tabuno
11-02-2003, 03:41 AM
The six to eight changes in the Director's Cut of the classic sci fi thriller Alien (1979) I believe diminished the quality of the original version. It's hard to believe what Ridley Scott was thinking because the changes from the original really do not add to the quality of the first theatrical release:
1)The addition of the alien beacon scene where the crew gets to have an expanded listen to the alien message did not really add anything to the movie. We do not learn anything more than before and it's the hidden suggestive power of the message not the actual experience of the message that really makes the movie strong. The sound of the message itself wasn't anything special unlike First Space Ship on Venus (1962).
2) The substitution of the slap scene between Lambert and Ripley outside the medical lab was overly dramatic and unncessary as the original version has more sedate but carefully done with Lambert acting, again, indirectly and more in character moping around Ripley's decision not to allow them into the Nostromo.
3) The director's cut eliminates the dialogue between Ripley and Ash about whether or not the alien message has been put through a computer program to attempt to translate it where Ash says it hasn't and Ripley volunteers to examine the message and see if she can determine what it says. Leaving this scene out makes Ripley's warning message scene abrupt and disjointed.
4) The director's cut also eliminates (I believe) a brief scene of the Nostromo taking off the planet where Brett and Parker rapidly discuss either overheating or a loss of a shield and Parker talks about sitting on it that adds to the suspense of just leaving the strange planet.
5) The director's cut also eliminates Dallas' scene with Mother regarding the chances of surviving which I thought was really effective in demonstrating how technology couldn't compute the future.
6) The director's cut also eliminated the scene between Ripley and Dallas about the nature of Ash's assignment to the Nostromo which I thought heightened the corporate conspiracy angle.
7) The Dallas cacoon scene slowed the escape scene and made it more disjointed for me (while interested and was actually part of the original storyline) this scene was more intellectually stimulating but not emotionally necessary for the movie (the unknown ultimate demise of Dallas is more satisfying - see "Picnic at Hanging Rock").
8) Was the alien image in the Brett about to be killed sequence in the original?
9) Did the alien actually slap the cat box in the original?
1)The addition of the alien beacon scene where the crew gets to have an expanded listen to the alien message did not really add anything to the movie. We do not learn anything more than before and it's the hidden suggestive power of the message not the actual experience of the message that really makes the movie strong. The sound of the message itself wasn't anything special unlike First Space Ship on Venus (1962).
2) The substitution of the slap scene between Lambert and Ripley outside the medical lab was overly dramatic and unncessary as the original version has more sedate but carefully done with Lambert acting, again, indirectly and more in character moping around Ripley's decision not to allow them into the Nostromo.
3) The director's cut eliminates the dialogue between Ripley and Ash about whether or not the alien message has been put through a computer program to attempt to translate it where Ash says it hasn't and Ripley volunteers to examine the message and see if she can determine what it says. Leaving this scene out makes Ripley's warning message scene abrupt and disjointed.
4) The director's cut also eliminates (I believe) a brief scene of the Nostromo taking off the planet where Brett and Parker rapidly discuss either overheating or a loss of a shield and Parker talks about sitting on it that adds to the suspense of just leaving the strange planet.
5) The director's cut also eliminates Dallas' scene with Mother regarding the chances of surviving which I thought was really effective in demonstrating how technology couldn't compute the future.
6) The director's cut also eliminated the scene between Ripley and Dallas about the nature of Ash's assignment to the Nostromo which I thought heightened the corporate conspiracy angle.
7) The Dallas cacoon scene slowed the escape scene and made it more disjointed for me (while interested and was actually part of the original storyline) this scene was more intellectually stimulating but not emotionally necessary for the movie (the unknown ultimate demise of Dallas is more satisfying - see "Picnic at Hanging Rock").
8) Was the alien image in the Brett about to be killed sequence in the original?
9) Did the alien actually slap the cat box in the original?