Aliens [Collector's Edition] [2 Discs] DVD

Aliens
Big-budget special effects, swiftly paced action, and a distinct feminist subtext from writer/director James Cameron turned what should have been a by-the-numbers sci-fi sequel into both a blockbuster and a seven-time Oscar nominee. Sigourney Weaver returns as Ellen Ripley, the last surviving crew member of a corporate spaceship destroyed after an attack by a vicious, virtually unbeatable alien life form. Adrift in space for half a century, Ripley grapples with depression until she's informed by her company's representative, Carter Burke (Paul Reiser) that the planet where her crew discovered the alien has since been settled by colonists. Contact with the colony has suddenly been lost, and a detachment of colonial marines is being sent to investigate. Invited along as an advisor, Ripley predicts disaster, and sure enough, the aliens have infested the colony, leaving a sole survivor, the young girl Newt (Carrie Henn). With the soldiers picked off one by one, a final all-female showdown brews between the alien queen and Ripley, who's become a surrogate mother to Newt. Several future stars made early career appearances in Aliens (1986), including Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton, and Reiser. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Cast Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley Carrie Henn as Newt Michael Biehn as Cpl. Dwayne Hicks Lance Henriksen as Bishop Paul Reiser as Carter Burke Jenette Goldstein as Pvt. Vasquez Bill Paxton as Pvt. Hudson William Hope as Lt. Gorman

Crew Michael Lamont - Art Director Fred Hole - Art Director Bert Davey - Art Director Ken Court - Art Director Judy Taylor - Casting Jane Feinberg - Casting Mike Fenton - Casting Mary Selway - Casting Emma Porteous - Costume Designer James Cameron - Director Ray Lovejoy - Editor Gordon Carroll - Executive Producer Walter Hill - Executive Producer David Giler - Executive Producer James Horner - Composer (Music Score) Peter Robb-King - Makeup David Worley - Camera Operator Terry Ackland-Snow - Production Designer Peter Lamont - Production Designer Adrian Biddle - Cinematographer Gale Anne Hurd - Producer Crispian Sallis - Set Designer L.A. Effects Group - Special Effects Norman Baillie - Special Effects Stan Winston - Special Effects John Richardson - Special Effects Michael Carter - Sound/Sound Designer Graham Hartstone - Sound/Sound Designer Nicolas Le Messurier - Sound/Sound Designer Roy Charman - Sound/Sound Designer Malcolm Weaver - Stunts Eddie Powell - Stunts Simon Crane - Stunts Chris Webb - Stunts Jazzer Jeyes - Stunts Jason White - Stunts Paul Weston - Stunts Stuart St. Paul - Stunts James Cameron - Screenwriter David Giler - Screenwriter Ronald Shusett - Screenwriter Walter Hill - Screenwriter Dennis Skotak - Visual Effects Supervisor Bob Skotak - Visual Effects Supervisor Don Sharpe - Special Effects Editor Robin Clarke - Music Editor Suzanne Benson - Visual Effects

Aliens
For big-budget, high-octane showmanship, Aliens (the sequel to Alien, directed by Ridley Scott) is hard to beat. While not as deliberate or interesting as the first in the series, Aliens is a wide-open visual-effects bonanza, with enough intensity and thrill for three standard action movies. Director James Cameron again proves himself more than capable when it comes to making the genre pay off. Sigourney Weaver reprises her role as Ripley, but this time she's no mere survivor, she's ready to lay waste to those ultra-nasty creatures from the first movie. She's like Wonder Woman without the skimpy clothes. The female heroine in this series has always been fascinating because of her complete ignorance of her sexuality. This is given an interesting spin at the end of this film when Ripley's goal becomes to destroy the alien eggs in their nest. A slap in the face to traditional motherhood? Anyway, too much shouldn't be read into the proceedings here. The dialogue is often horrendous, and the characters other than Ripley are little more than fodder for some impressive scenes of carnage, but this remains one of the most enjoyable action movies of the mid-'80s. ~ Brendon Hanley, All Movie Guide
 

Bob Skotak: Academy, Best Visual Effects (winner) Crispian Sallis: Academy, Best Art Direction (nominated) Don Sharpe: Academy, Best Sound Effects (winner) Graham Hartstone: Academy, Best Sound (nominated) James Horner: Academy, Best Score (nominated) John Richardson: Academy, Best Visual Effects (winner) Michael Carter: Academy, Best Sound (nominated) Nicolas Le Messurier: Academy, Best Sound (nominated) Peter Lamont: Academy, Best Art Direction (nominated) Peter Lamont: British Academy Awards, Best Production Design (nominated) Peter Robb-King: British Academy Awards, Makeup Award (nominated) Ray Lovejoy: Academy, Best Editing (nominated) Roy Charman: Academy, Best Sound (nominated) Sigourney Weaver: Academy, Best Actress (nominated) Sigourney Weaver: Golden Globe, Best Actress - Drama (nominated) Stan Winston: Academy, Best Visual Effects (winner) Suzanne Benson: Academy, Best Visual Effects (winner)

British Academy Awards, Sound Award (nominated) British Academy Awards, Visual Effects Award (nominated)

General Specifications: Language Options: English, Spanish Subtitle Options: English, Spanish Sound Processing: DD5.1: Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel DDS: Dolby Digital Surround THX: THX-Certified Mastering Additional Features: none specified DVD Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1: Theatre Wide-Screen MPAA Rating: R DVD Discs Included: 2 DVD Sides: 2 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 291 min   DVD Chapters: Side #1 -- Disc 1 1. Main Titles [:14] 2. Human Salvage [1:50] 3. 57 Years [:50] 4. The Park [2:17] 5. Inquest [3:12] 6. LV-426 [:06] 7. The Big Score [2:17] 8. Home Alone [:14] 9. Ripley's Decision [2:24] 10. Sulaco [1:41] 11. The Android [2:11] 12. Briefing [3:28] 13. The Loader [:30] 14. Express Elevator to Hell [1:04] 15. Arrival [:27] 16. Memories [2:06] 17. Lab Specimens [:54] 18. Movement [2:12] 19. Newt [1:53] 20. Rescue Mission [:23] 21. Cocoons [2:26] 22. The Battle [2:55] 23. Ripley's Rescue [:07] 24. Altercation [:39] 25. Stranded [:14] 26. Barricade [1:07] 27. A Mother's Love [:05] 28. Speculation [5:01] 29. The Tunnel [1:32] 30. Bad News [1:02] 31. The Corridor [4:24] 32. Dreamland [1:00] 33. Not a Dream [1:22] 34. For a Percentage [1:24] 35. "Game Time" [:55] 36. Little Girl Lost [1:20] 37. Ripley's Promise [4:01] 38. Reluctant Solider [1:17] 39. The Nest [3:19] 40. The Final Countdown [4:48] 41. It's Over [:34] 42. Final Confrontation [2:40] 43. Dreams [3:30] 44. End Titles [:37] 1. Human Salvage (Main Titles) [:14] 2. 57 Years [1:50] 3. Inquest [:50] 4. Home Alone [2:17] 5. Ripley's Decision [3:12] 6. Sulaco [:06] 7. Briefing [:18] 8. Express Elevator to Hell [:15] 9. Arrival [2:24] 10. Lab Secimens [:51] 11. Movement [:03] 12. Rescue Mission [:05] 13. Cocoons [:28] 14. The Battle [1:04] 15. Ripley's Rescue [:11] 16. Altercation [2:06] 17. Stranded [:54] 18. Barricade [1:04] 19. A Mother's Love [1:53] 20. Speculation [:23] 21. Bad News [2:26] 22. Dreamland [2:55] 23. Not a Dream [:40] 24. "Game Time" [:05] 25. Little Girl Lost [:14] 26. Ripley's Promise [1:07] 27. Reluctant Solider [:05] 28. The Nest [5:01] 29. It's Over [:47] 30. Final Confrontation [1:02] 31. Dreams [4:24] 32. End Titles [:17]