Ripley is a great female character precisely because she DOES NOT act like a man. She acts like a woman in a dangerous situation who uses her intelligence to save herself and others. She is not physically strong - she is mentally strong. That makes her realistic and relatable to both women and men.
YES!!! I wrote this in another comment: Even Sarah Connor a really "strong woman" knew her limitations. She worked out a lot but still had to use her wits to escape by breaking a broom handle and using it to break the security guards nose so she could escape. She knew she couldn't take him head on. And THAT is exactly what distinguishes Ripley and Sarah Connor from modern strong women. They have to work around their limitations. And if you know anything about good writing it is the obstacles that have to be overcome that make female leads so interesting. Otherwise you just get a female Rambo just without enough muscles to suspend your disbelief. Ripley uses the loader when faced with the Queen instead of using the weapons like the Marines. She's portrayed as a quick thinker who didn't give up her femininity and her role as a surrogate mother for Newt.
THANK YOU im sick of ppl saying shes good because she isn't "womanly" as if a massive character development for her is becoming a mother figure to newt. i love how sigourney weaver talks about ripley and women she's played because she says "People say to me, 'Oh, you play strong women.' To me, women are strong. It’s women who end up taking care of the family, taking care of the old people, taking care of whatever needs to be done. I was always drawn to parts about women who are isolated and have to come forward-whatever courage and resourcefulness they have has to come forward in the project." which is AMAZING
Femininity is often seen as weakness but I see Ripley’s strengths as expressions of her femininity. Her actions are usually motivated by care for others even her going back to rescue her cat. Untiring and looking out for others is a key aspect of femininity IMHO
Thing is I both agree and disagree, I agree with aspects of what you’re saying. But at the same time I think connecting her to femininity or masculinity defeats the point, the problem with “strong female characters” these days is they’re written to be strong because they’re females. That’s just the wrong way of going about it, same as how a “strong male character” shouldn’t be strong because he’s male. You should write a character who’s strong who just so happens to be a man or a women, granted this is a case by case basis. Obviously if the movie is specifically related to gender then that criticism goes out the window.
Not only that. Even Sarah Connor a really "strong woman" knew her limitations. She worked out a lot but still had to use her wits to escape by breaking a broom handle and using it to break the security guards nose so she could escape. She knew she couldn't take him head on. And THAT is exactly what distinguishes Ripley and Sarah Connor from modern strong women. They have to work around their limitations. And if you know anything about good writing it is the obstacles that have to be overcome that make female leads so interesting. Otherwise you just get a female Rambo just without enough muscles to suspend your disbelief. Ripley uses the loader when faced with the Queen instead of using the weapons like the Marines. She's portrayed as a quick thinker who didn't give up her femininity and her role as a surrogate mother for Newt.
@@EbonyPope why isn’t that standar applied to men? Are we expected to believe that an aging Bruce Willis can jump off a bridge onto the wing of a hovering F-35 and just shake it off? But somehow people are fine with these absurdist “strong men”
@@Casso2611 This film is highly connected to gender though. The themes of motherhood, children, birth, etc. are all throughout the movie. Ripley’s gender, womanhood and motherhood are all essential. It’s like you tried really hard to sort of not sound like someone who says stuff like “don’t force this woke shit down our throats! Diversity for diversity sake is dumb and pandering!”, but somehow missed the biggest themes in the film. Her scene with Burke about her daughter dying, her sense of guilt and abandonment and failure as a mom drives her entire character arc and motivation. She has dreams of “birth”, there’s rape and masculine threat themes throughout the original, and Newt is Ripley’s surrogate daughter and chance to redeem her own motherhood. Her strength and bravery in many pivotal scenes are fully borne of her motherhood instincts (like rescuing newt). The climactic battle between Rip and the Queen is literally a battle between two mothers fighting for their “children” to survive…. Like, dude, I get your point of like, “strength is strength and it’s good to divorce it from gender identity and gender tropes but the gender in this film really matters.
Let’s not forget the other strong female in this movie - who else said: ‘Fuck yeah!’ When Vasquez yelled “Let’s Rock!!” and cut loose with that big ass gun? Damn, I love this movie!
Yeah, You're right, it's ALIEN and ALIEN3 for me. Cameron's movie even though it was great sci-fi/action movie it was horrible ALIEN sequel. He destroyed ALIEN Lovecraftian of mysterious E.T.I form of life into big bug (concept taken from Heinlein's Starship Troopers (1959) ) and gave us that dumb Hollywood happy ending, meh. I'd take ALIEN 3 director's cut over Cameron's ALIENS anytime.
34 years later the effects, pacing and storytelling in aliens make prometheus and covenant look like amateur hour. where i was emotionally invested in the characters in both of these films i could barely wait for the long line of idiots to be killed off in the new movies
I was one of the few who didn't mind Prometheus, it was flawed but had its moments though it was nothing compared to Aliens. Covenant was a joke, a joke I laughed at frequently in the theater.
I know what you mean. Every death in Alien/Aliens was felt as you got to know the characters throughout the movies. Compare that with Covenant ie where that woman keeps slipping on some blood and ends with her blowing her self up. I was creasing with laughter at the cinema.
I always liked the introduction of there being a queen because I felt it didn’t kill the concept of the alien. When it’s with the hive it reproduces with an egg laying queen. Whereas when it’s a lone alien without a means to have eggs being laid it can cocoon a victim to make them turn into an egg like we see in the deleted scene (I think it’s now included in some releases) from alien when Brett was seen in a transformation phase into an egg. A perfect organism with or without an egg laying queen
Honestly, an egg laying queen is probably more efficient and potentially a much larger threat because it effectively halves the amount of people needed to make a new alien.
@@catnium Yes and no. The deleted scene has one crew member cocooned and the other with an egg growing around him. Ridley Scott said the idea was that the egg needed nourishment to grow to that size, so the alien would kill someone and lay a proto-egg on them which would then suck nutrition from the body to grow.
Libertatem Advocatus all the queen does is accelerate the hive, she makes the egg production into hundreds of thousands rather than the same amount of victims that exist to be destroyed
@@maaaatt he also was no longer living more than likely. since the xeno inner jawed him. so even if the xeno put him up there for the ovomorph it wouldnt make any sense with his dead body.
I saw Aliens when I was 8, way back in 1988. My parents would never allow me to watch a movie like this, but uncles tend to not care about parent's rules. Staying at my uncle's ranch he let me stay up one night and watch it with him on those big old fancy laserdiscs, because my parents were staying at the guest house. Of course it terrified me, and excited me, and sparked my imagination. I loved it, and always have. While I love Ripley, my favorite character will always be Newt because that was who I related to watching it at such a young age. Needless to say, I have an absolute, burning hatred and nothing but contempt for Alien 3. Aliens will always be one of my favorite movies though. (I like Alien too, but didn't see that in full till I was a bit older. Only caught glimpses trying to sneak in on older brothers watching it when I was young.)
It was a good night for both you and your parents who got to do hanky panky without worrying about their little kid))) Btw at what age did you watch the Thing?
Same here. I was also 8 when I first saw Aliens. It was my all time favorite movie and it didn't scare me at all. I had my parents buy me so many xenomorph figures and they even bought me a life size alien skull. I love the whole Alien series and I really love looking into the biology of the Xenomorphs. Granted the newer movies don't compare but I really watch them to see more alien varieties.
Same, watched it young and it never left my imagination since. Now an uncle and wondering how long I have to wait before introducing my niece and nephew to it. I'd say 10-12 is probably about right
For me the biggest tragedy was making a foolish animal of Xenomorph. In "Alien" it was outstanding creature, planning every move, hiding in the darknes. In "Aliens" it wasn,t bad, but in the third and fourth part it was a disaster. Dumb dogs running for bones. Im not even going to talk about Alien Covenant.
No it wasn’t. It was a no brainier. The third movie was about stripping everything away from Ripley. Not to mention Carrie Henn was 17 and Newt would have had to be recast which would have been another bitching match. Alien 3 was a sublime ending to one of the best trilogies ever made. Not resurrection though. Fuck that goofy trash.
@@matislaw1 Giger had, in my opinion, an improved design, and it was a quadruped. Too bad Studio ADI couldn't get off of their lazy asses and went to Giger's place. There was even a documentary about it.
What is so utterly cool is to hear men so fully understanding the character of Ellen Ripley & the Motherhood theme of this incredible movie! Who says men don't understand women? Only those that don't want men to understand women. The male fans of Aliens, they sure understand women & real female strength.
That's why i spent the whole Ripley section of this video getting away from just calling her a "Badass". Her just holding a massive gun and killing things isn't the strongest aspect of her character, especially in this film.
I just watched another dudes video who said the deleted scenes didn’t add anything 🤨 Her losing her daughter is a huge part of this wonderful story, and you don’t get that depth with the theatrical cut!
Oh man, for as long as I can remember having the concept of having a "favorite movie of all time", Aliens and Terminator 2 have been tied for the spot. I really love this channel. :)
The theatrical cut is the best movie ever made. It exists on at least a half dozen levels simultaneously and there isn't a single wasted word of dialogue. Cameron's masterpiece.
Brilliant commentary. Engaging from beginning to end. And probably the best commentary I've ever heard on "Aliens". Great work. Happy Patreon supporter here.
The Alien franchise is one of my favorites! I like the movies in this order, 2, 1, 3 & 4. I’ve watched Aliens north of 25 times and I continue to watch it and Alien when the urge hits me! After all of these years, Aliens holds its own against newer films. 😀
When Newt calls out to Ripley with her arms stretched out saying “Mommy” it just seems so real and genuine. She’s easily the best Female lead in cinema, with Sarah from Terminator being second. This is how you write characters.
The best scene for me is Ripley holding Newt, standing in the nest, and slowly turning toward the mother, with the wind blowing, the sweat beading on her face and the heat refraction slightly distorting the visual.........So freakin awesome! I wish I was at the movie theatre to see this back in 86 !
Alien and Aliens is one whole story broke into two parts! The greatest sci-fi/horror/action adventure you can have period! What Cameron did with the orange juice and firecrackers is legendary! It's something you don't get anymore and haven't since then!
What could I say about Aliens (1986) that hasn't already been said? This film really has it all. Great direction from James Cameron, wonderful camera work, well-crafted characters, great action and atmosphere. It's by far one of the best Sequels ever made, in my eyes the best Alien film in the Alien Franchise and one of the best films ever made.
I always liked the idea of the Xenomorphs being bugs, the idea that, through evolution, through natural selection, a creature as dangerous, as intelligent, as murderous and as capable as the Xenomorph could exist, was the most terrifying thought to me as a child and still is. It means that such a creature, a monster like this, could evolve from anywhere. Look at ants, wasps, spiders and praying mantises, all of these creatures would be an utter nightmare if they were the size of the Alien, now roll all the aspects and qualities of those creatures into one. Now imagine that creature being slightly bigger than us. I'm someone who's drawn to the more down-to-earth, realistic depictions. Things like Lovecraftian horror, concepts that reach beyond human comprehension, don't really sway me, but something that "could" be real? Tangible and personal? _That's_ what horrifies me.
@@mitsosvasiliou5147 I was happy even when it was only theorised that they made them, with no confirmation. Because at least my way of thinking was still possible, and the Space Jockeys could've just happen to find the Xenomorphs and decide to use them as handy bioweapons. That I was happy with. But yeah, as you say, (sigh), such stupidity. It simply didn't need to be done.
@@darkarpatron I would like it better if they ( the space jockey) as an advanced civilization found the xenomorphs and took them from their home planet for experimentation. All different alien life forms from different parts of the galaxy. By the way, I didn't like all that engineer take. Especially the part that shows that they were responsible for life on earth. Stupid stupid stupid.
@@mitsosvasiliou5147 Agreed. I've never been one to hold much truck with the idea of all forms of life coming from one source, (you can tell by this that I'm not religious), and the idea of one alien race finding another, with us just stumbling upon it, makes for a more believable story to me, as I'm sure it does for you as well.
@@darkarpatron you should check out the Aliens Earth War comics it has both a homeworld for the Aliens a live Space Jockey that doesn't create the Xenos and really good character development for Newt and Hicks. (The series was made before Alien 3, when the idea was that the sequel was going to take place on Earth.)
A master class indeed. Cameron is just master. And people forget, while it can be easier in terms of financing, making a good sequel, is actually harder.
I have seen this movie so many times.............But this video made me cry with the Ripley - Nut relationship description and you make us all remember how good the script is. And is an action film!!!
yeah i agree the soundtrack is amazing. But these Masterclass Cinema videos aren't full reviews of a movie, they just pick an overall theme to focus. I even feel like the first chapter of this video could have been it's own episode.
I saw Alien 1 and 2 as a teenager, just liked it and called it a day. Today this is one of my 2 favorite movies of all time, and such videos make me understand to the detail, why it's god damn right, that I stick to it. I don't know if I count as an old man with 35, but my opinion these days really is, that movies around my birth time were best. Today Hollywood is a mere shadow of itself, pooping out pile after pile of garbage. I might add, this movie has given me my best (yes) nightmare ever. Being in my mother's house, the surrounding landscape is invisible but everything is simply black. You see and hear creatures walking around the house, when suddenly there was sound of bursting heared in the upper floor. Nothing really evil happened in that dream, aliens weren't even clearly seen, but the feeling of a true danger, that will quickly lead to death, has never felt more real than in this dream. I felt like in the movie. And that is why I like a good nightmare. You are getting the best deadly impression without actually being in danger.
There are good movies; there are great movies; and then there are the essential movies. These are the movies that stand beyond the limits and truly Aliens is one of those---my favorite movie now and forever.
Your montage showing Ripley and Newt growing emotional bonding got me choked up and teary eyed even tough I've seen Aliens a million times. Great work !
This is a great video that really makes me want to watch Aliens again. Glad to see you point out how important Ripley's character is to the whole story and emotional engagement. Truly a masterclass.
Now this is a double awesome video ! Mr. H is totally spot on 👍🏻 been watching his channel for years, yours I just stumbled upon and it is a good find, but together you two are like peanut butter mixed with chocolate 🍫 !! 😎 now this is teamwork art at its best ✅ Keep up this amazing teamwork as well as your own channel, total dedication of balance, thank you both for your such hard good work because it shows !!!
I often wondered if hicks took her & her story seriously at first. She definitely seemed to impress him when she started using the power loader. And certainly he did trust her after she helped rescue him & the others
I enjoyed that look at Aliens. I Iove the film but a lot of the detail gone into here goes over my head when watching it so its great to be made aware of the finer details that contribute to making this such a fantastic film.
Excellent work very interesting I thank the creators artists actors and hollywood for all the wonders of art in all areas for the Alien saga thank you very much forever
I've actually never even heard about this dislike of the aliens having insectoid characteristics. As someone who is a firm believer in something you mentioned--that Alien is a near perfect film,horror or otherwise--there is nothing in Aliens that doesn't feel like a natural extension of or expansion on everything established in the first film. I definitely favor the original film,but by a significantly lesser margin than is typical with sequels. The change in genres is not at all jarring. In fact,when you watch both films,it feels like a very natural progression of the narrative. So....yeah. Aliens. It is a good film.
it looks so good compared to cgi... my hat goes off to James Cameron, he asked just for 6 suits and a queen and he can make it look like an infestation
It's okay to be bias Mr. H. Great review from the both of you. Aliens is a masterpiece. It respected the original without using the same old tropes giving us something familiar but new as well. It also expanded the universe Alien is set on through those sets and dialogue from the Marines.
Ripley is a great female character precisely because she DOES NOT act like a man. She acts like a woman in a dangerous situation who uses her intelligence to save herself and others. She is not physically strong - she is mentally strong. That makes her realistic and relatable to both women and men.
YES!!! I wrote this in another comment:
Even Sarah Connor a really "strong woman" knew her limitations. She worked out a lot but still had to use her wits to escape by breaking a broom handle and using it to break the security guards nose so she could escape. She knew she couldn't take him head on. And THAT is exactly what distinguishes Ripley and Sarah Connor from modern strong women. They have to work around their limitations. And if you know anything about good writing it is the obstacles that have to be overcome that make female leads so interesting. Otherwise you just get a female Rambo just without enough muscles to suspend your disbelief. Ripley uses the loader when faced with the Queen instead of using the weapons like the Marines. She's portrayed as a quick thinker who didn't give up her femininity and her role as a surrogate mother for Newt.
And her character didn't have to put down men to be strong either.
THANK YOU im sick of ppl saying shes good because she isn't "womanly" as if a massive character development for her is becoming a mother figure to newt. i love how sigourney weaver talks about ripley and women she's played because she says "People say to me, 'Oh, you play strong women.' To me, women are strong. It’s women who end up taking care of the family, taking care of the old people, taking care of whatever needs to be done. I was always drawn to parts about women who are isolated and have to come forward-whatever courage and resourcefulness they have has to come forward in the project." which is AMAZING
its so damn realistic. I know women like her in real life. i do jiu jitsu with a few and they are very tough lol
You got that right
Aliens is seriously one of the best movies ever.
Excellent script, excellent acting, excellent action, excellent pacing, excellent FX, I'm not sure if there's anything that it languishes in.
@@MegaDcmp Agreed!!!
100%
@@MegaDcmp flawless movie. Not one bad decision in my opinion
@@StallionStudios1234 And yet. . . Avatar. . .
Femininity is often seen as weakness but I see Ripley’s strengths as expressions of her femininity. Her actions are usually motivated by care for others even her going back to rescue her cat. Untiring and looking out for others is a key aspect of femininity IMHO
Nailed it on the head
Thing is I both agree and disagree, I agree with aspects of what you’re saying. But at the same time I think connecting her to femininity or masculinity defeats the point, the problem with “strong female characters” these days is they’re written to be strong because they’re females. That’s just the wrong way of going about it, same as how a “strong male character” shouldn’t be strong because he’s male. You should write a character who’s strong who just so happens to be a man or a women, granted this is a case by case basis. Obviously if the movie is specifically related to gender then that criticism goes out the window.
Not only that. Even Sarah Connor a really "strong woman" knew her limitations. She worked out a lot but still had to use her wits to escape by breaking a broom handle and using it to break the security guards nose so she could escape. She knew she couldn't take him head on. And THAT is exactly what distinguishes Ripley and Sarah Connor from modern strong women. They have to work around their limitations. And if you know anything about good writing it is the obstacles that have to be overcome that make female leads so interesting. Otherwise you just get a female Rambo just without enough muscles to suspend your disbelief. Ripley uses the loader when faced with the Queen instead of using the weapons like the Marines. She's portrayed as a quick thinker who didn't give up her femininity and her role as a surrogate mother for Newt.
@@EbonyPope why isn’t that standar applied to men? Are we expected to believe that an aging Bruce Willis can jump off a bridge onto the wing of a hovering F-35 and just shake it off? But somehow people are fine with these absurdist “strong men”
@@Casso2611
This film is highly connected to gender though. The themes of motherhood, children, birth, etc. are all throughout the movie. Ripley’s gender, womanhood and motherhood are all essential.
It’s like you tried really hard to sort of not sound like someone who says stuff like “don’t force this woke shit down our throats! Diversity for diversity sake is dumb and pandering!”, but somehow missed the biggest themes in the film.
Her scene with Burke about her daughter dying, her sense of guilt and abandonment and failure as a mom drives her entire character arc and motivation.
She has dreams of “birth”, there’s rape and masculine threat themes throughout the original, and Newt is Ripley’s surrogate daughter and chance to redeem her own motherhood. Her strength and bravery in many pivotal scenes are fully borne of her motherhood instincts (like rescuing newt).
The climactic battle between Rip and the Queen is literally a battle between two mothers fighting for their “children” to survive….
Like, dude, I get your point of like, “strength is strength and it’s good to divorce it from gender identity and gender tropes but the gender in this film really matters.
Let’s not forget the other strong female in this movie - who else said: ‘Fuck yeah!’ When Vasquez yelled “Let’s Rock!!” and cut loose with that big ass gun? Damn, I love this movie!
Aaaaand almost blew up The nucelar reactor in The process 🤣 not her fault tho, retarded commander
Just like there are only two Terminator films that matter, the same applies to Alien for the same reason.
Right, how ironic
Dinoslay except now you can add Alien:Isolation to this and you have neat trilogy with a taut narrative.
Charles Shamseldin yea! For some reason alien isolation is definitely canon, it’s just awesome. The tone is perfect
Yeah, You're right, it's ALIEN and ALIEN3 for me. Cameron's movie even though it was great sci-fi/action movie it was horrible ALIEN sequel. He destroyed ALIEN Lovecraftian of mysterious E.T.I form of life into big bug (concept taken from Heinlein's Starship Troopers (1959) ) and gave us that dumb Hollywood happy ending, meh. I'd take ALIEN 3 director's cut over Cameron's ALIENS anytime.
@@charlesshamseldin9555 It sure adds interactivity.
34 years later the effects, pacing and storytelling in aliens make prometheus and covenant look like amateur hour. where i was emotionally invested in the characters in both of these films i could barely wait for the long line of idiots to be killed off in the new movies
Yo dave can i ask ,were you an avid collider fan back in the movie talk days?
I was rooting for the robot the whole time.....the only character worth a damn.
I was one of the few who didn't mind Prometheus, it was flawed but had its moments though it was nothing compared to Aliens. Covenant was a joke, a joke I laughed at frequently in the theater.
speaking of effects , aside from a couple of later video games , the classic pulse rifle sound effects were only present in this one movie.
I know what you mean. Every death in Alien/Aliens was felt as you got to know the characters throughout the movies. Compare that with Covenant ie where that woman keeps slipping on some blood and ends with her blowing her self up. I was creasing with laughter at the cinema.
I always liked the introduction of there being a queen because I felt it didn’t kill the concept of the alien. When it’s with the hive it reproduces with an egg laying queen. Whereas when it’s a lone alien without a means to have eggs being laid it can cocoon a victim to make them turn into an egg like we see in the deleted scene (I think it’s now included in some releases) from alien when Brett was seen in a transformation phase into an egg. A perfect organism with or without an egg laying queen
Honestly, an egg laying queen is probably more efficient and potentially a much larger threat because it effectively halves the amount of people needed to make a new alien.
@@catnium
Yes and no.
The deleted scene has one crew member cocooned and the other with an egg growing around him.
Ridley Scott said the idea was that the egg needed nourishment to grow to that size, so the alien would kill someone and lay a proto-egg on them which would then suck nutrition from the body to grow.
@@libertatemadvocatus1797 nah, both are transforming into eggs; Brett was further into this process as he was taken by the alien before Dallas.
Libertatem Advocatus all the queen does is accelerate the hive, she makes the egg production into hundreds of thousands rather than the same amount of victims that exist to be destroyed
@@maaaatt he also was no longer living more than likely. since the xeno inner jawed him. so even if the xeno put him up there for the ovomorph it wouldnt make any sense with his dead body.
I saw Aliens when I was 8, way back in 1988. My parents would never allow me to watch a movie like this, but uncles tend to not care about parent's rules. Staying at my uncle's ranch he let me stay up one night and watch it with him on those big old fancy laserdiscs, because my parents were staying at the guest house. Of course it terrified me, and excited me, and sparked my imagination. I loved it, and always have. While I love Ripley, my favorite character will always be Newt because that was who I related to watching it at such a young age.
Needless to say, I have an absolute, burning hatred and nothing but contempt for Alien 3. Aliens will always be one of my favorite movies though. (I like Alien too, but didn't see that in full till I was a bit older. Only caught glimpses trying to sneak in on older brothers watching it when I was young.)
It was a good night for both you and your parents who got to do hanky panky without worrying about their little kid)))
Btw at what age did you watch the Thing?
Same here. I was also 8 when I first saw Aliens. It was my all time favorite movie and it didn't scare me at all. I had my parents buy me so many xenomorph figures and they even bought me a life size alien skull. I love the whole Alien series and I really love looking into the biology of the Xenomorphs. Granted the newer movies don't compare but I really watch them to see more alien varieties.
Same here. Watched Aliens when I was 8 in 1989 and couldn't believe my eyes. Movie masterpiece.
Same, watched it young and it never left my imagination since. Now an uncle and wondering how long I have to wait before introducing my niece and nephew to it. I'd say 10-12 is probably about right
The biggest tragedy was killing off Newt offscreen for the 3rd movie.
For me the biggest tragedy was making a foolish animal of Xenomorph. In "Alien" it was outstanding creature, planning every move, hiding in the darknes. In "Aliens" it wasn,t bad, but in the third and fourth part it was a disaster. Dumb dogs running for bones. Im not even going to talk about Alien Covenant.
Agreed, killing Newt was cheap clearing the slate, for a bland new direction.
No it wasn’t. It was a no brainier. The third movie was about stripping everything away from Ripley. Not to mention Carrie Henn was 17 and Newt would have had to be recast which would have been another bitching match.
Alien 3 was a sublime ending to one of the best trilogies ever made.
Not resurrection though. Fuck that goofy trash.
@@MG-jo7mc I'll pick resurrection over both prometheus and covenant any day of the week though
@@matislaw1 Giger had, in my opinion, an improved design, and it was a quadruped. Too bad Studio ADI couldn't get off of their lazy asses and went to Giger's place. There was even a documentary about it.
What is so utterly cool is to hear men so fully understanding the character of Ellen Ripley & the Motherhood theme of this incredible movie! Who says men don't understand women? Only those that don't want men to understand women. The male fans of Aliens, they sure understand women & real female strength.
That's why i spent the whole Ripley section of this video getting away from just calling her a "Badass". Her just holding a massive gun and killing things isn't the strongest aspect of her character, especially in this film.
@@cordzfx You nailed it. I get a bit choked up everytime I hear Newt say "mommy" in reference to Ripley.
I just watched another dudes video who said the deleted scenes didn’t add anything 🤨 Her losing her daughter is a huge part of this wonderful story, and you don’t get that depth with the theatrical cut!
I didn't think I would cry at this video but the way you guys handled the bond between Ripley and Newt brought tears to my eyes. Great work!
Such a good video. Didn't think that I'd want to watch the movie for the millionth time, but it made me.
Oh man, for as long as I can remember having the concept of having a "favorite movie of all time", Aliens and Terminator 2 have been tied for the spot. I really love this channel. :)
Lol literally exactly the same for me, except it's Alien and the og Terminator.
Same with me, but T2 just in front
A poor director needs a big budget to make their film work.
A talented director can work wonders with a minimum budget.
Indeed.
Abrams and that other moron had hundreds of millions of dollars and fucked it up completely.
Agreed
Although a talented director with a big budget can make something very special that will rarely be seen
Can you say: "Roger Corman"?;)
I disagree. A poor director gets swallowed by a big budget.
And Ripley is one of my favorite action heros, along with sarah conner
The theatrical cut is the best movie ever made.
It exists on at least a half dozen levels simultaneously and there isn't a single wasted word of dialogue.
Cameron's masterpiece.
found the theatrical cut and it has more suspense than the directors
Everything in the director's cut slows the movie down and, as you imply, undermines the suspense.
I like the scenes of Hadleys hope but those should have been kept as extras.@@fkhdls
Aliens one of the best movie sequels ever a true masterpiece
oh god that part about newt and rippley made me cry..
Aliens and T2 are incredible magic shows with their visual effects, it's sublime.
This is it, the best film of all time!
Wow that analysis of Ripley is veery good! Great job, very intelligent. Thanks!
One of the greatest sequels ever made.
You should cover the Mad Max movies in this series. That could be fun.
Brilliant commentary. Engaging from beginning to end. And probably the best commentary I've ever heard on "Aliens". Great work. Happy Patreon supporter here.
I agree. It made me almost cry
Probably the best breakdown format I've ever seen. I really enjoyed it.
The Alien franchise is one of my favorites! I like the movies in this order, 2, 1, 3 & 4. I’ve watched Aliens north of 25 times and I continue to watch it and Alien when the urge hits me! After all of these years, Aliens holds its own against newer films. 😀
Underrated video essay ... well done, Sir. And dayuuuum, the music is so good, the ending montage got me all pumped!
Makes me bloody crack every time I hear Newt call Ripley Mommy.
its really crazy how much the effects have held up. the alien queen is better than any CGI ive seen.
When Newt calls out to Ripley with her arms stretched out saying “Mommy” it just seems so real and genuine. She’s easily the best Female lead in cinema, with Sarah from Terminator being second. This is how you write characters.
aw when she says mommy at the end , always gets me in the feels.
The best scene for me is Ripley holding Newt, standing in the nest, and slowly turning toward the mother, with the wind blowing, the sweat beading on her face and the heat refraction slightly distorting the visual.........So freakin awesome! I wish I was at the movie theatre to see this back in 86 !
Alien and Aliens is one whole story broke into two parts! The greatest sci-fi/horror/action adventure you can have period! What Cameron did with the orange juice and firecrackers is legendary! It's something you don't get anymore and haven't since then!
Paul Reiser acted the HELL out of that time jump reveal scene.
And you two reviewed the HELL out of these two movies.
What could I say about Aliens (1986) that hasn't already been said?
This film really has it all. Great direction from James Cameron, wonderful camera work, well-crafted characters, great action and atmosphere.
It's by far one of the best Sequels ever made, in my eyes the best Alien film in the Alien Franchise and one of the best films ever made.
Watched this 1986 in Cinema with 15 years. It was a life changing experience.
The face hugger still scares the shit out of me
I think Cameron did an amazing job at expending on the horrors of parasites and isolation.
I always liked the idea of the Xenomorphs being bugs, the idea that, through evolution, through natural selection, a creature as dangerous, as intelligent, as murderous and as capable as the Xenomorph could exist, was the most terrifying thought to me as a child and still is. It means that such a creature, a monster like this, could evolve from anywhere.
Look at ants, wasps, spiders and praying mantises, all of these creatures would be an utter nightmare if they were the size of the Alien, now roll all the aspects and qualities of those creatures into one. Now imagine that creature being slightly bigger than us.
I'm someone who's drawn to the more down-to-earth, realistic depictions. Things like Lovecraftian horror, concepts that reach beyond human comprehension, don't really sway me, but something that "could" be real? Tangible and personal? _That's_ what horrifies me.
And now they made the engineers the creators of the xenomorhps as a bioweapon. Such stupidity..
@@mitsosvasiliou5147 I was happy even when it was only theorised that they made them, with no confirmation. Because at least my way of thinking was still possible, and the Space Jockeys could've just happen to find the Xenomorphs and decide to use them as handy bioweapons. That I was happy with. But yeah, as you say, (sigh), such stupidity. It simply didn't need to be done.
@@darkarpatron I would like it better if they ( the space jockey) as an advanced civilization found the xenomorphs and took them from their home planet for experimentation. All different alien life forms from different parts of the galaxy. By the way, I didn't like all that engineer take. Especially the part that shows that they were responsible for life on earth. Stupid stupid stupid.
@@mitsosvasiliou5147 Agreed. I've never been one to hold much truck with the idea of all forms of life coming from one source, (you can tell by this that I'm not religious), and the idea of one alien race finding another, with us just stumbling upon it, makes for a more believable story to me, as I'm sure it does for you as well.
@@darkarpatron you should check out the Aliens Earth War comics it has both a homeworld for the Aliens a live Space Jockey that doesn't create the Xenos and really good character development for Newt and Hicks. (The series was made before Alien 3, when the idea was that the sequel was going to take place on Earth.)
A master class indeed. Cameron is just master. And people forget, while it can be easier in terms of financing, making a good sequel, is actually harder.
This is my hands down favourite movie of all time. Its perfect.
Movies like this defined my childhood. Take that dodgy uncle, you're powerless.
I have seen this movie so many times.............But this video made me cry with the Ripley - Nut relationship description and you make us all remember how good the script is. And is an action film!!!
This movie is perfect! I just expected you would mention the awesome soundtrack by James Horner.
yeah i agree the soundtrack is amazing. But these Masterclass Cinema videos aren't full reviews of a movie, they just pick an overall theme to focus. I even feel like the first chapter of this video could have been it's own episode.
Alien 1979 Ripley quote: "If we break cuarentine we all die" LOL! XD, hello year 2020/2021
I saw Alien 1 and 2 as a teenager, just liked it and called it a day. Today this is one of my 2 favorite movies of all time, and such videos make me understand to the detail, why it's god damn right, that I stick to it. I don't know if I count as an old man with 35, but my opinion these days really is, that movies around my birth time were best. Today Hollywood is a mere shadow of itself, pooping out pile after pile of garbage.
I might add, this movie has given me my best (yes) nightmare ever. Being in my mother's house, the surrounding landscape is invisible but everything is simply black. You see and hear creatures walking around the house, when suddenly there was sound of bursting heared in the upper floor. Nothing really evil happened in that dream, aliens weren't even clearly seen, but the feeling of a true danger, that will quickly lead to death, has never felt more real than in this dream. I felt like in the movie. And that is why I like a good nightmare. You are getting the best deadly impression without actually being in danger.
There are good movies; there are great movies; and then there are the essential movies. These are the movies that stand beyond the limits and truly Aliens is one of those---my favorite movie now and forever.
Aliens, Terminator 2, Predator, Sphere and Full Metal Jacket ... my five favorite movies of all time!
I hear Mr. H and instantly hit the like button...
Your montage showing Ripley and Newt growing emotional bonding got me choked up and teary eyed even tough I've seen Aliens a million times. Great work !
This is a great video that really makes me want to watch Aliens again. Glad to see you point out how important Ripley's character is to the whole story and emotional engagement. Truly a masterclass.
I love your use of Night Lights in your final montages, T2 and this one are the best.
9:55 I feel you man, those nasty twisted limbs are the exact reason I hate most insects.
All these decades later, still my favorite movie of all time. I highly doubt we will ever have a movie on par with this again.
I just want to say as not only a fan of yours but Aliens being one of my favourite films to this day, that this is a great video 👏👍
Even with no audio the part where she raises her arms in an aggressive stance and shouts "come on!" Whew! I got chills from the power she wielded.
During this era of movie making felt special. It will forever be the best time in Hollywood. All genres.
This was awesome
This is a phenomenal video! Kudos @MrH & CorderyFX
As if I needed more reasons why Aliens is a cinematic masterpiece, I get more reasons!!
Aliens and T2 are probably two of the very rare times where the sequel turned out to be an absolutely excellent movie.
WE GOT KNIVES, SHARP STICKS
This is just a marvelous movie all over!
My favourite movie of all time!
Awesome video! It summarized so well what makes Alien and Aliens such classics!
Now this is a double awesome video ! Mr. H is totally spot on 👍🏻 been watching his channel for years, yours I just stumbled upon and it is a good find, but together you two are like peanut butter mixed with chocolate 🍫 !! 😎 now this is teamwork art at its best ✅
Keep up this amazing teamwork as well as your own channel, total dedication of balance, thank you both for your such hard good work because it shows !!!
AWESOME video Mr. H!! I honestly can't think of anything more to add and illustrate how much I loved this!!
Mr. H is awesome, love both channels
Love Aliens, thx for a great vid
This was so excellently well done! Makes me want to go back to rewatch both films again 🐯
I just subscribed to your channel bc of this Aliens content. I grew up 80's and me too this movie still overwhelms my imagination! 💯
When Aliens was released the thought of several creatures from the first film was terrifying
Even Cameron's new bloated budget movies look like they cost 10x more than they do. Dude is a genius
James additions are Perfection.
Super cool you had Mr. H reviews love that guy.
Hell yeah, that was awesome. Now I'm going to have to watch Aliens again.
I often wondered if hicks took her & her story seriously at first.
She definitely seemed to impress him when she started using the power loader.
And certainly he did trust her after she helped rescue him & the others
I enjoyed that look at Aliens. I Iove the film but a lot of the detail gone into here goes over my head when watching it so its great to be made aware of the finer details that contribute to making this such a fantastic film.
Awesome video, well done. Well done!!!
Love this movie on so many levels. Still blows me away how good it is.
Excellent work very interesting I thank the creators artists actors and hollywood for all the wonders of art in all areas for the Alien saga thank you very much forever
This commentary is as excellent as the movie itself!
I've actually never even heard about this dislike of the aliens having insectoid characteristics. As someone who is a firm believer in something you mentioned--that Alien is a near perfect film,horror or otherwise--there is nothing in Aliens that doesn't feel like a natural extension of or expansion on everything established in the first film. I definitely favor the original film,but by a significantly lesser margin than is typical with sequels. The change in genres is not at all jarring. In fact,when you watch both films,it feels like a very natural progression of the narrative.
So....yeah. Aliens. It is a good film.
Aliens is at the top of my favorite movies of all time. I care about the characters. I root for Ripley. I think I’ll watch again tonight.
Excellent review. Pulling out the Directors Cut as we speak.
Nice 2 people I like to watch
Awesome Job Brother!! Greetings from Finland
I just simply couldn't agree with all the points in this video more. Bravo :) Aliens is my all time favourite film still to this very day.
Love that it’s the year 22whatever yet this Waylon dude’s fashion sense is distinctly 1980s
it looks so good compared to cgi... my hat goes off to James Cameron, he asked just for 6 suits and a queen and he can make it look like an infestation
This video nailed it. Thanks for your passionate and precise analysis.
The greatest action/sci-fi movie ever made.
James Cameron doesn’t do what James Cameron does for James Cameron. James Cameron does what James Cameron does because he IS James Cameron.
this video and the background music are gorgeous.
3:16, the white and blue prop on the wall, above the coffee pot is a coffee maker, the exact coffee maker brand used for mr fusion in BTTF II
It's okay to be bias Mr. H. Great review from the both of you. Aliens is a masterpiece. It respected the original without using the same old tropes giving us something familiar but new as well. It also expanded the universe Alien is set on through those sets and dialogue from the Marines.
Damn youtube, two of my favorite channels in one video and no notification
Its like RLM said.. Aliens is Just Alien.. But done Differently from a Director's pov and vision.. And im cool with that..
i Thoroughly enjoyed this guys. Thanks for this
Utterly fantastic review!