Alien 3 (1992) - Retrospective / Review
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Alien 3 (1992) - Retrospective / Review
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Ohh Oliver, I don't know this but You know the Aliens Colonial Marines game, well it's ret-coned that It wasn't Hicks in the Cryo-tube but someone else and Hicks is still alive, Which pleases the Fans of Hicks.
joseph barker Colonial Marines isn't considered canon by Fox anymore, as revealed in the canon guide Alien: The Weyland-Yutani Report. And it definitely didn't please the fans of Hicks, his resurrection was one of the most hated aspects of the game, mostly because it made no sense.
Ruben Castro GOD DAMMIT, Why did you have to tell me this?!
joseph barker So you're one of the few people who actually liked it? I mean yeah, I wish they hadn't killed him in Alien 3, but bringing him back now in such a confusing way is kind of worse.
Ruben Castro I like Hicks His an awesome character, And I think Fox knew that when it came to the Backlash of Alien3 So making it someone else that got killed would calm them Hicks fans down, Stasis Interrupted explains how it happened, After all it is set after Aliens and Alien3. If you want you can look up the actual DLC and see for yourself.
"david fincher may hate the film but that doesn`t mean you have too" amazing line
to*
@@Smile4theKillCam456 ua-cam.com/video/RAA1xgTTw9w/v-deo.html
@@Smile4theKillCam456 *to 😉
Shakespearian in a way
@@Smile4theKillCam456 Too isn´t incorrect. It means as well.
Charles Dutton is absolutely priceless in this film. His dialogue in this film is by far some of the best. Alien 3 has always been my favorite entry because I love the circumstances and feel of the film.
Dutton is awesome. My favorite Alien series character.
My favorite is Ripley showing off to Dillon in "I must make you nervous" and then Dillon ultimately have to save her stupid ass from being raped because she didn't listen to him.
Alien 3 is your favorite entry? What about the first 2? Did you not see them. I loved all of them but certainly the first 2 you enjoyed..lol lol 😆
I really liked Alien 3 to, I'm really surprised it has so many haters.
Don't be ridiculous.
Alien 3 grows on you... like an English rose 🌹 or something... and it's far from the heights of the first two... but it isn't the "Carry On Saucer-aliens" style twaddle of 4, which is rather unusual insofar as it gets WORSE the more you see it!
📺🤔👾👾👾👾❓😬❗😲🤤😩😫🤢🤮🚽👾❗ Hey look what the fucking cat puked up...! Did I mention my idea for "A L I E N 5"? Well... er .. that was it! It's a 5 not a... yes, so you spotted it did you? 👾❗
I was left flat & depressed walking out the cinema originally, but it has really grown on me over the years, especially due to the visual style and the score - the extra scenes in the assembly cut REALLY help!
Call me mad but I adore Alien 3. I even love it as much as Alien and Aliens. This is my all-time favorite movie series.
Alien 3 has its own deep atmosphere and drama. I love it
I can't say it's as good as the original, but if you put all 3 films in front of me, I'd almost always rather watch 3.
I liked it mainly for Charles S Dutton , his Dylan character was great , he played a great anti hero in Alien 3 proving what i believe that no person is all good or all bad.
Yeah, I love the movie too. I watched the movie, loved it and when all the critique hit, I never understood it.
@Zoe Kin Yes, that also broke my heart. But the movie is still better than 99% of movies that came out in the last 10 years. I watched the movie without judgment and was thrilled the whole time.
That said, I haven't seen any trailers before this. I only saw Alien and Aliens about 100 times, as a little kid. lmao
in my opinion, this movie never had to be scary - it works fine as a dark, sci-fi drama with one of the greatest soundtracks ever made. i truly love alien 3
Thank you! Yes!
I agree! I've often read that this film wasn't very popular with audiences but I've always really liked it and think that it's perhaps a little underrated. Just my humble opinion though.
I wholeheartedly disagree about your comments regarding the Elliot Goldenthals score. It is an amazing, industrial-cathedral piece that can fully stand on it's own without the film.
Jesse Bond One of the best film scores of all time if you ask me. Very experimental and fit the visuals and themes of the movie perfectly.
Yeah I love it too
Industrial cathedral. That is the perfect description.
@@jamieleng1968 Hands down. And I am a musician so maybe that is why I can hear it genius in the top 10 scores in the history of film Alien 3 is up there.
Agree, it’s a beautiful soundtrack. Adagio always makes me teary.
I actually like Alien 3, no where near as good as 1 and 2 but still pretty good. They should've ended it here so that god awful Resurrection couldn't happen.
I'd say the egg got on the ship because the queen was hidden on the ship, it gave her time to lay an egg.
Conan Oh yh I noticed that but I mean maybe some were still inside of her? Idk.
Agreed, the bleak tone of Alien 3 must have really jarring for audiences back in 1992. Resurrection was a really crappy film in general. As for the eggs on-board the Sulaco, I've always thought that the queen horded a few eggs before the nest was torched by Ripley, then took them with her onto the ship.
honestly this could of been better than 1 and 2
Rob Cain Yeah that makes sense
The soundtrack is Alien 3 is quite moving and beautiful. Probably the best in the series.
It's very underrated, I think.
I found it extremely generic
Aliens is the better film, but I have grown to prefer Alien 3 ever since the release of the Assembly Cut. It may not be "scary" in the way that the first film was, or tense and thrilling as the sequel was, but it's an effective bit of bleak existential horror.
There's no such thing as a "better" film. It's all subjective.
At least all 3 films are different. I even enjoy resserction to a degree.
The longer Special Edition cut improves the movie so much I can't believe they cut it so excessively.
Alien is also better than this crap. I was so disappointed when i saw it. Not surprised the director has disowned this film.
@@dtz1000 Well, of course Alien is better. None of the sequels are as good as the original.
Looks like Alien 3 is like a fine wine, getting better and more appreciated with time
And rightly so. It's a fantastic film, especially given the circumstances it was made in.
Assembly cut is so much better.
And it has Tywin Lannister in it.
Severian Wintermute no assembly cut is a piece of trash theatrical cut is the true legendary more scarier with the dog scene and the alien bursting outta a ox dosent make sense since it would be more bigger like the kenner bull alien it so stupid the assembly cut everything about is trash no scenes that are really amazing theatrical cut is the best fuck the assembly cut if u like it fuck u too
It's great film.. music / cinematography/ characters.. I worn the vhs out as a kid.. & the runner/dog alien.. my favourite design..
This was a film I hated when it came out, but over time, and with the help of the extended edition, have come to love. In any case, nobody can deny that the soundtrack is friggin awesome and for me, the best of the franchise.
I agree. I learned to love it too.
Man, that 45 minutes flew by so quickly. Great retrospective as always! I may have to give this film another shot, I haven't seen it in a very long time.
Thanks Austin!
Gameplay and Talk lol don't waste your time, I tried again to like it and was just as bored as I was the first few times.
aikidoboynj People can make up their own minds you sorry sack of puss.
@@aikidoboynj yeah its not for everyone, go watch A Dog's Purpose
@@vargaa86 I'm sure watching paint dry and the paint almost running into some newly laid wood floors is more entertaining and thrilling then this shit stain.
Alien3 is an interesting film; it's beautifully shot and we get top notch performances, and the idea of stripping the series down to basic survival with no weapons and a single alien made for that claustrophobic atmosphere the first film had. My only complaints really are the deaths of Newt and Hicks. It really sours the series as you watch chronologically, and the strange casting of Lance Henriksen as this Bizarro Bishop that is never fully explained. Great review as always, Oliver!
+bigevilworldwide1 yes, but then we have Charles Bishop Weyland in that abominable AvP, who apparently founded Weyland-Yutani AND inspired the Bishop line. And THEN we find out that actually PETER Weyland founded Weyland Corp in Prometheus. So none of it makes sense lol.
+John Curcio Best not think about it. It causes headaches.
At the time it made perfect sense, the Henriksen character is the designer of the Bishop robot and he designed it in his likeness, It's not Alien 3's fault that subsequent movies confused this.
John Curico I agree especially with the performances. Great acting and developed characters. Killing Newt and Hicks right off though was pretty jarring and I think this pushed a lot of people away from liking this movie as much.
"strange casting" = paycheck
When I want to get depressed and drool over cinematography, I throw this on. Great review!
LoL why depressed though I’m curious?
@@LiLTailormade I think I know exactly what Shane means by "want to get depressed", but I just cannot put it into words.
(Note: This is how I go through this experience, and not necessarily how everyone who does so.)
It's not simply "I want to see a depressing movie". It's something deeper.
You have to have that specific feeling to want to immerse yourself in pure depression and feel the hardships and emotions the characters are going through. Because the emotions I feel during this experience are very intense, I become very exhausted both physically and mentally, so it is not something that happens that often, and takes a bit of courage (LOL) to make yourself go through with it.
But I repeat: it's not a feeling that you can put into words. It sounds very very weird and masochistic from someone who doesn't understand.
"Children of Men" and "The Road" are two examples of movies that I watched "because I want to get depressed".
You know, there are many people out there who actually LOVE depressing movies. (Not necessarily meaning all of them go through the above phenomenon.)
I believe that it is kind of like a philosophy. It makes people question heavy topics. Depending on the way it is shot, depressing movies can give you gorgeous cinematography that kind of contrasts with the tone of the movie - bleak tone, yet beautifully shot. Alien 3 is an excellent example of this. It's just gorgeous (except for the crappy xenomorph special effects of course).
Actually, I am not kidding at all when I say that Alien 3 defined my taste in movies/fiction in all aspects. LOL
@@LiLTailormade For several reasons, being 'happy happy joy joy' 24/7 is not normal either although some people are such, annoying their fellow humans. Feeling down also is a thing where you might not want to see others being 'happy happy joy joy' all the time. Watching a movie where literally everyone has things worse than you, might in turn make you again feel better at your own situation. When characters are faced with a choice of "how to die" in damp and dirty sewers, it's hard to find situation where you would be worse off.
And yet another reason: as someone living just south of the arctic circle, months of near complete darkness and deadly cold outside brings a connection with the similar situation in planet in the film. The period is such that majority of people wind down in activity, at worst some being just above hibernation. Doom and gloom-movie fits that mental state, Baywatch or Miami Vice does not.
I almost understand that. But then I never want to get depressed. Maybe that's why I never watch this film even though I own it.
I just like that Geiger called his design the "Bambi Burster" Love that
I love the way you edit your own trailer/clips for the beginning and ending of your retrospective videos. They always hype me up to watch the film as soon as I finish watching your videos. Keep up the good work!
"Ripley, last survivor of the Nostromo, signing off."
I swear I nearly burst into tears every time I hear it and the sweeping melody that follows.
I was going to use the original dialogue from ALIEN for that closing clip because its clearer but with the added distorted audio on ALIEN 3 its far more emotional.
have to agree. absolutely love this movie. finished off the trilogy perfectly. as for the rest of the nonsense that followed....resurrection was the first film ever i got angry at!
Same here. Absolutely devastating ending.
No you don't.
I have always maintained that Alien 3 is one of the best Alien movies, especially it’s set and the dark vibe. It’s beautiful and so abstract in so many ways. I think Fincher could easily have given into doing a more Hollywood style film, but he went left field and did something full of depth and tragedy. Up until recently it was always my favourite of the Alien films, but now I’m leaning back towards Aliens, simply because it has a happier ending and so many incredible technological feats in it for the time. Of course the Aliens in Aliens look far better than they do in Alien 3 too, but this is still a masterpiece and doesn’t get the respect it deserves.
"One of the best"
It's like 3rd or forth bst.
at 22:00 minutes in. This was filmed at Blast Beach, Seaham in UK. By co-incidence its a fantastic place to find 'sea-glass', which has been in a blast furnace. The glass was dumped into the sea and smooths off through time to wash up back onto the beach. I often walk that beach, collect the glass. I've even engraved Weyland Yutani logo or alien eggs / face huggers onto some of the glass.
I LOVE Alien 3! It has it's more or less own style and the DNA adaptation backstory is consistent with the quality that the franchise entries have brought up to this point!
The Runner is kickass!
Imagine other animals as hosts but not as Kenner toys!
King Cheetah - Red Kangaroo - Komodo Dragon
Charles Dance's character was always my favorite.
This is the most underrated channel on UA-cam, love your vids.
Great review of a much maligned film.
I agree it would have been nice for Charles Dance to have had more screen time, but I agree with something I think I heard from another reviewer (it might have been Jim Sterling), which is how effective it is for him to be so unceremoniously killed off just seconds after his story. He performs an outstanding dialogue which completely fleshes out an already compelling character, and then it's a case of "the alien is a killing machine. It doesn't give a s**t about you or your life story". And that works well in my opinion.
Keep up the great work, Oliver.
Having been a subscriber for a while now and having watched pretty much all your videos. You deserve so much more attention and success. I wish I could draw more attention to your channel and amazing videos. I'll do what I can. keep up the great work man! :)
Thank you very much!
Agreed. Though, we consider him a Rock Star on UA-cam.
100% agree. Thanks for all your effort.
great review as usual but I disagree about Charles Dance's character's death. I thought it totally made sense. Essentially every person Ripley had made a connection with or cared about had been killed off by "the beast" in one form or another(Dance being the last real human connection she made before once again being ripped away suddenly and tragically), reinforcing Ripley's calling to become a martyr for the sake of mankind's survival.
He's John the Baptist to her Christ-figure.
Completely agree. The point is she was destined to a life void of connection since that fated day on the Nostramo. Where Aliens touched upon this concept but gave you hope she could rebuild her life again, Alien 3 completely shuts it down and only reinforces it through Charles's death so as to make no mistake of what they are attempting to portray. She is a tragic character, forever haunted by and intertwined with the existence of this insidious creature. Resurrection furthers this theme... but completely botches the execution to an unbelievable degree.
I’m happy to say that I saw it three times upon its release and have been defending this beautiful piece of art since 1992. Your channel is the best Oliver!
The 'assembly cut' is a superb film...take it or leave it.
brilliant that you mentioned Bottom & Father Ted!
Great review and retrospective as always Oliver. Over the years I have grown to like Alien 3 for the work of art it is. However, when it comes to the continuity of the Alien franchise, for me it ends at Aliens with Newt, Ripley and Hicks surviving, and part 3 to me is a type of "What if story" that does not exist in the same realm as the first two.
I've actually come to terms finally with Alien 3 and how it really is the only way to end Ripleys story. The Alien takes everything. which it did. Look up movie defense force on Alien 3. good watch.
I think Alien 3 works. The inexorability of death is the main theme. The Alien itself is a force of nature, it is death and it comes for us all. The trilogy is Ripley coming to terms with death. I wish I could have seen the version of Alien 3 in Fincher's mind but I like it okay as it turned out. We, the audience grieves with Ripley for Newt. For me that's a very important part of the film. Just a shame how it was handled is all.
Ha! I know you +Vegeta8300 :-P I'm surprised Oliver didn't mention Neil Blomkamp's still in-production Aliens movie that is said to ignore Alien 3 & 4 and include Hicks and Newt; all grown up obviously. The concept artwork he did for it were so good and created so much buzz they gave him the green light.
It the same thing I had with terminator salvation and Genesys I could tell what they were trying to do, but they screwed it up in the delivery. I don't ignore alien 3, but I don't consider it the true alien 1&2!
Well I discussed Neil's intended sequel in my ALIENS review and did a separate podcast a while back, i didn't want to repeat myself again bringing up the same subject :)
I remember this one being so hard to find on VHS later in the 90's. Alien and Aliens were very common tapes to own, and Resurrection had been released so that was everywhere, but 3 was like the forgotten child of the group and I looked for it everywhere and loved it when I finally got to see it. Like you, this one also holds a place in my heart.
I got my tape of it in 2001 and it stayed with me Assembly cut is much better though
Vincent is a Savant.
David is a Genius.
Alien 3 is a masterpiece just like Alien 1.
All the negativity and sourness in Alien 3 comes from killing of Hicks.
The negativity comes from the fact the studio got involved and ruined the director's vision. Was heavily cut, rushed and hardly any deaths were on camera or were sound bited in
Miserable film
@@dylanrhoads it’s a horror film , not a Disney movie
This movie is underrated...
I love Alien 3. Dont give any fucks
At least it's better than Prometheus and Covenant
@@lordcthulhu627 Shut up
@@lordcthulhu627 I think it is disrespectful to even compare. It is like comparing Godfather to Snakes on the Plane.
Or overrated depending on how you look at it.
"But even with this new direction, once the alien bursts out of Spike, it's HUGE!" :D
Brilliant job once again, Mr Harper! Although flawed, as you discuss, this installment holds a special place in my heart, as it was the first Alien film I also saw as a young kid.
Cheers from Norway
Thanks buddy!
Dear Oliver, your retrospectives are fantastic. I can't believe how many there are, especially given how much effort you must put into them. I watched your Alien 3, and it rekindled an old love I had for this movie. Just watched the extended edition for the first time - thanks for reminding me that this movie isn't so bad after all. All the best.
3 great movies, 3 great directors! And everybody is going his own way with the franchise!
But man, it killed me when i first saw Hicks and Newt are dead at the beginning after that rollercoaster ride in Aliens! 😢😢😢
I was never sold on Aliens 3 mainly because they killed off Hicks and Newt. Those were two really great characters that we as fans became very invested in from Aliens. It was such a disappointment for them not to be used again. I wish the studio would've gotten James Cameron to direct again and used some of the writers from Aliens. No disrespect to David Fincher and the writers of Aliens 3. I just didn't like the turn that they took with the whole prison back drop and destroying all of the heart of Aliens. I guess they tried to keep fans like me pleased by having Ripley reconnect Bishop and consult with him although he asks to be disconnected again. I might give Aliens 3 another chance though. I've truly loved the whole Alien story since I was a little kid.
@@TamTam-qe1hr hicks and newt surviving Aliens is a mistake in itself.
Ripley is alone against the Alien. It’s her vs the bitch.
Alien3 was a correction of this mistake.
It hit hard that Hicks died but I loved it, it wouldn’t have worked keeping them alive.
With the queen not bursting through Ripley's chest, the offer that Bishop makes is a real offer. She can have a life. But she chooses to sacrifice herself for humanity instead. In the theatrical, there's no real choice. She's dead anyway, and the rescue team could never have taken it from her in time. The reason it was added, I believe, was to provide some iconic Alien imagery to distinguish the ending from the ending of Terminator 2 which had just come out. It's much better in the Assembly Cut. Ripley cradling the baby queen was so silly. Chestbursters cause immense pain and convulsions, but Ripley just peacefully grabs it. It never made much sense.
she grabbed the queen so she could not escape,it`s the only way to be sure...
Omega Rugal
Yes but I don't find that very realistic. Look how Kane was convulsing. By the time the alien burst through his chest he was too dead to grab anything. And here we're talking about a huge queen!
You're probably right, but one thing you can say about the xenomorphs is that there's a great deal of variety in the way they breed and the physical forms they take. I guess it's possible that the process wouldn't have been equally traumatic each time, and unlike Kane, Ripley knew what was happening. But yes, still more likely to be an inconsistency.
That's an excellent point - I hadn't considered the similarity between the endings of Terminator 2 and Alien 3 before. Presumably it was a coincidence, as the films were made at pretty much the same time.
In the comic she snaps it's neck as it bursts out. Something that I don't think made it into the film.
Charles Dutton was so badass in that speech scene at the end
I was quite partial to his bit in the funeral scene myself. Just watched it again today and it really got me.
Its hard to pick one, but this may be your best Retro Rev yet! Excellent!
"The legend that is Charles Dance..." nice
Absolutely amazing retrospective, has made me buy the extended cut straight away. Always thought it was underrated so I'm really excited to see the extra scenes and documentary to.
Damn that monks on wooden planet idea sounds cool
Yeah... this shows that Studio CEOs and such useless people have no reason to be in the film industry and try force THEIR opinions into the already-meddled-with mess... geez, I guess we should have a bank CEO tell a carpenter how to correctly lay in a floor in a house, yes? that's how it works after all..... XI
I think this is a really good movie, or at least the Assembly Cut is. Far better than the mess that is Alien Resurrection.
Thank you Oliver for another excellent Retrospective/Review.
I love smoking a big spliff and watching these retrospectives. Well done once again, Mr. Harper!
No matter if you hate the movie, you can't criticise the soundtrack, it's friggin awesome!!
Alien 3 is a masterpiece. No I'm not kidding. I love it.
True fans do mate
I watched it on bluray and on VHS side by side the other day. VHS is so much better. But that aside, I love this movie on any format
I wouldn't call it a masterpiece personally, but I think that they succeeded in making a very enjoyable movie despite the nightmare of its development
I just rewatched it. Fucking fantastic film.
While I could never say with a straight face that Alien3 is better than Aliens, I can say that I prefer it to Aliens. Aliens is a fantastic action film but Alien3 always felt to me more like a sequel to Alien while Aliens, in my mind when watching all three back to back, feels like it should be the climax to the series. It's a odd franchise in regards to each one having it's own thing going for it, Alien with its flat out tension/horror, Aliens with its flat out action, Alien3 with its crushing feeling of dread and drepressing tone, and resurrection with its.....with it's....um, feeling of hope that even the worst fucking scripts/ideas can get funding and be made? I got nothing for that one.
Love the reviews dude, you have become one of my favourite reviewers along with Razorfist. Keep them coming and I'll keep watching!
Alien Resurrection with its dark humor :)
yeah I was thinking of that today, all the alien movies are distinct and yeah alien 3 does feel more like a sequel to the first one.
lunatiksAlterEgo alien resurrection is s crime to the series.
lunatiksAlterEgo shut up
9th Doctor (Golic) becomes War Doctor (Kane)
Really appreciate what you do Oliver. The behind the scenes details especially.
I remember watching this for the first time on HBO. I was 9 years old. Man this takes me back.
IN the end credits of Aliens, you have to listen to the very very end. What you'll hear is the sound of a facehugger scurrying around or and egg opening up. The sound is unmistakable. James Cameron left that easter egg there deliberately to set up some sort of sequel. And like the badly damaged Bishop said in Alien3, the company had always known that there was an egg on the board the whole time. I theorize that it was Bishop who carried the eggs aboard.
youtubeuser Yes!
How? When? We know for sure he didn't get one from the hive since we see Ripley down there the whole time and she burns a bunch of them. We know that it is also impossible to get one from the Derlict as well since there is not enough time to get there, get a egg, take it back to the Sulaco and then come back to save Ripley. Again it is impossible for that egg to be on the Sulaco. It' just not possible. The Queen ripped off her egg sack and she didn't have one with her when she chased Ripley or attacked them on the Sulaco. It's just not possible from any way. The whole bullshit from David Giler is that you just have to ignore and accept there is a egg on the Sulaco is bullshit and if I ever met him in person I would tell him that. It's bullshit. They spent zero time or gave zero fucks about the story at all. They just wanted to make another film to make money and it shows. When Cameron did the sequel he actually gave a shit about the story and wasn't in it for the money. Same with the original, Ridley did it more for the love of the story than make money even though the studio only did the original basically to cash in off the success of their movie Star Wars.
"The ship is on its way! ETA: Sixteen minutes!"
So yeah, Bishop wouldn't have had the time or opportunity to do this.
The queen left an egg in the dropship.
@@1701spacecadet , when? We are with the queen the entire time she is on the Sulaco. At no point did she go squirt out an egg and stick it somewhere on the Sulaco. You are entitled to opinions, but you are not entitled to make up stuff that clearly did not happen.
I liked alien 3. Yes it could have been better by going further into its themes. But it also could have been a lot worse. Not many movie series end on a depressing bad note. Sometimes life is a big bag of s••t and there are no happy endings.
Not the best Alien movie but my favourite , keep up the great work.
One of the most unfairly unappreciated movies ever. There is so much to love about A3.
Like what??
Frankly Prometheus and Covenant are underrated af. Alien 3 deserves all of the hate it receives
Alien War was amazing! I went in 1994, I was 12, I was the biggest Alien fan and it is still one of the best experiences of my life. Was so terrifying as a 12 year old, even got to see a hypersleeper and a Alien Queen model from Aliens in the "museum" outside the entrance to the main event! Never really liked Alien 3 at the time, but I appreciate it a bit more now, for sure it's much better than what we have had in the preceding 25-30 years of the series.
Another spot on review Oliver and I would also like thank you for finally doing one based on this film since I had been requesting it a lot in the past.
I mostly agree and respect many of the points you made on both the positive and negative aspects of the movie though I don't have have the same nostalgia or appreciation for the film as you do.
I own both cuts of Alien 3 as they are part of my Blu-Ray collection of the Alien series but sadly it's just there collecting dust and rarely gets watched along with "Alien Resurrection".
I do respect the people behind the production who were clearly trying to make a good movie. It’s sad that they we're let down heavily by 20th Century Fox who are in fault of the film's quality.
Despite my negative views on the film, I might look at the directors cut in the near future.
Watched the Assembly Cut for the first time today and loved it. Didn't hate the theatrical but the AC adds SO MUCH MORE to it.
I absolutely agree (as I think does everyone) that the killing of Charles Dance, who establishes himself very strongly and with great skill as a decent man and strong ally, robs the film of what might have been its emotional heart: someone basically good that Ripley can trust and care for, and who cares for her, and leaves the film charging towards a nihilistic ending that doesn't matter since Ripley is basically alone in the universe and careless of her own death.
It was also very nice to see a couple onscreen who were both grimly attractive, mature and intelligent, a rarity in an industry when men are frequently paired with women half their age, and women play the others of men who are two years younger than they are.
I was 10 years old when it was released and it’s been my favourite in the franchise ever since
Fincher may hate his own Film, but truly fans of the Franchise Loves this movie (The extended Version).....is the perfect Finale, and a worthy one for the Alien Franchise....and the music?, must be the best of the whole saga, nice to hear a so deep analisis of this Gem
While it has its flaws, I don't think killing off 2/3 of the surviving cast is one of them. This ties into your uncertainty over Fincher's goals, which I think are somewhat apparent. It immediately set up the grim, nihilistic nature of the film, while doing a good job of carrying on the series' theme. The Alien has always represented sexual trauma. While the second film focused on the motherhood angle (most likely because it was based on an existing Cameron script that was adapted to be an Alien sequel), Alien 3 returns to the original theme and now has extremely heavy overtones of unwanted pregnancy, abortion, and religion's place in the scenario. It paints a dark character study of a survivor of sexual trauma unable to move on because of an unwanted pregnancy, struggling with and against the religious convictions of those around her. There's also a heavy motif of immaculate conception (tying into the mystery of how she was impregnated), coupled with corrupted imagery of Christ in the finale - now it's Mary cruciform and sacrificing herself for the good of the world to abort an unholy child. It could have been done better for sure, but given what Fincher had to endure it's frankly amazing that it remains watchable and the performances are amazing.
Plus Elliot Goldenthal's score was hands-down amazing. You stated you'd have a hard time listening to it independent of the film, which I don't find to be a negative aspect. Within the scope of the film, the outstanding set design and direction dovetail with the score and give it a great impact. I'd have never thought a brass section could set the mood of an Alien film but Goldenthal more than pulled it off.
I agree that Alien 3 isn't scary per-se, though it does have it's moments, like when Golic is splattered with Boggs' blood in the tunnels and the gore covered xeno SNEERS at him. But Alien 3 is almost unique in the sense that it is so relentlessly bleak that when I watch it I get an uneasy feeling in my guts. It took 20 years for another film to do that to me (the original Martyrs). So, while not frightening, it is so imbued with dread and doom that it is the only Alien flick I have a genuine visceral reaction to.
...unless you count my disgust at Alien:Resurrection. ;)
The first two are genre masterpieces, sure, but I adore Alien 3 (sp.ed) and I tend to watch it the most in the Quad. Excellent acting, dialogue, atmosphere, and musical score. The film is nihilistic and bleak, but I appreciate this ending to Ripley's tragic arc the best.
Nicely said!
+Oliver Harper Thanks!
+Oliver Harper are going to review the 4th alien review?
1 reason y i love your channel: u give a moderate amount of information: I've seen some channels giving too little or too much info. Apparently it's a delicate balance
I absolutely love the atmosphere of A3. Mining convict planet just works imo
Alien 3 gets a bad wrap mostly from those who just wanted Aliens 2.5 all over again.
Oliver, who did that stunning artwork on your thumbnail?
The best looking of all the alien films.
Why Alien 3 Worked Best for me out of all the Sequels: It wasn't about a full 'Gun Blazing' Hero story for Ripley. It was the anguish. The torment that the Alien would always be there. The end of Alien had to come at a severe cost of her life, the lives of people she loved and the ones that found redemption in a prison fighting for their lives. The score is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!! When you hear it then you know that this is a 'No Win' film and that the only way to end it was by sacrificing herself and the line of Alien with her in a sad but victorious orchestral piece. I don't care what people think of my opinion but this hit home for me and I give it a 5/5. Great video as always Oliver
You left out the best part of the montage!!! On a personal note. I grew up very poor my mother and I had to walk our recyclables to the dump then back across town then home to watch the movie on VHS... Rented from the local liquor store up the street and I was too scared to watch it. Born in 84... I ain't much for begging
Excellent video.
Alien 3 (Assembly Cut) is a fucking masterpiece !!!
I always liked Alien 3, and felt it was more of a sequel to Alien than Aliens in tone and atmosphere. Love the cast of the prisoners and the action sequence when they try to trap the alien in the smelter is one of the best and most exciting moments in the entire franchise.
Great retrospective!
This film was gritty, brutal, and lacks all hope. I like it.
25 years on and FINCHER is still sooking. Did he really think he would get total creative control over his first picture?
Vanity is definitely my favorite sin.
"this thing is reallly pissed off!" LOL
I wish Vincent Ward gets more directing work in the future. Having seen all of his films, the guy is a true visionary.
You mean Vincent Ward not Price ;)
Oliver Harper Haha, I was out of it when I wrote that.
You are an extremely well worded man, a gifted communicator. Keep doing what you’re doing, it’s great work.
After seeing the assembly cut years ago this became my favorite of the first 3 - I love the style and tone of it.
The assembly cut is my favorite Alien movie
"No problem. Quick, easy and painless"
Excellent review dude great job.
I can’t fathom the hate for this movie. I honestly think it’s the most underrated film I know of.
Oliver, I want to thank you for your diligence and passion when it comes to these retrospective reviews as you are clearly enjoying yourself in doing these videos while also providing us with an incredible amount of detail in such a short timespan. I'm the kind of person who truly enjoys the "how and why" things are the way they are and have a bit of personal experience with it in amateur film. I was cast in a Terminator fan film as a smaller infiltrator-type Terminator with a smaller chassis after serving as an advisor to my friends making the film due to my knowledge of how fights work. Sadly, the film was scrapped due to it getting to be too much with other obligations taking priority and no footage remains. Still, it was an interesting experience even if it wasn't always fun and I gained a better appreciation for the actors in cinema since their work is very difficult and not everyone can do it well so I don't get as upset at their salaries due to basic economics: if a trait is in demand but hard to acquire, then it will cost more.
On topic for this video... Alien 3 is a film I enjoy. It's rough around the edges and is rather bleak which is counter to how most film trilogies are done. Typically, the first film is rough but has a hopeful/happy ending, the second film is darker and more soul crushing in tone or has a bittersweet ending, while the third is far more polished and has the final happy ending. Obviously, I'm using Star Wars Episodes IV-VI as my basis, but in stage theatre, the trend is very similar as a rule. With the Alien franchise, it starts bleak, goes into a more hopeful act (granted Aliens was still very bleak, but even though the Marines died, we at least had a fighting chance at fighting back effectively once we developed better tactics), and then crushes your soul in the end. That sequence is very interesting to me and the theme of "we're fucked, hey maybe we can get out of this, goddamn it, we're still fucked" is enjoyable in a dark "we're gonna die no matter what we do, it's up to us to choose where and how" way.
As for Resurrection, I see it as a campy "what if" scenario and don't take it seriously. That mentality allows me to even enjoy watching Resurrection. In the example given by Ben "Yahtzee"Croshaw of Zero Punctuation: if you keep your expectations low, you will be pleasantly surprised while if you get hyped up over everything, you're in for eventual disappointment. A cynical view, but its a better one than having unrealistic expectations. Failing that, there's the tried-and-true "fuck you, I liked it and if you want an explanation why, then go fuck yourself and mind your own business" strategy.
Sorry for the rambling as I've been in the whisky a bit and my natural mode of speak includes the liberal use of the dreaded f-bomb. But to sum up, keep up the brilliant work and I look forward to seeing more in the future.
Saw the movie in '92, bought and read the paperback by Alan Dean Foster, and owned the audiobook cassette set narrated by Lance Henriksen. This film doesn't deserve all the hate from critics because of their personal, "We want more Aliens action," desires. OH! And I believe that Bishop stowed the Alien egg onboard the dropship before he went to pick up Ripley and Hicks before Ripley went to rescue Newt. He was a company droid, after all.
Great review! I love it! Even with some problems, Alien 3 is a great movie. It saddens me that Neill Blomkamp try to remove Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection of the continuity.
Santillan Studios he should though, those 2 movies are trash.
Another fantastic retrospective! Do you get in trouble with UA-cam for copyright with your extended intros?
The film is wonderful because it is the only of the series to focus on emotions and character; loss; mourning; isolation; sorrow... These emotions rule the movie and it's tone throughout... Which is why they kill Dance off mid way, after we grow to really feel for him in the way Ripley is starting to feel for him.
The Alien takes everything from her, and this is the film which shows the emotional impact of that loss, not to mention the "loss of technology" in a science fiction movie.. They emotionally and physically have nothing left. It's pure class.
Well said
That cracking sound when they open Newt's ribs always turns my stomach. A great example of less is more.
I was fortunate enough to visit Alien War in London. Even though it was over 25 years ago I still remember it vividly. The video shown here of the attraction doesn't do it justice as the footage is brightly lit. In reality, it was dark and dim even pitch black at times. The corridors were filled with smoke and fog from dry ice. It was also incredibly loud as the Pulse Rifles genuinely sounded like real guns going off right next to you. I also still wonder how they achieved some of the effects such as seeing 7-foot tall aliens scrambled along walls sideways straight towards you. It was honestly terrifying at times and incredibly intense. It finished with the group you were with literally sprinting down a long corridor being chased by aliens as Colonial Marines were shouting and screaming, blasting away with their rifles right alongside of you. You burst out into 'reality' through a couple of large doors and all stood looking at each other feeling both a bit silly and somewhat shocked at what you'd just experience. An amazing experience that really should be brought back.
The Retrospective Review is well done, but i am tired of hearing Alien 3 had problems and is not a perfect film, no film is perfect if you look at films, there is always going to be things people think could have been done better, everybody thinks different. Alien 3 has the best acting , sets, and tone of all the Alien films. I think the Alien looks great and the way the saliva drips from its mouth is realistic and creepy, its suppose to look like something you really never saw before and it does. The assembly cut is better in the fact that it tells a little more detailed story of some of the characters and broader feel of the environment . The theatrical cut is also great. All of the making of documentary's are excellent and should be viewed as well. I just don't know what David Fincher was trying to do that didn't get done in the final product. What made him so upset with the final film? Unless it was too short, or a specific scene or scene's he wanted a little different .If Fincher could make it all on his own without pressure and people changing his ideas you might even get something worse than what people make it out to be, and if the assembly cut is close to his vision, I am satisfied. I think its just what i said earlier, people think different. If i had to complain, the doctor could have lived longer because he was so good in the movie, but they fleshed out his character so well in the great scene's he was in, his death already meant something to the viewer so it wasn't a waste but more of a shock! The upside down tunnel scene's with the alien chasing people was great camera work and made it more intense and scary! The music and sound was perfect for each scene, and the special effects were above average for the time. I just love this movie !!!
You speak for me in this analysis. Love the look and grim feel and the soaring music. Great video. Thanks.
The bambi burster effect you mention as the best of the rod puppet composite effects was added later on when they made the special edition. It's CGI so it blends better than the awkward compositing effects in the rest of the film.
Always happy when I find more people that like Alien 3, it's doesn't live up to the hype after Aliens but as it's own movie it's awesome.
Alien war is so awesome I go every year and it's only a 15 min bus journey for me. Its a must for an fan of the franchise
I watched the workprint edition for the first time earlier this year, having only seen the original when I was very young; it's actually way way better than I expected, almost on par with the first two and has such a great style and tense feel throughout.
For a long time this was actually my favourite Alien movie and it still holds a special place in my heart. I understand the negative criticisms directed towards the movie, but iI just love the depressing tone the film has, which in my opinion really is the spirit of Alien. I don't want a happy ending of Ripley, I know that sounds harsh but I really love how they put her through the ringer in this. Fantastic movie
Also Dillon's speech before the climax is amazing.
'I say fuck that thing lets fight it'. I always loved that speech too
who remembers the kenner figures 😂
Fucked up how R-rated films got toys
I had the ripley figure and a bull alien it went on all fours.
I went to Alien War in London back in the early 90s. I loved it. Still have a souvenir sweatshirt actually
"The legend that is Charles Dance..." PREACH! A legend indeed...
I'm the only person on planet earth who prefers Alien 3 over Aliens (the first Alien being my favourite), despite the fact that it is a little bit of a mess. Its claustrophobic and bleak athmosphere is much closer to the franchise's horror roots than the overblown action in Aliens. The final act does fall flat, though, when the group starts fighting the alien it stops being scary.
It's a shame the people making the film couldn't agree with each other on anything. You can clearly see it was a messy production and the special effects can look pretty bad.
Also never understood why some people praise some of the original scripts over the finished product. The wooden monk planet thing always sounded rather rubbish to be.
I love alien 3