Alien Anthology Discussion

[Cvalda]

anyway... i have a question, to all the owner of the anthology: in the booklet is a retrospective/interview with danny boyle as host, (don't know exactly on which disc 5 or 6 [and i borrowed mine to a friend]) listed.
i've got the german version and it's listed in the booklet as well, but it's NOT on the disk.
so i think: wtf?

That would be the "Shock & Awe: The Return of ALIEN" documentary from 2003. It was originally supposed to be included on the set, but for whatever reason it didn't make the cut. Which is a shame, because I for one would really like to see it. I guess the German Anthology release uses an outdated extras list.

[xeno_alpha_07]

...but for whatever reason it didn't make the cut. Which is a shame, because I for one would really like to see it.

Your not missing anything.  It's interview segments taken from the Quadrilogy features with the odd segement done by Danny Boyle spliced in...thats it.

[DoomRulz]

I picked up the Anthology over the holidays. What's all this about easter eggs hidden on the discs? I remember a discussion about them went on for almost 10 pages here or something.

[Xenomorphine]

I though Aliens looked amazing. The other two, well Alien 3 was okay and I haven't even removed A:R from the box, and I doubt I ever will 

Maybe I was just lucky with my DVD versions.

The third and fourth genuinely look the same as ever.

Really? I haven't watched any of them all the way through yet, but I've dipped in and out and there's a definite improvement to all of them. Get a new TV, bro

My television is fine. I can definitely see the improvement of something like the recent 'Star Trek' film on Blu-Ray. And, like I said, 'Alien' looks improved. Just a feeling, though... I haven't compared it. But it felt richer.

However, 'Aliens' and the others seemed much the same. I'll know for sure when I get around to watching it all the way through, but I checked a fair amount of it. Went through all the chapters.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lfwpxvY0781qa1o5zo1_500.jpg

Strange... The quality of my DVD version always looked as good as that!

[Kol]

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lfwpxvY0781qa1o5zo1_500.jpg

Strange... The quality of my DVD version always looked as good as that!

to be honest that's what i expected from you. an unreasonable (uneinsichtig) answer as usual.

[Xenomorphine]

I've just taken another look at 'Aliens'. There are some scenes there appears to be an improved image quality on... I can see slightly more detail on some of the clothing, floor grates and so on. Things like the actual creatures and, dropship and so on, however, look pretty much the same, IMO.

Even put my Quadrilogy DVD in to compare certain parts, directly after. If there is a tangible difference followed throughout the entire thing (and I assume there must be), it's not terribly perceptible.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lfwpxvY0781qa1o5zo1_500.jpg

Strange... The quality of my DVD version always looked as good as that!

to be honest that's what i expected from you. an unreasonable (uneinsichtig) answer as usual.

I'm far from unreasonable. However, I'd like to remind you to be respectful, regardless of whatever personal opinions you have about any forum members (especially when you reiterate the same unnecessary dig in another language).

[OmegaZilla]

There's a tangible difference in Alien and Aliens. Former's quality is amazing, the latter mantains the 80s grain but in doing so the colors are much more vivid, and there's a load more detail.
Alien3 and Alien: Resurrection had less effort put into the transfers (unfortunately and at the same time understandably), so the differences are reduced to some increased details.
You can compare in the following links caps for all four films: Alien, Aliens, Alien3 and Alien: Resurrection

[predxeno]

Well, the King Alien action figure from Kenner could be naturally occurring.  Of course, that opens the question of whether you accept that medium to be canon.

Unfortunately in Aliens Anthology special features they showed the toys as being separate from the Saga. On the other hand I think every writer likes those toys and have been working them into the stories.

Does anybody know where this is?  Where do they say that?

[Vulhala]

There's a tangible difference in Alien and Aliens. Former's quality is amazing, the latter mantains the 80s grain but in doing so the colors are much more vivid, and there's a load more detail.
Alien3 and Alien: Resurrection had less effort put into the transfers (unfortunately and at the same time understandably), so the differences are reduced to some increased details.
You can compare in the following links caps for all four films: Alien, Aliens, Alien3 and Alien: Resurrection

They did have an issue with the grain in Aliens, as Cambo intended for it to be there. It was an integral part of the style he was going for. Even so, it's still a vast improvement on the DVD. Put the DVD in, watch the Operations fight, and then watch the same sequence straight away on the Blu. It's night and day.

[OmegaZilla]

Yeah, I remember a mention about Cameron voluntarily keeping the grain. I also remember some fake DNR-heavy screenshots were released to make Blu-Elites angry haha.

[Valaquen]

The grain turned out harsher than Cambo intended. He almost shot it on Super35mm but opted for an experimental 16mm instead. He said: "I almost shot the film in Super 35 but I got talked out of it by somebody that didn't understand that format very well ... In this exact year, I think Kodak was in transition they were changing their emulsions. This was a higher-speed negative than had been used previously. They hadn't worked out their T-grain emulsion, so it turned out to be grainier than I would've wanted."

[SM]

There's a tangible difference in Alien and Aliens. Former's quality is amazing, the latter mantains the 80s grain but in doing so the colors are much more vivid, and there's a load more detail.
Alien3 and Alien: Resurrection had less effort put into the transfers (unfortunately and at the same time understandably), so the differences are reduced to some increased details.
You can compare in the following links caps for all four films: Alien, Aliens, Alien3 and Alien: Resurrection

Resurrection got shafted something chronic on Blu-Ray.  Could've looked brilliant, but ultimately is only marginally better than DVD.

[Kol]

There's a tangible difference in Alien and Aliens. Former's quality is amazing, the latter mantains the 80s grain but in doing so the colors are much more vivid, and there's a load more detail.
Alien3 and Alien: Resurrection had less effort put into the transfers (unfortunately and at the same time understandably), so the differences are reduced to some increased details.
You can compare in the following links caps for all four films: Alien, Aliens, Alien3 and Alien: Resurrection

Resurrection got shafted something chronic on Blu-Ray.  Could've looked brilliant, but ultimately is only marginally better than DVD.

http://www.highdefdigest.com/blog/alien-resurrection-transfer/

When one is redoing digital masters, there's always the question of renovation: how far to go to improve the image, even if it means exceeding the original quality. On Delicatessen, we "degrained," i.e., removed almost all the grain on most sequences. There still is a little in some shots which had been filmed at 400 ASA and which would have become unusually soft if further degraining had been applied. The colors are what we had always wished for, and the result is – even if imperfect – magnificent when compared with the original material.

As for the 'ALIEN ANTHOLOGY' Blu-ray, the ad says, "In Blu-ray, everyone will hear you scream." On that, they're right! Scream with rage! Contrary to the information circulated here and there, no, the filmmakers were not involved with the remastering; in any case, I wasn't. It seems that Fox has devoted two years of work to this. Obviously, the Americans have never heard of degraining. This Blu-ray has, shall we say, the quality of a very mediocre DVD.

[SM]

"Very mediocre DVD" is a bit over the top, but for all it's faults, Resurrection looked great.  And after the awesomeness of the new Alien transfer, it looks like very poor relation.

[SM]

I picked up the Anthology over the holidays. What's all this about easter eggs hidden on the discs? I remember a discussion about them went on for almost 10 pages here or something.

I stumbled across one by accident in the Resurrection image galleries.  4 and 1/2 minutes of one of the Alien performers from Ressurection takling about his experience.  Not sure if it's in the enhancement pods or not.