (Restored Workprint Version)
Audio Commentary by Cinematographer Alex Thomson, B.S.C., Editor Terry Rawlings, Alien Effects Designers Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr., Visual Effects Producer Richard Edlund, A.S.C., Actors Paul McGann and Lance Henriksen
Final Theatrical Isolated Score by Elliot Goldenthal
Deleted and Extended Scenes
MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream

DISC FOUR: ALIEN RESURRECTION:

1997 Theatrical Version
2003 Special Edition with Jean-Pierre Jeunet Introduction
Audio Commentary by Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Editor Hervé Schneid, A.C.E., Alien Effects Creators Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr., Visual Effects Supervisor Pitof, Conceptual Artist Sylvain Despretz, Actors Ron Perlman, Dominique Pinon and Leland Orser
Final Theatrical Isolated Score by John Frizzell
Deleted and Extended Scenes
MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream

DISC FIVE: MAKING THE ANTHOLOGY:

In addition to over 12 hours of candid, in-depth documentaries, you now have the ability to go even deeper into Alien Anthology history with nearly five hours of additional video Enhancement Pods created exclusively for this collection, presenting behind-the-scenes footage, raw dailies and interview outtakes from all four films. At topical points in the documentaries, you may access these pods to enhance your experience, or watch them on their own from the separate Enhancement Pod index.

The Beast Within: Making ALIEN:

Star Beast: Developing the Story
The Visualists: Direction and Design
Truckers in Space: Casting
Fear of the Unknown: Shepperton Studios, 1978
The Darkest Reaches: Nostromo and Alien Planet
The Eighth Passenger: Creature Design
Future Tense: Editing and Music
Outward Bound: Visual Effects
A Nightmare Fulfilled: Reaction to the Film

Enhancement Pods

Superior Firepower: Making ALIENS

57 Years Later: Continuing the Story
Building Better Worlds: From Concept to Construction
Preparing for Battle: Casting and Characterization
This Time It’s War: Pinewood Studios, 1985
The Risk Always Lives: Weapons and Action
Bug Hunt: Creature Design
Beauty and the Bitch: Power Loader vs. Queen Alien
Two Orphans: Sigourney Weaver and Carrie Henn
The Final Countdown: Music, Editing and Sound
The Power of Real Tech: Visual Effects
Aliens Unleashed: Reaction to the Film
 
Enhancement Pods

Wreckage and Rage: Making ALIEN3

Development Hell: Concluding the Story
Tales of the Wooden Planet: Vincent Ward’s Vision
Stasis Interrupted: David Fincher’s Vision
Xeno-Erotic: H.R. Giger’s Redesign
The Color of Blood: Pinewood Studios, 1991
Adaptive Organism: Creature Design
The Downward Spiral: Creative Differences
Where the Sun Burns Cold: Fox Studios, L.A. 1992
Optical Fury: Visual Effects
Requiem for a Scream: Music, Editing and Sound
Post-Mortem: Reaction to the Film

Enhancement Pods

One Step Beyond: Making ALIEN RESURRECTION

From the Ashes: Reviving the Story
French Twist: Direction and Design
Under the Skin: Casting and Characterization
Death from Below: Fox Studios, Los Angeles, 1996
In the Zone: The Basketball Scene
Unnatural Mutation: Creature Design
Genetic Composition: Music
Virtual Aliens: Computer Generated Imagery
A Matter of Scale: Miniature Photography
Critical Juncture: Reaction to the Film

Enhancement Pods
MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience to Access and Control Enhancement Pods

DISC SIX: THE ANTHOLOGY ARCHIVES:

ALIEN:

Pre-Production

First Draft Screenplay by Dan O’Bannon
Ridleygrams: Original Thumbnails and Notes
Storyboard Archive
The Art of Alien: Conceptual Art Portfolio
Sigourney Weaver Screen Tests with Select Director Commentary
Cast Portrait Gallery

Production

The Chestbuster: Multi-Angle Sequence with Commentary
Video Graphics Gallery
Production Image Galleries
Continuity Polaroids
The Sets of Alien
H.R. Giger’s Workshop Gallery

Post-Production and Aftermath
 
Additional Deleted Scenes
Image & Poster Galleries

Experience in Terror
Special Collector’s Edition LaserDisc Archive
The Alien Legacy
American Cinematheque: Ridley Scott Q&A
Trailers & TV Spots

ALIENS:

Pre-Production

Original Treatment by James Cameron
Pre-Visualizations: Multi-Angle Videomatics with Commentary
Storyboard Archive
The Art of Aliens: Image Galleries
Cast Portrait Gallery

Production

Production Image Galleries
Continuity Polaroids
Weapons and Vehicles
Stan Winston’s Workshop
Colonial Marine Helmet Cameras
Video Graphics Gallery
Weyland-Yutani Inquest: Nostromo Dossiers

Post-Production and Aftermath

Deleted Scene: Burke Cocooned
Deleted Scene Montage
Image Galleries
Special Collector’s Edition LaserDisc Archive
Main Title Exploration
Aliens: Ride at the Speed of Fright
Trailers & TV Spots

ALIEN3:

Pre-Production
 
Storyboard Archive
The Art of Arceon
The Art of Fiorina
 
Production

Furnace Construction: Time-Lapse Sequence
EEV Bioscan: Multi-Angle Vignette with Commentary
Production Image Galleries
A.D.I.’s Workshop

Post-Production and Aftermath

Visual Effects Gallery
Special Shoot: Promotional Photo Archive

Alien3 Advance Featurette
The Making of Alien3 Promotional Featurette
Trailers & TV Spots

ALIEN RESURRECTION:

Pre-Production

First Draft Screenplay by Joss Whedon
Test Footage: A.D.I. Creature Shop with Commentary
Test Footage: Costumes, Hair and Makeup
Pre-Visualizations: Multi-Angle Rehearsals
Storyboard Archive
The Marc Caro Portfolio: Character Designs
The Art of Resurrection: Image Galleries

Production

Production Image Galleries
A.D.I.’s Workshop

Post-Production and Aftermath

Visual Effects Gallery
Special Shoot: Promotional Photo Archive

HBO First Look: The Making of Alien Resurrection
Alien Resurrection Promotional Featurette
Trailers & TV Spots

ANTHOLOGY:

Two Versions of Alien Evolution
The Alien Saga
Patches and Logos Gallery
Aliens 3D Attraction Scripts and Gallery
Aliens in the Basement: The Bob Burns Collection
Parodies
Dark Horse Cover Gallery
Patches and Logos Gallery
MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience