Which three Alien films would you rather watch in one sitting?

[[cancerblack]]

I'm surprised that more people would rather sit through the prequels than watch Aliens and A3.

Not that much of a gap, and the first option includes Alien.

[SiL]

If Alien-Alien3 was an option one would win no prizes for guessing the most popular answer.

[seattle24]

There was potential in the Connors/ Verheiden/ Miller 'death' scenes - but the editing was choppy and I think they overdid the quivery lip thing.

And the Alien sound effects are bad. But they started chucking the 'less is more' approach out of the window long before AvP.

[Kradan]

This all makes me think of James Cameron, where it's been said multiple times that he can do practically everyone's job better than they can.. cameraman, lighting, cinematography, storyboards, concept art, editing... that with his constant meddling/assistance, he makes almost everyone better around him. Pissed off, yes,  but also better. Cameron can wear so many hats it frustrates him sometimes he had to rely on other people. But that's of course a rare breed!

And that's why I love the man

There was potential in the Connors/ Verheiden/ Miller 'death' scenes - but the editing was choppy and I think they overdid the quivery lip thing.

And the Alien sound effects are bad. But they started chucking the 'less is more' approach out of the window long before AvP.

Alien's headbite in AvP 2004 has metalic sound to it which is weird

[Voodoo Magic]

This all makes me think of James Cameron, where it's been said multiple times that he can do practically everyone's job better than they can.. cameraman, lighting, cinematography, storyboards, concept art, editing... that with his constant meddling/assistance, he makes almost everyone better around him. Pissed off, yes,  but also better. Cameron can wear so many hats it frustrates him sometimes he had to rely on other people. But that's of course a rare breed!

And that's why I love the man

I remember watching a Brad Fiedel interview about scoring The Terminator and Brad said Cameron corrected him on a portion of the score and, wouldn't you know it, Brad admitted Jim was right.

[Kradan]

Take that, Cameron haters !!! 

[bb-15]

Ridley Scott has that super power. His prequels are not cheap, but they look even more expensive, especially Prometheus. Even the Raised by Wolves episode he directed looked Top Tier.

Agreed. Ridley and Cameron with science fiction have the brilliant talent to make the visuals and the camerawork look great down to the smallest detail.
Add to that they are great in their casting.
Ridley is very good with pace in building a mystery.
Cameron is great with pace in building an action sequence.
And it's not about money, Blade Runner and The Terminator were cheap films.

And as you said; Prometheus, Raised by Wolves episode one (l'd add Covenant) were all low budget and looked very good.

On all those levels PWS Anderson isn't close to being that good (except for Event Horizon). AvP was still fun though.

[Rudiger]

(1) Alien, (2) Aliens, (3) Alien DC / Aliens DC (alternating).

The rest I can easily do without.

[Voodoo Magic]

He changed the no-win situation like Kirk and Kobayashi Maru!

[Local Trouble]

(1) Alien, (2) Aliens, (3) Alien DC / Aliens DC (alternating).

The rest I can easily do without.

Understandable.

[SM]

Ridley Scott has that super power. His prequels are not cheap, but they look even more expensive, especially Prometheus. Even the Raised by Wolves episode he directed looked Top Tier.

Agreed. Ridley and Cameron with science fiction have the brilliant talent to make the visuals and the camerawork look great down to the smallest detail.
Add to that they are great in their casting.
Ridley is very good with pace in building a mystery.
Cameron is great with pace in building an action sequence.
And it's not about money, Blade Runner and The Terminator were cheap films.

And as you said; Prometheus, Raised by Wolves episode one (l'd add Covenant) were all low budget and looked very good.

On all those levels PWS Anderson isn't close to being that good (except for Event Horizon). AvP was still fun though.

By what measure were Blade Runner and Prometheus cheap or low budget?

[HuDaFuK]

Blade Runner definitely looks a hell of a lot more expensive than it was, but "low budget" is pushing it.

Prometheus cost a shit-ton.

[SM]

Other films around 1982: ET cost $10.5m, Rambo cost $15m, Tron cost $17m, Poltergeist cost $10.7m, Conan cost $20m, Gandhi cost $22m - Blade Runner was around $30m.

[bb-15]

Ridley Scott has that super power. His prequels are not cheap, but they look even more expensive, especially Prometheus. Even the Raised by Wolves episode he directed looked Top Tier.

Agreed. Ridley and Cameron with science fiction have the brilliant talent to make the visuals and the camerawork look great down to the smallest detail.
Add to that they are great in their casting.
Ridley is very good with pace in building a mystery.
Cameron is great with pace in building an action sequence.
And it's not about money, Blade Runner and The Terminator were cheap films.

And as you said; Prometheus, Raised by Wolves episode one (l'd add Covenant) were all low budget and looked very good.

On all those levels PWS Anderson isn't close to being that good (except for Event Horizon). AvP was still fun though.

By what measure were Blade Runner and Prometheus cheap or low budget?

After checking the numbers, Blade Runner had an above average budget for a special effects science fiction movie at that time. Not the most expensive film but still not low budget. I stand corrected.
* Prometheus is low budget for a special effects science fiction film for its time.

* Blade Runner production budget; $28 million
https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Blade-Runner#tab=summary

1978 Superman cost $55 million
1981 Superman II cost $54 million
https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Superman-II#tab=summary

* Prometheus (2012) production budget; $125 million
https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Prometheus#tab=summary

2012 John Carter cost $264 million   
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_expensive_films

[SiL]

$28 million in the early 80s isn't low budget and $125 million in 2009 wasn't low budget either. $125 million still isn't low budget - $80m is about the cutoff for "mid budget" movies.