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‘Alien’ 35th anniversary celebrated with special edition

By Lou Gaul for The 4 min read
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A sci-fi favorite that introduced a deadly space creature and turned an unknown actress into a star returns with a makeover

“Alien: 35th Anniversary Edition” ($14.99, DVD; $24.99, Blu-ray Disc), arriving today, will contain director Ridley Scott’s theatrical version (1979) as well as the director’s cut (2003).

The still-striking R-rated chiller, which according to Box Office Mojo grossed a whopping $104 million worldwide, is really a haunted-house-in-space dark fantasy. In “Alien,” a crew on a faraway work mission discovers a deadly organism that’s from a galaxy far, far away and is picking off crew members.

Scott attracted a terrific ensemble, including Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm, Yaphet Kotto and Sigourney Weaver. He also hired the late Swiss surrealist artist H.R. Giger to provide the creature and set.

In “Alien,” Weaver is the last fighter standing, a hero going toe-to-toe against a killer creature. In the recently published “The Ultimate Guide: Alien,” editor Dave Golder, notes the film’s importance to Weaver’s career and image.

“As the prototype butt-kicking female heroine, we think of Ellen Ripley as a fearless Amazon but one of the pleasures of watching ‘Alien’ is seeing her emerge,” the information-packed magazine reports. “Initially she’s a peripheral character and largely an unsympathetic one.

“Later, she has moments of weakness and panic — she’s not a superwoman. Over the course of her hero’s journey we see Ellen becoming Ripley. The Nostromo (the space craft holding the crew and the creature) is the crucible in which she is forged.”

According to Hi-Def Digest, the extras on the anniversary edition of “Alien” include: an introduction by Scott; an isolated score by Jerry Goldsmith; deleted and extended scenes; an illustrated comic book; and collectible art cards.

New arrivals

The following titles either have been or soon will be released for Blu-ray, DVD and (in some cases) digital downloads. For retail prices, release dates, extras and more, go to www.amazon.com, www.moviesunlimited.com and www.amazon.com.

Bates Motel: Season Two,” with Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore in a TV series about the early years of Mrs. Bates and her son, Norman, from Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho.”

Holiday Inn,” with Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire and Marjorie Reynolds in the feel-good musical favorite that features “White Christmas” by Irving Berlin.

Million Dollar Arm,” with Jon Hamm in a fact-based story presented by Disney and following a sports agent who wants to bring some athletes from India to play baseball in America. The extras in the PG-rated package include three making-of featurettes, an alternate ending, deleted scenes and outtakes.

A Million Ways to Die in the West,” with Seth MacFarlane (creator of “Family Guy” and the hit “Ted”) in a comedy about a tenderfoot frontier character battling to stay alive in the old West. The film will be offered in the R-rated theatrical version and an unrated cut. Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson, Neil Patrick Harris, Amanda Seyfried, Giovanni Ribisi and Sarah Silverman.

Monster High: Freaky Fusion,” with the character Frankie Stein learning more about her three fashionable “ghoulfriends.”

Roger & Me,” with Michael Moore in the acclaimed R-rated documentary (1989) in which the filmmaker attempts to meet General Motors chairman Roger Smith and persuade him to visit Flint, Michigan to see the devastation caused by a lack of jobs at the automobile company.

Sideways: 10th Anniversary Edition,” with Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church and Virginia Madsen in director Alexander Payne’s acclaimed film about two middle-aged guys who feel like failures and embark on a journey through California’s wine country.

The Signal,” with Laurence Fishburne in a PG-13 dark fantasy about some young adults who are contacted by a mysterious hacker and end up living in an isolation unit. The extras include a making-of featurette, an outtake; deleted, extended and alternate scenes; and commentary by director William Eubank and screenwriters Carlyle Eubank and David Frigerio.

Sleeping Beauty: Diamond Edition,” with “Modern Family” star Sarah Hyland hosting the G-rated Disney classic (1959) about the interplay between Princess Aurora, Prince Phillip and the villainous Maleficent. The numerous extras include: three never seen deleted scenes; and a sing-along version of “Once Upon a Dream.”

Team Hot Wheels: The Origin of Awesome!” with skilled young racers facing an orange truck with strange powers.

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