New Release: Alien Anthology Blu-ray

All four Alien films debuted on Blu-ray on Oct. 26, 2010, when 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment released the Alien Anthology. The six-disc set, including theatrical and special editions of all the movies as well as special features, was priced at $139.99.

The Anthology of the science-fiction/horror movies is one of many classic Fox titles that bowed on high-definition Blu-ray in 2010 as the studio celebrated its 75th birthday. Fox also released Blu-ray versions of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge, The Last of the Mohicans and The Sound of Music, among others.

The Alien Blu-ray set also debuted a new interactive feature for Blu-ray films from Fox. In “MU-TH-UR Mode,” viewers get an interactive companion that provides an index of all available Alien content, including more than 60 hours of special features and more than 12,000 images, according to the studio.

Here’s the breakdown of the Anthology discs:

Disc one: Alien

• 1979 theatrical version
• 2003 Director’s Cut with introduction by director Ridley Scott
• commentary by Scott, writer Dan O’Bannon, executive producer Ronald Shusett, editor Terry Rawlings, actors Sigourney Weaver (Avatar), Tom Skerritt (Top Gun), Veronica Cartwright (The Birds), Harry Dean Stanton (TV’s Big Love) and John Hurt (TV’s Merlin)
• commentary (for theatrical cut) by Scott
• final theatrical isolated score by Jerry Goldsmith
• composer’s original isolated score by Goldsmith
• deleted and extended scenes
• MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream

Disc two: Aliens

• 1986 theatrical version
• 1991 special edition with director James Cameron (Avatar) introduction
• commentary by Cameron, producer Gale Anne Hurd, alien effects creator Stan Winston, visual effects supervisors Robert Skotak and Dennis Skotak, miniature effects supervisor Pat McClung, actors Michael Biehn (The Terminator), Bill Paxton (Tombstone), Lance Henriksen (AVP: Alien vs. Predator), Jenette Goldstein (Titanic), Carrie Henn and Christopher Henn
• final theatrical isolated score by James Horner
• composer’s original isolated score by James Horner
• deleted and extended scenes
• MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream

Disc three: Alien3

• 1992 theatrical version
• 2003 special edition (restored workprint version)
• commentary by cinematographer Alex Thomson B.S.C., editor Terry Rawlings, alien effects designers Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr., visual effects producer Richard Edlund, A.S.C., actors Paul McGann (TV’s Luther) and Lance Henriksen
• final theatrical isolated score by Elliot Goldenthal
• deleted and extended scenes
• MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream

Disc four: Alien Resurrection

• 1997 theatrical version
• 2003 special edition with Jean-Pierre Jeunet introduction
• commentary by director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, editor Hervé Schneid, A.C.E., alien effects creators Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr., visual effects supervisor Pitof, conceptual artist Sylvain Despretz, actors Ron Perlman (Cronos), Dominique Pinon (Micmacs) and Leland Orser (Give ‘Em Hell Malone)
• Final theatrical isolated score by John Frizzell
• Deleted and extended scenes
• MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream

Disc five: “Making the Anthology”

In addition to over 12 hours of candid, in-depth documentaries, the set gives viewers the ability to go even deeper into Alien Anthology history with nearly five hours of additional video Enhancement Pods created exclusively for this collection, presenting behind-the-scenes footage, raw dailies and interview outtakes from all four films. The pods can be viewed at points in the documentaries of from the separate Enhancement Pod index.

The Beast Within: Making Alien

• Star Beast: Developing the Story
• The Visualists: Direction and Design
• Truckers in Space: Casting
• Fear of the Unknown: Shepperton Studios, 1978
• The Darkest Reaches: Nostromo and Alien Planet
• The Eighth Passenger: Creature Design
• Future Tense: Editing and Music
• Outward Bound: Visual Effects
• A Nightmare Fulfilled: Reaction to the Film

• Enhancement Pods

Superior Firepower: Making Aliens

• 57 Years Later: Continuing the Story
• Building Better Worlds: From Concept to Construction
• Preparing for Battle: Casting and Characterization
• This Time It’s War: Pinewood Studios, 1985
• The Risk Always Lives: Weapons and Action
• Bug Hunt: Creature Design
• Beauty and the Bitch: Power Loader vs. Queen Alien
• Two Orphans: Sigourney Weaver and Carrie Henn
• The Final Countdown: Music, Editing and Sound
• The Power of Real Tech: Visual Effects
• Aliens Unleashed: Reaction to the Film

• Enhancement Pods

Wreckage and Rage: Making Alien3

• Development Hell: Concluding the Story
• Tales of the Wooden Planet: Vincent Ward’s Vision
• Stasis Interrupted: David Fincher’s Vision
• Xeno-Erotic: H.R. Giger’s Redesign
• The Color of Blood: Pinewood Studios, 1991
• Adaptive Organism: Creature Design
• The Downward Spiral: Creative Differences
• Where the Sun Burns Cold: Fox Studios, L.A. 1992
• Optical Fury: Visual Effects
• Requiem for a Scream: Music, Editing and Sound
• Post-Mortem: Reaction to the Film

• Enhancement Pods

One Step Beyond: Making Alien Resurrection

• From the Ashes: Reviving the Story
• French Twist: Direction and Design
• Under the Skin: Casting and Characterization
• Death from Below: Fox Studios, Los Angeles, 1996
• In the Zone: The Basketball Scene
• Unnatural Mutation: Creature Design
• Genetic Composition: Music
• Virtual Aliens: Computer Generated Imagery
• A Matter of Scale: Miniature Photography
• Critical Juncture: Reaction to the Film

• Enhancement Pods
• MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience to Access and Control Enhancement Pods

Disc six: “The Anthology Archives”

Alien

• Pre-Production
  • first draft screenplay by Dan O’Bannon
  • Ridleygrams: original thumbnails and notes
  • storyboard archive
  • “The Art of Alien: Conceptual Art Portfolio”
  • Sigourney Weaver screen tests with select director commentary
  • cast portrait gallery
• Production
  • “The Chestbuster:” multi-angle sequence with commentary
  • vVideo graphics gallery
  • production image galleries
  • continuity Polaroids
  • “The Sets of Alien”
  • H.R. Giger’s workshop gallery
• Post-Production and Aftermath
  • additional deleted scenes
  • image and poster galleries
• Experience in Terror
• Special Collector’s Edition LaserDisc archive
• The Alien Legacy
• American Cinematheque: Ridley Scott Q&A
• trailers and TV spots

Aliens

• Pre-Production
  • original treatment by James Cameron
  • pre-visualizations: multi-angle videomatics with commentary
  • storyboard archive
  • “The Art of Aliens:” image galleries
  • cast portrait gallery
• Production
  • production image galleries
  • continuity Polaroids
  • weapons and vehicles
  • Stan Winston’s workshop
  • “Colonial Marine Helmet Cameras”
  • video graphics gallery
  • Weyland-Yutani Inquest: Nostromo Dossiers
• Post-Production and Aftermath
  • deleted scene: Burke Cocooned
  • deleted scene montage
  • image galleries
  • Special Collector’s Edition LaserDisc archive
  • main title exploration
  • Aliens: Ride at the Speed of Fright
  • trailers and TV spots

Alien³

• Pre-Production
  • storyboard archive
  • “The Art of Arceon”
  • “The Art of Fiorina”
• Production
  • “Furnace Construction:” time-lapse sequence
  • “EEV Bioscan:” multi-angle vignette with commentary
  • production image galleries
  • A.D.I.’s workshop
• Post-Production and Aftermath
  • visual effects gallery
  • “Special Shoot:” promotional photo archive
• Alien³ advance featurette
• The Making of Alien³ promotional featurette
• trailers and TV spots

Alien Resurrection

• Pre-Production
  • first draft screenplay by Joss Whedon
  • “Test Footage: A.D.I. Creature Shop” with commentary
  • “Test Footage: Costumes, Hair and Makeup”
  • pre-visualizations: multi-angle rehearsals
  • storyboard archive
  • “The Marc Caro Portfolio: Character Designs”
  • “The Art of Resurrection: Image Galleries”
• Production
  • production image galleries
  • A.D.I.’s Workshop
• Post-Production and Aftermath
  • visual effects gallery
  • “Special Shoot:” promotional photo archive
• HBO First Look: The Making of Alien Resurrection
• Alien Resurrection promotional featurette
• trailers and TV spots

Anthology

• two versions of Alien Evolution
• The Alien Saga
• patches and logos gallery
• Aliens 3D attraction scripts and gallery
• Aliens in the Basement: The Bob Burns Collection
• parodies
• Dark Horse cover gallery
• patches and logos gallery
• MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience

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