Alien/Species [2 Discs] DVD

Alien
"In space, no one can hear you scream." A close encounter of the third kind becomes a Jaws-style nightmare when an alien invades a spacecraft in Ridley Scott's sci-fi horror classic. On the way home from a mission for the Company, the Nostromo's crew is woken up from hibernation by the ship's Mother computer to answer a distress signal from a nearby planet. Capt. Dallas' (Tom Skerritt) rescue team discovers a bizarre pod field, but things get even stranger when a face-hugging creature bursts out of a pod and attaches itself to Kane (John Hurt). Over the objections of Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), science officer Ash (Ian Holm) lets Kane back on the ship. The acid-blooded incubus detaches itself from an apparently recovered Kane, but an alien erupts from Kane's stomach and escapes. The alien starts stalking the humans, pitting Dallas and his crew (and cat) against a malevolent killing machine that also has a protector in the nefarious Company. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide

Species
Fine special effects, eclectic casting, and the freeze-frame-worthy, clothing-free debut of a blonde bombshell made this cheesy science fiction/horror hybrid a cut above its B-grade roots. At a top-secret Utah facility headed up by Dr. Xavier Fitch (Ben Kingsley), scientists have created "Sil" (Natasha Henstridge), a half-human, half-alien product of experiments with DNA codes obtained from beyond the stars. Unfortunately, Sil has escaped. Her primary objective is to mate, and, with the ability to transform herself into an incredibly powerful alien creature, puny humans can't stop her. So Dr. Fitch calls in a quartet of specialists (Forest Whitaker, Michael Madsen, Marg Helgenberger, and Alfred Molina), to attempt Sil's capture. At the same time, Sil is leaving a trail of mostly male corpses in her hormonal wake. The organic-flavored alien designs for Species were provided by H.R. Giger, the artist responsible for the memorable creatures and spaceships of Alien (1979). When MGM decided to cut the spectacular "train birth" sequence in the interest of budget-trimming, Giger personally financed this $100,000 showcase of his work. Those who look closely will notice that "Young Sil" is played by future Dawson's Creek star Michelle Williams. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Cast Tom Skerritt as Dallas Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley Veronica Cartwright as Lambert Yaphet Kotto as Parker Harry Dean Stanton as Brett John Hurt as Kane Ian Holm as Ash Ben Kingsley as Xavier Fitch Michael Madsen as Preston Lennox Alfred Molina as Dr. Stephen Arden Forest Whitaker as Dan Smithson Marg Helgenberger as Dr. Laura Baker Natasha Henstridge as Adult Sil

Crew Dan Webster - Art Director Mark Egerton - Associate Producer Nicholas R. Allen - Boom Operator Amanda Mackey-Johnson - Casting Cathy Sandrich - Casting Pete Anthony - Conductor Joe Tompkins - Costume Designer Suzie Pelissier - First Assistant Director Mark Egerton - First Assistant Director Timothy Lonsdale - First Assistant Director David Womark - First Assistant Director Robert Leveen - First Assistant Director Roger Donaldson - Director Conrad Buff - Editor David Streit - Executive Producer Nina Paskowitz - Hair Styles Richard Jr. Davis - Location Manager Gerard W. Averill - Location Manager Robert C. Decker - Location Manager Christopher Young - Composer (Music Score) Jay Boekelheide - Musical Direction/Supervision Jellybean Benitez - Musical Direction/Supervision Steve Johnson - Makeup Kenny Myers - Makeup Dale Brady - Makeup Special Effects Tom Irvin - Makeup Special Effects Ron Goodman - Camera Operator Michael Scott - Camera Operator Terry Bowen - Camera Operator Krishna Rao - Camera Operator John Muto - Production Designer Andrzej Bartkowiak - Cinematographer Dennis Feldman - Producer Frank Mancuso - Producer Mick Cukurs - Set Designer Jackie Carr - Set Designer Jeff Jarvis - Special Effects Alex Mann - Special Effects Harold Mann - Special Effects Eric Bigas - Special Effects Randy Thom - Sound/Sound Designer Mark Jan Wlodarkiewicz - Sound Editor Andy Gil - Stunts Gina Angela Ritchie - Stunts Denise Lynne Roberts - Stunts Lisa McCullough - Stunts Donna Evans - Stunts Tony Jefferson - Stunts Ray Lykins - Stunts Lanier Edwards - Stunts John-Clay Scott - Stunts Charlie Croughwell - Stunts Kay Kimler - Stunts Max Kleven - Stunts Coordinator Glenn Randall Jr. - Stunts Coordinator Richard Edlund - Supervisor/Manager David Streit - Unit Production Manager Dennis Feldman - Screenwriter Randy Feemster - Additional Cinematography Robert Andrew Reeves - Production Assistant Ken Brodzinski - Production Assistant Andrea Chesney - Second Unit Camera Jim Rygiel - Visual Effects Supervisor Jennifer Ware - Sound Effects Editor Walter F. Hyneman - Technical Director David Linck - Unit Publicist Michael Kelem - Aerial Photography Dylan M. Gross - Aerial Photography H.R. Giger - Creature Design Steve Adcock - First Assistant Camera Vern Nobles, Jr. - First Assistant Camera David Jones - Model Effects Supervisor Thomas Milano - Music Editor George A. Martin - Music Editor Shari LaFranchi - Production Coordinator Bob Edwards - Re-Recording Mixer Faye Brenner - Script Supervisor Nancy Karlin - Script Supervisor Stephen St. John - Steadicam Operator Melinda Sue Gordon - Still Photographer Mark Berger - Supervising Sound Editor Crystal Dowd - Visual Effects Producer Thomas J. O'Connell - ADR Mixer Lauren Polizzi - Assistant Art Director James F. Truesdale - Assistant Art Director Pamela Alessandrelli - Assistant Production Coordinator Sandra Roach - Assistant Production Coordinator Stephen Kearney - Assistant Sound Editor Jeremy Molod - Assistant Sound Editor Christopher Strong - Chief Lighting Technician William "W" Gilpin - Construction Coordinator Dianna Stirpe - Dialogue Editor David Yang - First Assistant Accountant Margie O'Malley - Foley Artist Jennifer Myers - Foley Artist Eric J. Bates - Set Dresser Ken Ziegler - Visual Effects Mike Reedy - Special Effects Foreman Stanley Earl Harrison - Video Assist Theo Waddell - Visual Effects Editor Jonathan Null - Supervising Assistant Editor Douglas Stewart - Painter Brian Walsh - Puppeteer Todd Minobe - Puppeteer Lynette Johnson - Puppeteer Eric Fiedler - Puppeteer Winston Elizade - Puppeteer Leon Laderach - Puppeteer Joel Harlow - Puppeteer Leonard MacDonald - Puppeteer Robert Freitas - Puppeteer Robert Newton - Puppeteer Dan Webster - Art Director Mark Egerton - Associate Producer Nicholas R. Allen - Boom Operator Amanda Mackey-Johnson - Casting Cathy Sandrich - Casting Pete Anthony - Conductor Joe Tompkins - Costume Designer Suzie Pelissier - First Assistant Director Mark Egerton - First Assistant Director Timothy Lonsdale - First Assistant Director David Womark - First Assistant Director Robert Leveen - First Assistant Director Roger Donaldson - Director Conrad Buff - Editor David Streit - Executive Producer Nina Paskowitz - Hair Styles Richard Jr. Davis - Location Manager Gerard W. Averill - Location Manager Robert C. Decker - Location Manager Christopher Young - Composer (Music Score) Jay Boekelheide - Musical Direction/Supervision Jellybean Benitez - Musical Direction/Supervision Steve Johnson - Makeup Kenny Myers - Makeup Dale Brady - Makeup Special Effects Tom Irvin - Makeup Special Effects Ron Goodman - Camera Operator Michael Scott - Camera Operator Terry Bowen - Camera Operator Krishna Rao - Camera Operator John Muto - Production Designer Andrzej Bartkowiak - Cinematographer Dennis Feldman - Producer Frank Mancuso - Producer Mick Cukurs - Set Designer Jackie Carr - Set Designer Jeff Jarvis - Special Effects Alex Mann - Special Effects Harold Mann - Special Effects Eric Bigas - Special Effects Randy Thom - Sound/Sound Designer Mark Jan Wlodarkiewicz - Sound Editor Andy Gil - Stunts Gina Angela Ritchie - Stunts Denise Lynne Roberts - Stunts Lisa McCullough - Stunts Donna Evans - Stunts Tony Jefferson - Stunts Ray Lykins - Stunts Lanier Edwards - Stunts John-Clay Scott - Stunts Charlie Croughwell - Stunts Kay Kimler - Stunts Max Kleven - Stunts Coordinator Glenn Randall Jr. - Stunts Coordinator Richard Edlund - Supervisor/Manager David Streit - Unit Production Manager Dennis Feldman - Screenwriter Randy Feemster - Additional Cinematography Robert Andrew Reeves - Production Assistant Ken Brodzinski - Production Assistant Andrea Chesney - Second Unit Camera Jim Rygiel - Visual Effects Supervisor Jennifer Ware - Sound Effects Editor Walter F. Hyneman - Technical Director David Linck - Unit Publicist Michael Kelem - Aerial Photography Dylan M. Gross - Aerial Photography H.R. Giger - Creature Design Steve Adcock - First Assistant Camera Vern Nobles, Jr. - First Assistant Camera David Jones - Model Effects Supervisor Thomas Milano - Music Editor George A. Martin - Music Editor Shari LaFranchi - Production Coordinator Bob Edwards - Re-Recording Mixer Faye Brenner - Script Supervisor Nancy Karlin - Script Supervisor Stephen St. John - Steadicam Operator Melinda Sue Gordon - Still Photographer Mark Berger - Supervising Sound Editor Crystal Dowd - Visual Effects Producer Thomas J. O'Connell - ADR Mixer Lauren Polizzi - Assistant Art Director James F. Truesdale - Assistant Art Director Pamela Alessandrelli - Assistant Production Coordinator Sandra Roach - Assistant Production Coordinator Stephen Kearney - Assistant Sound Editor Jeremy Molod - Assistant Sound Editor Christopher Strong - Chief Lighting Technician William "W" Gilpin - Construction Coordinator Dianna Stirpe - Dialogue Editor David Yang - First Assistant Accountant Margie O'Malley - Foley Artist Jennifer Myers - Foley Artist Eric J. Bates - Set Dresser Ken Ziegler - Visual Effects Mike Reedy - Special Effects Foreman Stanley Earl Harrison - Video Assist Theo Waddell - Visual Effects Editor Jonathan Null - Supervising Assistant Editor Douglas Stewart - Painter Brian Walsh - Puppeteer Todd Minobe - Puppeteer Lynette Johnson - Puppeteer Eric Fiedler - Puppeteer Winston Elizade - Puppeteer Leon Laderach - Puppeteer Joel Harlow - Puppeteer Leonard MacDonald - Puppeteer Robert Freitas - Puppeteer Robert Newton - Puppeteer

Alien
Combining science fiction with horror, Swiss artist H.R. Giger's alien design and Carlo Rambaldi's visual effects creepily meld technology with corporeality, creating a claustrophobic environment that is coldly mechanical yet horribly anthropomorphized, like the metallic monster itself. Director Ridley Scott keeps the alien out of full view, hiding it in the dark or camouflaging it in the workings of the Nostromo. Signs of '70s cultural upheaval permeate Alien's future world, from the relationship between corporate capitalism and rapacious monstrosity to the heterogeneous crew and Ripley's forceful horror heroine. The intense frights and gross-outs, however, are credited with making Alien one of the biggest hits of 1979 (it premiered on the two-year anniversary of Star Wars); Giger, Rambaldi, et al. won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects. Alien went on to spawn three genre-bending sequels (and reconditioned Ripleys): exceptional '80s actioner Aliens (1986), dark prison drama Alien 3 (1992), and exotically grotesque Alien Resurrection (1997). With its atmospheric isolation, implacable monster, and whiff of social conscience, Alien stands as one of the more thoughtful yet utterly terrifying horror films of the 1970s. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
 

Species
(not reviewed)
 

Disc Title: Alien - People Awards: Brian Johnson: Academy, Best Visual Effects (winner) Carlo Rambaldi: Academy, Best Visual Effects (winner) H.R. Giger: Academy, Best Visual Effects (winner) Ian Whittaker: Academy, Best Art Direction (nominated) Michael Seymour: Academy, Best Art Direction (nominated) Michael Seymour: British Academy Awards, Best Art Direction (winner) Nick Allder: Academy, Best Visual Effects (winner) Roger Christian: Academy, Best Art Direction (nominated)

General Specifications: Language Options: English, Spanish, French Subtitle Options: English, Spanish, French Sound Processing: DD5.1: Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel DS: Dolby Surround (4.0) DTS-ESM: Pseudo 6.1 system. Virtual rear center channel is created by utilizing audio information from the rear left & right channels of the DTS soundtrack. Additional Features: Alien Audio commentary by Ridley Scott Deleted scenes Artwork and photo galleries Original storyboards Isolated original score Alternated music track Species Audio commentary by director Roger Donaldson, producer Frank Mancuso Jr., visual effects supervisor Richard Edlund and creature and special makeup effects creator Steve Johnson Audio commentary by director Roger Donaldson and actors Natasha Hentridge and Michael Madsen DVD Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1: Cinemascope MPAA Rating: R DVD Discs Included: 2 DVD Sides: 2 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 224 min   DVD Chapters: Disc #1 -- Alien 1. Main Titles [2:20] 2. Early to Rise [2:20] 3. Rough Landing [4:34] 4. Walking Distance [3:29] 5. Dead a Long Time [3:32] 6. Eggs or Something [4:15] 7. A Wonderful Defense Mechanism [3:18] 8. Missing a Gues [4:14] 9. Taking Off [2:23] 10. Last Supper [:34] 11. Seek and Destroy [5:11] 12. "Here Kitty" [:25] 13. No Blood, No Dallas [9:14] 14. A Confrontation With Ash [:25] 15. Priority One [4:30] 16. Scared Stiff [2:40] 17. Destruct System Activated [1:01] 18. T-Minus Thirty Seconds [3:27] 19. The Last Survivors [5:27] 20. End Titles [7:28] Disc #2 -- Species 1. Main Title [3:27] 2. Escape [8:37] 3. Cocoon [6:32] 4. The Mission [5:26] 5. Battleground LA [6:55] 6. Experiment Gone Awry [5:27] 7. Manhunting [11:23] 8. Perfect Gentleman [11:52] 9. Plotting [3:06] 10. Fiery Encounter [4:23] 11. Gut Feeling [5:39] 12. Do Not Disturb [3:48] 13. Conception [5:31] 14. Deep Underground [4:26] 15. Life & Death [6:43] 16. End Credits [9:44]