Aliens (1986)

User Rating:

8.5/10   

Director:

James Cameron

Writers:

James Cameron (story) and
David Giler (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

18 July 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

This time there's more.

Plot:

The planet from Alien (1979) has been colonized, but contact is lost. This time, the rescue team has impressive firepower, enough?

Plot Keywords:

Alien | Space | Space Marine | Nightmare | Sequel

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 15 wins & 21 nominations

Cast

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
Trevor Steedman	...	Pvt. Wierzbowski
Paul Maxwell	...	Van Leuwen
Valerie Colgan	...	ECA Representative
Alan Polonsky	...	Insurance Man
Alibe Parsons	...	Med Tech
Blain Fairman	...	Doctor
Barbara Coles	...	Cocooned Woman
Carl Toop	...	Alien Warrior
John Lees	...	Power Loader Operator
William Armstrong	...	Lydecker (scenes deleted) (as Bill Armstrong)

Directed by
James Cameron

Writing credits
James Cameron		(story) and
David Giler		(story) &
Walter Hill		(story)
Dan O'Bannon		(characters) and
Ronald Shusett		(characters)
James Cameron		(screenplay)

Produced by
Gordon Carroll	....	executive producer
David Giler	....	executive producer
Walter Hill	....	executive producer
Gale Anne Hurd	....	producer

Original Music by
James Horner

Cinematography by
Adrian Biddle		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ray Lovejoy

Production Design by
Peter Lamont

Art Direction by
Terry Ackland-Snow		(supervising art director) (as Terence Ackland-Snow)
Ken Court
Bert Davey
Fred Hole
Michael Lamont

Set Decoration by
Crispian Sallis

Costume Design by
Emma Porteus		(as Emma Porteous)

Makeup Department
Elaine Bowerbank	....	chief hair stylist
Peter Robb-King	....	makeup supervisor
Everett Burrell	....	special makeup effects (uncredited)
Tony Gardner	....	Stan Winston's creature effects crew (uncredited)
Melissa Street	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Mo Coppitters	....	unit production manager
Hugh Harlow	....	production supervisor
Gil Whelan	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Derek Cracknell	....	first assistant director
Melvin Lind	....	second assistant director
Stan Winston	....	second unit director
Julian Wall	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Ron Cobb	....	conceptual designer
Bert Hearn	....	property master
Syd Mead	....	conceptual artist
Sid Palmer	....	production buyer (as Sidney Palmer)
Vic Simpson	....	construction manager
Janice Body	....	graphics artist (uncredited)
Tony Gardner	....	artistic supervisor: miniature effects unit (uncredited)
Mark Harris	....	technical set dresser (uncredited)
Paul James	....	supervising plasterer (uncredited)
Simon Lamont	....	art department assistant (uncredited)
Maciek Piotrowski	....	sketch artist (uncredited)
Tony Rimmington	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Colin Thurston	....	prop storeman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Michael A. Carter	....	dubbing mixer
Roy Charman	....	sound recordist
Dev Goodman	....	sound editor
Graham V. Hartstone	....	chief dubbing mixer
Peter Horrocks	....	sound editor
Jack T. Knight	....	sound editor (as Jack Knight)
Nicolas Le Messurier	....	dubbing mixer
Archie Ludski	....	dialogue editor
Alan Paley	....	sound editor
Rocky Phelan	....	foley editor
Don Sharpe	....	supervising sound editor
Chris Blunden	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Scott Brose	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Deveril Goodman	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Jeffrey Perkins	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Otto Snel	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Lionel Strutt	....	adr mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Norman Baillie	....	workshop supervisor
Nigel Booth	....	creature effects crew
Ron Burton	....	senior special effects technician
Trevor Butterfield	....	creature effects crew
Julian Caldow	....	creature effects crew
Ron Cartwright	....	senior special effects technician
Philomena Davis	....	creature effects crew
Michael Dunleavy	....	senior special effects technician
Greg Figiel	....	creature effects crew (as Gregory Figiel)
Nick Finlayson	....	senior special effects technician
Alec Gillis	....	creature effects coordinator
Matthew Harlow	....	special effects technician
Graham High	....	creature effects crew
Dave Keen	....	creature effects crew (as David Keen)
Richard J. Landon	....	creature effects coordinator (as Richard Landon)
Rick Lazzarini	....	creature effects crew
Ray Lovell	....	creature effects crew
Lindsay MacGowan	....	creature effects crew (as Lindsay McGowan)
Shane Mahan	....	creature effects coordinator
John Morris	....	senior special effects technician
Kenneth Morris	....	senior special effects technician (as Ken Morris)
Stephen Norrington	....	creature effects crew
Christine Overs	....	creature effects crew
Peter Pickering	....	senior special effects technician
John Richardson	....	special effects supervisor
John Robertson	....	creature effects crew
Ian Rolph	....	creature effects crew
Matt Rose	....	creature effects crew
John Rosengrant	....	creature effects coordinator
Bill Sturgeon	....	creature effects crew
Willie Whitten	....	creature effects crew
Paul Whybrow	....	senior special effects technician
Joss Williams	....	senior special effects technician
Mark Williams	....	creature effects crew
Stan Winston	....	alien effects creator
Tom Woodruff Jr.	....	creature effects coordinator
Michael Burnett	....	miniature effects unit (uncredited)
Dave Chagouri	....	special effects (uncredited)
Simon Cockren	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)
Edward J. Franklin	....	special effects crew (uncredited)
Julian Parry	....	effects crew: Los Angeles (uncredited)
Tim Turner	....	miniature effects assistant (uncredited)
Andy Williams	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Steven Woodcock	....	model maker (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Michael Anderson	....	camera operator: visual effects unit
Jonathan Angell	....	senior special effects technician: visual effects unit
Doug Beswick	....	mechanical armature design: visual effects unit
John Brown	....	senior special effects technician: visual effects unit
Leslie Dear	....	camera operator: visual effects unit
Paul Frift	....	assistant director: visual effects unit
Robert Gavin	....	special effects editor: visual effects unit
Richard Hewitt	....	video effects supervisor
Brian Johnson	....	visual effects supervisor: post production
Christopher Knowles	....	assistant director: visual effects unit (as Chris Knowles)
David Litchfield	....	camera operator: visual effects unit
Pat McClung	....	miniatures technical supervisor: visual effects unit
Digby Milner	....	senior special effects technician: visual effects unit
Roy Moores	....	process photographer: visual effects unit
Phil Notaro	....	mechanical armature design: visual effects unit
Harry Oakes	....	camera operator: visual effects unit
Peter Russell	....	art director: visual effects unit
Barry Saunders	....	construction manager: visual effects unit
Dennis Skotak	....	visual effects supervisor
Robert Skotak	....	visual effects supervisor
Brian Smithies	....	miniature floor effects supervisor: visual effects unit
Sarah Spooner	....	production secretary: visual effects unit
Charles Staffell	....	process photographer: visual effects unit
Paul Tivers	....	unit production manager: visual effects unit
Wally Wheeler	....	gaffer: visual effects unit
Tony White	....	titles: visual effects unit
Tony White	....	video graphics design: visual effects unit
Larry Arpin	....	visual effects (uncredited)
Steven Begg	....	model effects (uncredited)
Suzanne M. Benson	....	visual effects (uncredited)
Martin Body	....	rotoscope artist (uncredited)
Zoe Cain	....	visual effects trainee (uncredited)
Alan Church	....	optical camera operator (uncredited)
Andrew Eio	....	motion control programmer (uncredited)
Tony Gardner	....	cosmetic supervisor: miniature effects unit (uncredited)
John Lee	....	model maker (uncredited)
Alan G. Markowitz	....	visual effects supervisor (uncredited)
Tony Rowland	....	camera grip (uncredited)
Adrian Trent	....	assistant visual effects editor (uncredited)

Stunts
Elanor Bertram	....	stunts
Simon Crane	....	stunts
Sue Crosland	....	stunts
Steve Dent	....	stunts
Stuart Fell	....	stunts
Louise Head	....	stunt double #1: Carrie Henn
Jazzer Jeyes	....	stunts
Sean McCabe	....	stunts
Eddie Powell	....	stunts
Kiran Shah	....	stunt double #2: Carrie Henn
Stuart St. Paul	....	stunts
Malcolm Weaver	....	stunts
Chris Webb	....	stunts
Bill Weston	....	stunts
Paul Weston	....	stunt coordinator
Jason White	....	stunts
Clive Curtis	....	stunt double: Frost (uncredited)
Tom Delmar	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Martin Hume	....	camera focus
Martin Kenzie	....	camera focus
Shaun O'Dell	....	camera operator
Bob Penn	....	still photographer (as Robert Penn)
Jack Thetford	....	gaffer
David Worley	....	camera operator
Pete Cavaciuti	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
Michael Condro	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Stewart Hadley	....	generator operator (uncredited)
Paul Kenward	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Michael McDermott	....	gaffer: second unit (uncredited)
Pat Miller	....	electrician (uncredited)
Jan Pester	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
Nigel Seal	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Chris Warren	....	video assist operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Jane Feinberg	....	casting: USA
Mike Fenton	....	casting: USA
Mary Selway	....	casting: UK
Judy Taylor	....	casting: USA

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Tiny Nicholls	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Peter Boita	....	associate editor
Simon Harris	....	second assistant editor
Phil Sanderson	....	first assistant editor
Robert Hambling	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Brian Q. Kelley	....	editor: additional material for special edition (uncredited)
Steve Maguire	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Robin Clarke	....	music editor
Michael Clifford	....	music editor
Randall Frakes	....	synthesizer effects
Robert Garrett	....	synthesizer effects (as Robert Garret)
Greig McRitchie	....	orchestrator (as Greg McRitchie)
Eric Tomlinson	....	music recording engineer
Ian Underwood	....	synthesizer effects
Don Davis	....	additional orchestrator (uncredited)
Otto Snel	....	music pre-dub mixer (uncredited)

Other crew
Polly Apostolof	....	assistant to producer
Jill Bennett	....	production accountant
Diana Dill	....	script supervisor
Geoff Freeman	....	unit publicist
H.R. Giger	....	original alien designer
Jay Roberts	....	location auditor
Paul Tucker	....	production controller
Joyce Turner	....	production coordinator
Simon Atherton	....	armorer (uncredited)
James Cameron	....	queen alien designer (uncredited)
Terry English	....	armor designer (uncredited)
Andrew Fletcher	....	armorer (uncredited)
Randy Harrison	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
• Brandywine Productions
• SLM Production Group

Distributors

• Fox Film (1986) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Spentzos Films (1986) (Greece) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• 20th Century Fox of Germany (Germany)
• CBS / Fox Video (1987) (Greece) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (????) (New Zealand) (VHS) (original video release)
• CBS/Fox (USA) (lasedisc)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1989) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Encore Entertainment (UK) (laserdisc)
• Fox Video (Europe) (laserdisc)
• Fox Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Fox Video (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (laserdisc)
• Lightstorm Entertainment (USA)
• Odeon (2004) (Greece) (DVD) (director's cut)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (USA)

Special Effects

• Fantasy II Film Effects
• L.A. Effects Group
• Peerless Camera Company (motion control)
• Stan Winston Studio

Other Companies

• Abbey Road Studios  music recorded at
• Arkadon  motion control
• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• General Screen Enterprises  opticals
• Mayflower Recording  adr recording
• Peerless Camera Company  motion control
• Peerless Camera Company  opticals
• Peter Aston model effects  miniatures
• Peter Govey Film Opticals  opticals
• Pinewood Studios  movie studio
• Pinewood Studios  sound re-recorded at
• Varèse Sarabande  score album released by

Also Known As:

Alien 2 (USA) (working title)
Alien II (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for monster violence, and for language. (1992 special edition)

Runtime:

137 min | USA:154 min (special edition)

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Ontario) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | 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 | 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:

Acton Lane Power Station, Acton Lane, Acton, London, England, UK

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Most of the movie was filmed under very bluish light to give it a strange and "alien" feel. The colors of the Marines' camouflage BDUs and the Humbrol "Brown Bess" used on the Pulse Rifles were all chosen specifically to work with the blue set lighting. As a result, both look very different under natural light than they did on screen.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the queen grabs the loader in the final fight scene, she topples it over first smashing the yellow rotating beacon light on the top then pulling it in the airlock, but when the loader is shown in the air lock the light is undamaged and operating.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Salvage team leader: Bio-readouts are all in the green, looks like she's alive. Well, there goes our salvage, guys.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Macabre Pair of Shorts (1996)

Soundtrack:

Movie music

Excellent sequel--matches the brilliance of the first film

Series note: It is strongly advised that you watch this film only after seeing Alien (1979). This is a direct continuation of that story.

57 years after the events of the first film, Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is found and awakened from hyper sleep to discover that a terraforming colony has been set up on LV-426, the planet wherein she and her fellow crew of the mining cargo spaceship Nostromo first encountered the titular aliens. When Earth-based communications loses contact with LV-426, a band of marines are sent to investigate, taking Ripley and a representative from the company that financed the colony, Carter Burke (Paul Reiser) along for the ride.

For the difficult job of following up Ridley Scott's excellent Alien, director James Cameron decided to go a completely different route--to make a fast moving, slightly tongue-in-cheek, boisterous action extravaganza. Remarkably, he was able to do that while still maintaining a stylistic and literary continuity that melds Aliens seamlessly with the first film.

Ripley is much more fully developed in this film, although unfortunately, some of the most significant scenes were deleted from the theatrical release (if at all possible, watch the 2-hour and 37-minute director's cut instead). Cameron fashioned Aliens into a grand arc where Ripley's actions at the end of the film have much more meaning as she's not only fighting monsters, but also fighting to retain a semblance of something she lost due to her 57-year hyper sleep. As in the first film, she is still the most intelligent, courageous and resourceful member of the crew, but she has much more colorful company.

The marines accompanying Ripley back to LV-426 may be too cartoonish for some tastes (as for viewers of that opinion, most of the action and the film overall is likely to be too cartoonish), but for anyone more agreeable to that kind of caricatured exaggeration, it's a joy to watch. I'm a big fan of both Bill Paxton and Lance Henriksen, and both turn in wonderfully over-the-top performances, at their diametrically opposed ends of the emotional spectrum--Paxton as the spastic surfer/redneck and Henriksen as the intense, moody sage, with a surprising reality and an even more surprising conscience to go along with it. We also get a cigar-chomping Sergeant, a crazy, butch Private, and a complex, pensive Corporal as main characters, and a mysterious, bright young girl (played in a terrific performance by Carrie Henn). Much of the center section of the film hinges on the interrelationships of these characters, despite the action trappings going on around them.

Cameron carries over the crypt/labyrinth motif of the first film, and adds a metaphorical descent into the bowels of hell in the climax. The action throughout is suspenseful. Aliens contains one of my favorite "cat fights" in any film. It's also worth noting the influence this film may have had on Paul Verhoeven's Starship Troopers (1997)--although admittedly, we could say that Cameron was influenced a bit by the Robert A. Heinlein book, as well. Throughout all of the varied action sequences, as well as the important early scenes of colonists on LV-426, Cameron is able to clearly convey the logistics of very complex sets, so that viewers remain on the edges of their seats.

Part of what makes the monsters so effective is that we're not told too much about them. We only get glimpses into their physiology's, their behavioral patterns and their intelligence. Cameron gives us just enough to become wrapped up in the film, but not so much that we become overly familiar with the aliens, or start to question the logic behind the film. He also smartly carries over some devices from the first film that were abandoned to an extent, such as the acidic blood of the aliens, and he supplies answers to the few questions that the first film raised, such as why the blood doesn't corrode instruments and objects when a dead alien is examined.

Aliens is yet another example of a sequel that is just as good as an original film in a series. Just make sure you watch both in order, and try to watch the director's cuts.