Alien

I bought it for my daughter for her birthday and she really enjoyed it! Additional film footage is included plus plenty of extras on the 2 discs. She wanted it as she already had the Director's Cut of "Aliens".

I've seen Alien/Aliens a bazillion times and just wanted a hard copy. I paid less than $2 and all i got was Movie Gallery copies. No case, no box, just 2 cds. For me that was fine, but if you're thinking about getting a copy, the cheapest ones will be just the bare bones.

Disc 1 is 1979 Version and 2003(?) Directors Cut
Disc 2 is Making of. Quite long, lot's of content for a movie that old.

Alien (1979)
Science Fiction, Horror, 117 minutes
Directed by Ridley Scott
Starring Sigourney Weaver, Ian Holm and Tom Skerritt

I first saw Alien during its original theatrical run in 1979 and appreciated it even more on the big screen. The first half of the movie is the best part. It's dark and atmospheric and there is an element of mystery. We are introduced to the crew of the mining ship and learn the relationships and personalities involved.

The computer screens on the ship seem dated now, but the overall effect of the movie is just as powerful. The story gathers pace when some of the crew investigate the surface of a moon and find a ship from an unknown species. The way this sequence unfolds is almost worthy of Hitchcock.

The purpose of the mission isn't immediately clear, but I won't reveal the details in case you haven't seen the movie. This is essentially a story of survival. While an actual encounter with an alien race might involve peaceful interaction, Alien never suggests for a moment that peace is possible. The creature is a killer and pursues the crew one at a time. Eventually, the battle focuses on Ripley (Weaver) and the alien. The second half of the movie doesn't quite live up to the promise of the first because most of the mystery is gone, but it's still a gripping story.

Like many movies featuring unknown creatures, we rarely see shots of the whole creature. We are shown glimpses as it evolves and our imagination fills in the gaps. When we are eventually shown the whole thing, it adds to the effect and comes as quite a shock as we realize its strength and resilience.