The films
Two versions of all four films are included in the set.
Alien
"A haunted house in space" was the pitch for Ridley Scott's seminal science fiction horror classic. Made in the wake of Star Wars' success, Alien could hardly be more different; it's a lean, mean, shocking and tense experience. The small scale means we get to know each character well, from John Hurt's Kane, the first (and most infamous) victim of the chestburster, to Sigourney Weaver's Ripley, who emerges from relative anonymity amongst the crew of the Nostromo and transforms into a reluctant heroine. It was a bold and unconventional move to cast a woman in the lead, and indeed the script had no female characters. The decision has resulted in the film being championed by feminists - aside from the fairly out-of-place scene near the end where she strips to her underwear to prepare for hypersleep - and the sequels developed the inadvertent motherhood theme further. Alien remains the most efficient and claustrophobic of the series, with its impact only dimmed by years of familiarity. Two sequences stand out and remain hugely suspenseful after multiple viewings: Brett's (Harry Dean Stanton) search for Jones the cat, which cranks up the tension while showing off the stunning production design, and Captain Dallas' (top-billed Tom Skeritt) crawl through the air ducts brandishing a flamethrower. It's scenes like these that make it so memorable, and paired together with H.R. Giger's iconic (and horrific) creature design, a genre masterpiece was born.
The 2003 director's cut, as with Scott's Blade Runner director's cut, is actually shorter than the original, with the changes mainly consisting of slight (and often imperceptible) trims to improve pacing. A couple of scenes, most noticeably one in which Ripley finds a cocooned Dallas, are also reinserted, but overall the difference these changes make are negligible.
Aliens
James Cameron's more action-oriented sequel typifies what is now the normal attitude when approaching a blockbuster sequel: bigger equals better. Much of the time this proves not to be the case, but many name Aliens as their favourite in the series, and it is hard to argue against the quality of the film. Cameron wisely chose not to imitate the small-scale slasher film approach of the original, instead upping the stakes; the humans are now mostly space marines with futuristic weaponry, while the enemy threat (as implied by the title) has multiplied considerably. Crucially, though, the all-out warfare does not start straight away, as there is quite a lengthy period spent on establishing atmosphere and character before the action properly commences, which greatly pays off in the end. The story is not very original - many of the plot points follow ones from the original, including a company stooge going bad and an extra action scene after everything seems to have concluded - but, as is always the case with Cameron's films, it's extremely engrossing. Aliens does look more dated than the original these days due to some slightly unconvincing effects shots and the occasionally rubbery appearance of the aliens, but it hardly dampens the enjoyment.
Approximately 17 minutes of deleted scenes are added in the extended version and the outcome is something of a mixed bag. In one scene, it is revealed that Ripley once had a daughter who died in the 57 year gap between the two films (while Ripley was drifting through space in hypersleep), adding an extra facet to the relationship between her and Newt (Carrie Henn), a young girl they find living alone in hiding from the monsters, but also adds unneeded sentimentality. My favourite added scene is the one in which the survivors use remote gun turrets to defend themselves. Other than that, the new bits just make the film needlessly long.
Alien 3
Most famous for Sigourney Weaver's shaved haircut, Alien 3 was not very well received on its release, and its many production problems (like starting filming without a finished script) mean that its flaws are unsurprising. A surprise to many was that the film eschews Aliens' action-packed approach in favour of something more resembling the original, with only one alien to fight and no guns. Continuing the trend of employing promising young directors, David Fincher was plucked from the world of music videos to helm his first feature. Fincher complained throughout about studio pressure and tight schedules (a release date was set before filming started) and his unhappiness eventually meant that he left the project before post-production. The theatrical cut is a rather truncated mishmash with subplots that lead nowhere and poorly defined characters. The visuals shine through though, with Fincher showing his obvious eye for detail even at this early stage. Elliot Goldenthal's partially electronic score is unlike the previous films' music but is also a relative triumph.
One of the main attractions of this box set for the more hardcore fans was the extended "assembly cut" of Alien 3, with over half an hour more content. The new version is highly interesting to watch, and is a considerable improvement. It expands upon the idea of the primitive prison planet and you get to see more of the brilliant set design (I love the abattoir). Unlike most extended versions, this also includes alternative sequences that are completely different from the theatrical cut, such as the origin of the alien. As Fincher left before the editing stage it can't be called a director's cut but it is surely closer to his original vision. It's now the film I re-watch most often out of the whole series.
Alien Resurrection
The franchise should have ended, as was intended, with Alien 3. That film provided total narrative closure, albeit a conclusion that many disliked. 20th Century Fox's insistence that Sigourney Weaver returned as Ripley meant that a contrived method to bring her back had to be conceived. The choice of having her cloned resulted in her character being completely unsympathetic, as she's given a few new character traits that make her weird and unlikeable. Resurrection is actually a passable, even enjoyable, sci-fi action film for a good portion of the running time, but it doesn't possess the atmosphere of earlier instalments; it just doesn't feel like an Alien film. It's hamstrung by a protagonist we don't care about, but the main problem comes in the third act, where the alien/human hybrid is revealed. It's a laughable and woefully misguided plot direction. Writer Joss Whedon (creator of TV shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly) has somewhat disowned the film, as he attests that his script was mishandled by French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet. To be fair, the film had an uphill struggle the instant that it was decided Ripley had to be resurrected.
The extended cut adds about 7 minutes of new scenes. The primary changes occur at the beginning and end, with an alternate title sequence and an ending where the characters land on a post-apocalyptic Earth. I quite liked the alterations, but they're nothing remarkable and certainly don't redeem the enterprise.
The extras
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