WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Alien: Special Widescreen Collectors Edition
Genre:Science Fiction

Reviewed In Issue 01 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm, Yaphet Kotto

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 5
Sound Rating: 3.5
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
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Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number): 1090-85
(MPAA Rating): R
(Retail Price): $$99.98
(Running Time In Minutes): 117
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Theatrical Release): 1979
(LD Release Date): 10/92
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

Credits Information
(Director): Ridley Scott
(Screenplay/Written By): Dan O’Bannon
(Story): NA
(Music): Jerry Goldsmith
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Michael Seymour
(Visual Effects): Filmfex Animation Services Ltd.
(Costume Designer): John Mollow
(Editor): Terry Rawlins
(Supervising Sound Editors): Jim Shields, GBFE
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): Ronald Shusett
(Co-Producers): NA
(Producers): Gordon Carroll, David Giler & Walter Hill

DVD Picture Information
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.35:1
(Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.45:1

DVD Sound Information
(DVD Soundtrack): Dolby Surround
(Theatrical Sound): Dolby Stereo A & 70mm 6 Track Dolby
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(Remastered Dolby Digital):
(Remastered DTS Digital Surround):
(Additional Languages):

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
The first installment of one of the most popular science fiction sagas, “Alien” stars Sigorney Weaver as Ripley, a member of the spaceship Nostromo who investigate a mysterious transmission from a desolate planet.

LaserDisc Picture:
Picture quality on the 2.35:1 LaserDisc is excellent, the result no doubt of carefully orchestrated transfers. The picture presentations reflect the dark brooding mood intended by the directors. There is virtually no video noise artifacts nor evidence of any significant degree of grain.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
Any science fiction film usually requires an array of original sound effects to create an other worldly environment and the sound design is particularly rich with both complexity and startling realism. The scores by both Jerry Goldstein and James Horner capture the sense of the vast emptiness of space in one moment and grisly human terror in the next.
(Surround Bass Below 50Hz):
(Aggressive System Surround):
(Intense 25Hz Bass):
(Deep Bass Challenging):
(Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
(Holosonic Soundfield):
(Aggressive Split Surround):
(Center Back Surround Imaging):
(Directionalized Dialogue):
Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
Superb Color Fidelity:
Superb Cinematography:
Reference LaserDisc:
Collector Edition:
DVD To LaserDisc Comparison: