421. Raskolnikov - 9/23/99 7:25:54
AM
I finally watched the reason why I bought a DVD player: The
Aliens Special Edition.
Mindblowing. I had only seen it on videotape since 1986, when it
came out. And I hadn't seen the extra footage. The widescreen
presentation helps enormously, and I very much liked most of the
additional footage, the stuff which fills in a few minor plot
holes, adds minor pieces of action to spice up the slow bits
between the ass kicking of the marines and the alien assault on
the compound, and I liked the extra information about Ripley's
daughter, and the scene where she exchanges first names with
Corporal Hicks before entering the hive to rescue the kid.
But there was an extended sequence showing how the colonists (in
the form of Newt's dad) found the derelict spaceship which begins
the alien infestation. That sequence was disjointed, adds nothing
we really needed to know, and was justifiably cut the first time.
But aside from that, I was reminded why Aliens is my favorite
action film. I also thought James Horners score sounded much
better.
I am now a complete DVD convert. Join me.
I have The Wild Bunch and The Right Stuff in my on-deck circle,
for viewing this weekend.
