Impressively housed on London’s South Bank the London Film Museum recently played host to a preview of the Blu-ray release of the four Alien films, and with the highly polished Alien Anthology Blu-ray set out on shelves on the 25th of October I wanted to give you an idea of what you’ll be enjoying when you pick up the box set.

You know the films, I’m sure. Two outright classics, one curious debut feature from one of the biggest directors working today and an enjoyable, though heavily flawed, final flourish for the one time Star Beast make up this series, and the legacy of Alien proves as indestructible as the savage monster itself.

Before I dive in I have to say that I’ve not yet had my hands on a copy of the box set, and I hope to be able to post my full review sometime in the future, so I was only given a brief look at the films and their copious extra features but I have to say my initial thoughts of ‘I’ve got the Quadrilogy sitting at home – do I need another set of Alien discs?’ were answered as soon as the first disc was fired up, and the familiar Weyland-Yutani logo fizzled up on screen.

The fact is, when done right, the transfer to Blu-ray can enhance the quality of picture and sound to such a degree that you won’t want to see the film any other way. This is true for the Alien films, whose new high definition clarity and depth of colour and ear pounding sound mix impressed me more than so many wasteful transfers I’ve seen recently. These are films I’ve seen over and over and after seeing a few scenes of the Blu-rays I couldn’t wait to watch them again in this new format.

Rather than bumping up the audio and visual quality of the films and repackaging them with the same extras as their previous releases there is a huge amount of new material for the eager Alien fanatic to immerse themselves into and there’s a neat way of accessing them too, which I’ll get onto later. We were teased with a look at some of the new extras, which includes the full story behind the curious case of Alien 3 among interviews and featurettes dealing with all aspects of each film’s production. It’s a comprehensive set, one that I’m really looking forward to getting stuck into, and to make that experience a little more exciting there’s a new way of peeking behind the curtain.

One of the major features is the MU-TH-UR mode, which is an intriguing way of experiencing the plethora of extras and delving deeper into the film as you’re watching it. Accessed via the main menu each film can be watched with the option of learning more about the specific scene on screen, with information, video clips, images etc, accessible during the movie. Some people may not want to continuously skip back and forth between the extras and the film itself so MU-TH-UR mode has a method of allowing you to select certain ‘tags’ relevant to what you’re viewing.

Plucking an example from the ether, if you are watching the infamous chest-burster scene and want to know more (in true Starship Troopers style) you could look at the tags available, which would include John Hurt, Chest-Burster, etc etc, then in Aliens you wanted to know more about the Alien Queen you could select the tags you wanted and these choices would be stored up so that when you came to put one of the two discs of extras you can watch all of the special features associated with your choices.

It’s great in theory and worked well in practise, allowing easy navigation through an almost intimidating range of extras. Here’s how it works.

As I said, I’ve not yet sat down with the discs myself, but I was extremely impressed with what I saw, and it looks as though there’s now a decent way to enjoy the extensive special features box sets of this nature are bundled with. Extras aside these films may vary in quality but they look better than ever, and until Ridley Scott returns to the Space Jockey this is the best way to enjoy the complete set.

Here’s the trailer for the Alien Anthology,

With the Blu-ray release of the Alien Anthology on the 25th of October HeyUGuys are taking a look at the entire Alien and Predator series. From Facehuggers to trophy hunting Predators, from the iconic and classic to the dubious crossovers – this is your ultimate retrospective.

So remember, even if you ain’t got time to bleed, in the Video Vault no-one can hear you scream…

Tracy Ladd looks back to see if it really is Game over man, game over.

Nine years after Ridley Scott directed the incredible Alien, James Cameron took the reigns and decided to make it’s sequel, Aliens.  Taking the characters originally written by Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett, Cameron, along with David Giler and Walter Hill crafted a whole new story centered around Ripley, the lone survivor of the first film.

When Aliens was released, the tag line read “This time, it’s war.”  Those four words gave the audience a promise that this was not going to be your typical sequel.  The “In space no one can hear you scream” tag line of the first film gives the impression that it’s more along the lines of a horror film.  Which it was in a slow burn sort of way.  Cameron’s story combined the best of what he is known for.  Action set in a science fiction setting.  He was able to marry both genres perfectly and create what I consider a masterpiece.

Aliens picks up 57 years after the events of Alien when a deep space salvage crew finds Ripley still in hyper sleep after her ordeal in the first film.  Once she’s rescued she finds, to her horror, that the planet where her nightmares began is now inhabited by colonists.  After she finds out that communication with the colony has been lost, Ripley reluctantly accompanies a squad of Marines to the planet in an attempt to hopefully exorcise her demons and put her chest bursting nightmares to rest.  Of course things go south quickly and she finds herself fighting for not only her life, but the lives of the Marines as well as a young girl who is the only remaining colony survivor.  Things go from bad to worse as Ripley comes face to face with an enemy that is worse than she imagined.

Reprising her role as Ripley, Sigourney Weaver showed that women are just as capable of carrying an action movie as men.  Ripley is a strong female character that doesn’t take any lip and tells it like she sees it.  With Ripley came a new breed of action hero.  She tested her mettle in the first film, but really showed what a force she was in this film.  She set the bar for future female action stars and to this day that bar still remains pretty high.

This was only Cameron’s third feature at the time, but looking back on the film and the cast, you can see several actors who would become staples in the Cameron canon.  Michael Biehn, Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen and Jenette Goldstein are all on hand here and each makes their presence known.  Aside from Ripley, I have to say that my favorite character has to be Bill Paxton’s Pvt. Hudson.  Hudson serves as the films cheesy machismo factor as well as it’s comic relief.  His dialogue provides so many quotable lines, I can’t even keep track of the ones I’ve used in every day conversation.

Michael Biehn plays the role he’s so good at.  His Cpl. Hicks is the good guy trying to save everyone while finding a way off the planet.  Biehn and Weaver had great chemistry together but only a fraction of it came across in the theatrical cut which is unfortunate.  However, the spark is still visible thankfully because without it, their roles would have suffered.

I remember when Aliens first premiered on network TV.  There was a write up in the TV Guide stating that it would be aired with 18 additional minutes of footage.  I was outraged.  I couldn’t believe they were going to show all this new footage, but the whole film would be hacked up with commercials and edited for prime time television.  For several years that was the only way to see this version.  Finally Cameron released the directors cut that had all 18 minutes restored and edited back into the film.  As with any Cameron cut, the new version expands the story and answers questions.  You find out why Ripley is so driven to protect the little girl, Newt.  It shows even more of the relationship that builds between Ripley and Hicks.  To top it all off you get to see some pretty cool new weapons as well.  This is the version I recommend watching.

For me, Aliens was, is and will always be a favorite.  As I said before, it’s a perfect marriage of science fiction and action.  Two things which Cameron is known for and does successfully each time.  Once Aliens hit the movie channels after it’s theatrical run, I watched it over and over again.  Each time I found myself white knuckling my way through it and getting stressed out even though I knew what was coming next.  That’s a sign of a good film.

This is a film that builds a slow crescendo from the get go as we see Ripley get rescued and try to resume something resembling a normal life.  Through her nightmares and acceptance of the fact that she has to go to the planet to hopefully put her demons to rest. The tension and action picks up a beat as the Marines meet the aliens and from there it takes on the rhythm of a heartbeat.  The action spikes, then there’s a bit of calm, then it spikes again.  All of this leads up to the Ripley’s tension filled power loader scene and one the greatest quotes ever. One my Dad has even quoted.

If you love science fiction and action, Aliens is the movie for you.  The Blu Ray release is fast approaching and I can’t wait.  I’ve seen some stills comparing the regular DVD to the Blu and it’s going to look like a whole new movie.  It’s definitely worth the money and time.  If there is any movie I pray and wish for a theatrical re-release (aside from Jaws) it’s Aliens.  But until then, I’ll happily watch the Blu Ray version with white knuckles.

This week’s video vault may not be as obscure a title as the previous entries, but with the current media onslaught and surge in popularity surrounding the whole vampire myth, I felt compelled to discuss a film which inspired many of these new revisionist works, and to also introduce a couple who make Bella and Edward look positively anaemic by comparison.

Near Dark is a film I first watched with a bunch of friends as a wide-eyed 12-year-old (requiring an understanding parent to rent it out for us). Even back then, seeing this alongside a bunch of cheap and cheerful genre flicks, I knew that it was a cut above the rest and was an attempt to do something else other than entertain through cheap shocks and scares.

Released in US cinemas within a week of another popular vampire picture of that time, The Lost Boys, it was sadly overlooked at the box office where audiences were enticed by the more youth-orientated Joel Schumacher picture. Although I was (and still am) extremely fond of Sam and the Frog brother’s vampire-hunting shenanigans, the two films both present a very different take on the legend.

The film stars Heroes cast member Adrian Pasdar as Caleb, a hot-headed farmer’s boy who meets a drifter in the shape of an alluring young woman named Mae (Jenny Wright). Mae is actually part of a group of nomadic vampire drifters who travel from town to town, feeding off human victims. Rather than kill her intended prey, Mae instead ‘turns’ Caleb into one of her kind, much to the annoyance of the rest of the group who reluctantly agree to let him travel with them under the proviso that he must kill to survive.

A big part of what gives this film its unique quality is down to the genre cross-pollination of horror and western. The ‘family’ of travelling bloodsuckers roam across a barren American Southwest landscape which has the kind of iconography familiar to anyone who has watched a disheveled Clint Eastwood ride in to another one-horse town.

It also succeeds by taking the mythical life of the vampire (a word that is never actually used by any of the characters) and infusing it within a realistic setting, and using the rules of the genre to deliver some really distinctive twists on familiar set-pieces. From a daytime shootout in a motel, where the bullet holes cast potentially fatal rays of light for the holed-up vampires to contend with, to a bar stopover where grabbing a bite to eat and drink takes on a whole new sinister meaning, these are just a couple of example of the film’s playful use of traditions from vampire folklore. First and foremost though, it’s the central love story between Caleb and Mae which really holds the piece together. You really get the sense that Mae is torn between the love for her new suitor and the loyalty she has towards her dysfunctional family unit.

Unfortunately, for all the imaginative elements incorporated throughout the film, the ending is somewhat of a disappointment, where despite adhering closely to the western theme and motifs (the showdown involves Caleb actually riding into town on horseback), it can’t really top what have come before. This is a minor quibble however, and ultimately doesn’t derail the film.

Anyone familiar with Near Dark’s  director Kathryn Bigelow and her body of work will be aware that this is her normal approach to filmmaking, and her aesthetic choices have really helped to transcend the normal framework we’ve come to associate with and expect with the genres she has worked within.

I think Near Dark is the purest example of this and still her best film. I was really happy to see her finally receive some recognition when she was the recipient of this year’s Academy Award for best director for The Hurt Locker (not surprisingly, her most straightforward film to date).

A remake of Near Dark was scheduled to be made last year under the direction of first-timer Samuel Bayer. It ultimately fell through (due largely to the influx of similarly-themed material already out there) and he went on to sully the memory of another cherished 80’s horror classic with his remake of A Nightmare on Elm St.

At least for now we can all rest easy in the knowledge that this unique film will stay just that, and fantasy films like this can exist out there for fans that prefer something with a little more bite.

Near Dark is available in both DVD and Blu-ray on Region 2. Hooray!

With the Oscar nominations fast approaching, this marks the time of year where we are in the throes of the awards season.  There are several films and directors that seem to be a shoe in for a nomination.  One of those directors is Kathryn Bigelow along with her film The Hurt Locker.

A lot of people may associate female directors with your typical romantic comedy, or period piece.  Not a lot of people will associate the term with the action genre.  Kathryn Bigelow seemed to throw that rule book right out the window from the get go.  Let’s highlight a few of her films.

Near Dark (1987)
Set in the sleepy Midwest, a good ole country boy meets and is instantly entranced by Mae.  Caleb is soon caught in the web of Mae’s “family”, who turn out to be vampires.  Fighting the inevitable change that is overtaking him, Caleb tries to break the new bonds, while trying to protect his human family as well as trying to convince Mae to come with him.

I remember the first time I watched Near Dark.  I was intrigued with the darkness of it.  The casting of the vampires was perfect.  Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton and Jenette Goldstein, all James Cameron staples, conveyed the evil that should be associated with the undead (sparkly vampires need not apply).  A young Adrian Pasdar played Caleb and staple 80′s actor Tim Thomerson played Caleb’s father.

Serving as director and the writer of Near Dark at the beginning of her career showed the film industry that Kathryn Bigelow was fully capable and a force to be reckoned with.

Point Break (1991)
Rookie FBI Agent Johnny Utah (has there been a better name??)gets partnered up with a salty vet and assigned to find a group who has been responsible for a string of bank robberies.  Going undercover and infiltrating a group of possible suspects, Johnny finds himself immersed in their thrill seeking ways, but inevitably he reaches the crossroads and must determine where his loyalties actually lie.

Ahhhhh Point Break.  The film that got loads of people to try sky diving as well as surfing.  I will admit I’ve done the former, but not the latter.  And actually I didn’t sky dive until years after this film came out.  But watching it did make me want to just hurl my body out of a plane cruising at 6000 feet.  Sounds fun right?  But I digress….

With Point Break, Bigelow showed that she had the chops for some great action.  There was some issues with the surfing scenes, but the sky diving scenes are phenomenal.  There is also the foot chase between Bodhi and Johnny.  That is one of the best foot chases I’ve seen.

Keanu Reeves was probably one of the best choices to play Johnny.  Love him or hate him, he had that laid-back-hang-ten quality the character needed.  Casting Patrick Swayze as Bodhi was great as he had that zen-like quality in pretty much every role he played.  We weren’t used to seeing him as the bad guy, but he was one of those bad guys you loved.

The film does have it’s flaws.  The dialogue isn’t the greatest, but if it’s pure action you’re looking for, I’d say this one fits the bill.

Strange Days (1995)
Set on New Years Eve of the millennium, former street cop turned drug-like virtual reality pusher, Lenny Nero finds a VR clip in his possession that is first hand proof of a high profile murder and the police cover up that ensues.  Aided by his friend Mace, they find themselves caught in a web of lies, deceit, blackmail and murder, all against the backdrop of impending chaos of the new millennium.

Casting Ralph Fiennes perplexed me at the time.  Having only seen him in Schindler’s List and Quiz Show, I wasn’t sure he would be able to pull off the grungy, sleazy like quality that Lenny embodied.  Goes to show what I know.  He was indeed grungy and sleazy, but also likable as well.  Angela Bassett kicks major ass as Mace.  That woman is not to be messed with.  Juliet Lewis, Tom Sizemore and perpetual baddie Michale Wincott also star.

Written and produced by James Cameron, it definitely has the feel of one of his films.  It’s gritty with a bleak outlook, but always has that beacon of hope on the horizon.  The action isn’t on a grand scale, but it’s still intense.  One interesting aspect of the film is the role reversal with Lenny and Mace.  Normally it’s the male lead who is stronger, but here it’s Mace.  It’s an interesting, but incredibly effective switch.

Strange Days didn’t get a whole lot of love, but I feel it’s underrated.  If you’re a fan of Bigelow or Cameron, you should definitely check it out.

The Hurt Locker (2008)
Set in Iraq, this film follows the exploits of an US Army elite EOD unit charged with the task of identifying and dismantling of various type of explosive devices.

Starring Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker is a white knuckle ride if there ever was one.  This was one movie where I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.
Renner does an excellent job as SFC William James.  He is able to convey the stress that James goes through to do his job, but there is also a underlying calmness that he has as well.  His real discomfort comes from being in a home setting doing the mundane tasks like grocery shop.

The film is again, gritty.  It’s a subject matter that isn’t to be taken lightly and that comes through as well.  Bigelow has an excellent eye for action and it really shines through here.  We did a review for this back in August and you can find that here.

The Hurt Locker, Jeremy Renner and Kathryn Bigelow have been nominated for loads of awards so far.  Some have been won, while other lost, but the granddaddy of them all is fast approaching.  I am pulling for this film to get some sort of recognition at the Oscars.  I would love to see Bigelow take it for Director.

While there are other films that she has done that I haven’t listed, I think this list really highlights her career so far.  She has proven to be a capable director who doesn’t shy away from a challenge.  She was just attached to another film called Held by the Taliban.  You can read our story about that here.

Oscar nominations are announced Tuesday Feb 2nd at 5:30am PST.  I know I’ll be watching.