ALIENS (Theatrical Cut vs. Special Edition)

[Ray_Rogers]

Take your pick!

[iank]

SE. Haven't watched the theatrical version in decades.

[chris_sc77]

SE.
if the SE was released the one released in theaters in 86 I think Weaver may have won that Oscar.

[Chris60119]

SE 100% Haven't watched the standard sine I saw the SE.

[Infernal King]

Special Edition sucks.

[Roonan]

Always the director's preferred choice, therefore my vote goes to the SE.

[Blu-ray Neo]

The SE was an overall better film. It dove headfirst into the character development and showed the families that lived in the terraforming station.

When the Marines arrived, you could see just how bad it got for those families. The Aliens took no prisoners and it literally was war.

[DR Herbert West]

Theatrical Cut.

[jess1581]

Theatrical cut. The extended scenes were amusing albeit unnecessary, but for me took away the mystery of Hadley's Hope. I preferred not seeing the literal jist of what happened before Ripley is called to arms. The gun terret scenes were useless, but what was most irksome was the execution of Ripley having a daughter. It just felt... off, awkwardly placed, and conflicts with the Ripley of Alien 79 who never gave any impression that she was an absentee mother on top of being a career woman . The fact that they were able to excise that one scene and a snippet from the moment with Ripley and Newt without ruining the character arc proved how tacked on that little plot element felt. It was a throaway moment when it shoulda been more explored in her character. Yes i'm aware of her mother role with Newt, but clearly that worked just fine without the "daughter" scene.

Only scene i woulda put back into the theatrical cut is the silent tour of the Solaco before showing the cryo room. It was a nice reminder of the first film's introduction.... oh and Hudson's lil macho ramble on the transport ship was... a bit obnoxious and again useless.

[tigertron]

SE, although I watched the theatrical cut last night for the first time and thought it was almost as good.

[MJD64]

Theatrical Cut for me (saw it 3 times back in the Summer of 1986; can't help but still love it).

I will say my ideal version would be the Theatrical Cut with two Special Edition sequences edited in:

1.The scene where Ripley discovers her daughter has died while she was out in space.

2. The brief exchanging of names between Ripley and Hicks as she's about to go after Newt in what may well be a suicide run.

[Geoff D]

CBS cut includes those two ^ scenes plus the sentry gun stuff, everything else from the SE has been jettisoned. My favourite version as of now.

[Malagant]

I love both versions of this classic movie, but the longer Special Edition the most.