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Aliens (1986)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
18 July 1986 (USA)
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Tagline:
This time there's more. more
Plot:
The planet from Alien (1979) has been colonized, but contact is lost. This time, the rescue team has impressive firepower, enough? full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Alien
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Space
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Space Marine
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Nightmare
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Sole Survivor
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Awards:
Won 2 Oscars.
Another 15 wins
&
21 nominations
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NewsDesk:
(419 articles)
Avatar Selfridge Profile Featurette
(From ShockYa. 22 December 2009, 11:00 PM, PST)
9 Ways James Cameron Will Make Fantastic Voyage More Fantastic
(From Movieline. 22 December 2009, 9:15 AM, PST)
(From ShockYa. 22 December 2009, 11:00 PM, PST)
9 Ways James Cameron Will Make Fantastic Voyage More Fantastic
(From Movieline. 22 December 2009, 9:15 AM, PST)
User Comments:
One of the most thrilling films ever- special edition highly recommended
more (863 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Sigourney Weaver | ... | Ellen Ripley | |
| Carrie Henn | ... | Rebecca 'Newt' Jorden | |
| Michael Biehn | ... | Cpl. Dwayne Hicks | |
| Lance Henriksen | ... | Bishop | |
| Paul Reiser | ... | Carter Burke | |
| Bill Paxton | ... | Pvt. Hudson | |
| William Hope | ... | Lt. Gorman | |
| Jenette Goldstein | ... | Pvt. Vasquez | |
| Al Matthews | ... | Sgt. Apone | |
| Mark Rolston | ... | Pvt. Drake | |
| Ricco Ross | ... | Pvt. Frost | |
| Colette Hiller | ... | Cpl. Ferro | |
| Daniel Kash | ... | Pvt. Spunkmeyer | |
| Cynthia Dale Scott | ... | Cpl. Dietrich (as Cynthia Scott) | |
| Tip Tipping | ... | Pvt. Crowe |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
MPAA:
Rated R for monster violence, and for language. (1992 special edition)
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
137 min | USA:154 min (special edition)
Language:
Colour:
Colour (Eastmancolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) |
Dolby (35 mm prints)
Certification:
Canada:13+ (Quebec) |
Canada:PA (Manitoba) |
Canada:R (Nova Scotia) (original rating) |
Canada:R (Ontario) |
Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (1999) |
Italy:T |
Canada:14+ (Ontario) |
Finland:K-18 (director's cut) (DVD rating) |
South Korea:12 |
Portugal:M/16 |
Brazil:14 |
Philippines:R-18 |
USA:R (Certificate #27850) |
South Korea:15 (DVD rating) |
India:A |
New Zealand:M |
Argentina:13 |
Australia:M |
Chile:14 |
Finland:K-16 |
France:-12 |
Hong Kong:IIB |
Iceland:16 |
Ireland:18 |
Japan:PG-12 |
Mexico:B |
Netherlands:16 |
Norway:18 |
Peru:14 |
Singapore:M18 |
Spain:13 |
Sweden:15 |
UK:18 |
West Germany:16
Filming Locations:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Director Trademark: [James Cameron] [nice cut]a few minutes into the movie, we see Ripley lying in the cryo-tube, and then the scene fades to the picture of the earth; the earth directly fits into the silhouette of Ripley's face.
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Goofs:
Continuity: Near the end when Ripley is on the dropship, she is seen arming herself. We see her grab a flamethrower from the weapons rack. She then lays a pulse rifle on the deck. Next she pulls a pulse rifle from the rack, and lays down a flamethrower.
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Quotes:
[first lines]
Salvage team leader: Bio-readouts are all in the green, looks like she's alive. Well, there goes our salvage, guys.
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Salvage team leader: Bio-readouts are all in the green, looks like she's alive. Well, there goes our salvage, guys.
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Movie Connections:
Spoofed in Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead (2006)
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Soundtrack:
Movie music
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FAQ
Why didn't the colonists on LV-426 pick up the warning beacon from the derelict ship?Why did Burke unleash the two Facehuggers to kill Ripley?
How did Burke release the Facehuggers into the med lab without himself getting attacked by them?
more
more (863 total)
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James Cameron is an extremely talented action director because not only does he know great action, but he always backs the action up with a great story and interesting characters. Aliens is his finest achievement, as far as I'm concerned. Of course, I should specify: Aliens Special Edition is his finest achievement.
In 1986 several scenes were cut to keep the movie's run-time reasonable but there was one scene that was incredibly foolish to leave out. The scene I refer to is near the beginning where Ripley learns that her daughter has died while she was away in 'hypersleep' for 57 years. "I promised her I'd be home for her 11th birthday," cries Ripley. This is a very moving scene that adds a great deal the character's depth and makes more sense to why she cares for a little girl named Newt later in the film. She's seeking penance through Newt with her love and determination to keep her alive at all costs. The theatrical edition obviously doesn't elude to any of this, and even cheapens the relationship between Ripley and Newt- just a little bit. James Cameron has said that all of his movies are love stories, and Aliens is a story of parental love. He has also said that the special edition is his intended (if not definitive) version of the film. For about five years or so the Special Edition was the only version of Aliens you could get on DVD. It should have stayed that way.
Aliens is a unique film experience: it's genuinely thrilling and exciting, unlike a lot of movies where people shoot the evil monsters and there's disgusting blood and rapid gunfire, and it's really meaningless. In Aliens' case, the aliens are very threatening and more than just target practice. We don't see any aliens for over an hour, but once we do, it's a huge payoff. By that time, we get to know some interesting characters: Hicks (Michael Beihn), a take-charge marine who also turns out to be sweet and sincere, Hudson (Bill Paxton), a braggart who turns out to be a coward and complains most of the time, Vasquez (Jeanette Goldstein), the iron-willed woman soldier who proves to be one of the bravest characters in the film, Bishop (Lance Henrikson), a robot that is very helpful for everyone's survival, Burke (Paul Rieser), the slimy company man who the audience loves to hate, and of course, the adorable little Newt (Carrie Henn), a girl who has survived unspeakable horror. Holding the whole film together is Ripley, played by Sigourney Weaver in her surprise-Oscar-nominated performance. I think the only reason why the audience cared for her in the first film is because she was the only person left and we wanted her to live. But for this film, James Cameron added so much to her. With all this investment in characters, we're really concerned for their well-being. We don't want those aliens to get them. Some die, and I'm always truly bummed out when it happens.
Filled with amazing performances and an abundance of thrills, Aliens is one of the greatest of any genre it attempts: whether it's action, sci-fi, horror, or even drama. I personally liked it better than the first film, but it's really like comparing apples and oranges. I prefer the special edition and don't see why anyone should view the other version instead.
My rating: 10/10