ALIEN 4K Review & Complete Alien Collection + 4K vs 35mm Print
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- Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
- Ridley Scott's 1979 masterpiece 'Alien' reviewed on 4K UHD Blu-ray plus 35mm, 16mm, Super 8, LaserDisc, DVD and VHS. Picture ratio is 2.40:1 and sound is 5.1 DTS-HD. Also, 40 years of collecting Alien memorabilia, models, magazines and toys including collectables from the Alien Sequels 'Aliens', 'Alien 3' and 'Alien Resurrection'. Plus, how well does the 4K compare to my 2003 Director's Cut 35mm theatrical release print? All will be revealed!
Why wasn't your channel recommended to me earlier? 4K, Blu-ray, LaserDisc, Super-8 and 35mm! Everything I love in one neat package. Perfect Home Cinema. Subscribed!
Lovely to hear from you Nummer6. And great to have you with me.
John.
I was thinking the same, I don´t have a single 4k disc or even a 4k TV and i´m watching a bunch of these videos.
@@darkambience i m just like you, no 4k equipment at all lol 😆 but love the channel.
@@moviecollector5920 I REALLY must get you to watch the assembly cut of Alien 3. It’s 45 minutes longer and is a superior piece of work that only a true Alien aficionado would appreciate. At least let that be you remember the film from then on. Just watch it once!
Exactly!
I was 11 when Alien was released, and I convinced my uncle to take me to see it. I'll never forget that night, I was thrilled at this movie, have loved it ever since. This 4k release looks great, and I think I'm gonna give it another spin on my new Panasonic player tonight.
Funnily enough Jeffrey, I fancy giving it another spin myself. Actually I've just re-watched the feature length making of on that double DVD and it's almost as good as the movie itself. A classic in its own right.
John.
No way could I have gotten my parents to take me to Blade Runner when I was 11. People are so soft nowadays.
Awesome uncle!
Alien is one of my favourite movies of all time, I have the quadrilogy on VHS, DVD, Bluray and will get the 4k release when its available. I did get the 4k bluray for my friend and we loved the quality of the disc, I have upgraded my tv to benefit 4k and want to get a nice sound system to go with it to enjoy the film even more.
I too have purchased this film so often Matthew. We must be completely bonkers but there's just something about it and when a genuinely new version of it comes out it always seems so collectable. I think I need therapy!
John.
I have it also on 4k br then😊👍
Please keep making these great videos! I love learning more about film process. This channel is a hidden gem. New subscriber from Mexico. 🎞📽
Thank you so much. It's great to have you with me all the way from Mexico.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 anyone ever tell you sir you strongly resemble the late great Peter Cushing God rest his soul,
@@Dinvadbhatmarathi98 They only seem to tell me that when I'm out of an organized vampire hunt! John.
@@moviecollector5920 ah God bless you you are the closest I'll ever get to see. Peter Cushing God rest his soul,have you seen Exorcist 3 Starring the late George c Scott and Brad dourif, the premise is 15 years after the Mac Neal excorcism murders are taking place which are exactly as the Gemini M.O. of course he has been dead so how is this possible , Detective Kinderman who was played by the late Lee j Cobb is now played by George C Scott has to peice together the mystery
@@Dinvadbhatmarathi98 I only ever saw Exorcist III at the cinema but I thought it was pretty terrific. If I remember correctly it's actually the film version of William Peter Blatty's book sequel to The Exorcist 'Legion'.
John.
What a fascinating video John. Thank you for taking the time to do this. I liked your John Hurt tale.
Thank you for saying so mbvburn and glad you liked it. It did take a few days and even more planning. Had to practically write a script in the end so I wouldn't forget anything.
John.
yes! such good history here!
It doesn't get any better than this, John. Not only do you give a thorough review of the 4K disc, but you also compare it to Super 8 and 35mm.
I've been lucky enough to see the director's cut of Alien projected on 35mm. You're completely right when you say that film is magical in a way that video never will be.
- Erik
Keep up the fabulous work! Thank you for your time. Your friend in the USA.
Thank you as always Ariel.
John.
I'm now a Middle School Technology teacher, but in my 20's I was a theater projectionist. Seeing your 35mm projector running in your home really brought me back, thank you! Nothing compares to actual 35mm and 70mm film!
We are in complete agreement James. I'm pleased to have rekindled some good memories for you too. Thank you for taking the time to let me know about your past life as a projectionist. A magical job that is now all but extinct.
John.
I was also a 35mm projectionist and John's videos are so nostalgic!
I just stumbled upon your great channel and am so glad I did. I can really relate to your saying that Alien was the start of your love of movies. Both Alien and Blade Runner were such jaw dropping theatre experiences. I saw them both on their opening nights here in Canada. Keep up the great work. I would love to see a list of some of your favourite films,
Thank you Mark. I suspect my favourite films are strikingly similar to your own. Alien being the pick of the bunch and Blade Runner up there too along with 2001, The Terminator, Halloween... and Death on the Nile from 1978 - which may be a bit of a surprise to some but I've grown to love that film more and more as the years have gone on largely due to a full length Super 8 print that meant I got to know every little nuance. What a great hobby this has been throughout my life.
John.
John, this may be your best video yet. A fascinating history, that we broadly share. I have owned this movie on VHS. Then your boxed set on Laserdisc. Then DVD, Blu Ray and now 4K UHD. I too saw Alien in 70mm, however it was at the Kinepolis (largest theater in the world back then) in Bruxelles. I now have a 150" 2.35 aspect ratio screen and a JVC 4K projector. Alien looks and sounds sensational. My BluRay is as you described. BTW I was also a projectionist :)
Robert, I think you need to install full Cinerama facilities in your home theatre... and then as soon as this pesky Kung Flu is over I'm coming over!!!
John.
@@moviecollector5920 now you're talking! I visited the Cineramadome in LA many years ago. if you're ever in California it would be a delight to catch up and chat movies. hanging in my kitchen is a signed photo from Ridley Scott where he asks what he has to do to direct one of my productions :)
@@Celestialrob Well you'd better hide that Ridley Scott signed photo when I do get back over again!!!
I think you would like Lawrence of Arabia and Gandhi on 4K, both great transfers. LOA was scanned at 8K and split into 2 4K discs to allow data on disc to relax more. The Columbia Classics 4K is very good, the book that comes with us talks about the restorations on all the movies in the set!
I like the look of that Columbia Classics box. If we can ever get out to HMV again I will take a closer look and see if I can afford to add it to the trolley load that I usually seem to leave the shop with. I only watched LOA a couple of years ago on Blu-ray otherwise I'd have probably jumped in on that 4K box right at the start. A great film.
Yeah it’s a classic, stunning transfers they did amazing work. I struggled to find stock, had to use Amazon US.
I would also like to hear from you about these John!
I used to follow various reviewers, but I always return to John, no others needed, fantastic work.
Very nice of you to say John. There are some good judges of discs out there though and I follow a few of them but make sure I don't watch anything I plan to feature or review because I don't want to risk being influenced. John.
You Sir, are a geek of the first order and I thank you for your service! SUBSCRIBED 🏆🎬🇬🇧
Yep, guilty as charged!
John.
I just ordered Alien in 4K. I can't wait to watch it. This channel is really a gem, thanks for all that you do!
It's a very good 4K Sonny so I think you'll be pleased with it. Just don't expect the sequel to look as good because it doesn't and it won't. Alien Resurrection comes close with image quality but not quite as good and that's because the 1979 film was shot full frame anamorphic 35mm, Aliens I believe was shot matted 1.85:1 35mm and Alien Resurrection was Super 35. They are all 35mm but different formats of 35mm. I don't know which 35mm format was used for the third film but I almost pretend that that film doesn't exist so I've never looked into it.
John.
One of your best reviews to date! 👍
Thank you for saying that. I was rather pleased with it but it took way too much time to put it together. Still, you only get one chance and this was 'Alien' so I had to do my best.
John.
It is interesting to note that in our adolescent years around the world back then (me included) movies such as Aliens has sort of spear headed the home cinema and memorabilia craze in some of us. Back in the day the local cinema projectionist were viewed as superstars for having the privilege to touch and handle the raw films of such block buster movies. Jaws, Star Wars, James Bond, Aliens and Indiana Jones comes to mind. Thanks for sharing John.
They were golden years. Then cinema went into a bit of a decline and was brought back in 1989, the 'Year Of The Bat' at it was known. And we then enjoyed arguably the best years of cinema ever for about the next eight years whereupon a decline set in that has continued to this day. I fear for the future of cinema.
Thanks for commenting Mike.
John.
R.I.P Yaphet Kotto (Parker). November 15th, 1939 - March 15th, 2021.
An unforggettable character in ALIEN. Will be sorely missed.
A great actor. A great villain in the James Bond 'Live and Let Die' in particular.
@@moviecollector5920 Mr. Big/Kananga = great villain and a great actor. I really enjoyed him in 'Midnight Run' :)
R.I.P. Yaphet Kotto
The more I see 'ALIEN' (I´m somewhat obsessed with this classic masterpiece), the more I tend to lean towards Parker as my fav character. Probably in no small part due to the fact that I can see parts of my own personality in Parker.
R.I.P. Yaphet Kotto
@@MrChiffre He certainly was one of the more memorable performances in Alien despite every single performance being outstanding. Mr. Kotto was simply perfect for that part.
@@JohnGClancy Dear John (is everyone on this channel named John:))?
Ay! I second your notion! Luckily; I have his geniune signature on one of my lobby cards for 'ALIEN'! As I have genuine autographs from six out of the seven (eight with Bolaji) actors that starred in this EPIC! Including Sigourney´s!
Sincerely.
I don't think younger audiences realize how incredible experience it was going to a good cinema (pre multi-plex) and seeing a spectacular film like "Alien" on those huge screens, the 20th Century Fox logo projected onto the slowly opening curtains finally drawing and enveloping one into another world. Thank you for this wonderful, meticulous review. What wonderful memories it brought back. Michael - South Africa.
You've brought a tear to my eye there. Thank you so much. Hope things are going well for you down there in South Africa. One day I'll get over to see the filming location of one of my other favourite films - Zulu - and the real Rorke's Drift too. We've just got to beat this damned virus first.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Thank you for the response. The majestic Drakensberg mountains in Kwa Zulu Natal, which formed the backdrop for the brilliant "Zulu", are a sight to behold, and one I hope you will be able to experience one day. We are still in partial lockdown in SA but vaccinations have begun but not on the scale of the UK and mostly to healthcare workers. It will take while for us. Once again thank you for your reviews. It's such a joy to come across a reviewer who understands, and comments, beyond just the film itself. M
@@thelookuplookdown Hopefully 'Zulu' will get a magnificent 4K release one day soon. Although I have to say that the Blu-ray is rather exceptional. Technirama as I recall so that explains that.
John.
This is such a fun video. I’ve watched it a few times now! The ‘95 THX laserdisc is quite fun...they accidentally utilized a soundtrack prepared as a test when 20th Century-Fox was contemplating licensing Universal’s ‘70s Sensurround process. As such, the bass is really a knockout. I go between watching that and this 4K disc. Thanks again for these great vids.
I think you are as big an Alien fan as I am but I never knew that about the accidental test soundtrack. I want to put the laser disc on again but I just don't seem to get as much time as I did when I was younger. Working on a Raimi 'Spider-Man' films review right now so you can expect more 4K, Super 8 and 35mm in that one too.
John.
This was just mind-blowing. I`m saying the same:Why wasn't your channel recommended to me earlier? 4K, Blu-ray, LaserDisc, Super-8 and 35mm! Everything I love in one neat package. Perfect Home Cinema. Subscribed!
That's very nice of you to say Tom - thank you very much. Good to have you with me. Next review should be the 1978 'Superman The Movie' in 4K.
John.
Just the best review ever made! Thanx!
Just the best comment I've ever had. Thankx!
John.
You are my fav Movie Reviewer, I learned about the history of film and the movie.
Thank you so much.
Thank you so much for saying that Bob. It makes me happy to know you enjoyed it.
John.
I can certainly understand the sentiment here, having a similar relationship with the big screen. We have a great deal in common. Great review
Well, maybe if we can resurrect the British Film Collectors Convention in London again next year then we can all get together. I think a few Alien series extracts are called for on film and/or 4K disc. Much to still work out yet but plans are afoot.
Thank you for commenting Simon.
John.
I can't believe this video is 2 years old already! My how time flies...
Anyway, I rewatched Alien last night on my 9 ft wide scope screen and new JVC 4K projector, and all I can say is WOW!!! Honestly, I never fully appreciated this film as much as everyone else does... but after this most recent viewing I have a completely new appreciation for it! Seeing all the amazing details in the set design of the Nostromo, just really sucked me into this movie like never before! It pretty much felt like I was seeing the film for the first time, so I figured I better come back to this video and share my new impressions of it! Cheers!
You've just seen Alien the way I do. I don't so much watch it as look at it. Those opening shops of the interior of the Nostromo are like looking at a great painting and it never stops from there. Thank you for sharing your latest impressions of this Ridley Scott work of art and masterpiece. Blade Runner might be even better to look at in some respects. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Yeah, that shot when the lights slowly come on in the chamber where the crew are sleeping, looked absolutely amazing in 4K HDR on the larger screen! Also, I watch Blade Runner a few weeks ago and the quality of the image is unbelievable!
Absolutely fantastic presentation! Honestly best home cinema content on youtube, your care and passion for the medium is clear, infectious, and really helps bring in younger people like myself who want to learn more about appreciating this world. If at all possible I would love to hear your thoughts on Cinema Paradiso and hear your review of both the film and it's various releases.
I meant to get Cinema Paradiso when it was release Christian but I just haven't managed to get that sorted yet. I think the cost is a bit of a factor given all the bargains that HMV are offering to tempt me elsewhere. But yes, I expect to do something on Paradiso and now that you've asked, how can I say "no"!
Next review will be [hopefully] an education on Superman The Movie and the controversial 4K transfer. I've just completed it so will get it up in the next day or two.
Keep well.
John.
I 100% agree!
Great review, my 7 year old daughter enjoyed it and is counting down the years until she is 18 to watch aliens, great collection of all the formats.
Cor, imagine being 7 years old and having to wait to see Alien. I was 14 at the time it was released and that was torture enough. But it did mean that I had a fascination for the film that has stayed with me all my life and the reason why I cite it as my favourite film. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I said she can watch it when she is 15.... She is also fascinated by sci-fi.
@@columcreaven8860 15 is the right age Colum. I wonder what she'd think of Silent Running. John.
Silent running, I have yet to see that from my recollection, I will have a look, thanks for the recommendation.
@@columcreaven8860 That was my most recent review video Colum so take a look at that and see if you fancy it.
I've just found you! And guess what I'm going nowhere.
Fantastic 🤝
Good to have you here Dane. I'm currently working on a 'Superman The Movie' 4K review so if all goes well I'll get that shot, edited and uploaded soon... but these videos always seem to take longer than expected once I get into them.
John.
I was very happy to find your channel this evening, Im a huge ALIEN fan as well, I first came across the film as a 7 year in a department store and had my dad buy me the ALIEN movie viewer by Kenner, which was a 1 min 12 second short of the film, since then it has become one of my favorite films. I admire that in your reviews, you also include the memorabilia that you collected as well, and the insight on the different viewings of the film through the years, your hands down my favorite film reviewer and am looking forward on watching many more of your videos.
I never heard of the Kenner viewer with Alien within. Do you still have it? Those Kenner toys were actually Super 8 viewers so I expect the little real of film has faded a bit pink by now but what a piece of history! I nearly purchased a Kenner viewer during a skiing trip to Breckenridge in the 1990s one time but I didn't as there weren't any particularly good titles as I recall. If I saw them on sale in a shop today I think I'd probably clear them out but Super 8 was still thriving back in the 90s.
Good to have you with me here. We ran the 4K of The Matrix last night but it's nothing to shout about. Might work out a way of doing a video review though because I know it's a popular film and many people have asked me to do it.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Unfortunately no, my viewer is long gone lol, Kenner also made viewers for Star Wars back in 1977, such a great idea at the time. There are great collectible pieces.
I remember seeing The MATRIX on a large screen in 1999 and was blown away by it, however as groundbreaking it was then, I am not such a big fan of it now, I don't think it holds up very well. I really like its ideas and concepts though, and I hope the MATRIX 4 will be surprisingly good when it comes out this year.
Hello John, Another excellent review of a modern day masterpiece, I didn't see this in widescreen until the mid nineties VHS Fox widescreen collection. The resolution was appalling! Just going back to Alien 3, what drives me up the wall about this film, is that when it was released at the cinema, myself and countless others were very disappointed. Fast forward 10 years after Fincher had made Seven, Fight club, etc and everyone was saying it didn't seem quite as bad. The extended directors cut is better, but it's still a long way off Alien and Aliens. Rant over!
The extended cut has been recommended to me by a few people so I will take a look sometime. Somehow I doubt I'll still be able to get past the downbeat tone of the film, particularly after the struggle the survivors went through towards the end of Aliens to then be killed off during the opening titles of Alien 3. That was not the best start. But I do think Fincher is a top class director even if Alien 3 was not the best of starts. Not entirely his fault though.
John.
Awesome video! Just watched Alien 1 recently on 4K and going neck deep into all information and lore I could find, glad to see your video on the top!
Morning Cloudy. I hope things are going well with you over there and you're still dreaming up great IMAX videos for us to enjoy. This Alien video was something people were asking me for from almost the time I started the Movie Collector channel. I resisted for a while but then I thought I'd take a look at the 4K as a means of talking about my own history with the film. I went to bed the night I uploaded it feeling that I'd nailed it with this video and woke up in the morning to an explosion of comments and a few days of up to 700 new subscribers in a day. What happened was that the success of this video caused people to find my 2001 A Space Odyssey video from a few months before and it took me a while to work out that was what had happened. An extraordinary time. I couldn't get away from the keyboard for a few days.
John.
This is gold. I can only imagine how much time it took you to put this video together. Incredible.
I was surprised to hear you have only watched Alien 3 only the once. I too, strongly disliked it greatly on release but found some peace with it through the assembly cut.
Many others have recommended the Assembly Cut RayDon so I will give it a try. Thank you.
John.
Wow...this material is gold. This man really knows his stuff.
Thanks Gloxtream. Alien has been something special to me since it first appeared in 1979.
@@moviecollector5920 Thank you. By the way....Do you know about this movie but the full collection in ultra 4k ???
@@Gioxtream I've heard that Aliens has been authored as a 4K disc so it could be any time. Don't know about the other two.
Great review! I just wanted to say, give Alien 3 another go. The producer's Cut adds a lot of reverence, it becomes a suedo Seven (Fincher's next picture) -and the blu-ray looks great!
Also, I think you would love The Ladykillers - restored from the original 3 strips of the technicolor camera negatives, the last film to use the three-strip process in England, after they stopped in 1955!
Best film on the format, haha hopefully you'll see!
Keith at Euphoria Pictures cited the Producer's Cut of Alien 3 just last week so I will take a look. Maybe I'll wait for a 4K release if one is in the pipeline. The Ladykillers is a great film and as I haven't seen it for years I'll pick it up when we can finally get out again. I rather fancy spending an hour or so going through the shelves of HMV... which is always an expensive process!
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Haha I know your pain there! I cant wait to have a browse in HMV myself, best way to discover new things - That's how I discovered Dario Argento's Cinema -
ps. Suspiria 4k Blu ray is a US-only release (but region free), you have never seen anything as colorful or dynamic. It truly was the best 4k of 2020
@@zakbrown8346 Never seen 'Suspiria'. Actually I might have done years ago but I watched so many horror movies as an adolescent that I overdid it a bit and lost a lot of interest in them. But I might take a look at 'Suspiria' sometime simply because so many people are telling me it's a good 'un.
John.
Wow, what a review. I just stumbled upon this after watching some bloke called Shane Lee chattin bout bells n whistles for the 4k release and felt he completely missed the point. Thank you for sharing you'r cinema experiences with us and how this relates to the 35mm release. You clearly put a lot of effort into your review and have a huge passion for quality cinema. Much respect!
The reason I started this channel was because I couldn't find anyone reviewing video discs who had any or much knowledge of film. I certainly couldn't find anyone who had 35mm projection capabilities. If Aliens ever comes out at a 4K UHD disc it will be a good excuse to go through this whole process again. I don't have it on 35mm but I have two copies on Super 8 and I also have Alien Resurrection on 35mm. I've never seen the fourth film on anything other than film and it looks wonderful which I'm told it doesn't on any video releases up to now. Maybe a 4K will restore how impressive that film looked in 1997.
John.
Great film and a fascinating review. I think I'll stick with the Blu Ray copy for now. I bought the Alien 6 film boxset at HMV for £11, 4 years ago, and I thought the BR copy was amazing compared to the DVD, a huge improvement... especially with 4k TV and player. I have, however, recently picked up the 4k of Alien Covenant and the quality blew me away, outstanding.
The 4K of Alien is immediately, perceptibly better than the THX Blu-ray Adrian like you, I have so many copies of this film it does get a bit tiresome picking up a new video version every few years. 'Alien Covenant' was great on Blu-ray in terms of picture quality but I think the film was very good for the first hour and then lost its way. 'Prometheus' too was a bit of a struggle for me at times. Neither film has spoiled the original for me though so that's good.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Sadly I think the newer Alien films display a problem that Ridley Scott has in either picking scriptwriters or meddling too much in what they write.
It seems like out of all his films of the last decade the best ones were already written before he came on board as director.
The Martian especially shows just how well Scott can still perform with a ready to go script.
Knowing this I would say for god sake don't let him near any future films until the script is done.
@@mnomadvfx I expect that the people who work for him now are in awe and therefore agree with everything he says. That certainly wouldn't have happened in his early days. But The Martian was a great film. And that Gladiator thing wasn't bad either!?! Gawd, that man has directed some great films so I think we'll forgive him some of the excesses of Prometheus and Covenant. For me, Alien stands on its own and nothing that came after has detracted from it.
John.
I must say, I love your videos. This is a very unique channel, I don't think we have this kind of information anywhere else. Thank you so much!
I've been projecting film in the home for over 50 years now. Well, I suppose in the early days I had to rely on ol' dad to do the projecting and then my brother took over but I'm the only one that ended up so obsessed that it's carried on to this day. It has given me a pretty good understanding and then getting so involved with the British Film Collectors Conventions gave me the chance to learn from some of the great film editors that we also part of the organizing team. The knowledge of film history some of these people have is unsurpassed but their from a different generation and we don't have them running channels on UA-cam so I suppose it's fallen to me.
John.
That was a knockout, great video! I’ve got Alien on original DVD that I never watched. I’ve interested to know your opinions on The Elephant Man as movie John? I bought the 4K recently, great film.
Thank you Danny. Elephant Man is one I will be getting on 4K. I don't think I've seen it since it's original cinema release so it's about bloomin' time I took another look I thought it was a great film then and I don't think my opinion will change. It was released full length on Super 8 by Derann in a fabulous 'Scope print but I stupidly never bought a copy.
John.
you have alien on dvd but you have never seen the movie!???
I’ve seen Alien the movie, never bothered watching the dvd I purchased.
@@danboy77 that dvd got to be very old by now. you should upgrade to at least the blu ray version and while you're at it why not aliens which is one of my all time favorite films.
@@funkmachine9094 Did you actually watch this video? If you did then maybe you should pay more attention. Ha
My favourite UA-cam channel. Keep up the excellent work John. You are appreciated!
Thank you for the comments today Aemond. They all help to get my channel noticed. John.
@@moviecollector5920 always welcome John. I’ve ordered this disc. Can’t wait. Love sigourney lol.
Excellent review John! Fantastic movie, hope you are well!
Apart from a headache from spending way too much time working on this review Umar I think I'm doing alright. Well, I don't seem to have a facehugger on my face so no imminent chestburster is likely today anyway!
John.
I could listen to you talk all night. Your knowledge is amazing. Your passion flows like a river. The only downside to watching your fabulous reviews and experience’s is the cost. I nearly alway end up buying the 4K movie you reviewed. Keep it up. Thanks for the education too.
To make you feel better, the Super 8 print of Alien was £300 in 1992. Just try not to spend too much... which is something I keep telling myself but it never seems to work. Glad you like the videos Swansong and thanks for letting me know. John.
Another brilliant dive into the UHD movie. Interesting story about meeting Mr Hurt as well. I would love to see this in the cinema, we did have the chance to see Blade Runner and that was really magical, I can only expect Alien must be a similarly special experience. What made Alien and Aliens special to me was for me it was the first movie that really showed how working and being on a space ship could be in the future, plus of course the quite realistic depiction of meeting another alien organism that well does not play nice! It was also great to see such a strong female characters. We need more strong female leads.
Jane Fonda was always my favourite leading lady. Something to do with seeing Barbarella as an adolescent I think but as it turned out, she was - and still is - a great actress. Bumped into her at the National Film Theatre a few years after Mr. Hurt. Had some memorable times back then. Sigourney Weaver was the other 'Alien' star who did an on stage interview and that was during the 1997 London Film Festival. I didn't get to speak to her but we did say "hello" in the lobby. Another great actress.
John.
thanks for the wonderful detail and colorful backstory. I recently saw the film theatrically for the first time 45th anniversary release and enjoyed it very much. The grand scale of the set design really flourishes and shines on the big screen, much brighter than my decade old dvd release. I look forward to seeing it again in 5 years for the 50th anniversary haha. cheers!
I've been preparing my latest 35mm projector for a screening of the film again and today I ran a reel of Star Trek X which I'll run again to make sure all is well with everything. Then I might just stick on the opening reel of Alien and see how I get on with that. The Dolby Digital decoding from the new projector into the Dolby CP500 processor has been causing some issues but no issues today with Star Trek X. I'm hopeful the digital track on Alien is okay all the way through as I've never had the equipment for Dolby Digital before. The Dolby Stereo 4 track is excellent though so it won't be the end of the world.
Glad you enjoyed this video. I made it about three and a half years ago but it doesn't feel like that long. My channel exploded shortly after it was uploaded and for a while I couldn't work out what had happened but thankfully it all settled down again otherwise I'd have spent all day, everyday at the keyboard.
John.
I've just recently discovered your video reviews, and am absolutely enthralled by them. Such a rarity to hear from an obviously long time movie fan on UA-cam, where most collectors started just 5-10 years ago and often don't really have the scope and experience.
I, myself, have been a collector for 23 years, since the first days of DVD (didn't have many VHS and was too young, so don't count those), and sure glad to see someone with more insight.
Thank you very much for the time you take to make these videos, you deserve more subscribers, and I will be waiting for more!
Thank you very much Lenny. I've started researching a 4K review of Ad Astra which I hope to have out sometime in the next week. They tend to take four or five days to put together now but I think they're worth it in the end. Comments like yours are certainly encouragement to carry on. Shame you were too young for the Super 8 adventure of the late 70s and early 80s that was the start of the home cinema boom.
John.
This upload shows why geeks are so brilliant and add so much colour to our society. You rock, mate!
Alien became a bit of an obsession when I was young and that I think was because I was too young to be allowed into the cinema to see it. I still love the film as much as ever today though.
John.
I'm glad this channel popped up in my recommendations.
I'm glad you found me Mr. Duck! John.
Fantastic video again John. I absolutely share your passion for this film. I first saw it on the big screen as a 1st year undergraduate in London back in 1979/80 and promptly went out and bought as much literature on the film that I could find at the time. Like you, I own many versions of the film as well as various models of the Alien (boys and their toys, I know) and it certainly rates in my Top Five films of all time. I am also a great John Hurt fan - I highly rated him in The Elephant Man, Midnight Express and his portrayal of Stephen Ward in Scandal. Extremely envious of your meeting him - what a great memory for you. :-)
I think we're two of a kind Dave. There's just somethiing about this film that has had an effect on so many of us. If it came out today it wouldn't be the same but so many films were influenced by this one I wonder if we'd have ever seen another film like it anyway.
John.
Your passion is so great to see and makes me really appreciate your delivery of the content.
Thank you and I'll be sticking around for more!
Thank you Not. This Alien video resulted in an explosion of interest in my channel about 24 hours later. It was shocking at the time but things settled down after about a week and have been ticking on nicely ever since. I've got my Alien Special Edition double sided quad poster in the light box in our cinema right now so if you watch the latest video or two you'll see it behind me. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I'll get through them all eventually. Really happy to have UA-cam recommend this channel, you deserve the attention (and more)!
I love your Alien War T-Shirt. Not many fans even know about this movie attraction. I was lucky to see it in London and it was one of the best experiences I've ever had.
I went through it four or five times and I think I purchased that sweatshirt on a special night when it was closed to the public. Terrific fun every time.
John.
Thank you for your channel. I found it yesterday and spent the better part of the day watching all your videos.
Thank you for taking the time to let me know Adam. It seems that quite a few people are now enjoying what I've done on here so far.
John.
Thanks- John, it’s clear that this a special film for you. Very enjoyable to hear your story.
Thank you Simon. I had to get this one right as it's not likely I'll ever get a second chance. Then again, Aliens is due out in 4K soon!!! John.
Someone more obsessed with Alien than me. Thank you so much for sharing your excellent coverage.
My pleasure!
John.
I never said in my initial comment what a fan I am of Alien. I still remember seeing it the first time; must have been 1980, one village over in a small, rickety old cinema and being scared out of my wits! This will be one of, if not THE first film I see on my forthcoming 4k tv; hopefully later this year. This or Blade Runner; I have them both on 4k, waiting for that day.. I sometimes start the film, and watch the credits with the fabulous score, the pan through the ship, the rogue message and the crew waking with the score swirling into a beautiful major key; it's all I need to get the feel of the film filling me up again. Another superb review, and I loved the walkthrough of your different versions of the film and memorabilia; thank you! Your videos are without a doubt, the best online.
Thank you very much Sir. I had to get this video right because Alien has been a fundamental part of why I'm such a film enthusiast. I remember feeling rather pleased with the end result at the time and it gradually kick started this channel into what it is now. Went from 708 subscribers when I uploaded it to just short of 11,000 now. I would never have thunk it possible! John.
@@moviecollector5920 Keep it going!!
Thanks for your video and taking the time to share your collection and passion for film with us. I am a big alien fan and was great to see the original program and relics from the late 70s and early 80s.
Thank you tehlastninja. My favourite film so it was nice to be able to share my enthusiasm for it.
John.
I did not see Alien for the first time until about 10 years ago but now I have seen them all and I love them.
I have them all on bluray and Alien on 4K. I still enjoyed Alien 3 for its feel of 'isolation' and based in a prison on a planet no one cares about with prisoners no one cares about. Enjoyed your video and have now subscribed, cheers from Australia.
Thank you RB. Nice to have you with me all the way from Oz. You'll have to see if you can find a cinema screening all the films on a massive screen now you're into them. There's nothing quite like Alien on a 58ft wide screen - or even bigger!
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Good idea!
Excellent review. You are spending so much of my spare money with these 4k reviews and I love it!
We've got to spend it on something I suppose. Glad you like the reviews.
John.
A classic masterpiece in the sci-fi horror genre by Ridley Scott that has inspired so many other films. It's so cool that you have this on film John. Wonderful review as usual. I bought Alien in 4K on sale at amazon.ca for $15 CAD. I first saw this film when I was 14 in a downtown movie theater shortly after it came out. We were sitting in the third row as there were almost no seats left. A guy in the row just in front of us was tripping under the influence of some non-alcoholic substance. He had obviously already seen the movie on a previous occasion as he was reacting ahead of time on the upcoming events by yelling loudly what was to going to unfold. Eventually, the cinema ushers came to get him and escorted him out of the movie theater, thank you. What a memorable movie night that had been... priceless memories.
And thank you for sharing your priceless memories Jesus. 1979 and you remember it so well. Today the film doesn't look dated even with the clunky computers which somehow seem to work with modern audiences. Amazing film.
John.
I found this video by complete random accident. Absolutely fascinating, Had me glued to my screen. Bravo!
This video does seem to have done quite well. And there I was thinking we all had 35mm prints of Alien in our home movie collections! John.
Great review!! Always a pleasure to watch your in-depth reviews. This one being especially good showing all your memorabilia related to the "Alien" film. Keep up the great work! Subscribed!
Thank you Mark.
John.
I really like to pause and look at all the fun toys and books and films he shows!
Great review with a lot of insight. Alien came out the year I was born and is one of my most watched movies.
I think it is my most watched movie Jonas so we have that in common. John.
That is so great! A true classic. Have also watched it at the cinema a few years ago, they put classics with new releases. Cinemas here are closed right now with exception of independent ones. Can't wait to go again. Greetings from Sweden.
Jonas.
I just recently picked up a copy of the 4k release and after your review, can't wait to watch on my 75 inch screen!
I hope you like it as much as I did Michael. I find it amazing that video quality is now this good for the home.
I'm on my 3rd watch through of this video! Thank you John!
This Alien video resulted in my channel exploding over the ensuing two weeks. A little disconcerting at the time but it settled down quite nicely after that. John.
@@moviecollector5920 that's awesome! You deserve it, this was an incredible video and your passion shows through. I recently made an Alien 4K Review and it grew quicker than pretty much all my other review videos. Must be a passionate Fandom out there clamoring for more. I have a feeling the Star Trek Fandom is similar. I'm really wanting to start doing more Star Trek content on my channel because I love it.
@@MyFireVideos Your review is really interesting. A completely different way of doing it which is an achievement in itself because most reviews are basically a similar format but not yours. I hope it continues to do well. Anything Alien related seems to do better than just about everything else but science fiction in general usually attracts an audience. I had a bit of a surprise with my review of The Fifth Element which got a huge number of views compared to what I normally get but it was my 2001 A Space Odyssey upload that generated the most. When my Alien review went up and word seemed to be getting around, what happened was that some fanbase for 2001 must have got a notification that I'd put something different up about that film and it took me a while to work it out. I was stuck at my desk responding to comments all day and then most of the following few days as the number of views continued to climb. It slowly died off and is now just another video I have up there. I think i went from 700 subscribers to over 4000 in about a week. It was all quite shocking as I said.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 thank you! I hope it's a good different because that's kind of how my brain works. I want to add a different voice to the conversation to compliment what is already out there, not necessarily mimic it. I enjoy watching reviews on the same movie from several different youtubers. For example, your channel is completely unique and always a good experience. No one else (that I've found) really goes into film reels. Thanks for sharing about the growth of your channel! I love to hear about the nuts and bolts behind the scenes. Thanks!
@@MyFireVideos Oh, certainly in a good way there's no doubt about that. I like calm, softly spoken presentation most of the time rather than the act so many UA-camrs put on because they are clearly uncomfortable being in front of camera. I can understand why they are like that but occasionally someone comes along who is completely relaxed and you're one of them.
I've been putting a 4K review for 2022 video together today which is different to the plan I started out with. I don't know if anyone else does this sort of thing but with so many Top Ten of 2022 being recommended in my UA-cam feed I somehow ended up doing something that I hope will be a little different. It's going to be about half an hour long by the look of it but chock full of things to look at besides me. John.
Think il watch this agin tonight, really is an amazing transfer amazing black levels
That is down to the mastering Ian and not the cine to video transfer. The transfer process is done by automated scanners now and no longer the manual aerial image system which required skill and concentration, all now done by machine. Where the skill is required today is video editors/graders capable of making the resultant video look like the original release prints. John.
The "Purring of the Movie Projector" theater experience comment was right on target John. Those were my childhood memories when going to the cinema that will always remain special to me. For myself as well, those experiences were the start of my love for movies! Great content John!
Thank you Albert. Similar memories.
John.
A really excellent video thanks. I was lucky to meet the late great John Hurt a few times in Ireland. Very nice man, he was a great loss to cinema. Alien is, and has been my favourite film always. I saw it on a huge screen back to back with Aliens at a special screening last year in Ireland. My first time to see it in a theatre. They were showing all Sigourney Weaver films "Sigourney Fever Festival" imagine if you will, this was possibly the 4th time they had screened it that week, it was a Wednesday afternoon, the largest auditorium they had, packed to the rafters! It absolutely blew Aliens out of the water than ran straight after it.
Your video was a breath of fresh air sir!
Subscribed!
Thank you John. Your message is a shot in the arm... could do with one of those from AstraZeneca next! Why didn't you tell me about the Sigourney Fever Festival before because I'd have been over even though I know both Alien and Aliens off by heart? I think I could actually recite the script to Alien!
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Hello John, I didn't tell you because I only discovered your great channel the other night, when you spoke about Blade Runner (my 2nd Favorite movie. If memory serves the Sigourney Weaver festival was the year before last in the excellent LIghtHouse cinema in Dublin. A great venue, cushions along the staircase for people to sit and hang out, full bar. The biggest screen was humongous, and Ridley's film filled ever inch of it. Not the case with Aliens afterwards. I guess it might be because Aliens was shot in 1.85:1 on 35mm with ARRIFLEX 35 III Cameras where as Alien was shot in 2.20 : 1 with panavision anamorphic lenses so I guess the blow up to 70mm looked better. Also I think Cameron said the year of production of that film stock was particularly grainy. These are aspects you know more about than I. I don't have a setup anything like yours, (shakes fist at screen) but I have various DVD & Blu Ray boxsets of all the Alien movies + the autographed script and Blade Runner boxsets. I hope some day a proper 4K release (or even Blu Ray) of The Abyss comes out. It never got a proper anamorphic presentation. Keep up the great work my friend.
John
@@nalyom99 Yes, we certainly love the same movies John. I think Aliens was 1.66:1 which all films had to be back then to match the aspect ratio of UK cinemas and probably others as well. So in the USA they'd have simply had mats in the gate to mask the prints down. Now I've said that I'll have to measure the ratio on my Super 8 prints of Aliens to check!!!
Alien in 70mm was cropped top and bottom for fill the 2.20:1 ratio for 70mm because the 35mm original would have been the normal 2.40:1.
I've just been contacted by a fellow collector who has The Abyss on 35mm. Amazing! But it was shot Super35 so the anamorphic prints are a cropped, squeezed reduction and lose image top and bottom. He also has a 35mm print of Superman that hasn't faded. I think I'll be going to see that sometime.
John.
@@moviecollector5920Thanks John, very helpful info. I have been following Skip Kimble on Instagram who was colourist on Le Mans 66 etc who posted a pic of him working on the Abyss for 4k restoration. But it seems Cameron is too busy to oversee and approve what with his Avatar projects. Oh I just remembered I saw a special screening of Blade Runner in about 1993 after watching years of grainy vhs versions Wow! What an experience!
Also what are your thoughts on a 4k Inception review?
@@nalyom99 I hadn't thought about Inception until you just mentioned it. I didn't like it when I saw it upon its DVD release but I suspect I will appreciate it more now. I'll have to see how things go but it may be some time before I get a chance to re-visit it with fresh eyes.
John.
I'm another one just discovered you and wondering why I've only just been recommended your channel....This video is fantastic and looking forward to spending time going through your others.
I'm just surprised to get so many people watching my little productions. The Alien review started a bit of an explosion after it was uploaded and a few weeks later I was inundated. A smaller version of that is happening again right now following the upload of The Fifth Element review. Good to have you with me. John.
I like your tremendous knowledge on film history and cinematographic details. Your gentlemanly and straight-to-the-point way of reviewing all these wonderful films, is a powerful source of decision-making when it comes to upgrade my already vast collection of DVDs/Blue-Rays to the 4K format. I am sure I will be checking out your channel when the next format comes around, which I suspect will be too soon! Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your valuable opinion and time.
Thank you for being here and watching Steve. Without you I wouldn't bother because it's a sign of madness to speak to yourself!
The next home format is going to be 35mm film, mark my words. Oh dear, I think I've lost the plot!!!
Another great review of a classic film John! Like you say, you would never guess the alien was a man in a costume. It must have been much more difficult in the past to create the special effects and bring the vision to life without having CGI.
Thanks Nick. CGI has gone a little too far now. Back then the film makers had to work everything out and film it in camera. Just look at the chestburster thrashing its way off the table - it's tail thrashing around was a lucky accident with compressed air but it worked. Those were the days.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I do think so John, I personally think less is more when it comes to CGI. Its a bit overused these days and doesn't have the physicality of practical effects.
That's an interesting fact about the chestburster.. it makes me want to watch the film again! Congratulations on the 1k subscribers! Well deserved and onwards to 10k!
@@nick1635 Thank you Nick. This Alien review seems to have done something and all my previous videos are getting more views than they ever did when new. Each morning I boot the computer I'm surprised to learn of another load of subscribers and so many comments that I'm struggling to respond to them all at times.
Superman The Movie is next which I aim to upload tomorrow.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Congrats! I haven't seen any other youtube channel that has such comprehensive and informative reviews, I'm surprised the subscriber count isn't higher! :) I'll look out for the Superman review, I haven't seen it since it was on TV after its cinema release.
Thank you for going a little bit about John Hurt, and sharing that story. Keeping his memory alive and remembering his many performances is just something all us fans have to do. He became a legend on Alien but he was a real talent on so many other things.
And his voice was unique. So many times a documentary would pop up with the unmistakable dialogue from Mr. Hurt. One of the greatest actors ever.
John.
Great video. You can see how much you love the movie. I remember being blown away by the blu ray as it was one of the first blu rays I watched on projector.
It probably wouldn't have had the same impact on me were I not too young to be able to sneak into a cinema to see it and that's why it became a bit of an obsession I think. But it is a work of art and every time I run a print I just look at the artistry unfolding before my eyes just as people do when looking at an oil painting by one of the old masters.
John.
Alien is like fine wine, it gets better with age! I enjoy it more today than when l was younger! It's a masterpiece with a cast that went on to be big box office successes! All of them! You've done it justice here John, and I enjoyed the hell out of watching this! This was one of my first 4k movies I bought when I started buying 4k last year! It's great to hear someone speak so passionately about movies near and dear to me!! Thanks!
I think I've said this before Gilbert, but if not I'll say it again - I think you and I have a similar taste in films. I put a lot of time into this Alien video but it was a genuine surprise that things started happening on my channel immediately afterwards. It drew in the 2001 A Space Odyssey fans and that resulted in about 120,000 extra views on my 2001 video in about a week. I spent a few days on here permanently responding to comments as a result and it was difficult to keep up. Things have quietened down since then and are just about at a manageable level now. It's been a lot of fun. John.
I agree with you, I like the movie more the more I see it and the older I get!
Thanks again for a fantastic review John. Surprisingly the first time I watched this movie was only about 5 years ago. I picked up the Blu Ray shortly afterwards for £5 but will definitely upgrade to the 4k
If you can find a Super 8 or 35mm print Russell then they have got to be the ultimate Alien collectibles. But the 4K is very good. I have to admit, I have never watched more than an hour of that 4K. I have run the Super 8 and the 35mm a few times since recording this video though.
John.
Loved seeing Alien in the cinema in 1979 at the age of 14. Have brought many versions over the years and still watch it often. These films so much better than the modern computer effects we now have.
Computer effects have ruined a lot of would-be good movies. Just because something can be done because "no one has seen it before" doesn't mean it should always be done. Just my opinion.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I have no love for modern Sci-fi, love all the older ones and B movies.
@@BasBoyRC I know what you mean Bas but there are some good ones occasionally; Interstellar from example. Practical special effects really helped Interstellar enormously even if most viewers didn't have a clue what it was about.
Great video. Seeing your collection and your story about meeting John is making me very envious.
Thank you Napoleon. Meeting Mr. Hurt like that was somewhat surreal.
John.
Its my 3rd fav film of all time, I too was too young upon release and I can't remember the first time I seen it, must be on VHS, my late mother had a poster in the spare room which was'weird' no font just the background of the ship/alien Ive got the 4k and its my goto demo disc for 4k, they have done a remarkable job to give it the format it has now. Great review John.
Well you'll just have to get a 35mm print now like the rest of us Carl!!!
@@moviecollector5920 I still own a few old VHS, Star wars, MadMax to name but a few, the closest Ill get to the OG screenings.
@@C4rL72 Funnily enough I had to take our complete VHS collection out today to decorate behind it. A few have had to be thrown out over the years but we still have quite a few there. Some of them might even be sought after these days but every time I try to play more than a few of them I seem to write a VCR off.
John.
Marvelous film, and s usual so much detail and insight in your informative presentation.
Ta velly muchly. I do seem to be getting rather a good response lately. Just running out of 4K releases to review but maybe I'll give 'Superman' a spin next.
John.
Alien was on last night 30/11/22 on itv4 and a pleasure to watch again. The picture quality was excellent too . Alien 3 also has only one alien but he gets a terminator 2 style exit. Your in-depth discussion on here though on the first one is just mind blowing and UA-cam is a fine medium for displaying your obsession with the film 🍿!!
Thank you Snowywinter. I expect you gathered from this video that I'm not exactly the biggest fan of Alien 3. I've had many people ask me to give it a second try so I've said that if it ever gets a 4K disc release that I'll do that. I may then do a video along the lines of everything wrong with it and explain why it is wrong and what caused it to be that way. It's certainly an interesting story but I'd rather they'd never made the film in the first place. John.
Good morning John. Alien too is one of my very, very favorite films but I've seen it so many times down through the decades that I've thought I might not see it again before I die. I mean, after every rewatch there is the ongoing continued longer time lapse before the next watch. Less than a year ago I got my very first blu ray player, a 4k, and have gradually built up a few hd and uhd blu rays. Well, I just watched this video review and you've inspired me to watch the movie again, especially since I'll finally be able to watch it in a superior format as I've only seen it on vhs and streaming.
It's a darned fine disc too Pete and compared really well to my 35mm general release print. I did watch Alien a few times on a VHS recording before the complete film was released on Super 8 but apart from that I've only ever seen it on film until taking a look at the 4K disc. It is like having a film without actually having the physical print. It doesn't quite hold the same magic as running a film print but that won't mean so much to most, just us longtime film lovers and collectors of real film prints over the past five decades or so.
John.
We absolutely love your channel and your love for film and home media really shines through. Please continue to make videos.
Would love your remarks on blu ray titles like Jurassic park and Titanic.
Thank you Stablight. I don't have either of those films on Blu-ray. I have Titanic on Pal LaserDisc (excellent!) and Jurassic Park on Super 8 (fabulous!). Many subscribers have asked me to review the 4K of Apocalypse Now so I've just ordered that from HMV. I hope you like war films! John.
@@moviecollector5920 Wow Jurassic park on Super 8! I'm sure that looks fabulous! Would love to see your opinion and insights on that print in either case.
To be honest I like everything you talk about in your videos so I look forward to the review of the 4K of Apocalypse Now.
Absolutely outstanding video - fantastic mix of history, movies and even collectibles. I also appreciate the shirt and button! I had the chance to visit Alien War on a trip to London and was very disappointed when I learned it had closed after a flood. Hmm, maybe you can do a future piece on Alien War?
I remember that flood now that you've reminded me. If I get the chance to review Aliens in 4K I will try to detail Alien War a little because everyone should have had the chance to go through that at least once. The best movie related attraction ever? Possibly.
John.
Excellent video. Thank you.
Was previously unaware that you were such a huge fan of Alien, John.
Watched Aliens in 70mm at Odeon, Marble Arch in the early ‘90s.
Also, went on the Alien War experience in the Trocadero. On exiting and walking through the memorabilia shop there was a rather nice looking small framed print (possibly Cibachrome?) for the Princely sum of just £299 which was quite a lot of money back in those days. Too rich for my pocket but the friend with whom I was with, also a big fan of Alien, returned to purchase it. He also owned that Alien Collector’s Edition Laser Disc Boxset you featured in this video.
*800th comment* on this video. *WOW!* 👀
I put this video up and then a few days later this channel exploded. The Alien video caused about 100,000 people to find the 2001 video in the space of a couple of weeks. It was a little daunting at the time but fortunately quickly settled down to a manageable level.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 - And now you’re a 🤩
Well done and please keep up the great work! 👏🏻🙏🏻
Goldsmith's complete score is STAGGERING in the Intrada CD release.
That man was amazing. I don't often listen to movie soundtracks these days but I still love just about everything Jerry Goldsmith has done.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 His music for Outland (Sean Connery sci-fi) is well worth hearing.
I'm 48 I can't believe I have not watched Alien , I just ordered the 4k -blu-ray package , looking forward to watching it on Hallowesn. Thx for sharing and reviewing.
You could be on a slippery slope here Mic! Look what happened to me because I so wanted to see Alien when I was too young. Before you know it you'll have a house full of collectibles and copies of Alien on all the film gauges! It's addictive.
The sequel is brilliant by the way but seeing that first may rather nullify the impact of Alien so try to put yourself in the position of sitting in a cinema in 1979 when nothing quite like this had ever been seen before. It's a slow build up and then wham! After that it is tension until the end... or is it the end?
John.
@moviecollector5920 lol I here ya! I've seen Aliens but never Alien. I am going to watch it on Hallowesn, my 4k player is coming in Dec so I should wait, unfortunately I can't. Lol
@@Out-Cast75 I don't think the Blu-ray does the film justice Mic so try to hold on if you can. The colours and the density are wrong but the 4K looks remarkably similar to my 35mm print... and the Super 8 print for that matter but that is a little too dark in places owing to how it was made which was from an original 35mm print because Fox weren't able to supply a 16mm negative at the time. It's still very good though. John.
Brilliant review mate,very interesting learned lots of new things about alien and you met the legend John hurt in person. My two boys loved batman 1989 last night the movie looked amazing and the sound was topnotch too.keep up the great work.
Also said "hello" to Sigourney Weaver when she came over for interview at the NFT. Just a spur of the moment thing when I saw her in front of me and felt she was someone I knew.
Glad you and the boys loved Batman. It's only ever looked so good on film previously so it's another rather special disc. John.
Your reviews are really good and helpful - even though I haven't got 4k. Thank you
3:35 I did the same thing, editing out the adverts on the fly on ITV. I was around 13 years old. That got me curious about editing and home cinema. I became an editor, although of TV News reports not movies. I’m still striving far the perfect home cinema.
Well done James. Video editing is a tedious business and I seem to have spent half my time over the past 15 years doing it. Film editing was always far more enjoyable but those days have largely gone now. John.
I love this guys passion for film and cinema . My kind of fellow 👍
Yes, he's such a good chap! John.
Ridley also used the children in the scene where Dallas, Kane and Lambert first exited the Nostromo upon landing on LV-426, making the ship look much bigger too. (I reckon you knew that though).
Good review, mate. The audio on my 4K copy was significantly out of sync, but thankfully I was able to sort it in my player's settings.
Funnily enough, I did know that Mr. Brody but thank you for reminding me. I used to get out of sync' problems with early DVDs but that was due to the player not being able to cope and hence the sound slipped a couple of frames. Interesting that you were able to sort it out in a modern 4K player.
John.
Superb review!!! Wow
Thank you. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Dear John,
i'm rly happy to see your channel getting many more subscribers in the last few days/weeks.
I hope you will crack the 20k in the next few days :)
@@b.m.2216 The support I am getting now is quite astounding. I am very thankful to everyone for helping me to make a success of this. If things go well it could even mean we get the British Film Collectors Conventions back and then we can all get together every year or so. www.bfcc.biz. John.
I just rewatched the Theatrical cut of the 1979 original on my 4k Qd oled display. The contrast and dazzling highlights are extremely impressive on this disc.
If you ever manage to put a video projector in Brandon you'll find it's just like having your own 35mm print. It compares very well to mine. Quite a few 4K discs are similar in this regard. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I love projectors but the issue I have is that most hdr films are graded for 1000, 4000 nits of peak brightness. So Projectors don't have the dynamic range for specular highlights. That's a large part of the hdr experience.
I have the earlier 2 disc dvd of Alien, and that magnificent CAV laserdisc set, which I often watch more than the dvd because the sound is much superior.
This video is a beautiful love letter to this masterpiece.
Thank you so much Eric.
John.
Afternoon. I discovered your channel a few days ago and immediately subscribed. This is the perfect blend of easy to understand technical information and a fans perspective on the films themselves. It’s wonderful to see the various copies of films on past formats in your collection as well. With regards to Alien, I’ve always loved the film but have never found it to be the best looking film aesthetically. That’s not a criticism of the cinematography but, I think this 4K release is the best it’s ever looked. It was great to see the Jerry Goldsmith LP of the soundtrack (which I have). Being a huge Goldsmith fan myself (over 160 CDs) I upgraded to the complete score from Intrada Records a few years ago. However, I digress. Keep up the great work. I look forward to future reviews 😃
I need to get that complete Goldsmith score!
Alien never was that great to look at but that's because just about every scene is in the dark. Film is more sensitive today but they did incredibly well to photograph the film as well as they did back in 1978.
And thank you for subscribing Ian and passing your kind comments. Ad Astra in 4K is the next review.
John.
Just re-watching this as it's always lovely to hear a real fan talk about my favourite movie of all time. I've just started a new movie-related channel (only 5 subs so far), but one day I hope to do my own take on ALIEN once I reach your channel's standard and become more confident in my abilities. Thank you for the inspiration and well done. Keep up the excellent videos! 😊 👍
I've just left a comment on your hour long introductory video. Believe it or not, I try to keep my videos as short as possible. That's not always something I'm entirely successful at but sometimes they have to be longer and this Alien video is one of them with plenty of others too. When I started this channel I felt there was something missing from every other home video disc review channel I could find and that was an experience of film. You seem to have quite a history of cinema when it was 'reel' film so use it. I don't suppose you frequented premiere houses like I did so you won't have been seeing the best so the big downgrade in 2011 (and in the deliberately lower quality years leading up to it) won't have made quite such an impact on you. I feared for the future of cinema during that period and the end result is approaching my worst fears today, certainly not helped by the Covid-19 fiasco.
I've given this advice to a few people starting out in UA-cam over the past four years and a bit, and that is, invest in the best camera you can and learn all you can about video editing but keep things as simple as possible. None of the fancy wham bam scene change fades and things like that. Keep it all as relaxed and as easy to watch as possible but as interesting as possible. A good camera and some knowledge of grading will facilitate the tight close-ups of box covers that I do and this means cutaways where you can hide all sorts of cock-ups while talking.
I ran my 35mm print of Alien last week and then my Super 8 of Aliens. Nothing will ever replace having favourite films on film as far as I'm concerned. Alien, in particular, has never looked so good as it did last week due to my new Kinoton FP20 projector and thanks to Ben Wales spending so much time sorting out the last sound issues I had. Film is still the best possible quality but it's not something many people are able to do themselves in the home. It's been part of my life since the age of 2 or 3 so it's not the same daunting prospect.
John.
@moviecollector5920 Thank you for the advice. Your comments have fuelled my passion to improve. 😁
@@TheFlixFiles Find some easy video editing software. There are some free ones available but beware of Davinci Resolve because one big thing with that great software is that is you start editing in the wrong video fomat (i.e. frame rate) then you could waste days on something you have to start again. It can't be put right at any time after you start except by starting again. Unless that problem has been corrected in the last few years. John.
Amazing stuff, your channel really deserves a lot more views. Hopefully in the future! Love the old school projector too 🤌
Thank you Den. The number of views have all but doubled since I uploaded this 'Alien' review so something seems to have just happened. I'm currently putting a 'Superman The Move' (1978) 4K review together so it will be rather interesting to see if the trend continues. It has been a nice surprise, not least to get all the lovely comments people such as yourself have made.
John.
Excellent job!! please keep making these kind of videos. Thank you from argentina!!
Hello Alan. I thought I'd replied to you already but if not thank you for your kind message and I hope you are keeping down there there in Argentina. It's rather exciting to be able to communicate with movie enthusiasts all around the world, particularly those who like Alien!
John.
I thought I was a huge Alien/Aliens fan...then I saw John's collection! 0_0' Now THIS is a thorough format variety review!
Thank you Xander!
John.
Love the video and the channel, John. Your insight and technical knowledge are superb and you have a great presenting style, too. Please make more videos and keep up the good work , it’s really appreciated . Cheers 👍🏼
Thank you for your kind words Muss. The 4K of Ad Astra should be next. Work just seems to keep getting in the way though!
John.
Came to see if the 4K disc was worth it. Stayed to hear a very insightful and heartfelt documentary. Thank You
Thank you techstormster. I have quite a history with this film but the important factor as far as this video is concerned is that the 4K disc is almost like having a 35mm print to screen in the home. I will be screening my 35mm print again soon actually as my projector is away for a few upgrades and I can't wait to see how good Alien looks with a brighter lamp punching light through the gate and onto the screen.
John.
I absolutely loved this review. Literally just discovered your channel from a random UA-cam recommendation as I have only recently purchased a 4K Blu Ray player. I will be definitely picking this one up. One can only wonder what magic you have seen with a 35mm reel of this. New sub for me from UK, thanks for the review.
Alien is something special to me so it was good fun to be able to make this video. Given my history and love of the film though I had to do my best to make it absolutely spot on otherwise I would always have regretted it. I uploaded it with 708 subscribers to my channel at the time. That was two or three months ago and it started a bit of an explosion. John.
these videos are so informative. keep up the great work.
That's the plan. We're watching the new 4K of Last Action Hero tonight and I've already done much preparation on the 4K of Apocalypse Now so they are two reviews COMING SOON! John.
@@moviecollector5920 Cant wait to see what you come up with.
Wow, Alien War! Great T-shirt. That takes me back. Would love that to come back to London. Fantastic review, subscribed!
I went through Alien War many times and was even there for the opening night when Sigourney and Lance Henriksen came over. Never anything else like it before or since. Trocadero now a derelict just like the space craft in the film. Very sad.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Very lucky! I only went once and was only a young teenager at the time, so don’t have the best memory of all of it, but what I do remember was great. I posed for a photo after holding a pulse rifle (which I remember being very heavy) with one of the marines, and found out that some of the props used in Alien War were actually from ‘Aliens’!
@@sonnyshow That's right. The two founders were given free reign at Pinewood and they found loads of abandoned Aliens props chucked about on the backlot. Pinewood remanufactured the Alien suits for them too and that's why the Aliens you saw inside the attraction were so realistic. They also produced that Alien Queen they had on display from the original mould. I have a little Alien War A5 magazine amongst my collection from the brief period they had a members club which I think is where the above information came from but there's a lot swimming around in my head. I also shot some Super 8 in the lobby area but it was very dark.
John.