Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #531 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-12-08
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Number of discs: 9
• Formats: Box set, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 9
• Running time: 461 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
The Alien Quadrilogy is a nine-disc box set devoted to the four Alien films. Although previously available on DVD as the Alien Legacy, here the films have been repackaged with vastly more extras and with upgraded sound and vision. For anyone who hasn't been in hypersleep for the last 25 years this series needs no introduction, though for the first time each film now comes in both original and "Special Edition" form.

Alien (1979) was so perfect it didn't need fixing, and Ridley Scott's 2003 Director's Cut is fiddling for the sake of it. Watch once then return to the majestic, perfectly paced original. Conversely the Special Edition of James Cameron's Aliens (1986) is the definitive version, though it's nice finally to have the theatrical cut on DVD for comparison. Most interesting is the alternative Alien3 (1992). This isn't a "director's cut"--David Fincher refused to have any involvement with this release--but a 1991 work-print that runs 29 minutes longer than the theatrical version, and has now been restored, remastered and finished-off with (unfortunately) cheap new CGI. Still, it's truly fascinating, offering a different insight into a flawed masterpiece. The expanded opening is visually breathtaking, the central firestorm is much longer, and a subplot involving Paul McGann's character adds considerable depth to the story. The ending is also subtly but significantly different. Alien Resurrection (1997) was always a mess with a handful of brilliant scenes, and the Special Edition just makes it eight minutes longer.

On the DVD: Alien Quadrilogy offers all films except Alien3 with DTS soundtracks, the latter having still fine Dolby Digital 5.1 presentation. All four films sound fantastic, with much low-level detail revealed for the first time. Each is anamorphically enhanced at the correct original aspect ratio, and the prints and transfers are superlative. Every film offers a commentary that lends insight into the creative process--though the Scott-only commentary and isolated music score from the first Alien DVD release are missing here--and there are subtitles for hard of hearing both for the films and the commentaries.

Each movie is complemented by a separate disc packed with hours of seriously detailed documentaries (all presented at 4:3 with clips letterboxed), thousands of photos, production stills and storyboards, giving a level of inside information for the dedicated buff only surpassed by the Lord of the Rings extended DVD sets. A ninth DVD compiles miscellaneous material, including a Channel 4 hour-long documentary and even all the extras from the old Alien laserdisc. Exhaustive hardly begins to describe the Alien Quadrilogy, a set which establishes the new DVD benchmark for retrospective releases and which looks unlikely to be surpassed for some time. --Gary S Dalkin

DVD Description
The definitive DVD box set of the most terrifying saga ever created -- over 40 hours of addidional footage. Four discs containing the original theatrical versions of each film in addition to the extended versions with Alien containing the 2003 Director's Cut and Aliens 3 including Fincher's workprint.

An additional four discs containing new, detailed commentaries, interviews, multi-angle anamatics, pre-production, production and post production featurettes, 252 pages of Stan Winston's fascinating workshop, screenplays and intriguing easter eggs. The final bonus disc contains rare still archives, theatrical and television trailers, interviews and fascinating special effects footage.

Special Features
Over 40 hours of all new bonus materials on 9 discs:
Disc 1 (ALIEN)
118 minutes viewing the 2003 Theatrical cut with all new commentary and Ridley Scott's new intro
Disc 2 (ALIEN BONUS DISC)
216 minutes of all new, never before seen video features
Disc 3 (ALIENS)
154 minutes viewing the Special Edition cut with all new commentary and James Cameron Intro
Disc 4 (ALIENS BONUS DISC)
198 minutes of all new, never before seen video features
Disc 5 (ALIEN 3)
137 minutes viewing the theatrical cut with the all new commentary
157 minutes viewing the all new Special Edition Cut
Disc 6 (ALIEN 3 BONUS DISC)
174 minutes of all new, never before seen video features
Disc 7 (ALIEN RESURRECTION)
109 minutes viewing the theatrical cut with the all new commentary
120 minutes viewing the all new Special Edition Cut with intro by Jean Pierre Jeunet
Disc 8 (ALIEN RESURRECTION BONUS DISC)
194 minutes of all new, never before seen video features
Disc 9 (BONUS DISC)
104 minutes of all new, never before seen video features

DTS 5.1 sound
Limited edition, numbered and highly collectible packaging with special printing and green digi-stack trays

Customer Reviews

Classic...the best horror franchise known to mankind
well where do i begin...everyone else seems to have said what all the films are like and just how classic,scary,thrilling and epic they are.
Alien is by far the greatest horror film ever made and is my favourite horror film(along with Aliens obviously).
Alien-10/10-a classic horror film made for everyone,from horror fanatics to people who dont know the genre,everyone will be shocked by some of the scenes and terrified by the artistic creation that is the Alien...its very atmospheric and extremely scary(even by todays standards)Siguorney Weaver was brought into the A-list and has remained a very successful actress,all the actors are on their top form and make this both enjoyable and an unsettling experience which is what films(in general)are lacking at the moment...and with the desolate setting of space it makes it a very uncomfortable experience as the crew are far,far away from any help and have to learn to survive...and Ellen Ripley was made a cult icon for the genre.

Aliens-10/10-a very ambitious sequel that really upped the ante,and in many ways was equally as successful as its predessesor,it contained the fabulous Siguorney to add depth to Ripleys character,more thrills,chills and again superb acting all around...my god the queen alien was terrifying and those visuals are still amazing...the definative sequel!!!

Alien 3-7/10-a very good sequel that may not be as amazing as the previous installments but it is a very atmospheric one...and Ripley makes a brave return...this time on a prison planet...only one alien this time round...and a different breed too...and my god that conclusion...tear jerking.

Alien:Resurrection-8.5/10-a lot better than the previous effort...a better cast with Siguorney(and hair)as a cloned version of Ripley...and the aliens are back doing what they do best...scare the daylights outta you...good effects and a very good sequel...just a shame that the franchise hasn't been laft alone.

this is a definitive collection of the franchise with many,many,many extras and alternate versions of the films.
these are the greatest horror films known to mankind...ignore the recent alien vs predator films...they are amateur and just plain stupid...i have currently seen the first two films approx 45 times and it still has the same effect on me(but leave a gap in between to get the same effect)and i keep seeing new things in the films everytime which makes it enjoyable viewing.
purchase this stunning boxset now for this astounding price...its worth it if you dont own the films already or haven't seen them yet.
this is the complete series and by far the most consistant horror franchise to date with the first two being genuine classics and the latter two being very,very good.
and as i said ignore the alien vs predator films...they dont know what the hell they are doing!!!
IN SPACE NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU SCREAM

ON DVD EVERYONE CAN HEAR YOU SCREAM....
Forget the cartoon violence of the recent Alien Vs Predator movies and re-visit the original superlative Sci-fi shockers that first put Ripley and the acid blooded nasties onto the big screen.
Ridley Scott's original 1979 film is still a classic - a brooding and genuinely scarey shocker that is as much Hitchcock as it is monster flick. James Cameran's sequel is still the jewel though - guns, action, lots of very angry Aliens and an excellent career best performance from Sigorny Weaver. Alien 3, directed by a soon to be massive David Fincher, is still the oddball - very dark, very slow and extremely downbeat. It looks wonderful but just doesn't stand up to it's illustrious predecessors. Almost entirely populated by minor British character actors - Charles Dance is great though - Alien 3 is just to disjointed and action free to be anything but a minor entry in the Alien saga. Compared to Alien Vs Predator though it is a masterpiece !
Alien Reserection added swimming Xenomorphs and a reborn Ripley. It's an interesting film with lots of inventive, and extremely bloody scenes, that tries just too hard to ape Cameran's 1986 sequel.
Quadrilogy collects all four movies together and adds loads of special features, interviews, director commentaries and deleted scenes.
Whatever you may think of the later fims this boxset is beautifully presented and offers a lot of Alien for your buck.

Slightly overambitious but a must have for fans
There's not been much left out of this Alien DVD collection that's for sure.

I'm a huge fan of the films, the first two are outstanding, the third is very good and the fourth...well, it's the weakest of the four by far but I've still watched it a few times :)

I think the fact that this set has been so ambitious is partly its downfall. Each film and it's special edition is on one DVD and the picture quality has suffered somewhat for it - It's hardly the worst around but could have been a lot better better. Take for instance Aliens, there's probably 5 hours of video (standard + SE versions) to be crammed onto one disc and the only way that could be achieved is compressions,compression, compression! I guess the only other option would be to have each version of the film on it's own disc so there was enough storage for the film to span the dual layers and take less of a hit on the picture quality stakes. However, that would have lead to a pack of 13 or so discs I guess! I would have bought it...and still would if it comes out! Let's have it on Bluray.......!!

Anyway, that's the only real negative.

The list of extras for each film is extensive and too long to list. It'll keep die hard fans happy for a long time. Alien and Alien Resurrection have DTS sound which is a nice addition.

The set is well presented in a fold out book/box with each DVD having it's own 'page' to hold it in place. There's a little booklet too with a small plot summary and chapter list of each film and details of the extras.

The films themselves and the special editions are probably familiar to many - the only two I had not seen were the special editions of Alien 3 and Alien Resurection. I think the weakest directors cut is the one for Alien 3. It changes key elements of the plot (such as the animal that gives 'birth' to the alien in this film) and I just didn't think it worked well at all. All the other director's cuts expand characters or add in cool stuff (like the robot sentries in Aliens) without changing the key details and are better for it.

Anyway, for this price this pack is one of the best bargains going. 9 Discs containing easily two of the best Sci-Fi films of all time supported by slightly weaker but still watchable 3rd and 4th installments and a rake of extras. I just can't help thinking that if you're a stickler for picture quality you may feel slightly underwhelmed with this set. It's a missed opportunity to give the absolute best but still a worthwhile purchase.

Recommended ****