I expect you'll find that older Blu-ray is very good now you know that Aliens never looked very good in the first place. Give it a try and let me know though because it's one that I don't have. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I would agree that it looks quite stunning. The only real problem is that, allegedly, the team restoring it ran a very strange de-graining process on the scan. Supposedly they DNR'd the grain away, and then applied an artificial digital grain - the person who told me this said they marketed it as "evening out the grain." Silly idea. And I'm inclined to believe it as I swear I have some memories at looking at part of the sky and wondering why the grain seemed to "freeze" for a few frames. It's nowhere near as distracting as the AI hallucinations of the 4K.
@@mistermoo7602 That freezing of the grain is apparent on the film prints so it was done when the film was actually made back in 1986. It's possible to 'fix' that with computer video editing/grading tools now and I think I'd take the opportunity to do so if I were doing the work. It's not so obvious on the Super 8 prints but on the 35mm we spotted it once or twice. This is due to the lower resolution of the Super 8 print and when it comes to the 35mm that was intended to be shown on huge cinema screens which would have achieved the same result. In other words, blowing it up really big would have degraded the apparent image quality sufficiently to disguise such deficiencies. On our tiny home screens and tellies, these things tend to be too obvious. John.
@@moviecollector5920 More resolution is always better when you're converting an analog medium to digital. Also you can only get the HDR metadata in the 4K Bluray, so they really need to re-release this one again. Just scan the film give it the theatrical color grade and good HDR treatment.
One of favourite films. First saw it on its release at The Regal Cinema, Leamington Spa having just finished university. The searing noise of the laser cutting into the ship in the opening scene still sticks in my mind and the rest of the film is just a total thrill ride. Great review video as always John. Thank you I also remember the Alien War experience at The Trocadero in the 90’s.
Ah, that opening laser cutting sequence... it's a shame that it now doesn't sound as impressive as it did originally. Most people won't twig that as they won't have one of the LaserDiscs to check it against. Something to do with home videos only getting some home version of the soundtrack ever since. John.
That was a FANTASTIC review John. I found your channel due to your ALIEN review four years ago and have watched religiously ever since. Amazed by your Aliens collection and I hope you find that elusive 35mm copy eventually. Thank you for all you do and I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas.
Thank you Key. I suspect that if a 35mm print of Aliens came up for sale today it would be out of my reach now. But the Super 8 prints are a very good match and on that Elmo GS1200 with the HTI lamp are possibly superior on respect to the brightness of the image on screen. It doesn't seem to be as dense as the 35mm print anyway. John.
I watched Aliens in 70mm at Odeon, Marble Arch in the early ‘90s. A real shame that cinema isn’t around today in its original form. The auditorium was massive.
I was there for Alien but didn't stay for Aliens as I'd already seen in previously three times in 70mm. A great cinema. We'll probably never see the like of it again sadly. John.
@@cheekster777 70mm is sensational to look at... providing it's a genuine 70mm and not something shot on 65mm but finished as a comparatively lowly 4K video and then blown back up to the 70mm frame. That is apparently what went wrong with Death on the Nile two and a half years ago. I hope The Brutalist looks sensational which is jolly well probably will. John.
You are genuine movie 🎬 enthusiast, a true TH-cam channel I love to watch,not a sellout like others who receive free movies to promote and lie about the quality between blu ray and 4k, keep up the good work, I know it takes alot of effort but it's always appreciated, I buy movies on your reviews 😊
Thank you Andrew. I do get a few review copies in on occasion but it doesn't change how I review them. I haven't seen many 4K disc releases that I think are poor so thankfully I've never faced a conflict of interest. In fact, I think I find something positive to say about every home video I've ever featured in a TH-cam upload. Next one should be Furiosa but there are a couple of things in that I didn't think were that good. Those things don't change the fact it's another impressive 4K disc release though. John.
@ - No, I think it’s great. I don’t have the space. 25+ years worth of collecting physical media and a whole host of other stuff of mine all got thrown out earlier this year. Kef THX Reference Series 7.1 plus spare centre channel plus a whole lot more. ☹️
Very pleased to know you enjoyed it JK. I hope your wife would have done too but maybe she was with you when you watched. And if I don't communicate with you in the next eight days, please have a very merry Christmas. John.
John your reviews are always enjoyable and informative, very unique channel you have, a real treasure for any movie fan, thanks again for your effort and resulting quality. Oh, Merry Christmas!
Thank you Pete. I wanted to try and get a video about Aliens absolutely right but above all, interesting. Hopefully I achieved that... almost. Merry Christmas to you too. John.
I expect the Blu-ray to be the best image quality short of finding a Super 8 print Gary. The LaserDiscs will undoubtedly carry the best sound as they'll be the original theatrical soundtracks. John.
@moviecollector5920 😂 haha no. I always enjoy your honest perspective and your history with each movie you talk about. Have you watched my extremely long review of Aliens?
I was just a little too young to see Aliens at the cinema when it first came around but it was an absolute favourite the first time I saw it on VHS ! Watching the movie in a great cinema at a special event with Sigourney Weaver herself in attendance must have been quite something ! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and memorabilia !
Sigourney was over here for The Ice Storm but that is another film I rate very highly too. She came across as a very courteous lady and not at all arrogant or big-headed in any way. I'd like to interview her about her life in film sometime... we can all dream! John.
One day it might happen but by then I don't suppose home video discs will exist. We must support the latest releases when and where we can to try to ensure the market for these things survives. John.
I love that photo of you at Alien War, John. I visited the Glasgow version of Alien War in the early 90s when I was 16 and remember a couple of things. The first was that the Colonial Marines had thick Scottish accents and the alien was wearing trainers… but it was still an amazing experience!
The aliens had Pinewood produced Alien suits by the time Alien War appeared in the Trocadero. My first time through, I actually found it quite scary. A brilliant idea but it wasn't enough for a permanent attraction and it only lasted a couple of years I think. I think I went through four or five times. John.
A stellar review in a series increasing in excellence. The meticulous preparation of every video you post is immediately obvious which is why you are one of the best reviewers on TH-cam,. Thank you and well done , John. I am curious what do you think of the Extended versions of "ALIEN" and particularly "ALIENS" which, I believe had the most added footage. May I take this opportunity to, once again, thank you for your superb channel (in a difficult year where I had severe health issues, seeing a new video published made the day a little brighter ) and to wish you and yours a very Blessed and Happy Christmas, Your friend from South Africa - Michael.
I hope you're health is much improved now Michael. When I'm 'under the weather', I tend to find that watching some movies on the telly makes me feel more positive. I haven't had to resort to that much at all in more recent years but the Omicron variant of Covid-19 did make me feel pretty bloody awful for a couple of days so I resorted to my old fall asleep with the telly on routine. I don't watch broadcast television at all though and haven't done since 2010 - good riddance to that rubbish! I started working on this video months before the 35mm Aliens video with Simon. I was anticipating doing one all-encompassing upload but it was viable given how well and how interesting I felt the 35mm shoot went. Shortly after completing that I started to think that I should put my mind to an Aliens full collection video and so about a week before this latest video went up I started preparing everything. My notes quickly started turning into a script. It then took several days to put it together and get a render completed that appeared to be about 100%. Now make sure you're taking plenty of Vitamin D supplementation if you're not out in the sun often enough. And also make sure you don't succumb to any propaganda about health interventions to avoid getting that covid nonsense again. The truth about all of that will surely come out from the US next year. A lot of people will be very angry then I'm sure. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Thank you, John. I'm under good, sensible care and am about 90% healed; only my injured knee, which has left me wheelchair and crutches bound, should be operated on in the new year. Everyone is on holiday now. The effort you put into your videos shows and is sincerely appreciated. m
Actually Jim, The Polar Express is one I should do a video about. Not sure I've ever included it... oh, there was a Christmas film recommendations video three or four years ago so I might have mentioned it in that one. We're planning to watch the active 3D Blu-ray on Christmas Eve. I'd prefer to have that 35mm print from Allen's Photography & Video though. That print looks beautiful. John.
Great review John. Love your Aliens collection. I don’t understand all the hate toward the 4K UHD disc. I must have watched the movie hundreds of times on VHS, Laserdisc, Bluray and now 4K. I like the 4K but see some of its limitations. I especially like the Dolby Atmos sound.
I think people were hoping for a close match to how Aliens looked in cinemas but I expect they'd have been disappointed with that too because it never looked fabulous. I suppose if it's a favourite film and you've never gone down the route of owning film projectors and prints then you're limited to what is offered on home video and therefore now the 4K is out, it seems unlikely you'll ever get a definitive copy of Aliens. That's why I suggested taking a look at the original Blu-ray because that may actually be the definitive copy. But for the definitive sound, the LaserDiscs are probably the way to go as they have the original theatrical soundtracks. I don't think any subsequent disc releases did. John.
Yes the original blu-ray is the best home video presentation of Aliens. That 2k master served as the basis for the 4kUHDs upscale as well. But the original blu-ray looks natural and very good.
Thanks for sharing your collection of memorabilia! I enjoy seeing what you've collected over the years. As I said in your last Aliens video, the 4K is actually really good. Any "flaws" one might find from over-processing is just speculation of what is artificial and what is genuine detail from the original source. I especially appreciated the beautiful color timing, contrast and overall feel of the image. It was the most engaging release of Aliens I've encountered. This is the version I'd present to a friend if they haven't seen Aliens before. Having recently seen a digital scan of a 35mm of Aliens myself, I can see why much post-processing is needed for this film. Numerous scenes were distractingly heavy in grain and other artifacts. For those who didn't experience Aliens that way originally; these modern releases are certainly the way to go.
Morning Andy. What we need to find is a fine-grain master print of one of the two known surviving 70mm blow-ups. Then we'd know how much over processing has been required for the Aliens 4K. I know many are saying that it's come from the 2K master transferred for the Blu-ray but as much as I believe them, I won't fully believe it until I hear it from the people who actually carried out the work... if that makes some sort of sense. I was looking at the facial detail on some of the close-ups on the 4K again and it does look convincing to me. I think it was there on the first generation negative to be able to create something so realistic. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I agree. So many people talk like they are so sure how this 4K was made, but they never cite any sources. I just can't imagine Cameron signing off on a 2K upscale, considering how much control he has and all the attention he puts on the home releases of his films. I am curious if the 2010's blu ray was originally a 4K scan and downscaled to fit HD blu ray at the time. Many movies get higher scans than what is released on disc. That would explain the similarities between the 4K and the older blu ray. Then it was de-grained, as Mr. Cameron seems to prefer, and then supposedly sharpened by an AI tool, where detail may have been lost from the de-graining. That's just my theory. I could be totally wrong. And I'll probably never know for sure. I think the end result is pretty darn good. I say it was a success.
@@andylindsey Until we know the details surrounding this 'controversy' for certain, we should all learn to be cautious. If it was an upscale from a 2K cine to video transfer then it may have all been governed on budgetary reasons. One thing I do know is that this 4K of Aliens was all completed and ready to go at 20th Century Fox before Disney took them over. I dare say Fox were skint and Mr. Cameron might have been told how much money he had and as a result of that decided to put it all into making the best of the best video transfer they already had rather than blow it on getting the negative out of the vault and having it all transferred all over again. But I don't know of course. John.
Great video John - much appreciated. Love your memorabilia! I prefer the blu-ray set that preserves the original look of Alien / Aliens. Just as I prefer the blu-ray Godfather set that Robert Harris worked on over the new 4K as it to preserves the original colour/ look of the film.
I think we tend to get a little too focused on 4K discs and have rather forgotten how good Blu-ray could be. What I'm finding here now increasingly though is the colour gamut of Blu-ray is so often immediately perceptibly inferior to the 4K. I dare say a lot of that comes down to how our systems are set up. John.
The Alien films probably are the biggest part of all my film related collectables but it's possible Star Wars is close or just exceeds the Alien films. John.
Another great video John. I also went to Alien War, when it was in Glasgow. Absolutely loved it! Went back some time later, and they'd added the Predator into the mix. Wasn't expecting that. Still have my Alien War I SURVIVED! mug.
Evening Stephen. If I'd have known about Alien War when it was first in Glasgow then I'd have taken a trip up. Fortunately, the Trocadero was only 17 minutes walk from home when it opened there so it wasn't quite so far to go. I should have got one of those mugs though! John.
Great content as always, John. You’ll know, wasn’t there an issue or story regarding the film stock JC had to use on the film, hence why it looks the way it did? Cheers
_Aliens_ taught directors how important it is to choose your film stock carefully. Never shoot on any experimental or otherwise unproven stock. It always pays to future-proof your work. High contrast, low grain. It's a winning combination, every time.
Two years before, Ghostbusters looked strikingly similar. That was a full frame anamorphic though so should look somewhat superior to Aliens but Aliens did use a second negative stock which might have been the one that caused the biggest headaches for the DP and cinematographers. John.
John, I too have that Aliens 'Magazine/Book' you reference, and likewise, I too never took the posters out! 😁 Thanks for the video. I appreciate your content!
We're a sad lot Glen! It would be interesting to see those double sided posters out of the book but I never thought the print quality looked particularly enticing. John.
Great video John, all the best for Christmas and the new year Sir. I personally cant get enough of the Aliens 4K disc despite corners of the internet telling me I have to hate it Lol.
I don't agree with all this excessive criticism. Anyone who is not happy with it there are a myriad of earlier home video releases to try. Hopefully I made the point about the Blu-ray likely being the most likely best option. But the LaserDiscs are all good too and they come with the original theatrical soundtrack. John.
I saw the theatrical cut at a local theater in 35mm recently. Really incredible way to watch the film, with a huge audience of people who know and love the film. As far as home video goes, I think the grade and digital alterations really put me off from the Blu Ray. I've had my Quadrilogy DVD for around 15 years now, and I've always been happy enough with the grain and image quality, though the grade there is a little too muted. I recently got the CAV special edition Laserdisc, but I loved the grade and very filmic image. It felt very of its era, but in a good way.
I find that I'm appreciating LaserDiscs increasingly these days Robert. True Lies made a bit of an example of all the other home video disc versions of that film simply because the sound was better than all of them. And the amazing this is that it's the PAL LD and therefore no AC3, just the original Dolby Stereo. It seems to be because it's the original theatrical soundtrack whereas everything else since has had what is known as a 'near-field' mix for the home market. No wonder my 35mm prints blow everything else out of the water now the sound from that Kinoton FP20 is sorted to the point of perfection. John.
That would be rather pleasant Fedenovo. And with the way Argentina seems to be thriving now a trip to the UK may be viable very soon. Great to have your great nation coming back into the world. John.
I have mixed feelings about the Aliens 4K. It looks excellent but it doesn’t look like Aliens anymore. Next time I watch it, I will probably break out the original Blu-Ray. Merry Christmas to you and your family!!
You may find you have a new appreciation for the older Blu-ray knowing what we know now. However, for the best sound, you'll need one of the LaserDiscs as they came with the original theatrical soundtrack. Have a merry Christmas and make sure you watch plenty of suitable movies... such as The Exorcist, Aliens... Cannibal Holocaust!!! John.
Excellent vid John, Aliens is in my top 5 favourite films...I'm very happy with the 4k disc...I'm looking forward to rewatching it with my 4k projector over xmas...have a great Xmas John 😊
Lovely video! Wonderful collection! Perfect Christmas gift for your audience! I am still hoping for a Super 8 collection video, but these themed collections will do just fine in the meantime. Please keep them coming, you've got some great items. I wish I wouldn't have sold that VHS 📼 tape. Just for the completeness of it all.. I wish you a Merry Christmas 🎄
I don't think a Super 8 collection video would find much of an audience. I've never really wanted to do that type of thing at all as I always thought it would be better to pull things off the shelves to include them when the right video came along. There are probably some that will never find their way into a video but I suppose it depends on how long I end up making these TH-cam uploads. John.
Good grief! Surely someone has imported some copies. Perhaps have a look on eBay or even the dreaded Amazon. Etsy is another but I've never used that one. John.
@@pauljc26 That is strange I just checked on line with JB here in Christchurch after seeing it on the shelf in our South City store this morning. Its still for sale on the shelf that's the 4K plus the blu-ray and digital code but its expensive at NZ$64.98 dollars.
Awesome as always! When I finally get my cinema room finished this year it looks like Aliens Blu Ray will be top of my list as it's both the Mrs's & my all time favourite movie (the cinema room will only be set up for DVD or streamed movies). Unfortunately I'm not a fan of the new AI upscaled movies, we watched the upscaled Terminator 2 last night (on a 75 inch TV) & in the asylum scene where theres a close up of Sarah's face my Mrs blurted out "what is wrong with her skin!???" I started trying to explain AI upscaling until I realised she had already lost interest so I just left it there 😅
Good luck with the home cinema. All homes should have one! As for any of the 4K discs that have been a little too played with in the re-mastering process, always ensure any digital 'enhancements' are off or minimized. And make sure the HDR is not too high as it can vary from film to film and make one disc look great but another look complete crap! John.
Thanks for this review, I wasn't aware Derann did this one as a feature. Or i had forgotten about it. Everyone knows about the Star Wars A New Hope print not the original, and the Return of the Jedi print they've been talked about ad nauseum.
Aliens was one of the biggest Super 8 feature releases at that time. Star Wars was obviously even bigger but it was the original STAR WARS and possibly only confused as being something else as it had the amended opening scrawl with the poor subtitle at the head of it. I have two prints of that one too. And Return of the Jedi. The Empire Strikes Back came from Germany so had the opening scrawl in German. Other than that it was all English. John.
@@moviecollector5920 , yeah i saw a good print of Raiders of the Lost Ark the guy wanted so much it was stratospheric I have no idea the lab probably German.
@@matthewgaudet4064 Yes, Raiders and Empire were done at Andec Labs. Raiders is the better print of the two. Jurassic Park was another done there around the same time.
A lot of people feel the same way Charles. The Abyss always looked great though so wouldn't have been the same sort of problem to get a flawless looking 4K onto the market. John.
@moviecollector5920 An expanded soundtrack for Alien was also released by the same label, an essential purchase for me due to it making the main title (film version) finally available.
I’ve booked to watch an Alien triple-bill at Prince Charles Cinema just after Christmas. Alien (Theatrical Cut) 4K Alien: Romulus 4K Aliens (Director’s Cut) 😎
I could probably have sorted them prints of Alien and Aliens plus Alien Resurrection. The four Alien films now the new one is out. I know there was one other too but I never include that film. Have a great time. John.
Another few dozen times yet Alex. But I think I've only covered Aliens once in Super 8 with a clip in the previous video to trailer this one. Shown the boxes a few times though. John.
@@alexdas2000 Aha, that makes sense now Alex. I have actually reviewed Super 8 twice I suppose because the studio objected to me showing a section of the trailer after it had been up for a year or two and so I made it 'unlisted', re-worked that video and uploaded it again. A great film for me as I grew up playing with Super 8 film... and I still haven't grown up yet! John.
Great collection John, I first watched "Aliens" at the cinema, as a double feature with The Fly on 35mm. I have watched it lately on blu-ray using the Panasonic VP and it looks and sounds really good. What I like the most, is the special edition introduced on the blu-ray by James Cameron. He does state that this extended version, was the one he wanted to release at the time, but was unable to do so,. The extra scenes in the special edition I think, really does complete the story a lot more, so its that longer version I like watching the most. Regarding Sigourney Weaver, I recently watch the blu-ray of "A Monster Calls" its really good. Your Super 8 extracts shown look great, its the kind of film I would like to watch on Super 8 . I cant remember if "Alien" ever got a full feature release? anyway all great stuff and thanks for the review.
Morning Graham. I have two copies of Alien on Super 8 too so they're out there. Lee Mannering is releasing extracts and a new cut down at the moment but unlike the feature from Derann in 1991, they're not in 'Scope. That special edition of Aliens is not entirely my cup of tea. I think the smart gun sequences are brilliant and I'd have wanted to leave that whole area of the film intact but the rest of it was right to be excised. Seeing the colony as a thriving new outpost breaks the focus of the film and takes me out of the picture. But I like seeing it as an outtake. I haven't seen A Monster Calls. I think I saw the trailer and that put me off so I'll have to check. John.
Hi John! Great to share this video and see more of your collectables . I picked up Galaxy Quest on a blind buy recently seeing SW at nearing 49 or 50 yrs old (when she filmed this) and as a blonde is a real babe lol. Something about her eh but I digress this film and film franchaise never grows old there always seems something to discuss or compare or just re watch again. It's just one of my favs so really happy when you are working on anything about these films for us. The new year is fast approaching so on a last hunt for items to close out our year in 4k. Anything you are on the hunt for or planning? Personally I've ordered a stand alone copy of Raiders of the Lost Ark only for the cover art lol. Am also hoping to see North by Northwest under my tree. Hope all is well with you and best wishes from way over here. Cheers and take care D!!
I've had Galaxy Quest on DVD since it was first issued Dave. I'm not sure I saw that film in the cinema but I think it's a great mickey take of the whole Star Trek world of fandom. I don't think my wife ever appreciated in quite the same way but I've been educating her over the last 20 odd years so I think she'd find it so much funnier now. I'm not on the lookout for anything on 4K at the moment. I have finally succumbed and purchased a copy of Alien Romulus though so I'll probably take a look at that for a review video sometime early in the new year. I hope it's not another Alien 3 type of debacle but I can't imagine anything could be that bad again. I am expecting annoying characters though but at least I'm prepared for that. John.
My favourite Aliens merchandise are some reproduction USMC patches. The best one is the red drop ship pilot’s patch that says “Bug Stompers. We endanger species”. Did you ever get to the Aliens 3D cinema ride at Granada Studios in Manchester in the 90s? Best regards, Dave
Morning Dave. I only just heard about that Aliens ride at Granada so I successfully missed it, damn it! I think there are two different versions of the Bug Stompers decals because the two drop ships have almost mirror image versions of them. John.
@@moviecollector5920 "S:AAB" was a US Fox show and the space aircraft carrier "USS Saratoga's" sets were repurposed/recycled for the sets of the USM Auriga in Alien Resurrection.
I visited Derann a lot over the years Paul. I still see some of the old team though so they're not completely gone as far as I'm concerned. A great bunch and Derek was one of those real characters we rarely seem to meet but who we never forget when we do. John.
I saw Aliens in70mm in NFT1 in a series of 70mm showings many years ago, unfortunately I either forgot to pick up th eprogram notes or mislaid them. I looked when I was putting away this year's Missing Blieved wiped notes (It wa good to see the Film is Fabulous team again there and to hear that the collector in Blackpool had another missing episode of the Tom Jones series not a duplicate of the one found). I have the Blu Ray Quadrilogy set but only one part (#4) of the Derann release, the box has "test" on it but it is on Agfa stock and I think reversed so I didn't pay much for it. Good to see your review and your collection.
I should have been at Missing, Believed Wiped Brian but alas, our coach was cancelled and all the trains went the same way shortly afterwards. A rather surreal day in the end as a result. That odd reel 4 of Aliens can be sorted with an optical mirror but I expect you've already done that. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Yes, there were quite a few empty seats due to people not making it because of the weather. That mean that some people who missed out got returns.
That was lucky Todd. I can't recall when we first went in there but it was probably the first week too. We might have been there at the same time. John.
@@moviecollector5920 i was thinking we might have crossed paths there too! do u remember how much each ticket cost? i rem being surprised at the price but did it anyway. i rem it was good too
In terms of file size a Blu-ray is surely better than a 4K stream. I can't see how it's possible to stream getting on for 50Gb reliably across the web. I can probably do it with our internet connection but it would be hit and miss with plenty of dropouts and the resultant image degradation that comes with it. There is so much to home video discs besides the film each disc contains too. For a start, you own the disc and therefore can watch that film again decades down the line whereas the web site you subscribe to in order to stream that same title will usually no longer offer that title. Additionally, there are extra features for those of us interested in the film making process and its history. There's no comparison and all these people who have dumped their DVD collections onto charity shops have made a huge mistake which they will only realize in the years ahead. We even pick up Blu-ray titles in the 3 for £1 deal round here as a result of the mistake of owners dumping their discs incorrectly thinking that they no longer need them. John.
Death in The Maiden is a challanging watch, especially as the film manipulates you into whose side you strive for. As for Alien, saw a 35mm screening of it some years ago (try 25😊) as well as the Directors Cut at the Odeon Leicester Square. Have to agree about Aliens look, it was always divisive in picture quality. Nice collection.
I only ever saw Death And The Maiden that night at the Curzon and still remember it very well, particularly the brilliant conclusion. 25 years isn't as long as it used to be! John.
A lot of people are very impressed with the new 4K. I can understand why. If I didn't have the Super 8 prints I might think it was the way I'd watch it from now on too. John.
Good job and impressively extensive Aliens collection you have. You no doubt own the Aliens Quadrilogy DVD boxset that came out back in the day (I think we all did). Funny to think there has probably been another 4 Alien films since (or at least same universe) - Perhaps we need an octology box set now. However, a more serious question John... Is that a mullet? Hehe kidding, no need to defend, it was the late 80's/early 90's, I know it was the style.
Evening Bob. I didn't ever get the DVD box of four films because it had Alien 3 in it and I didn't want to have it in the house. I did get the other three DVD's but only for the extras discs as I've never run the films themselves other than to run in sync' with the Super 8 prints. John.
@@hugoanderkivi I've been trying to pretend it doesn't exist. I actually have a 35mm print of Alien Resurrection though. People tell me that one looks awful on video but I've only ever seen it on film and it looks terrific. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I believe you. It seems that anything stored on film, the analogue realm, surpasses digital. I've yet to see a digital camera rival a film one. Grain doesn't bother me one bit, too; I think it can make the experience more cinematic. I don't mind a bit of visible noise when shooting with my camera as it gives more of a texture and a filmic quality to the scenery.
@@hugoanderkivi There is something magical about film Hugo. Alien Resurrection was only a Super 35 shoot so it doesn't look a patch on the 1979 film but it's wonderful to be able to see it as it really was. I don't think the aliens have ever looked more impressive than in 'Resurrection'. John.
I watch the 1999 dvd of Aliens over the bluray version, as this copy retains more of it's authentic natural look, as opposed to the bluray which has been dnr'd, had artificial grain applied and they have changed the original colour grading. Is the super 8 or 35mm the most authentic to how Aliens was originally intended to be seen?
I haven't seen that original Blu-ray but others have told me its their preferred way to watch Aliens on home video. The Super 8 is an accurate reproduction of the 35mm prints which is how most saw the film in 1986. In that regard, the Super 8 is the most accurate representation of the film on home media but I can only judge that by my own print. The second print is very similar in appearance but I think I recall the fifth reel (the one Derann let me have for just £60 brand new) has a more blue cast grade to it which is probably more like the standard Blu-ray. That reel was struck in 2004 on Agfa print stock which was always more blue than Kodak stock during that era. John.
@@northeastcorals I think Alien War was too niche market and too costly to put on for an extended run. If it had have been a definite, limited attraction for something like six months then it might have come back several times down the ensuing years. But the installation of the set was so intricate, it couldn't realistically been moved in and out of different locations. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I remember going to a small Aliens exhibition in Newcastle, which I'd guess was possibly around the mid 90s due to the age I must have been then. I think it would absolutely pale in comparison to Alien War exhibition but I still thoroughly enjoyed it ✌
@@northeastcorals That might have been the exhibition the two chaps who established Alien War had done a few times before Alien War was first tried in Glasgow somewhere. They had quite a lot of original props from the film which is how Alien War came about. John.
I've been to the cinema a few times lately as my wife wanted to watch a couple of films but I just can't get used to the screen quality I just think it's really bad compared to my lg g4 oled and my home cinema monitor audio set up. Not tried the isense 4k cinema screen yet so might give that a try.
Video projection is almost de rigeur in cinemas now so unless you're seeing something projected by a good machine that is serviced correctly you'll quite often be disappointed. Hopefully things will improve in the future but until someone with the knowledge can successfully point out the errors of their ways I think cinema will continue its terminal decline. I live in hope though. John.
@moviecollector5920 Yes, I think that's the problem, John. So washed out with no contrast, and the sound is just loud, not a surround experience at all. 😬 odeon the one we go to.
@@excaliber32 People running cinemas now rarely seem to have the knowledge required to put on a good show. Most cinemas don't even have motorized masking let alone tabs across the screen. No wonder it's a dying industry. John.
Im a bit surprised theat aliens remains an 18 on disc unless its due to special features rather than the feature. It was always my favourite of the series and i always felt we were cheated out of a proper sequel to aliens
I suppose the chestburster sequence is pretty gory so perhaps that's the cause of the 18 certificate. Alien 3 was a bit of a mess but there was no way back once all the survivors of Aliens, other than Ripley, were killed off during the opening titles. What a faux pas. John.
@moviecollector5920 just checked the bbfc website and it doesn't appear to have sent in for a certificate since 1998. I'd imagine if they try now it would be a 15. Yes the start of alien 3 seemed a bit of a slap in the face to fans of the previous title
After Alien 3 came out I went to a triple showing off all 3 movies. I remember being disappointed by how poor Aliens looked in comparison to the other 2. It just didn’t feel as ‘cinematic’ in scope, maybe because of the 1.85:1 aspect ratio?
The first screening of Aliens I went to suffered the same initial disappointment because the masking remained fixed at the inferior aspect ratio. However, that was nothing compared to the disappointment of Alien 3... which I've never seen for a second time as a result. I do remember the image quality of that one was very good though. John.
I love the clarity of the new 4K transfer, but it is not all good news. While I do also like the new color-grading, which is a lot less blue than the Blu-Ray, I think they made the film too bright. The Blu-Ray was too dark and muddy, and now it is overly illuminated. This detracts from the horror dimension of the movie and the sets look, well, more like sets. Very frustrating they can't get this completely right!
Sounds like the original Blu-ray was right to me. The only reason the Super 8 looks as bright as it does in this video is because I have an HTI lamp punching through it. It never looks that good on any other projector and seems to be brighter than the 35mm print at Simon's place about a month ago. John.
Happy Xmas John. 🎄 This is becoming my annual request - please treat yourself to The Green Knight on 4K, the tale starts on Xmas day. 🗡️ I was in HMV Stockport today picked up a 4K Mexico box set by Arrow, saw The Green Knight and thought I must remind you. 👍
Yes, completely forgot about The Green Knight again James. I see HMV have it in steelbook so I must remember to keep a lookout to see if I can snap up a cheapie. John.
I was interested to hear your comment about preferring the bluray edition of Aliens to the 4k version. To be honest I haven't been that impressed by any of the 4k discs I've purchased and have now stopped buying them. With my 4k projector and 4k dvd player I've found that my collection of bluray discs upscale brilliantly. For instance I purchased Wonder Woman in 4k but found that the bluray copy also included in the purchase was in my eyes superior to the 4k. Now I have to admit that at 80 years of age my eye sight isn't what it used to be and so Perhaps I'm not able to discern the difference between 4k and bluray!!! Anyway it will save me money not purchasing any more 4k discs although I am tempted to buy Aliens in 4k despite what you said as It's one of my favourite films. Anyway I'll continue to enjoy your videos despite them being mainly about 4k releases!!
I haven't actually seen that Blu-ray Keith but what I said was that anyone not happy with the 4K of Aliens should stick with the Blu-ray or find a copy to purchase. I saw one yesterday in a box with the other 3 Alien films for £8. Play with all your settings to get the 4K imagery right. Fiddle, fiddle and fiddle again. Once you get it there, there's no going back. Two things to check first: Make sure 'Sharpen' is off and then put the HDR setting right down to ensure it's not overly bright. John.
You may indeed find the Blu-ray to look better on a modern projector, unless you’re spending a fortune on the projector and have a perfectly light controlled room projectors are awful at HDR they do not have anywhere near the dynamic range needed for HDR so images often seem dull and a little lifeless on certain edits. SDR from the Blu-rays will instantly just pop with the colour and look sharper because of this.
Thanks for that. What you say is exactly what Im experiencing. Of course John uses the same projector as I have but seems to get good results and swears by HDR. His advice to me was fiddle, fiddle and fiddle again and turn down the HDR but quite honestly I cant be bothered to do this every time I load a 4k@@pauledwards8721
I would never of guest you were an ALIENS fan🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 In the spring of next year you will have to come and see ALIENS in my home cinema on the big 14ft screen, shown on single reels with change overs and projected with carbon arc lamps. Free tea and coffee, admission £1K. For free admission you need to come early (Like now) to help get No1 DP70 out of the garage and into the new projection room (Free tea, coffee, bandages, splints and plasters!)
@@moviecollector5920 I might have to cut the top and bottom but with a 38mm lens I can get the 14ft wide. I will give it a try if I can move all the film that is stacked up between the projector and the screen.
I don't think that would be worthwhile. A 35mm might be worth doing though because then people would be able to see Aliens more closely to how it really was. A fine-grain master print or 70mm blow-up would be the ideal. John.
@ yeah for cetain but I’m guessing that will never happen due to cost and the studio would likely get the lawyers invloved. There is something amazing about the super8 versio also. I bet the community would very much enjoynit. Not sure on cost though. There is apparently a nice 35mm scan version of the terminator online but it’s hard to fnd
@@tbip2001 I do know a chap who has been doing scans of 35mm prints and as a result he's been enticed into setting up a 4K disc production label and will be issuing amazing special edition packs in reproduction film cans. If he ever gets a print of Aliens we just might see something. As for The Terminator, Simon and I are talking about doing something similar early next year to the Aliens 35mm/4K video we did last month. If the weather is dreadful though it might take months to get over there. John.
@ that would be amazing. Would all this be ‘underground’ so to speak? A 4k scan of a good 35mm print exactly ‘as is’ would be amazing. No dnr, no grain reduction, no colour changes.
@@tbip2001 It might be sort of underground but with the studio perhaps turning a blind eye given it would be limited through a home video collectors network. Probably not though so it might never happen. But if it did, the colour and density would have to have work because a computer scan of a film is not the finished article. Even the best film to video transfer scanners produce all sorts of artifacts (or so I'm told anyway) which have to be addressed and corrected. The colour would unlikely be exact from a scan so that would have to be eye-matched to the print and that might not have been 100% accurate in the first place. John.
A very nice collection of the film Aliens. Thank you for the review. In addition to the VHS version, I only have the Alien Anthology (Facehugger Edition in a relief slipcase) [Blu-ray] [Limited Edition] in my collection. From your perspective, John, does a 4k upgrade make sense? Today I received the 4K version of Demolition Man, one of my favorite films from the early 90s. I'm curious to see whether the purchase was worth it.
Evening Jens. If you're happy with the Blu-ray of Aliens then stick with that and just bear in mind that it was never the best looking film in the first place which is probably why many people weren't happy with that Blu-ray. The 4K does look incredible but there are some sequences that I saw that take me out of the picture. Most wouldn't notice unless looking to criticize. I have the Blu-ray of Demolition Man and I'll be sticking with that I think. John.
Regardless of the quality of the film, technology also plays a role that should still be underestimated. In my opinion, the image quality of my UDP 9004 from Panasonic is a lot better than that of my Sony UDP x 800. Then of course the other transmission technology comes into play, TV, projector, AV receiver... But of course that with the players can also happen be a subjective impression. But what technology can really represent the beauty of the real images in a film. It is the endless search and longing for the impossibility of the perfect picture. But in the end, the film itself affects us, image quality or not.
@@JensStelzer I think sometimes we all need to just sit down to enjoy the movie Jens. We can get too hooked up about things that may or may not have been done. John.
I think Aliens in 4K looks different to previous versions. Is the original look due to limitations of the film stock of the time and not what the director actually intended? I found The Thing to be similar, with a lot more gore visible on the 4K than I remember seeing before! Viewed on a Sony OLED TV I'm quite happy with the 4K Blu-ray.
Without having access to a 70mm blow up or 35mm master print it's difficult to know exactly how Aliens looked originally but what we can be certain of is that colour and density grading could not have been done the way it is today. I believe film grading for was done by coloured lights or filters and so therefore would have been across the frame as a whole and not down to the individual pixel within a frame which is what can be done today. Seeing a 70mm or a master print would have been a more satisfactory experience than any of the home videos though. Actually, even Simon's 35mm general release print is superior to my eyes and taste. John.
I don't own a copy; but I saw the film on 4K at a friend's house. I have a love/hate relationship with it. In some ways it looks and sounds great; and it some ways it annoys the heck out of me. And that's why I can't purchase it, at least for now. My enjoyment of this great film suffers when every now and then Cameron ruins the enjoyment of watching it. And it's a shame, because he could have upgraded the film in a way that would have appealed to a much greater percentage of the audience.
Off topic but has anyone reviewed The Pirates Of The Caribbean - The Curse Of The Black Pearl 4K? Comments on Amazon said the 4K master was worse than the blu-ray and so now I'm afraid to purchase it. But I did read some positive comments as well.
Film ist nicht zerbrechlich, wie so viele zu glauben scheinen. Ich denke, Kinovorführer ziehen sich manchmal Handschuhe für Fernsehkameras an, wenn sie mit Film hantieren, aber die Realität ist, dass es nur Filmarchivare mit alten, brüchigen Filmkopien sind, die das tun müssen. John.
Showed at Pictureville in 70mm couple of weeks back. Never a fan of Alien pictures could never understand how one minute they were inches high out of the chest then the next scene they were about 8 feet tall… was that ever explained? Also why oh why was Aliens not filmed in Scope never forgave JC for that, same with Spielberg and Jurassic Park, should have been Scope. Anyway that’s my rant I appreciate I’m a minority when it comes to finding the Alien pictures just so so.
I don't think James Cameron ever shot anything in 'Scope. Even the 'Scope films were actually blow-ups from Super 35. As for the Alien growing so quickly, there's a scene in Alien when Brett is looking for Jones the cat when he picks up the chestbursters shedded skin. That suggests that the pesky little critter is still growing at a rapid rate. A couple of minutes later, that little bastard appears... but he's no longer little. John.
Hi John,did witness the re-release of interstellar IMAX 70mm and I have a question,did they remaster for digital version of re-release? I didn't get the chance to witness it since a so-called movie named"Pushpa-2" occupied the screens entirely in India, thanks to them i missed a miracle 🥲. I heard that they gonna re-release it early 2025, hopefully they'll fulfill our wish. Thank you John,love your work🙌👍!
Evening Adithya. I could watch INTERSTELLAR in 15/70 IMAX every year and if I were still living in London I think I'd be able to do just that now as the BFI IMAX put it on the schedule quite regularly. I think they've realized and established that it is one film that can still fill every seat in the house. There aren't many of them any longer but if it weren't a genuine IMAX film then I don't think even INTERSTELLAR would be able to do it. If you don't have a cinema screening it in the real IMAX format I wouldn't recommend a video projection instead. See if any cinemas are showing a standard 70mm print because that will be so much better than a comparatively lowly 4K. John.
Sir,i believe there is no actual film projection setup in my area. I wish one day I'll witness what's a film is and for now I'll witness cinema not film.Thank you Sir.
@@adithyab2379 There has got to be somewhere. Perhaps not in your immediate vicinity but Gujarat Science Centre IMAX still have two of the old IMAX 15/70 3D documentaries. The image quality is spoiled because of the 3D but at least it's film. Maybe if you're ever around that way on a trip it would be worth seeing if they're still screening them. John.
This dude makes all other cinema enthusiast content creators seem like toys. They are on about dnr, angry crying. Meanwhile this guy says "hold my film canister" and breaks out the extremely correct take that the 4k is cool actually for getting a new generation into it, and if you dont like it watch the perfectly good original Bluray. He then pones on these hair splitters by dropping a "you really have to go back to the super 8 and have an actual projector to get the REAL experience" bomb on their heads. 🏆
I have to admit that I've not been happy with all the negativity around some of the 4K releases this year. I look at them and usually wonder what has caused all the kerfuffle. Yes, I can see the side-effects of over processing but these are home videos costing not very much money. Interestingly, John at Mondo Chelloveck Movies put out a video the other day where he spoke about how he feels about this very subject. I nearly telephoned him to say "well done" so I might do just that later today. John.
All 4k movie. ⭐Pitch Black 🕶️ director Cut . ⭐DUNE 2 et FURIOSA Amazing ⭐ALIEN 40ème Anniversery. Masterpiece ⭐ALIENS ⭐ Boy and the HÉRON ⭐ALIEN ROMULUS
Looks like you're going to be busy over Christmas! I've just purchased a copy of Alien Romulus so I expect I'll cover that with a review video early in the new year. John.
It's a tragedy the studios won't just give us a pure 4K scan of the original film.
Maybe someday they'll scan it in 8K instead.
I expect you'll find that older Blu-ray is very good now you know that Aliens never looked very good in the first place. Give it a try and let me know though because it's one that I don't have. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I would agree that it looks quite stunning.
The only real problem is that, allegedly, the team restoring it ran a very strange de-graining process on the scan. Supposedly they DNR'd the grain away, and then applied an artificial digital grain - the person who told me this said they marketed it as "evening out the grain." Silly idea.
And I'm inclined to believe it as I swear I have some memories at looking at part of the sky and wondering why the grain seemed to "freeze" for a few frames. It's nowhere near as distracting as the AI hallucinations of the 4K.
@@mistermoo7602 That freezing of the grain is apparent on the film prints so it was done when the film was actually made back in 1986. It's possible to 'fix' that with computer video editing/grading tools now and I think I'd take the opportunity to do so if I were doing the work. It's not so obvious on the Super 8 prints but on the 35mm we spotted it once or twice. This is due to the lower resolution of the Super 8 print and when it comes to the 35mm that was intended to be shown on huge cinema screens which would have achieved the same result. In other words, blowing it up really big would have degraded the apparent image quality sufficiently to disguise such deficiencies. On our tiny home screens and tellies, these things tend to be too obvious.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 More resolution is always better when you're converting an analog medium to digital.
Also you can only get the HDR metadata in the 4K Bluray, so they really need to re-release this one again. Just scan the film give it the theatrical color grade and good HDR treatment.
Agreed, the 4k of Alien is awesome, the 4k of Aliens is a huge let down for such a beloved, timeless, classic, amazing movie!
One of favourite films. First saw it on its release at The Regal Cinema, Leamington Spa having just finished university. The searing noise of the laser cutting into the ship in the opening scene still sticks in my mind and the rest of the film is just a total thrill ride. Great review video as always John. Thank you
I also remember the Alien War experience at The Trocadero in the 90’s.
Ah, that opening laser cutting sequence... it's a shame that it now doesn't sound as impressive as it did originally. Most people won't twig that as they won't have one of the LaserDiscs to check it against. Something to do with home videos only getting some home version of the soundtrack ever since.
John.
That was a FANTASTIC review John. I found your channel due to your ALIEN review four years ago and have watched religiously ever since.
Amazed by your Aliens collection and I hope you find that elusive 35mm copy eventually.
Thank you for all you do and I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas.
Thank you Key. I suspect that if a 35mm print of Aliens came up for sale today it would be out of my reach now. But the Super 8 prints are a very good match and on that Elmo GS1200 with the HTI lamp are possibly superior on respect to the brightness of the image on screen. It doesn't seem to be as dense as the 35mm print anyway.
John.
Forgot to wish you a merry Christmas... so, MERRY CHRISTMAS Key. John.
Priceless as ever John, thank you.
Thanks John. John.
I watched Aliens in 70mm at Odeon, Marble Arch in the early ‘90s. A real shame that cinema isn’t around today in its original form. The auditorium was massive.
I was there for Alien but didn't stay for Aliens as I'd already seen in previously three times in 70mm. A great cinema. We'll probably never see the like of it again sadly.
John.
@ - I’ve already booked to watch The Brutalist in 70mm at BFI Southbank next month. 3 hrs 35 mins plus a 15 min interval like the old days!
@@cheekster777 70mm is sensational to look at... providing it's a genuine 70mm and not something shot on 65mm but finished as a comparatively lowly 4K video and then blown back up to the 70mm frame. That is apparently what went wrong with Death on the Nile two and a half years ago. I hope The Brutalist looks sensational which is jolly well probably will. John.
@ - From what I’ve heard the entire movie of The brutalist was shot using 70mm film.
You are genuine movie 🎬 enthusiast, a true TH-cam channel I love to watch,not a sellout like others who receive free movies to promote and lie about the quality between blu ray and 4k, keep up the good work, I know it takes alot of effort but it's always appreciated, I buy movies on your reviews 😊
Thank you Andrew. I do get a few review copies in on occasion but it doesn't change how I review them. I haven't seen many 4K disc releases that I think are poor so thankfully I've never faced a conflict of interest. In fact, I think I find something positive to say about every home video I've ever featured in a TH-cam upload. Next one should be Furiosa but there are a couple of things in that I didn't think were that good. Those things don't change the fact it's another impressive 4K disc release though.
John.
I’m always impressed with how much movie related memorabilia and paraphernalia you’ve managed to hang onto over the years John. Well done! 👏🏻
I think I need therapy Cheekster!
@ - No, I think it’s great. I don’t have the space. 25+ years worth of collecting physical media and a whole host of other stuff of mine all got thrown out earlier this year. Kef THX Reference Series 7.1 plus spare centre channel plus a whole lot more. ☹️
This Upload it's my Christmas present ! Thx you John , I'm so happy with all this outstanding review of Aliens 4K vs Super8. Amazing. Merry Xmas John!
Very pleased to know you enjoyed it JK. I hope your wife would have done too but maybe she was with you when you watched. And if I don't communicate with you in the next eight days, please have a very merry Christmas. John.
Excellent review, saw Aliens in summer 1986 with a cousin at the Odeon Leicester Square in 70mm, what a fantastic experience that was!!
We might have been at the same screening Dark. I was there three times. John.
super impressive collection, thank you for sharing
Thank you Schumy. John.
This is a real treat of a video, John. Thank you so much for putting all this together.
I planned and worked on it for quite a time but enjoyed the whole process. Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed it. John.
John your reviews are always enjoyable and informative, very unique channel you have, a real treasure for any movie fan, thanks again for your effort and resulting quality. Oh, Merry Christmas!
Thank you Pete. I wanted to try and get a video about Aliens absolutely right but above all, interesting. Hopefully I achieved that... almost.
Merry Christmas to you too.
John.
Nice job, decided to keep the Blu-ray.
I expect the Blu-ray to be the best image quality short of finding a Super 8 print Gary. The LaserDiscs will undoubtedly carry the best sound as they'll be the original theatrical soundtracks. John.
Thanks John Happy Holidays. Aliens was a great film.
One of the best films ever as far as I'm concerned Craig. Merry Christmas. John.
Great video, John! I've only ever seen Aliens on DVD and 4K in its entirety.
You mean you don't have a 1989 Super 8 print on Kodak pre-stripe stock? Good grief!!! John.
@moviecollector5920 nope!😂 I've never had the chance. Have you had a chance to see my very long Aliens review?
@moviecollector5920 😂 haha no. I always enjoy your honest perspective and your history with each movie you talk about. Have you watched my extremely long review of Aliens?
You are a gentleman and scholar John. Thanks for the video
Very kind of you Scott. Thank you. John.
I was just a little too young to see Aliens at the cinema when it first came around but it was an absolute favourite the first time I saw it on VHS ! Watching the movie in a great cinema at a special event with Sigourney Weaver herself in attendance must have been quite something ! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and memorabilia !
Sigourney was over here for The Ice Storm but that is another film I rate very highly too. She came across as a very courteous lady and not at all arrogant or big-headed in any way. I'd like to interview her about her life in film sometime... we can all dream!
John.
Thanks so much for this video, John!!! Truly learned a ton from it. Shame is we can't just get a straight UHD scan of these.
One day it might happen but by then I don't suppose home video discs will exist. We must support the latest releases when and where we can to try to ensure the market for these things survives. John.
I always learn so much from these videos, and I love your appreciation for commercial films in addition to more cinephile fare.
Thank you Lee. I'm particularly fond of three of the first four Alien films. John.
Excellent review.....And wonderful collection.... Thanks for sharing John
You're welcome as always Roy. Thank you. John.
I love that photo of you at Alien War, John. I visited the Glasgow version of Alien War in the early 90s when I was 16 and remember a couple of things. The first was that the Colonial Marines had thick Scottish accents and the alien was wearing trainers… but it was still an amazing experience!
The aliens had Pinewood produced Alien suits by the time Alien War appeared in the Trocadero. My first time through, I actually found it quite scary. A brilliant idea but it wasn't enough for a permanent attraction and it only lasted a couple of years I think. I think I went through four or five times.
John.
Brilliant review as always John. Happy Christmas to you and all your viewers.
And a merry Christmas to you and your whole family. Aliens on Christmas afternoon? Maybe followed by The Exorcist?!?
@@moviecollector5920 A great call John.
A stellar review in a series increasing in excellence. The meticulous preparation of every video you post is immediately obvious which is why you are one of the best
reviewers on TH-cam,. Thank you and well done , John. I am curious what do you think of the Extended versions of "ALIEN" and particularly "ALIENS" which, I believe had the most added footage. May I take this opportunity to, once again, thank you for your superb channel (in a difficult year where I had severe health issues, seeing a new video published made the day a little brighter ) and to wish you and yours a very Blessed and Happy Christmas, Your friend from South Africa - Michael.
I hope you're health is much improved now Michael. When I'm 'under the weather', I tend to find that watching some movies on the telly makes me feel more positive. I haven't had to resort to that much at all in more recent years but the Omicron variant of Covid-19 did make me feel pretty bloody awful for a couple of days so I resorted to my old fall asleep with the telly on routine. I don't watch broadcast television at all though and haven't done since 2010 - good riddance to that rubbish!
I started working on this video months before the 35mm Aliens video with Simon. I was anticipating doing one all-encompassing upload but it was viable given how well and how interesting I felt the 35mm shoot went. Shortly after completing that I started to think that I should put my mind to an Aliens full collection video and so about a week before this latest video went up I started preparing everything. My notes quickly started turning into a script. It then took several days to put it together and get a render completed that appeared to be about 100%.
Now make sure you're taking plenty of Vitamin D supplementation if you're not out in the sun often enough. And also make sure you don't succumb to any propaganda about health interventions to avoid getting that covid nonsense again. The truth about all of that will surely come out from the US next year. A lot of people will be very angry then I'm sure.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Thank you, John. I'm under good, sensible care and am about 90% healed; only my injured knee, which has left me wheelchair and crutches bound, should be operated on in the new year. Everyone is on holiday now. The effort you put into your videos shows and is sincerely appreciated. m
Another good one, John. Thanks for all your hard work. Looking forward to your post on The Polar Express.
Actually Jim, The Polar Express is one I should do a video about. Not sure I've ever included it... oh, there was a Christmas film recommendations video three or four years ago so I might have mentioned it in that one. We're planning to watch the active 3D Blu-ray on Christmas Eve. I'd prefer to have that 35mm print from Allen's Photography & Video though. That print looks beautiful.
John.
Great review John. Love your Aliens collection.
I don’t understand all the hate toward the 4K UHD disc. I must have watched the movie hundreds of times on VHS, Laserdisc, Bluray and now 4K. I like the 4K but see some of its limitations. I especially like the Dolby Atmos sound.
I think people were hoping for a close match to how Aliens looked in cinemas but I expect they'd have been disappointed with that too because it never looked fabulous. I suppose if it's a favourite film and you've never gone down the route of owning film projectors and prints then you're limited to what is offered on home video and therefore now the 4K is out, it seems unlikely you'll ever get a definitive copy of Aliens. That's why I suggested taking a look at the original Blu-ray because that may actually be the definitive copy. But for the definitive sound, the LaserDiscs are probably the way to go as they have the original theatrical soundtracks. I don't think any subsequent disc releases did.
John.
Yes the original blu-ray is the best home video presentation of Aliens.
That 2k master served as the basis for the 4kUHDs upscale as well. But the original blu-ray looks natural and very good.
I thought so. Thanks TJ. John.
Another proper job, Cheers John!
You're welcome. John.
Thanks for sharing your collection of memorabilia! I enjoy seeing what you've collected over the years. As I said in your last Aliens video, the 4K is actually really good. Any "flaws" one might find from over-processing is just speculation of what is artificial and what is genuine detail from the original source. I especially appreciated the beautiful color timing, contrast and overall feel of the image. It was the most engaging release of Aliens I've encountered. This is the version I'd present to a friend if they haven't seen Aliens before. Having recently seen a digital scan of a 35mm of Aliens myself, I can see why much post-processing is needed for this film. Numerous scenes were distractingly heavy in grain and other artifacts. For those who didn't experience Aliens that way originally; these modern releases are certainly the way to go.
Morning Andy. What we need to find is a fine-grain master print of one of the two known surviving 70mm blow-ups. Then we'd know how much over processing has been required for the Aliens 4K. I know many are saying that it's come from the 2K master transferred for the Blu-ray but as much as I believe them, I won't fully believe it until I hear it from the people who actually carried out the work... if that makes some sort of sense. I was looking at the facial detail on some of the close-ups on the 4K again and it does look convincing to me. I think it was there on the first generation negative to be able to create something so realistic.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I agree. So many people talk like they are so sure how this 4K was made, but they never cite any sources. I just can't imagine Cameron signing off on a 2K upscale, considering how much control he has and all the attention he puts on the home releases of his films. I am curious if the 2010's blu ray was originally a 4K scan and downscaled to fit HD blu ray at the time. Many movies get higher scans than what is released on disc. That would explain the similarities between the 4K and the older blu ray. Then it was de-grained, as Mr. Cameron seems to prefer, and then supposedly sharpened by an AI tool, where detail may have been lost from the de-graining. That's just my theory. I could be totally wrong. And I'll probably never know for sure. I think the end result is pretty darn good. I say it was a success.
@@andylindsey Until we know the details surrounding this 'controversy' for certain, we should all learn to be cautious. If it was an upscale from a 2K cine to video transfer then it may have all been governed on budgetary reasons. One thing I do know is that this 4K of Aliens was all completed and ready to go at 20th Century Fox before Disney took them over. I dare say Fox were skint and Mr. Cameron might have been told how much money he had and as a result of that decided to put it all into making the best of the best video transfer they already had rather than blow it on getting the negative out of the vault and having it all transferred all over again. But I don't know of course.
John.
Great video John - much appreciated. Love your memorabilia! I prefer the blu-ray set that preserves the original look of Alien / Aliens. Just as I prefer the blu-ray Godfather set that Robert Harris worked on over the new 4K as it to preserves the original colour/ look of the film.
I think we tend to get a little too focused on 4K discs and have rather forgotten how good Blu-ray could be. What I'm finding here now increasingly though is the colour gamut of Blu-ray is so often immediately perceptibly inferior to the 4K. I dare say a lot of that comes down to how our systems are set up. John.
amazing video, thank you
Thank you Clarke. John.
I love your videos, Thank You for sharing your love for film.
I love your comments Kevin. Thank you. John.
Thank you John.
What kept you?
@ 🤣
It was great to see Sigourney Weaver on the Graham Norton show recently.
I wish you'd have told me!!!
@ you can find it on BBC iPlayer
Great video,always nice to see a true fan of this fantastic film!
Thatnk you Salty. One of my all-time favourite films. John.
Thank you for sharing your treasures with us, lovely to see everything. Do you have as much stuff for any other movie?
The Alien films probably are the biggest part of all my film related collectables but it's possible Star Wars is close or just exceeds the Alien films. John.
Another great video John.
I also went to Alien War, when it was in Glasgow. Absolutely loved it! Went back some time later, and they'd added the Predator into the mix. Wasn't expecting that. Still have my Alien War I SURVIVED! mug.
Evening Stephen. If I'd have known about Alien War when it was first in Glasgow then I'd have taken a trip up. Fortunately, the Trocadero was only 17 minutes walk from home when it opened there so it wasn't quite so far to go. I should have got one of those mugs though!
John.
Great content as always, John.
You’ll know, wasn’t there an issue or story regarding the film stock JC had to use on the film, hence why it looks the way it did?
Cheers
There was Jim. I don't know exactly what it was all about but apparently it caused the overly grainy nature of the finished product. John.
This review is “game over, man! Game over!”
Very good! "We're in some real pretty xxxx now man!" John.
@ hahaha- perfection! Thanks for your content, much appreciated!
_Aliens_ taught directors how important it is to choose your film stock carefully. Never shoot on any experimental or otherwise unproven stock. It always pays to future-proof your work. High contrast, low grain. It's a winning combination, every time.
Two years before, Ghostbusters looked strikingly similar. That was a full frame anamorphic though so should look somewhat superior to Aliens but Aliens did use a second negative stock which might have been the one that caused the biggest headaches for the DP and cinematographers.
John.
John, I too have that Aliens 'Magazine/Book' you reference, and likewise, I too never took the posters out! 😁 Thanks for the video. I appreciate your content!
We're a sad lot Glen! It would be interesting to see those double sided posters out of the book but I never thought the print quality looked particularly enticing. John.
thanks for showing this unique Video 💌 👍
You're welcome and thank you. John.
"The Darkside magazine".... that takes me back. Still got the first 150+ editions in a box somewhere. Always enjoyed Allan Bryce's writing.
That issue was the only one I ever purchased. The cover sold it. John.
Great video John, all the best for Christmas and the new year Sir. I personally cant get enough of the Aliens 4K disc despite corners of the internet telling me I have to hate it Lol.
I don't agree with all this excessive criticism. Anyone who is not happy with it there are a myriad of earlier home video releases to try. Hopefully I made the point about the Blu-ray likely being the most likely best option. But the LaserDiscs are all good too and they come with the original theatrical soundtrack.
John.
I saw the theatrical cut at a local theater in 35mm recently. Really incredible way to watch the film, with a huge audience of people who know and love the film.
As far as home video goes, I think the grade and digital alterations really put me off from the Blu Ray. I've had my Quadrilogy DVD for around 15 years now, and I've always been happy enough with the grain and image quality, though the grade there is a little too muted. I recently got the CAV special edition Laserdisc, but I loved the grade and very filmic image. It felt very of its era, but in a good way.
I find that I'm appreciating LaserDiscs increasingly these days Robert. True Lies made a bit of an example of all the other home video disc versions of that film simply because the sound was better than all of them. And the amazing this is that it's the PAL LD and therefore no AC3, just the original Dolby Stereo. It seems to be because it's the original theatrical soundtrack whereas everything else since has had what is known as a 'near-field' mix for the home market. No wonder my 35mm prints blow everything else out of the water now the sound from that Kinoton FP20 is sorted to the point of perfection.
John.
You are not an Alien fan unless you can value the work of art that is A3.
I have had some people comment on previous videos that they do actually like Alien 3 Steve. John.
Thanks for the great post John. Hope I can travel from Argentina and get to know you some day 🤗
That would be rather pleasant Fedenovo. And with the way Argentina seems to be thriving now a trip to the UK may be viable very soon. Great to have your great nation coming back into the world. John.
I have mixed feelings about the Aliens 4K. It looks excellent but it doesn’t look like Aliens anymore. Next time I watch it, I will probably break out the original Blu-Ray. Merry Christmas to you and your family!!
You may find you have a new appreciation for the older Blu-ray knowing what we know now. However, for the best sound, you'll need one of the LaserDiscs as they came with the original theatrical soundtrack.
Have a merry Christmas and make sure you watch plenty of suitable movies... such as The Exorcist, Aliens... Cannibal Holocaust!!!
John.
Have you seen Alien Romulus yet? They released that on VHS if you want the proper 90’s experience.
I finally purchased a 4K copy in HMV Swindon two days ago. Coming soon! John.
Excellent vid John, Aliens is in my top 5 favourite films...I'm very happy with the 4k disc...I'm looking forward to rewatching it with my 4k projector over xmas...have a great Xmas John 😊
What a great Christmas film choice Marty. I hope you enjoy it. I'll be watching Mickey's Christmas Carol instead! Have a very merry Christmas.
John.
Thanks for showing us your fantastic collection of Alien's John, my favourite of all time 👌, Merry Christmas to you and your family 🎄🍻🎉
Thank you Ste. And a merry Christmas to you and everyone in your family too. John.
great video sir
Thank you Kamandi. John.
Lovely video! Wonderful collection! Perfect Christmas gift for your audience!
I am still hoping for a Super 8 collection video, but these themed collections will do just fine in the meantime.
Please keep them coming, you've got some great items. I wish I wouldn't have sold that VHS 📼 tape.
Just for the completeness of it all..
I wish you a Merry Christmas 🎄
I don't think a Super 8 collection video would find much of an audience. I've never really wanted to do that type of thing at all as I always thought it would be better to pull things off the shelves to include them when the right video came along. There are probably some that will never find their way into a video but I suppose it depends on how long I end up making these TH-cam uploads. John.
Great video as always John, I am gonna have to order Aliens from the UK as it is not available here in Australia
Good grief! Surely someone has imported some copies. Perhaps have a look on eBay or even the dreaded Amazon. Etsy is another but I've never used that one. John.
In NZ JB Hi Fi has it on the shelf, saw it today, thought it would be the same in Aussie
@@grahamritchie7508 Strange that NZ has it but it is not available in Australian JB
@@pauljc26 That is strange I just checked on line with JB here in Christchurch after seeing it on the shelf in our South City store this morning. Its still for sale on the shelf that's the 4K plus the blu-ray and digital code but its expensive at NZ$64.98 dollars.
@@grahamritchie7508 Yeah i looked at the NZ JB site, it is only $42 Aus to buy it from the UK, thanks for letting me know though
Awesome as always!
When I finally get my cinema room finished this year it looks like Aliens Blu Ray will be top of my list as it's both the Mrs's & my all time favourite movie (the cinema room will only be set up for DVD or streamed movies).
Unfortunately I'm not a fan of the new AI upscaled movies, we watched the upscaled Terminator 2 last night (on a 75 inch TV) & in the asylum scene where theres a close up of Sarah's face my Mrs blurted out "what is wrong with her skin!???" I started trying to explain AI upscaling until I realised she had already lost interest so I just left it there 😅
Good luck with the home cinema. All homes should have one!
As for any of the 4K discs that have been a little too played with in the re-mastering process, always ensure any digital 'enhancements' are off or minimized. And make sure the HDR is not too high as it can vary from film to film and make one disc look great but another look complete crap!
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Great advice thanks
:)
@@moviecollector5920 Good advice thanks 👍
Thanks for this review, I wasn't aware Derann did this one as a feature. Or i had forgotten about it. Everyone knows about the Star Wars A New Hope print not the original, and the Return of the Jedi print they've been talked about ad nauseum.
Aliens was one of the biggest Super 8 feature releases at that time. Star Wars was obviously even bigger but it was the original STAR WARS and possibly only confused as being something else as it had the amended opening scrawl with the poor subtitle at the head of it. I have two prints of that one too. And Return of the Jedi. The Empire Strikes Back came from Germany so had the opening scrawl in German. Other than that it was all English.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 , yeah i saw a good print of Raiders of the Lost Ark the guy wanted so much it was stratospheric I have no idea the lab probably German.
@@matthewgaudet4064 Yes, Raiders and Empire were done at Andec Labs. Raiders is the better print of the two. Jurassic Park was another done there around the same time.
I know I'm one of the very few who will admit this but I love the new Aliens 4K. Same goes for the Abyss. I think they look magnificent.
A lot of people feel the same way Charles. The Abyss always looked great though so wouldn't have been the same sort of problem to get a flawless looking 4K onto the market. John.
Great comparison 👌👌👌👌
Thank you. Please let me know if you've done anything on Aliens because if you have I somehow missed it. John.
I highly recommend the 2 cd expanded soundtrack for Aliens,, it is a substantial upgrade and the booklet is filled with invaluable information.
Never even knew it existed. Now if it was a double LP I'd be looking for a copy. John.
@moviecollector5920 An expanded soundtrack for Alien was also released by the same label, an essential purchase for me due to it making the main title (film version) finally available.
I’ve booked to watch an Alien triple-bill at Prince Charles Cinema just after Christmas.
Alien (Theatrical Cut) 4K
Alien: Romulus 4K
Aliens (Director’s Cut)
😎
I could probably have sorted them prints of Alien and Aliens plus Alien Resurrection. The four Alien films now the new one is out. I know there was one other too but I never include that film. Have a great time.
John.
Did you ever do the alien ride at Granada Studios? I was too young to go on it at the time.
I didn't. I don't think I ever knew about it either, damn it!
John.
Whenever I see Super 8 in the title of your videos I think how many times is John going to review that movie lol
Another few dozen times yet Alex. But I think I've only covered Aliens once in Super 8 with a clip in the previous video to trailer this one. Shown the boxes a few times though. John.
@ sorry John, I meant I thought you are reviewing the 2011 movie “Super 8” when I see it in the title
@@alexdas2000 Aha, that makes sense now Alex. I have actually reviewed Super 8 twice I suppose because the studio objected to me showing a section of the trailer after it had been up for a year or two and so I made it 'unlisted', re-worked that video and uploaded it again. A great film for me as I grew up playing with Super 8 film... and I still haven't grown up yet! John.
A very happy Christmas to you 🎅🎄☃️
Thank you Barry. A merry Christmas to you too. John.
Great collection John, I first watched "Aliens" at the cinema, as a double feature with The Fly on 35mm. I have watched it lately on blu-ray using the Panasonic VP and it looks and sounds really good. What I like the most, is the special edition introduced on the blu-ray by James Cameron. He does state that this extended version, was the one he wanted to release at the time, but was unable to do so,. The extra scenes in the special edition I think, really does complete the story a lot more, so its that longer version I like watching the most. Regarding Sigourney Weaver, I recently watch the blu-ray of "A Monster Calls" its really good. Your Super 8 extracts shown look great, its the kind of film I would like to watch on Super 8 . I cant remember if "Alien" ever got a full feature release? anyway all great stuff and thanks for the review.
Morning Graham. I have two copies of Alien on Super 8 too so they're out there. Lee Mannering is releasing extracts and a new cut down at the moment but unlike the feature from Derann in 1991, they're not in 'Scope.
That special edition of Aliens is not entirely my cup of tea. I think the smart gun sequences are brilliant and I'd have wanted to leave that whole area of the film intact but the rest of it was right to be excised. Seeing the colony as a thriving new outpost breaks the focus of the film and takes me out of the picture. But I like seeing it as an outtake.
I haven't seen A Monster Calls. I think I saw the trailer and that put me off so I'll have to check.
John.
Hi John! Great to share this video and see more of your collectables . I picked up Galaxy Quest on a blind buy recently seeing SW at nearing 49 or 50 yrs old (when she filmed this) and as a blonde is a real babe lol. Something about her eh but I digress this film and film franchaise never grows old there always seems something to discuss or compare or just re watch again. It's just one of my favs so really happy when you are working on anything about these films for us. The new year is fast approaching so on a last hunt for items to close out our year in 4k. Anything you are on the hunt for or planning? Personally I've ordered a stand alone copy of Raiders of the Lost Ark only for the cover art lol. Am also hoping to see North by Northwest under my tree. Hope all is well with you and best wishes from way over here. Cheers and take care D!!
I've had Galaxy Quest on DVD since it was first issued Dave. I'm not sure I saw that film in the cinema but I think it's a great mickey take of the whole Star Trek world of fandom. I don't think my wife ever appreciated in quite the same way but I've been educating her over the last 20 odd years so I think she'd find it so much funnier now.
I'm not on the lookout for anything on 4K at the moment. I have finally succumbed and purchased a copy of Alien Romulus though so I'll probably take a look at that for a review video sometime early in the new year. I hope it's not another Alien 3 type of debacle but I can't imagine anything could be that bad again. I am expecting annoying characters though but at least I'm prepared for that.
John.
My favourite Aliens merchandise are some reproduction USMC patches. The best one is the red drop ship pilot’s patch that says “Bug Stompers. We endanger species”.
Did you ever get to the Aliens 3D cinema ride at Granada Studios in Manchester in the 90s?
Best regards, Dave
Morning Dave. I only just heard about that Aliens ride at Granada so I successfully missed it, damn it! I think there are two different versions of the Bug Stompers decals because the two drop ships have almost mirror image versions of them.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I went with some German "Space: Above and Beyond" fans (remember that on TV?). That was an experience!
@@loftlegacy I don't remember that German series Dave, but I should have been in the group that went with you to the Aliens ride.
@@moviecollector5920 "S:AAB" was a US Fox show and the space aircraft carrier "USS Saratoga's" sets were repurposed/recycled for the sets of the USM Auriga in Alien Resurrection.
@@loftlegacy I never knew that. 'Resurrection' was great. A real Alien film after the debacle that came five years before it.
I remember visiting Derann films in Dudley searching for Super 8 gear so sad that shop has gone
I visited Derann a lot over the years Paul. I still see some of the old team though so they're not completely gone as far as I'm concerned. A great bunch and Derek was one of those real characters we rarely seem to meet but who we never forget when we do. John.
I saw Aliens in70mm in NFT1 in a series of 70mm showings many years ago, unfortunately I either forgot to pick up th eprogram notes or mislaid them. I looked when I was putting away this year's Missing Blieved wiped notes (It wa good to see the Film is Fabulous team again there and to hear that the collector in Blackpool had another missing episode of the Tom Jones series not a duplicate of the one found). I have the Blu Ray Quadrilogy set but only one part (#4) of the Derann release, the box has "test" on it but it is on Agfa stock and I think reversed so I didn't pay much for it. Good to see your review and your collection.
I should have been at Missing, Believed Wiped Brian but alas, our coach was cancelled and all the trains went the same way shortly afterwards. A rather surreal day in the end as a result.
That odd reel 4 of Aliens can be sorted with an optical mirror but I expect you've already done that. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Yes, there were quite a few empty seats due to people not making it because of the weather. That mean that some people who missed out got returns.
i went to that 'alien war' thing the first week it was open! my only time ever in london! we stumbled onto it! i remember it was pretty cool!
That was lucky Todd. I can't recall when we first went in there but it was probably the first week too. We might have been there at the same time. John.
@@moviecollector5920 i was thinking we might have crossed paths there too! do u remember how much each ticket cost? i rem being surprised at the price but did it anyway. i rem it was good too
salut voila encore une bonne vidèo sur ce film 4 k
Bonsoir Alain et merci beaucoup. John.
This is awesome. Your videos remind me of university film history lecture without the high cost.
Will you be reviewing Alien: Romulus?
Funnily enough, I finally succumbed and purchased the 4K of the fifth Alien film yesterday. John.
John is a blu ray disc as good as a 4K stream? I’ve heard this is the case. Excellent vid.
In terms of file size a Blu-ray is surely better than a 4K stream. I can't see how it's possible to stream getting on for 50Gb reliably across the web. I can probably do it with our internet connection but it would be hit and miss with plenty of dropouts and the resultant image degradation that comes with it.
There is so much to home video discs besides the film each disc contains too. For a start, you own the disc and therefore can watch that film again decades down the line whereas the web site you subscribe to in order to stream that same title will usually no longer offer that title. Additionally, there are extra features for those of us interested in the film making process and its history. There's no comparison and all these people who have dumped their DVD collections onto charity shops have made a huge mistake which they will only realize in the years ahead. We even pick up Blu-ray titles in the 3 for £1 deal round here as a result of the mistake of owners dumping their discs incorrectly thinking that they no longer need them.
John.
Great video
Thank you. John.
Death in The Maiden is a challanging watch, especially as the film manipulates you into whose side you strive for. As for Alien, saw a 35mm screening of it some years ago (try 25😊) as well as the Directors Cut at the Odeon Leicester Square. Have to agree about Aliens look, it was always divisive in picture quality. Nice collection.
I only ever saw Death And The Maiden that night at the Curzon and still remember it very well, particularly the brilliant conclusion.
25 years isn't as long as it used to be!
John.
i have watched aliens many times on vhs dvd Blu ray (1st Release) for me going forward the 4k is the way good video
A lot of people are very impressed with the new 4K. I can understand why. If I didn't have the Super 8 prints I might think it was the way I'd watch it from now on too. John.
Good job and impressively extensive Aliens collection you have. You no doubt own the Aliens Quadrilogy DVD boxset that came out back in the day (I think we all did). Funny to think there has probably been another 4 Alien films since (or at least same universe) - Perhaps we need an octology box set now.
However, a more serious question John... Is that a mullet? Hehe kidding, no need to defend, it was the late 80's/early 90's, I know it was the style.
Evening Bob. I didn't ever get the DVD box of four films because it had Alien 3 in it and I didn't want to have it in the house. I did get the other three DVD's but only for the extras discs as I've never run the films themselves other than to run in sync' with the Super 8 prints.
John.
@@moviecollector5920I can agree with not wanting Alien 3 in the house. I don't think I could sleep. 😂
@@hugoanderkivi I've been trying to pretend it doesn't exist. I actually have a 35mm print of Alien Resurrection though. People tell me that one looks awful on video but I've only ever seen it on film and it looks terrific. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I believe you. It seems that anything stored on film, the analogue realm, surpasses digital. I've yet to see a digital camera rival a film one. Grain doesn't bother me one bit, too; I think it can make the experience more cinematic. I don't mind a bit of visible noise when shooting with my camera as it gives more of a texture and a filmic quality to the scenery.
@@hugoanderkivi There is something magical about film Hugo. Alien Resurrection was only a Super 35 shoot so it doesn't look a patch on the 1979 film but it's wonderful to be able to see it as it really was. I don't think the aliens have ever looked more impressive than in 'Resurrection'. John.
I watch the 1999 dvd of Aliens over the bluray version, as this copy retains more of it's authentic natural look, as opposed to the bluray which has been dnr'd, had artificial grain applied and they have changed the original colour grading.
Is the super 8 or 35mm the most authentic to how Aliens was originally intended to be seen?
I haven't seen that original Blu-ray but others have told me its their preferred way to watch Aliens on home video. The Super 8 is an accurate reproduction of the 35mm prints which is how most saw the film in 1986. In that regard, the Super 8 is the most accurate representation of the film on home media but I can only judge that by my own print. The second print is very similar in appearance but I think I recall the fifth reel (the one Derann let me have for just £60 brand new) has a more blue cast grade to it which is probably more like the standard Blu-ray. That reel was struck in 2004 on Agfa print stock which was always more blue than Kodak stock during that era.
John.
I loved Alien war aswell.still got my cap and badge here.
I didn't know there was a cap David. I should have got one of those... and the mug! John.
I too visited Alien War in the early 90s.
I think I went through four, perhaps five times. One night when it was closed to the general public was probably the best. John.
@@moviecollector5920 very jealous!
@@northeastcorals I think Alien War was too niche market and too costly to put on for an extended run. If it had have been a definite, limited attraction for something like six months then it might have come back several times down the ensuing years. But the installation of the set was so intricate, it couldn't realistically been moved in and out of different locations. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I remember going to a small Aliens exhibition in Newcastle, which I'd guess was possibly around the mid 90s due to the age I must have been then. I think it would absolutely pale in comparison to Alien War exhibition but I still thoroughly enjoyed it ✌
@@northeastcorals That might have been the exhibition the two chaps who established Alien War had done a few times before Alien War was first tried in Glasgow somewhere. They had quite a lot of original props from the film which is how Alien War came about. John.
I've been to the cinema a few times lately as my wife wanted to watch a couple of films but I just can't get used to the screen quality I just think it's really bad compared to my lg g4 oled and my home cinema monitor audio set up. Not tried the isense 4k cinema screen yet so might give that a try.
Video projection is almost de rigeur in cinemas now so unless you're seeing something projected by a good machine that is serviced correctly you'll quite often be disappointed. Hopefully things will improve in the future but until someone with the knowledge can successfully point out the errors of their ways I think cinema will continue its terminal decline. I live in hope though. John.
@moviecollector5920 Yes, I think that's the problem, John. So washed out with no contrast, and the sound is just loud, not a surround experience at all. 😬 odeon the one we go to.
@@excaliber32 People running cinemas now rarely seem to have the knowledge required to put on a good show. Most cinemas don't even have motorized masking let alone tabs across the screen. No wonder it's a dying industry. John.
The BBFC and Blu ray/4K set needs updating, it is a 15 these days as is Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, etc
Perhaps peel one of the sticker certifications off a steelbook with the correct age designation and put it over the top Colin. John.
Im a bit surprised theat aliens remains an 18 on disc unless its due to special features rather than the feature. It was always my favourite of the series and i always felt we were cheated out of a proper sequel to aliens
I suppose the chestburster sequence is pretty gory so perhaps that's the cause of the 18 certificate. Alien 3 was a bit of a mess but there was no way back once all the survivors of Aliens, other than Ripley, were killed off during the opening titles. What a faux pas. John.
@moviecollector5920 just checked the bbfc website and it doesn't appear to have sent in for a certificate since 1998. I'd imagine if they try now it would be a 15. Yes the start of alien 3 seemed a bit of a slap in the face to fans of the previous title
After Alien 3 came out I went to a triple showing off all 3 movies. I remember being disappointed by how poor Aliens looked in comparison to the other 2. It just didn’t feel as ‘cinematic’ in scope, maybe because of the 1.85:1 aspect ratio?
The first screening of Aliens I went to suffered the same initial disappointment because the masking remained fixed at the inferior aspect ratio. However, that was nothing compared to the disappointment of Alien 3... which I've never seen for a second time as a result. I do remember the image quality of that one was very good though.
John.
I love the clarity of the new 4K transfer, but it is not all good news. While I do also like the new color-grading, which is a lot less blue than the Blu-Ray, I think they made the film too bright. The Blu-Ray was too dark and muddy, and now it is overly illuminated. This detracts from the horror dimension of the movie and the sets look, well, more like sets. Very frustrating they can't get this completely right!
Sounds like the original Blu-ray was right to me. The only reason the Super 8 looks as bright as it does in this video is because I have an HTI lamp punching through it. It never looks that good on any other projector and seems to be brighter than the 35mm print at Simon's place about a month ago. John.
Happy Xmas John. 🎄
This is becoming my annual request - please treat yourself to The Green Knight on 4K, the tale starts on Xmas day. 🗡️
I was in HMV Stockport today picked up a 4K Mexico box set by Arrow, saw The Green Knight and thought I must remind you. 👍
Yes, completely forgot about The Green Knight again James. I see HMV have it in steelbook so I must remember to keep a lookout to see if I can snap up a cheapie.
John.
@moviecollector5920 if you want John I can post you my steel book. 👍✉️
I was interested to hear your comment about preferring the bluray edition of Aliens to the 4k version. To be honest I haven't been that impressed by any of the 4k discs I've purchased and have now stopped buying them. With my 4k projector and 4k dvd player I've found that my collection of bluray discs upscale brilliantly. For instance I purchased Wonder Woman in 4k but found that the bluray copy also included in the purchase was in my eyes superior to the 4k. Now I have to admit that at 80 years of age my eye sight isn't what it used to be and so Perhaps I'm not able to discern the difference between 4k and bluray!!! Anyway it will save me money not purchasing any more 4k discs although I am tempted to buy Aliens in 4k despite what you said as It's one of my favourite films. Anyway I'll continue to enjoy your videos despite them being mainly about 4k releases!!
I haven't actually seen that Blu-ray Keith but what I said was that anyone not happy with the 4K of Aliens should stick with the Blu-ray or find a copy to purchase. I saw one yesterday in a box with the other 3 Alien films for £8.
Play with all your settings to get the 4K imagery right. Fiddle, fiddle and fiddle again. Once you get it there, there's no going back. Two things to check first: Make sure 'Sharpen' is off and then put the HDR setting right down to ensure it's not overly bright.
John.
You may indeed find the Blu-ray to look better on a modern projector, unless you’re spending a fortune on the projector and have a perfectly light controlled room projectors are awful at HDR they do not have anywhere near the dynamic range needed for HDR so images often seem dull and a little lifeless on certain edits.
SDR from the Blu-rays will instantly just pop with the colour and look sharper because of this.
Thanks for that. What you say is exactly what Im experiencing. Of course John uses the same projector as I have but seems to get good results and swears by HDR. His advice to me was fiddle, fiddle and fiddle again and turn down the HDR but quite honestly I cant be bothered to do this every time I load a 4k@@pauledwards8721
I would never of guest you were an ALIENS fan🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 In the spring of next year you will have to come and see ALIENS in my home cinema on the big 14ft screen, shown on single reels with change overs and projected with carbon arc lamps. Free tea and coffee, admission £1K. For free admission you need to come early (Like now) to help get No1 DP70 out of the garage and into the new projection room (Free tea, coffee, bandages, splints and plasters!)
Brilliant Steve! But will you be able to fill the whole width of that 14 foot screen with a 1.85:1 film?
@@moviecollector5920 I might have to cut the top and bottom but with a 38mm lens I can get the 14ft wide. I will give it a try if I can move all the film that is stacked up between the projector and the screen.
Light weight's 😂, I have moved several DP70'S on my own and even set up a second Projector in my Ground floor Living room flat.
@@westrex5000 For you Ben it will be free beer once you move my DP70 😂
Oh man that super8 looks amazing. Would you ever consider having it scanned so a digital copy could be produced?
I don't think that would be worthwhile. A 35mm might be worth doing though because then people would be able to see Aliens more closely to how it really was. A fine-grain master print or 70mm blow-up would be the ideal. John.
@ yeah for cetain but I’m guessing that will never happen due to cost and the studio would likely get the lawyers invloved. There is something amazing about the super8 versio also. I bet the community would very much enjoynit. Not sure on cost though.
There is apparently a nice 35mm scan version of the terminator online but it’s hard to fnd
@@tbip2001 I do know a chap who has been doing scans of 35mm prints and as a result he's been enticed into setting up a 4K disc production label and will be issuing amazing special edition packs in reproduction film cans. If he ever gets a print of Aliens we just might see something. As for The Terminator, Simon and I are talking about doing something similar early next year to the Aliens 35mm/4K video we did last month. If the weather is dreadful though it might take months to get over there.
John.
@ that would be amazing. Would all this be ‘underground’ so to speak?
A 4k scan of a good 35mm print exactly ‘as is’ would be amazing. No dnr, no grain reduction, no colour changes.
@@tbip2001 It might be sort of underground but with the studio perhaps turning a blind eye given it would be limited through a home video collectors network. Probably not though so it might never happen. But if it did, the colour and density would have to have work because a computer scan of a film is not the finished article. Even the best film to video transfer scanners produce all sorts of artifacts (or so I'm told anyway) which have to be addressed and corrected. The colour would unlikely be exact from a scan so that would have to be eye-matched to the print and that might not have been 100% accurate in the first place.
John.
A very nice collection of the film Aliens. Thank you for the review. In addition to the VHS version, I only have the Alien Anthology (Facehugger Edition in a relief slipcase) [Blu-ray] [Limited Edition] in my collection. From your perspective, John, does a 4k upgrade make sense? Today I received the 4K version of Demolition Man, one of my favorite films from the early 90s. I'm curious to see whether the purchase was worth it.
Evening Jens. If you're happy with the Blu-ray of Aliens then stick with that and just bear in mind that it was never the best looking film in the first place which is probably why many people weren't happy with that Blu-ray. The 4K does look incredible but there are some sequences that I saw that take me out of the picture. Most wouldn't notice unless looking to criticize.
I have the Blu-ray of Demolition Man and I'll be sticking with that I think.
John.
Regardless of the quality of the film, technology also plays a role that should still be underestimated. In my opinion, the image quality of my UDP 9004 from Panasonic is a lot better than that of my Sony UDP x 800. Then of course the other transmission technology comes into play, TV, projector, AV receiver... But of course that with the players can also happen be a subjective impression. But what technology can really represent the beauty of the real images in a film. It is the endless search and longing for the impossibility of the perfect picture. But in the end, the film itself affects us, image quality or not.
@@JensStelzer I think sometimes we all need to just sit down to enjoy the movie Jens. We can get too hooked up about things that may or may not have been done. John.
I think Aliens in 4K looks different to previous versions. Is the original look due to limitations of the film stock of the time and not what the director actually intended? I found The Thing to be similar, with a lot more gore visible on the 4K than I remember seeing before! Viewed on a Sony OLED TV I'm quite happy with the 4K Blu-ray.
Without having access to a 70mm blow up or 35mm master print it's difficult to know exactly how Aliens looked originally but what we can be certain of is that colour and density grading could not have been done the way it is today. I believe film grading for was done by coloured lights or filters and so therefore would have been across the frame as a whole and not down to the individual pixel within a frame which is what can be done today. Seeing a 70mm or a master print would have been a more satisfactory experience than any of the home videos though. Actually, even Simon's 35mm general release print is superior to my eyes and taste.
John.
Shame you are missing the ac-3 LD, Horner was the best
I bet the AC-3 LD mix has the six track Dolby Stereo from the 70mm prints which would be very special. John.
I don't own a copy; but I saw the film on 4K at a friend's house. I have a love/hate relationship with it. In some ways it looks and sounds great; and it some ways it annoys the heck out of me. And that's why I can't purchase it, at least for now. My enjoyment of this great film suffers when every now and then Cameron ruins the enjoyment of watching it. And it's a shame, because he could have upgraded the film in a way that would have appealed to a much greater percentage of the audience.
Get the older Blu-ray Henri. I'm told its very good but bear in mind Aliens was never the best looking film to start with. John.
@@moviecollector5920 That's what I own. It's a keeper!
James Cameron’s opus magnus
I struggle to decide whether I prefer this great film or The Terminator. It's a close call. John.
The 8mm is miles better than the 4k
Not everyone would agree Mike. It's not exactly brilliant all the way through but that's how Aliens was. John.
Off topic but has anyone reviewed The Pirates Of The Caribbean - The Curse Of The Black Pearl 4K? Comments on Amazon said the 4K master was worse than the blu-ray and so now I'm afraid to purchase it. But I did read some positive comments as well.
I don't have any of those films in 4K. I don't think they need anything more than the Blu-ray releases owing to all the CGI.
John.
Mit nackten fingern ein filmstreifen anfassen 😱😱😱 ich bin schockiert
Film ist nicht zerbrechlich, wie so viele zu glauben scheinen. Ich denke, Kinovorführer ziehen sich manchmal Handschuhe für Fernsehkameras an, wenn sie mit Film hantieren, aber die Realität ist, dass es nur Filmarchivare mit alten, brüchigen Filmkopien sind, die das tun müssen.
John.
Showed at Pictureville in 70mm couple of weeks back.
Never a fan of Alien pictures could never understand how one minute they were inches high out of the chest then the next scene they were about 8 feet tall… was that ever explained? Also why oh why was Aliens not filmed in Scope never forgave JC for that, same with Spielberg and Jurassic Park, should have been Scope. Anyway that’s my rant I appreciate I’m a minority when it comes to finding the Alien pictures just so so.
I don't think James Cameron ever shot anything in 'Scope. Even the 'Scope films were actually blow-ups from Super 35. As for the Alien growing so quickly, there's a scene in Alien when Brett is looking for Jones the cat when he picks up the chestbursters shedded skin. That suggests that the pesky little critter is still growing at a rapid rate. A couple of minutes later, that little bastard appears... but he's no longer little.
John.
Hi John,did witness the re-release of interstellar IMAX 70mm and I have a question,did they remaster for digital version of re-release? I didn't get the chance to witness it since a so-called movie named"Pushpa-2" occupied the screens entirely in India, thanks to them i missed a miracle 🥲. I heard that they gonna re-release it early 2025, hopefully they'll fulfill our wish.
Thank you John,love your work🙌👍!
Evening Adithya. I could watch INTERSTELLAR in 15/70 IMAX every year and if I were still living in London I think I'd be able to do just that now as the BFI IMAX put it on the schedule quite regularly. I think they've realized and established that it is one film that can still fill every seat in the house. There aren't many of them any longer but if it weren't a genuine IMAX film then I don't think even INTERSTELLAR would be able to do it. If you don't have a cinema screening it in the real IMAX format I wouldn't recommend a video projection instead. See if any cinemas are showing a standard 70mm print because that will be so much better than a comparatively lowly 4K. John.
Sir,i believe there is no actual film projection setup in my area. I wish one day I'll witness what's a film is and for now I'll witness cinema not film.Thank you Sir.
@@adithyab2379 There has got to be somewhere. Perhaps not in your immediate vicinity but Gujarat Science Centre IMAX still have two of the old IMAX 15/70 3D documentaries. The image quality is spoiled because of the 3D but at least it's film. Maybe if you're ever around that way on a trip it would be worth seeing if they're still screening them. John.
Sir,I am aware of Gujarat Science Centre and Initially Prasad's had a true 15/70 IMAX but sadly they digitized.Thank You Sir
Sir, Are there any disc version of interstellar of 1.43:1 with 4K resolution,if there are let me know sir.
only thing aliens can be compared to is a hattori hanzo sword
Never seen one of those Chris so I'll take your word for it!
John.
This dude makes all other cinema enthusiast content creators seem like toys. They are on about dnr, angry crying. Meanwhile this guy says "hold my film canister" and breaks out the extremely correct take that the 4k is cool actually for getting a new generation into it, and if you dont like it watch the perfectly good original Bluray. He then pones on these hair splitters by dropping a "you really have to go back to the super 8 and have an actual projector to get the REAL experience" bomb on their heads. 🏆
I have to admit that I've not been happy with all the negativity around some of the 4K releases this year. I look at them and usually wonder what has caused all the kerfuffle. Yes, I can see the side-effects of over processing but these are home videos costing not very much money. Interestingly, John at Mondo Chelloveck Movies put out a video the other day where he spoke about how he feels about this very subject. I nearly telephoned him to say "well done" so I might do just that later today. John.
All 4k movie.
⭐Pitch Black 🕶️ director Cut .
⭐DUNE 2 et FURIOSA Amazing
⭐ALIEN 40ème Anniversery. Masterpiece
⭐ALIENS
⭐ Boy and the HÉRON
⭐ALIEN ROMULUS
Looks like you're going to be busy over Christmas! I've just purchased a copy of Alien Romulus so I expect I'll cover that with a review video early in the new year. John.