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We have just uploaded the 145th episode of the Alien vs. Predator Galaxy Podcast (right-click and save as to download)! Corporal Hicks, RidgeTop, Omegamorph, Voodoo Magic and Xenomorphine are back for this retrospective episode on Alien 3 to discuss a film hailed by some as a misunderstood masterpiece, and an absolute disaster of a film by others. A divisive film amongst fandom, but undeniably a fascinating story of film-making with many could-have or should-have beens.

We discuss how our opinions on the film have changed, the film’s failures, it’s successes, our alternative ideas and plenty more!

What did you think of our latest episode? Be sure to let us know down below! You can also listen to any of our previous episodes in the Podcast section under the News tab on the main menu. The Alien vs. Predator Galaxy Podcast is also available via iTunes, PodBean, GooglePlay Stitcher, and Spotify! Please be sure to leave a rating and review on whichever platform you're using!

And if you'd rather see our beautiful faces, as always, the video version of the podcast is also available on the Alien vs. Predator Galaxy YouTube channel!

We’ve previously had the pleasure of being joined on the podcast by Charles de Lauzirika to discuss the effort that went into producing the Assembly Cut of Alien 3. If you haven’t already (or fancy a refresher) be sure to check that episode out! Also, make sure you keep an eye on AvP Galaxy for an upcoming interview with one of Alien 3’s screenwriters!

Make sure your browsers are locked into Alien vs. Predator Galaxy for the latest Alien and Predator news! You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube to get the latest on your social media walls. Be sure to join in with fellow Alien and Predator fans on our forums as well!

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I love this film, thank you.

I watched the Assembly Cut and the Theatrical last weekend. I still prefer the Assembly Cut overall. I like that we see the Super Facehugger although the dog makes more sense than the ox. I remember when I first saw Alien 3. Must have been about '96 as a young lad when ITV were showing the trilogy one weekend. I didn't mind it at the time. As I got older, and when the Legacy DVD boxset came out in 2000, I really didn't like it. I was complaining about the bad CGI.

Then when the Assembly Cut came out, it did grow on me. I like the setting, the cast and characters, the hybrid alien, the music. When I was watching the Theatrical last weekend, I do still understand why so many people really don't like it. It is a big contrast to Aliens and if it had have come out before Aliens, it would have been better received.

I prefer A3 than Aliens. You can stone me now ;D

Quote from: Ingwar on May 30, 2022, 08:53:21 PMI prefer A3 than Aliens. You can stone me now ;D

S'all good. I agree.

I haven't finished it yet. But so far there have been multiple points or observations that I had not made before. After having watched this film many, many times that was a bonus for me. ;D

I enjoy having Omegamorph as a reviewer. He is not on as much and enjoy his views. As he and xenomorphine both stated The Bishop animatronics is so well done its one of my favorite scenes.

One thing though I enjoy watching the youtube broadcast and Omega you have a tendency to cover your mouth with your hand. And even with the volume turned up I can't always make out what is said it comes out jumbled. Just saying.  ;)

You mentioned the test screenings. I can't find much info about what the differences were. @Corporal Hicks You mentioned in your ADI interview about the eggs. Was that true that there was no eggs initially?

QuoteAaron: So, the appearance of the eggs and the Facehugger in the opening credits of Alien 3 has always been a point of conversation when it comes to the fans. Now if I remember correctly, the addition of the egg was actually a later thing following test screenings and we only see the one egg on screen but the call sheets actually mentioned two. Was that just an extra in case of accidents or do you recall if it was intended that we see the multiple eggs on screen to account for the multiple embryos.

@Xenomorphine You quoted an interview from somewhere about Fincher saying that there wasn't money for it? Where's this interview?

f**k yes ! You can't imagine how long have I been waiting for this !

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May 31, 2022, 05:52:49 PM

Quote from: Darkness on May 30, 2022, 06:16:40 PMthe bad CGI

*angry Corporal noises*

Only started listening to podcasts recently, but I've been liking the previous ones about alien3, looking forward to listening to this one  :D

I wanna agree with RidgeTop about the difference between cuts. I once caught theatrical cut on TV and I have distinct memory of how jarring transition from shot of sprinklers to Dillon looking at a body of a dead inmate felt

Quote from: Darwinsgirl on May 31, 2022, 03:10:39 PMOne thing though I enjoy watching the youtube broadcast and Omega you have a tendency to cover your mouth with your hand. And even with the volume turned up I can't always make out what is said it comes out jumbled. Just saying.  ;)

I'll let him know that. And we're trying to pressure him into buying a proper microphone too.

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Jun 01, 2022, 08:05:26 AM

Quote from: Darkness on May 31, 2022, 04:29:27 PMYou mentioned the test screenings. I can't find much info about what the differences were. @Corporal Hicks You mentioned in your ADI interview about the eggs. Was that true that there was no eggs initially?

They're absent from the workprint vhs rip which was actually a taping of one of the screentested cuts of the film.

Quote@Xenomorphine You quoted an interview from somewhere about Fincher saying that there wasn't money for it? Where's this interview?

It's from the interviews in the Dark Horse adaptation. I've uploaded them here, Eric kindly photographed for me. https://imgur.com/a/TzE2iJG

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Jun 01, 2022, 08:06:36 AM

Quote from: Kradan on May 31, 2022, 05:50:30 PMf**k yes ! You can't imagine how long have I been waiting for this !

Hope it entertains!

Quote

Quote from: Darkness on May 30, 2022, 06:16:40 PMthe bad CGI

*angry Corporal noises*

 :'( I'm hoping he knows now, that there's very little CGI!!!  :P

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Jun 01, 2022, 08:07:07 AM

Quote from: immortalundead on May 31, 2022, 10:41:32 PMOnly started listening to podcasts recently, but I've been liking the previous ones about alien3, looking forward to listening to this one  :D

Thanks immortal! Thanks for listening, and hope you enjoy this one. :)

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Jun 01, 2022, 08:07:34 AM

Quote from: Kradan on May 31, 2022, 11:49:07 PMI wanna agree with RidgeTop about the difference between cuts. I once caught theatrical cut on TV and I have distinct memory of how jarring transition from shot of sprinklers to Dillon looking at a body of a dead inmate felt

That's interesting to hear but it was never something that stuck out to me.

Hmm, that's about the dog-burster sequence rather than the eggs. But surely by that point the ox-burster stuff would have already been filmed. Was that not already in the test screening or was the ox stuff completely cut out well before that?

I didn't realise the workprint was from a cam of a test screening. I just thought it was a VHS tape.

Yeah, Xenomorphine was talking about the test screening having no burster sequence. The ox-burster was filmed, then cut. Then after the testings, Fincher was given the money to go film the new dog-burster stuff. It was reshoot documentation on the old Alien Archives website where we learnt that the eggs were a part of the reshoot.

I assume it was a VHS camcorder.

That's one of the key reasons I don't think the Assembly Cut resembles David Fincher's Final Cut that Ralph Brown mentioned. No Egg on the Sulaco™

Based and Opening-Is-Representative-Not-Literal-pilled.

Quote from: [cancerblack] on Jun 01, 2022, 12:14:50 PMBased and Opening-Is-Representative-Not-Literal-pilled.

 ;D

Quote from: BlueMarsalis79 on Jun 01, 2022, 12:12:45 PMThat's one of the key reasons I don't think the Assembly Cut resembles David Fincher's Final Cut that Ralph Brown mentioned. No Egg on the Sulaco™

I don't think it can be because Fincher oversaw the dog-burster so any later cut from him should have that in. The Assembly Cut is just an earlier cut by Fincher.

Press X to doubt.

QuoteI didn't realise the workprint was from a cam of a test screening. I just thought it was a VHS tape.

The workprint was on a VHS tape as it was common for editors to transfer rough cuts, etc to VHS tape at the time for post production for composers, sound effects editors and so on.  It wasn't a cam recording.  How the Alien 3 workprint was leaked I'm not sure.  The version of the workprint that is available online is a copy of a copy of a copy with the quality degrading each time.

Wanted to clarify, did I hear that right - you boys got someone involved in writing this thing ?

(https://c.tenor.com/sTgOAh9zfX4AAAAC/inglorious-basterds-call-me.gif)

Quote from: xeno_alpha_07 on Jun 01, 2022, 03:20:47 PM

QuoteI didn't realise the workprint was from a cam of a test screening. I just thought it was a VHS tape.

The workprint was on a VHS tape as it was common for editors to transfer rough cuts, etc to VHS tape at the time for post production for composers, sound effects editors and so on.  It wasn't a cam recording.  How the Alien 3 workprint was leaked I'm not sure.  The version of the workprint that is available online is a copy of a copy of a copy with the quality degrading each time.

I still want to know what the f**k was going around on VHS in New Zealand in the late 90's and early 2000's. It wasn't the theatrical cut, it wasn't as crude as the workprint, and the Assembly Cut wasn't out yet. It was, IIRC, about 13 minutes longer than the theatrical version.

Although it's worth noting that being the VHS era, fan or collector edits of certain films would get quietly introduced to rental houses sometimes, and Vincent Ward had family in the area which is likely irrelevant but I don't know where the f**k else it might have come from.

QuoteI still want to know what the f**k was going around on VHS in New Zealand in the late 90's and early 2000's. It wasn't the theatrical cut, it wasn't as crude as the workprint, and the Assembly Cut wasn't out yet. It was, IIRC, about 13 minutes longer than the theatrical version.

I had no idea there was a copy of Alien 3 on tape in New Zealand that was 13 minutes longer.  Was there any timecode or anything on it?  Can you remember if it was a bootleg tape or what extra footage it featured at all? I'm quite curious  :) 

Quote from: xeno_alpha_07 on Jun 01, 2022, 03:20:47 PM

QuoteI didn't realise the workprint was from a cam of a test screening. I just thought it was a VHS tape.

It wasn't a cam recording.  How the Alien 3 workprint was leaked I'm not sure.  The version of the workprint that is available online is a copy of a copy of a copy with the quality degrading each time.

My mistake! Thanks for correcting that, xeno. :)

Quote from: Darwinsgirl on May 31, 2022, 03:10:39 PMI haven't finished it yet. But so far there have been multiple points or observations that I had not made before. After having watched this film many, many times that was a bonus for me. ;D

I enjoy having Omegamorph as a reviewer. He is not on as much and enjoy his views. As he and xenomorphine both stated The Bishop animatronics is so well done its one of my favorite scenes.

Thank you kindly ;D I'm glad!

I'm going to try and be more present to the movie-related podcasts!

In a similar vein, just had a lot of fun listening to CDL on Perfect Organism's Assembly Cut Commentary, if you need positivity to balance out this particular perspective.

And features some new information I didn't know. 

Quote from: xeno_alpha_07 on Jun 01, 2022, 06:56:46 PM

QuoteI still want to know what the f**k was going around on VHS in New Zealand in the late 90's and early 2000's. It wasn't the theatrical cut, it wasn't as crude as the workprint, and the Assembly Cut wasn't out yet. It was, IIRC, about 13 minutes longer than the theatrical version.

I had no idea there was a copy of Alien 3 on tape in New Zealand that was 13 minutes longer.  Was there any timecode or anything on it?  Can you remember if it was a bootleg tape or what extra footage it featured at all? I'm quite curious  :) 

No timecode on any of it. From memory, it had the alternate versions of the trap sequence/Golic stuff and Ripleys death, but I can't recall any other differences, if there were any. Definitely still had the dog rather than the ox, and didn't have the longer beach stuff. 

This was at the Amalgamated Video rental stores in Wellington, specifically the Mirimar and Kilbirnie locations. I never spotted it anywhere else. I'm fairly certain it was a bootleg that the staff would put on the shelves for those who knew to look.

Quote from: [cancerblack] on Jun 29, 2022, 07:21:03 PMNo timecode on any of it. From memory, it had the alternate versions of the trap sequence/Golic stuff and Ripleys death, but I can't recall any other differences, if there were any. Definitely still had the dog rather than the ox, and didn't have the longer beach stuff. 

This was at the Amalgamated Video rental stores in Wellington, specifically the Mirimar and Kilbirnie locations. I never spotted it anywhere else. I'm fairly certain it was a bootleg that the staff would put on the shelves for those who knew to look.

Thank you for the info it definitely sounds like a bootleg tape.  However, I wonder if they got the extra trap sequence, Golic scenes and alternate ending from the workprint and spliced them in.  It is possible as what they call 'lower generational' copies, which are way better quality, existed back then but are extremely rare to find.  Wish I could track down a copy of this tape.

Quote from: BlueMarsalis79 on May 30, 2022, 05:32:15 PMI love this film, thank you.

I love how nihilistic it is. Such a specific bleak atmosphere. The ending is perfect in that regard too with Ripley's recording playing one last time.

I mean it is, but I also find it inspiring, genuinely so.

Perhaps David Fincher should make a Blade Runner movie. I bet it would be very dirty, nihilistic, gritty, extremely depressing and full of symbolism.

I only watch The Assembly Cut these days. Though I find the absence of the Queen Chestburster coming out of Ripley as she falls into the lead in Theatrical Cut a scene that should be in both cuts. Without it, the whole see feels anticlimactic.

I think it works just fine without it. But that's me

I agree, although I do not mind the visual either.

Quote from: City Hunter Yautja on Aug 16, 2022, 06:29:04 AMI only watch The Assembly Cut these days. Though I find the absence of the Queen Chestburster coming out of Ripley as she falls into the lead in Theatrical Cut a scene that should be in both cuts. Without it, the whole see feels anticlimactic.

It also adds urgency. We know Ripley is doomed but I'd prefer to see the burst actually happen.

Quote from: Huntsman on Aug 16, 2022, 11:49:49 AM

Quote from: City Hunter Yautja on Aug 16, 2022, 06:29:04 AMI only watch The Assembly Cut these days. Though I find the absence of the Queen Chestburster coming out of Ripley as she falls into the lead in Theatrical Cut a scene that should be in both cuts. Without it, the whole see feels anticlimactic.

It also adds urgency. We know Ripley is doomed but I'd prefer to see the burst actually happen.

Exactly. It also makes Lance Henriksen's acting in that scene work, without the Chestburster he comes off over the top, but with the Chestburster his emotion seems normal.

I look forward to the A34K Project so I never have to choose again.