Alien Resurrection (ALIEN 4)

June 12-14, 1997... If you're going to see Speed II, there's a mixed chance you'll get to see the advance trailer for November's Alien Resurrection. We were first alerted to the sneak preview of said trailer by 'NeuroJockey', on the Thursday June 12th Entertainment Tonight. It begins exactly as the May 27th scooper told us: a child's angelic voice sings "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", followed by the camera descending into the behemoth Auriga spaceship, and then coming to stop on the latest clone of Ripley, floating in an embryonic-like solution. The rapid-fire flurry of images that follow will get your blood racing to see the show: the mercenaries of the Betty fighting to stay alive; the underwater battle; the Alien-DNA heightened Ripley flinging othera around, as well as her first encounter with Call; and finally, Ripley's sinister grin when Purvis, one of the colonists abducted by the mercenaries, asks her "Who are you?"

The fellow who first told us about the ET sneak preview checked out Speed II Friday, hoping to see the A4 trailer on the big screen - but it wasn't there. "The Alien Resurrection trailer was moved from the beginning of Speed 2 since its an 'R' rated trailer. And its also not really the official trailer... it's definately a teaser. In my theatre it was put before The Lost World and I don't know if this will be happening everywhere else."

In Vancouver, Canada, we saw it in front of Speed 2...so there's been some juggling of the trailers by the theater managers (which does happen.)

[Scoops sent in by 'NeuroJockey'.]

June 17, 1997... The film's tag line is: Witness the Resurrection. [Scooped by 'NeuroJockey' and 'Livingston'.]

June 22, 1997... A 6 meg trailer is now avaliable for downloading on the film's official web site. The trailer can be directly downloaded on the bottom of this page. [Thanks to our 'London Spy' for the info!]

July 8, 1997... "There are many unique, standout scenes in the movie. When one of the marines fires a revolver at a creature, the film shifts to slow-motion, and we travel inside the barrel of his gun as the bullet is fired. In another scene, a marine is impaled by an alien's tongue, and the camera shifts to the inside of his body, as we see the tongue penetrate his heart. Good stuff.

"The half human/alien (The Newborn) is a fantastic addition to the Alien family...it's got a tube-like second tongue that pierces its victims. It then drains the blood from its victim, which flows into huge, translucent veins that surrounds the Newborn's head. Sorta like an intergalactic tick. :)

"There are many scenes with 'John Woo' style double-guns. Many of the characters seem to prefer using two pulse rifles, two pistols, and two shotguns.

"It's an excellent, excellent script, and it's important for fans to know that THERE IS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. If the movie is half as good as the script, everyone will be blown out of their seats. So keep cool, watch Aliens: Special Edition again, and Resurrection will be there before you even know it." [Scoop sent in anonymously.]

July 21, 1997... At the San Diego Comic Convention, screenwriter Joss Whedon and Fox creative executive Jorge Sarelegui were on a panel covering the making of the film. Among the questions fielded by the panel, Sarelegui answered one pertaining to how the the film's storyline began. Before Sigourney Weaver has agreed to return as Ripley, Sarelegui wanted to bring back an older cloned version of Newt to link the fourth film with the franchise. However, once Weaver agreed to appear in the fourth film, that storyline was dropped.

But while the Newt storyline was still in development, Sarelegui chose Joss Whedon as "the only man for the job" to write Alien 4. Whedon had worked on Speed and Buffy the Vampire Slayer previously for Fox, and it was because of the scribe's experiences writing a vehicle for a young ass-kicking heroine (Buffy) he landed the job writing A4.

And, for those of you who still want to ask the questions with no answers ("How did those Alien eggs get on the Sulaco at the start of the third film?", or "Why did you decide to kill off Hicks and Newt?"), there was an answer of sorts given at the panel. Responding to a question from the audience, Sarelegui said that the development of ALIEN³ was before his tenure at Fox, and based on the fan and box office reaction from the film's release, it was a "bad mistake" in hindsight.

From the presentation video shown, the Alien creatures have only been slightly modified for this outing. Their appearance is more similar to H.R. Giger's original 'smooth head' look than Stan Winston's 'ribbed head' approach. There was some behind-the-scenes video shown of the Alien Queen (but only the top half of the Queen was shown - the rest was deemed too secretive by Fox to show the audience. But here's a hint - she had the same 'expression' that most women have when in the process of giving birth). Fox is keeping a tight lid on all images of the Newborn - including not even mentioning its name at the panel. From the material shown, the film looks exciting and wonderfully nightmarish. [Reported by Patrick Sauriol.]

July 29, 1997... One of our previous scoopers reported on the ways and means the new Alien, the Newborn, has of killing its victims. "...it's got a tube-like second tongue that pierces its victims. It then drains the blood from its victim, which flows into huge, translucent veins that surrounds the Newborn's head. Sorta like an intergalactic tick."

Upon reading this item, a mysterious scooper sent us this email:

"HA HA HA!! Drains blood! That's a good one! But it's not true."

Whether or not this individual has additional knowledge about the deletion of this trait of the Newborn from the film, they chose not to share it with us. Based on the pre-production material we've seen, the Newborn had this ability; at the very least, it existed in the initial Whedon draft. Jeunet may have decided to drop it once filming began - which will make more sense to the Alien fans, since we've never once seen any of the creatures motivated by a need to feed. [Bit dropped off anonymously.]

August 4, 1997... There was a test screening of the film in Camarillo, California this past weekend. This scooper saw the film and has reported that the Newborn did not have the blood-sucking ability in the print they saw, although many visual effects were still to be completed. I guess this means Ripley won't need the pulse-rifle that shoots garlic cloves after all. [Reported by 'Dang'.]

'nother scooper hands in this following USMC report:

"I've seen the test screening for Alien Resurrection. The opening shot is of the passages of the the Auriga, unless there is one that wasn't attached to the test print. None of the characters from the other movies make appearances. The Newborn does not suck blood and does not have translucent veins. The Eiffel Tower is never shown and the final battle does not take place on earth, although the ship does head there. Overall, this film is magnificent. Alien fans will go wild over it. Sigourney is no 'wimp' as one of your earlier posts stated...she's often frightening. But she does such an incredible job in this movie that I'm not kidding that Oscar talk will soon hit Alien 4." [Sent in by 'SuperSun'.]

September 14, 1997... Numerous scoopers have told us about the ending of Alien Resurrection being re-shot in New York City on September 5th but we haven't been able to confirm this with our sources. The little amount that we know about the new ending shows Ripley and Call in orbit around Earth musing about what it must be like living down there. Previously, Whedon's script featured the pair battling the Newborn on the plains after they made planetfall; Jeunet's revised ending showed the remaining humans trying to stop the Newborn from reaching civilization by fighting it in a junkyard on the outskirts of a futuristic Paris, France. [Thanks to 'Viper Pit','st2112', Ron Mark, ]

Additional talk has been heard that Fox executives want to 'dumb down' the director's cut of the film seen in recent test audience previews to 'approve marketing appeal', one source told us. [Thanks to an anonymous source.]

Here's one to think about while reading the scoops that appear on this site:

"I read today your 9/2 'scoop' on the rumor of a prequel teaser trailer being attached to prints of the Alien Resurrection film. I am sure you have probably already thought this through yourselves, but follow for a moment this line of reasoning:

a) I am a studio executive,

b) I want to generate hype for my new movie and avoid terminal Batman-and-Robin-itis at the box office,

c) I know thousands of drooling film geeks read internet rumor sites,

** ergo: **

d) I plant a 'scoop' about a trailer for the most anticipated movie of all time being attached to my new movie,

e) Film geeks pay $8 to come to my movie just to see the trailer (which was a lie all along) and I make $125 million at the box office.

"Get it?

"Don't think for a minute that TPTB in Hollywood won't find new and creative ways to turn sites like yours into a tool."

They probably do, instead of finding new and creative ways to write and produce a movie. [Thanks to 'Bugsy' for the uncomfortable thought of the day.]

Fox and their computer game affiliate Kesmai are going to release an online multiplayer game based on the Aliens universe in the style of id Software's immensly popular Doom game. A preview of the game exists at www.gamepen.com/multiplayer/gamestorm/aopreview.html. A beta version of the game may be posted on this site in the coming weeks as the release date draws closer. The write-up on this site was done by a fellow named Eric Eckstein who appears to be as big an Aliens fan as the Director of this site ("That's a good sign, but I'm not sure of exactly just what," Patrick quipped. [Thanks to this anonymous Kesmai employee for the lead.]

'NeuroJockey' sent us a huge and extremely thourough summation of all the recent promo activity for the flick:

"The Alien Resurrection poster is finally in theatres. And oh course, its extremely ambiguous. It has a space background with the glow 'I' from the Aliens logo. From the side of the green hot 'I' are two ALIEN hands prying the eye open. At the bottom in a green font is 'WITNESS THE RESURRECTION' and the date in numerics '11.26.97' Of course, I'm still gonna buy it.

"And as well, ET had its fall preview on ET This Week and showed some major chunks of the film. Including:

"òA chestburster breaking through the front of someone's skull. ( I read the script so I won't ruin it for everyone who doesn't know). [Behind the scenes].

"òRipley waking abruptly on her cell floor. [Behind the scenes].

"òA failed attempt at the cloning. I'm guessing number seven. Looks incredible.[Actual footage].

"òRipley and an ALIEN in the Hive. [Behind the scenes].

"òOne of the mercs being dragged by an ALIEN underwater [Behind the scenes].

"òRipley jimmying a locking mechanism and escaping. [Behind the scenes].

"òAn interview clip with Sigourney Weaver where she says: 'Something has gone wrong in the cloning, so that she's had a sort of genetic mix with the Alien and there's this unease about how much she is of which and where her loyalties lie...'

"òWinona and Sigourney on set. [Behind the scenes].

"òAnnalee Call looking scared down a hallway. [Actual footage].

"òA short but amazing shot of the Alien Queen lying on her back with her egg? sack very bloated. The Hive looks wicked.

"òA shot of an ALIEN. [Behind the scenes].

"òAnnalee in the clutches of what I'm assuming is the Newborn. I won't say why. They only show the torso and one arm.

"òAnnalee underwater ripping through the webskin above her [Actual footage].

"Also, (I'm just full of them today, aren't I?) The new Movieline magazine has Sigourney on the cover with a really good interview about Ripley. Some new photos from the film as well. One of which has Ripley pressed against a rusted space.door. Worth picking up.

"As well as, Entertainment Weekly had a huge picture of Ripley and Call for the first page of its November Preview. French Premiere has a six page spread of the film. Over 20 pictures (4 of which we've seen before) and a huge article (regretting not taking french heavy now). Nicolas Cage is on the cover, Sept 1997 issue.

"Access Hollywood had another spot on mainly Winona Ryder re: AR. Alot of the footage was the same from the ET clip but there was some new stuff. Other shots included:

"Ripley sniffing the ground with Call reaching down to her saying: 'Ripley, we have to go!' [Behind the scenes]

"Ripley forcing Call to caress her face. [Actual footage]

"Ripley waking on the floor of her cell. [Letterbox footage]

"From the footage I'm gaming there's gonna be a behind the scenes videocassette or tv special on AR before its release." See? Told ya the guy's on the ball big time. [Major kudos to 'NeuroJockey' for keeping the other USMCs up-to-date of the bug infestation. Additional thanks to 'Shadowfax', 'evangellion', and anonymously.]

Reports are coming in from witnesses who've seen the Newborn. It ain't a pretty sight, kiddies:

"I was looking at a behind-the scenes look of Alien Resurrection on E! News Daily and they showed what it looks like the image of the Newborn. I might be wrong, but I think this is it. It has eyes (they only showed the face), it had a pointy nose. It is true from one of your scoop, it doesn't have the spinchers, it was horrorful. It has a light tint of the Predator's face. It has an evil smile. You should had checked it out!!!" [Submitted anonymously.]

"Yesterday I was a member of the first audience in the US to preview the film. Most of what you have now is right. The Newborn doesn't suck blood or anything -- many of his actions were very human (too human to me and I think they should put those scenes back in there if they really were made). His appearance was very human -- he had eyes that were like a humans even though they were all black and he isn't 'asexual' and he is given emotions (but he is very violent). I really liked the movie but I do hope they do change some of the scenes (I liked the Newborn too much). Oh, the Newborn looks like a skeleton in the face." [Sent in anonymously.]

"The Newborn has taken a much more believable twist in appearance, turning out to be nothing like the 'intergalactic tick' in the script. Instead we have a very human-looking, erect-walking creature that's basically a human with claws, brown-skin, and an elongated head." [Submitted by 'Lawler'.]

All true. The Newborn is very anthopomorphic in its appearance. It doesn't have true eyes but instead has a very skull-like head design and uses a lighter skin tone to suggest something 'extra' lurks in the dark patches. It also moves more like a person than a true Alien and may be asexual. Some have seen breasts on the chest of the creature; while not prominent, they suggest that the creature designers changed the emphasis on the sexual characteristics of this offspring.

And the United Kingdom release date may have been significantly pushed up. One scooper reports that the new date is November 28, two days after the North American release. [Sent in by M. Bourne.]

Will the expanded AR trailer be running in-front of Fox's September 26th release The Edge? [Overheard by 'SidShuman'.]

Addendum:

"Just saw the 'twinkle twinkle little star' trailer in front of Event Horizon. Though amongst several other good trailers, it was the only one to draw a really strong crowd reaction." [Sent by 'Bobo'.]

"Reviews of Alien Resurrection test screenings have flooded in and have made the movie look like the best ever. Reviewers claim that it's the best Alien movie ever and will definitely get the franchise back on track. Some even say that Sigourney Weaver will definitely be an Oscar nominee for this movie. Also, the aliens are said to be extremely scary and in large numbers. One reviewer said 'And this time, ALL the aliens are scary, unlike Aliens where only the queen scary.'" [Ed. note: Whoa big guy! You're telling me the scene where after the Marines incinerate the chestburster/colonist and the Aliens peel themselves off the walls wasn't spooky enough? Uh uh.]

"Even though special effects were only around 70% finished and the musical score was temporary and also unfinished, both were claimed to be better just the way they are than most movies released this year. Another reviewer said, 'In a year of trash, is an awesome movie.' It's said to be unbelievably scary and the underwater scenes are reported to be unbelievably claustrophobic. One reviewer held his breath during the scene and claimed he almost passed out. Reviewers who read the script said that the movie is almost nothing like it. The harvester scene has been changed, a reviewer reported, so that it's much scarier and makes much more sense. I hope so, since Johner's turning on the harvester and nearly killing Vriess didn't make any sense at all to me. The Newborn is said to be unbelievably scary, more scary than the meeting with the queen was in Aliens. It is supposedly an unbelievably fantastic new alien that is superbly creepy. On a list of high and lows, there were many highs and absolutely no lows except for that it started out a little too slow. But the movie didn't let viewers down. They were told they were being taken to see A Life Less Ordinary and there was a roar of cheering when the crowd saw Sigourney Weaver's name in the opening credits. Dan Hedaya's acting was said to be 'a little goofy' on a downside, but the same person who reported this says Alien Resurrection will squash Starship Troopers like a bug. One more thing: a scene that didn't sound like it was in he script where Ripley is slithering around in the hive among the aliens." [Fantastic submission from 'Lawler'.]

A person out there wanted to comment on the Newborn/drinking blood controversy begun in a scoop waaay above:

" 'HA HA HA!! Drains blood! That's a good one! But it's not true.'

"I said this because I've seen the Newborn, and we didn't build this in. I wish I could say more." Well, we can. Whedon's original take on the Newborn was that it drained the blood from its victims using two pincer-like teeth that clamped down on the victim's skull; then the tongue was rammed down the skull of the victim and the Newborn gorged on the blood. While it sounds more like Dracula's chestburster than a traditional Alien, the blood aspect seems to have been completely dropped (thank God, we'd like to add.) [Scoop sent in anonymously.]

September 21, 1997... Additional test audience screenings were held this past week for the film and each met with enthusiastic response. It looks like there has been some minor changes to some of the film: the introductory steady-cam shot of the Auriga's corridors has been taken out; the film's ending doesn't occur on Earth as in the Whedon and later Jeunet endings; and the scene we called 'the human spaghetti moment' no longer happens to the Marine in question: now a chestburster suffers the man's fate. [Thanks to Tommy for some of the info.]

September 30, 1997... Kenner is releasing come November a line of Alien Resurrection action figures. These figures include Ripley (with guns and a face-hugger emerging from an egg), Call (complete with wrist blades, chestburster and facehugger), an Alien warrior, 'battle scar' Alien, 'aqua' Alien and the top-secret Newborn. "The figures look awesome and detailed," this scooper noted in their email. [Submitted by Chris Jones.]

By the way, for those who've asked us to post what the infamous 'human spaghetti moment' was in the Whedon and Jeunet versions (and which may have been toned down or substantially modified by the time you see the pic), we promise to post a full (and graphic) description - after the film's release on this page. Look at it this way: now you've got two things to look forward to come November 26th.

With the new expanded trailer released in front of last weekend's The Edge release, reviews have been pouring in. We decided to pick the most detailed one and post it on the film's page. We're also choosing this review because the scooper lets their thoughts be known about why they chose to see it and what their take on the current advertising presence of the film is to the general public. There are two reasons we do this: one, because it makes for interesting reporting and reading; two, we know some TwenCen people surf this page, and maybe we can provide them with a little audience feedback. Even though the scooper mentions that they are a die-hard fan of the franchise, it's interesting to note their observations on the advertising for A4 and Sony's competing 'see human, kill human' Christmas gift, Starship Troopers...

"I saw The Edge on 9/27/97. 70% of the reason that I wanted to see the movie was because I wanted to see the new Alien Resurrection trailer. Let me tell you, at first I was worried that I wasn't going to like it, but then I was wrong. It started out like the first trailer (the Auriga going through the screen), then Ripley is heard saying 'Ellen Ripley, Lieutenant', then Call says 'Ripley died 200 years ago', then General Perez says something like he don't want to let Ripley interfere in their plan. Well anyway, many cool scenes passed, including the Betty, docking on the Auriga and unloading the bodies, which had many slimy eggs opens up before your eyes (cool stuff). Then at the middle of the trailer, you could hear heartbeats accompanied by many snapshots of the crewmates. Then after that, many scary scenes follow - something was banging on a door, in which Ripley says 'It's the queen, it will get loose and we will all die'; underwater scenes of the CGI aliens were shown; crewmates crusing through the coolest sets of the Auriga (maybe when they were trying to escape). When at the end the tag line 'Witness the Resurrection' was shown going through the screen highlighted in green, you see a quick shot of the queen alien. This new trailer is absolutely gorgeous (in a horrifying way).

"Now let me tell you another thing: before this trailer came up, I was worried (and I still am) about the film's publicity. Starship Troopers is getting so much publicity right now it's not even funny. I saw a short trailer on TV, posters on trains and train stations in Boston, and so far nothing for Alien Resurrection. What the hell is wrong with Fox, I'm so mad at them right now. My blood is just rising right now just because I can't wait to see Alien 4. When are they going to start to show the trailers on TV - I saw yesterday the TV trailer for Flubber which is also opening the same weekend. And about the poster, I like it, it doesn't show much, which is sometime pretty good, but just as they re-did the first trailer, they should also start thinking about making a different poster, and maybe putting it on theaters on early Novemeber...

"To-FOX: if you want to make money with this movie, you better start to let the people more about it... For what I've heard, seen, read, this movie is better than what other people think it is, so please (I'm begging you, as the Alien fan that I am and because I want this movie to make at least 200 million) anounce this movie MORE often, not just in the movie theaters, but also on TV, where poeple tune into more.)" [Submitted by 'Sena1'.]

October 1, 1997... An anonymous Fox employee rebuts the last scoop entry from 'Sena1', who was critical of the film's advertising campaign. In the scooper's response, they rebuke the accusation that Fox is being lax with the film's publicity...

" In regards to the scooper wondering why Starship Troopers is getting more media and publicity. Look at the calendar. I work at Fox, don't believe me if you want to. Alien Resurrection opens THREE WEEKS later than Starship, the campaign is JUST beginning while a pic opening three weeks before would of COURSE start earlier. Fox is VERY confident in the movie. Notice that it does not have a lot of competition on that date and rumors are abound that Disney will push back Flubber, which will open well no matter what but has bad buzz all across the industry (remember Jack did over 60 mil and that was a piece of shit.) In major markets you will see outdoor going up for A4 in lighted boxes different from regular billboards, on purpose. Bus stop posters are up and TV starts three to four weeks before opening. Sigourney has been pictured in Entertainment Weekly TWICE on this film and Movieline did a coverstory and cover with her mainly on this film. That's called an early break baby, seen any good ones for Starship, and National Enq. doesn't count. FOX always does it this way and it usually works. REMEMBER this is an ESTABLISHED franchise. Starship is NOT. SONY has to overspend for a movie that looks stupid and is trying to fight off bad buzz all over town and an uninteresting trailer. UK date is def moved up and also remember, if FOX did not have confidence in the film they would not open it in France a full TWO weeks ahead of the US release. Relax. Both Starship and A4 will do very well, but Alien will have a broader market cause it's gonna get GREAT reviews.. and don't worry...you don't have another Alien^3 on your hands. Also, this movie is definetely an R rated movie so the media will be aimed to those who can DEFINETELY see it. IS that good enough?"

Whoever the scooper is, they do know their A4 facts. Movieline and EW have been doing advance publicity for the show. Since A4 committed itself to being a Holiday '97 release, you tend to see advertising gearing up for these shows starting with trailers in the summer, followed by heavy TV/radio/print ads around the beginning of November. By contrast, Fox's other major event film, Titanic, would begin to play its heavy ad presence around the second week of December. (Of course, we don't work for Fox Marketing...but based on what we know about past ad campaigns, this seems to be a good enough estimate.) Test screenings for A4 have also been enthusiatically received. All that seems left is for Fox to announce the Broadway musical and we're set. [Rebuttal submitted anonymously.]

November 1, 1997... With less than four weeks to ago until the movie's premiere, three survivors step forward to recount their experiences with A4. First up is this scooper's critique of the Joss Whedon script which the scooper compares to the film version. While this detailed review was turned in last summer, we informed the writer that we wanted to release it closer to the film's release. They present a critical review of what they did (and didn't) like while the images were still yet to be seen...

Last warning -- for those who don't like to have their present unwrapped early, avert your eyes!

BEGIN SPOILER WARNING ALERT!

"I finished reading the script for Alien Resurrection and was totally blown away by it, but it is certain that this script will be almost nothing like the finished movie. For one thing, I've that the character of St. Just has been removed. Sad, since Aliens techies and weapons-fans would have loved the disposable 20-round guns that can slide out of his sleeves at his will. Also, there was another character in the script that I haven't seen in the credits for the movie, a Betty crew member named Rane who, although he didn't say much, was in the majority of the script."

[Ed. note -- the character of St. Just was written by Whedon with Hong Kong action film star Chow Yun Fat in mind; unfortunately and for whatever reason the Asian mercenary character was dropped. Some of St. Jost's lines and his trademark 'disposable' handguns have now been intergrated with the character of Christie (portrayed by Gary Dourdan).]

"The script was very action-packed and had some scenes that will most likely be scary as hell on camera, such as the birth of the Newborn and a scene where ten eggs open at once. Also, if the cinematrography is done right, we could be terrified or jump in our seats at several other scenes. And with John Frizzel's music (which the best example of would be the VR.5 soundtrack), this could be a beautifully done, dark, graceful, thrilling, action-packed, scary film.

"I have few concerns, but I do have them. Character development seems to be spread thin throughout the script, and only in-between alien attacks of which there are many. It seems that the beginning of the movie, which sort of crams in the setting and Ripley's resurrection, goes by too quickly and, before we know it, the chaos begins. Although many people have said that a movie can never be too fast, I disagree. I've seen many movies that seem to want to be explosive thrillers with a drop of character development and drama between special-effects.

"Although the script seems to be more or less like that, I believe the movie will be different. It's already been confirmed that there is some sort of basketball scene that isn't in the script where we might get to know this new Ripley and the crew of the Betty better. Another worry is that we might not get to know the Newborn that well. It only gets about as much screen-time as the Queen in Aliens, but there is almost no special emotion associated with the special creature except for Dr. Gediman's almost worshiping comments when it is born. However, I've heard that a scene where Ripley and the Newborn share a moment and Ripley is finally forced to choose sides has been added, which might give the Newborn much more dimension." [Ed. note -- the scene in which the scooper is mentioning takes place during the film's climax, and does hint at some sexual chemistry between the Newborn (eww!) and the resurrected Ripley. Whether or not the scene will remain intact in the final cut remains to be seen, but based on the comments Sigourney Weaver has been quoted as saying, there's a good chance it will be in there.]

"My other worry is the crew of the Betty overall, mostly Johner. It seems that in this addition to the Alien saga, the Marines are cool and stone-faced while the Betty crew is extremely colorful with almost identical personalities to the Marines in Aliens. This disturbs me a little bit, because many things made the script seem as if it were a sort of Aliens rehash with a genetic messup stuck in there. Some of the crew were very lovable, but because of the lack of character development, some seemed more like a voice in the background that swears a lot. You don't really get the point that Elgyn and Hillard are lovers until one of them dies (I won't tell you which) because they have almost no screen time together. When they do, they seem to not flirt at all.

"But as I said, my major concern about the Betty crew is Johner. Although he is developed the most, he's an annoying sniveling wimp with a bad sense of humor, seeming to be a Hudson remake. However, Hudson redeemed himself and was likeable once Ripley got him on his feet. Nothing like that happens to Johner and he remains an annoying sniveling wimp throughout the entire script.

"Although it seems like the Betty crew is pretty one-dimensional, it seems that the director and cast are adding many more scenes that will help develop all of the characters much better, hopefully DiStephano as well. The character of DiStephano seems very much like a late add-in who has little personality and is simply a Marine trying to get survivors to safety. His role alone gives viewers the impression that he's noble and selfless, much like Hicks, but there's not much evidence of what the character is actually like.

"What did I like about the script? Basically everything, especially the Ripley character. The part-alien clone seems to undergo a complete personality overhall from the beginning to end. At first she seems nothing like Ripley, but as personal experiences begin to happen, we see the Ripley we know and love shining through. Sigourney Weaver is an awesome actress and I think she'll do fantastic in this movie. She may even get a best-actress award like she did for Aliens.

"There's also the dark humor that can sometimes make one laugh out loud. It certainly made me laugh in the script, but it may be harder to laugh in the theater with the dark and scary environment that has promised us. There is a scene where Purvis, a man kidnapped in his cryotube from his ship to be infected by an alien and eventually is (the Purvis subplot is about getting him frozen within the Betty's hypersleep chambers as quick as possible before he can give birth), is talking to Ripley that I found very humorous. As Call is trying to explain the Aliens to Purvis, Ripley interrupts:

RIPLEY: There's a monster in your stomach. They [indicating the smugglers] hijacked your cryotube and sold you to him [indicating Wren] and he put an alien inside you. In a few hours it will punch its way through your chest and you'll die. Any questions?

Purvis is wide-eyed, stunned. After a few moments he stammers:

PURVIS: Who are you?

RIPLEY: I'm the monster's mother.

"I found that scene extremely ammusing, extremely intense, and extremely refreshing considering that everything had been so tense and frightening up until then.

"My final comments are about Winona Ryder as Annalee Call. Call seems to be a very good character that is mysterious, somewhat frightening, and has her very own hidden agenda. But I saw of Call on the Showest Alien Resurrection preview, Winona didn't seem very much like the tough, scrappy, leathery mercenary described in the script. I'm a bit worried that Winona Ryder might not be able to portray Call very well, even with her efforts to get buffed up. But we'll see, now won't we...

"From the trailer and the commercials, I can tell you that the movie is going to be much different than the script, maybe even expanded to help cover the areas of character development and plot development that I'm worried about. I'm confident in Sigourney Weaver's acting abilities, Jean-Pierre Jeunet's directing, Darius Khondji's cinematography, and John Frizzel's music since I've seen excellent examples of all of those. It also sounds to me like a ton of effort on everyone's part is being poured into the movie. I may have concerns about the script, but I'm certain the movie will ROCK!!!" [Script review submitted by the very patient 'Lawler'.]

The second review comes from an anonymous individual who's seen the final cut. If you're working for Fox in some capacity, steel yourself. 'Thumbs down' would be a modest way of summing up the scooper's review...

"I've just seen the film, in what is probably going to be the release print, and I'm disappointed. In fact the more I think about it, the more the phrase 'what a waste' comes to mind.

"What we have is a collection of good ideas, good actors, good production design and a fantastic universe glued together in an uneven tone that's executed in the same trivial style that Dark Horse's Alien comics have come to represent.

"Jeunet and Whedon (who knows what is from whom) are desperately trying to mix tension, humour and psychology in the manner of James Cameron's Aliens. But they've failed. Jokes are jokes and horror (very little) is contained. Nothing follows from one scene to the next with any deal of logic or elegance. You'll have Weaver finishing this wonderful scene where she destroys her previous incarnations, going through some heavy-duty acting, and then Ron Pearlman comes in with a surprised look and saying 'I don't know what all the fuss is about - I reckon it's just a babe thing.' You'll get some laughs but you trash the weight of the scene and break the mood comepletely.

"Many of the film's sequences that have been described in CA are correct except for what they are *not*. A scene that takes its inspiration from The Poisidon Adventure, an underwater Alien attack sequence that occurs in a submerged kitchen, isn't the suspensful, horrific experience that is should be. Why? Because the water (or rather engine coolant) is clear! Instead of making it dark, and having CG aliens glimpsed in and out of shafts of light (for example) as they swim toward our endangered team, you see all of them, in complete view, doing their dolphin impressions. Lovely work by the effects team yes, works for dramatic impact, no.

"Forgetting the zero-logic of being able to create a Ripley clone *with* an alien queen in her stomach. (Cloned mutated DNA just about stretches to high-tech sci-fi), what I'm most dismayed about is the disregard for the delicate rules that were built-up in the first two movies.

"Alien warriors that once moved like aliens, now dodge bullets, drip slime as if it were poured on by the bucket-load, and feel as threatening as an angry dog.

"People impregnated with Alien embryos are now able to walk around for hours perfectly fit, before attacking someone who has just shot them several times and can still have enough control to position their chest so the emerging alien punches through the shooter's head.

"Alien acidic blood that once went through several levels of metal (and creates the conditions for the aliens initial escape here) now only makes people go 'ouch' when it drops on their ear or gets sprayed on their face.

"The Queen Alien, who's body and lifesytle/life cycle was obviously based on ants or termites, has suddenly got a womb, and gives birth to one of the worst designed half human/half alien 'babies' to grace a big-budget production. HR Giger will be happy he had zero involvement in this one. Yes, I can see where the twisted logic of the Queen's transoformation came from - Brad Dourif's cocooned scientist spoon-fed explanation helped me here, but the result is laughable. It's pinkish-white, it has these black, puppy eyes recessed into an skull/alien-like head, and doesn't do itself any favours when it calls 'Ripley, help me, help me' in a baby-like high-pitched scream during its final moments. The saggy breasts, making it female, and possibly alluding to Ripley's long dead daughter somehow doesn't lend any psychological dimension to the proceedings. HR Giger will be very glad he wasn't asked for any input on this one.

"What sums it all up for me is Whedon's approach to people. This *is* science fiction/horror, but the hallmark of the Alien series was belivable people, acting in believable ways with one another while faced with a threat that brought the best and worst out of them.

"Alien Resurrection's 'characters' don't speak to each other, they speak to the audience. They look out of the screen at us saying 'cool lines' shoot guns with a 'cool style' and swagger about with a self importance that destroys good ensemble acting.

"This isn't a bad cast, it's bad decision-making by those who have gone too far in trying to be brave in being different while appealing to the test-audience mentality that pervades Hollywood's production process.

"I loved Jeunet's previous film work, and I thought Whedon's tightly scripted Speed simple and effective. The combination should have been beautiful. Instead it's as uncomfortable and malformed as one of Ripley's clones." [Anonymous.]

And now to our final scooper. While their email wasn't nearly as detailed a critique as our first two scoopers, theirs may show some insight into the European reaction on the film, plus is touches upon what may be the new ending...

"I just got back from the very first official Alien Resurrection preview screening of the release print in France.

"To sum it up : Excelsior! This movie is spectacular. Visually and SFX speaking, it is the best of the series. The script isn't that great (it is made up of remakes of all the Aliens classic scenes, all redone in a better and improved way, not much new, but exciting nonetheless).

"The Chow Yun Fat character isn't Ron Perlman as you mention, but the rasta guy (forgot his name)." [Ed. - We know!] "Weaver have never been more beautiful than in this movie."

"Only shitty thing, the ending (SPOILER) which is interesting in the way in makes room for sequel, but is cheesy (blue sky, earth is here etc)."

"The action isn't as good as James Cameron, but it kicks Alien 3 ass nonetheless. The best scene is the underwater scene, and two aliens killing off a third so that the acid blood eat the prison floor, and that they can escape. Cool idea. Watch out also for the scene where Dominique Pinon fights against small drops of blood falling on him (could have been better scene).

"Too bad Fox cut out all Jeunet TM shots out of the movie, the result is a sort of 'easygoing' version of the visuals, without wildness, but overall, it stomps 'Starshit Troopers from Beverly Hills' to the ground." "I hope Verhoeven and Mark Dippe never direct again, because they almost made me hate cinema, but Jeunet saves the day, and this is the first cool movie of the year after Face/Off." [Handed in by John Paul Jones.]

And what does the new ending have that makes it different from the earlier versions of the story? According to one source the Newborn survives the final battle and succeeds in escaping to...somewhere else. If the scooper is to be believed, this ending was made to lead directly in to the start of a fifth film scheduled to be worked on next year. [Scoop supplied anonymously.]

END SPOILER ALERT WARNING!

Do have information about a possible Alien 5? Yes, a little. No, we don't have a page for it just yet. Why? Well, you have to wait until the fourth picture comes out first!

November 2, 1997... Eeep - more SPOILER ALERT WARNINGS ahead...

"This is in response to the scooper who gave the script critique and two of your other Nov. 1 scoopers."

"...Having seen the first test screening, I can say that it is very, very different than the script, and all for the better. Johner is not a 'wimp' by any means, he's a hard-ass who the audience really liked. Elgyn and his girlfriend flirt in nearly all their screen time together, he even gives her a foot massage in one scene (or at least he did in the early version). Call has been transformed somewhat...she's not exactly rough, but she is mysterious and eventually becomes the audience's surrogate charcater to identify with as we puzzle out Ripley's loyalties. And Ripley has a lot more character development...the basketball scene was an absolute hoot (the focus group's favorite) and the climactic Newborn scene is a good capper to Ripley's torn loyalties. And the humor in this one is the best of the series, very well-handled. Purvis provides for some very funny moments, especially in a 'false alarm' scene.

"Another scooper wondered if Jeunet's uniquely Euro shots were going to be cut from the final version. I hope not. There was a very cool scene early on when Ripley is awakening and pushing out of a bag...the way it was photographed, focusing in and out, in and out...very evocative of waking up. I liked it. However, I fear it may have been axed in favor of cutting to the chase more.

"As for the revised ending...SPOILERS AHEAD: I can't see how the Newborn could possible escape at the end. It gets its insides sucked out and is completely, irrevocably destroyed. I think rumors of this new ending may be bunk, and I'd predict we'd simply see the ending I saw...Ripley and Call staring out the window at earth.

"Overall it's quite a kickass movie. It has some flaws, such as I wish it was longer and there are two minor characters who could've used more development. But the interesting thing was, I noticed their lack of development because the other, main characters developed so much. And that was handled pretty well, too. I foresee very satisfied Alien fans come Nov. 21." [Review tendered by 'Sun'.]

November 18, 1997... With all eyes focused on the picture, we're reminded about the importance of the images our ears are 'witnessing'. John Frizzell's score for the picture has just been released, and one reader has submitted their comments about it: "We have seen reviews of early test screening and such, but I would like to put forth my two cents worth about something often overlooked, the score! As you may or may not know, the original motion picture soundtrack was released Nov. 11th. I bought it on CD not knowing what to expect, but when the first few notes blasted from the speakers I was quite pleased. While I hate to compare it to the previous films scores, it is quite unique, I must say it has the best elements of all three soundtracks. The eerie creepiness of Jerry Goldsmith's Alien score, the all-out action bravado of James Horner's Aliens score, and finally the bleak sadness of Elliot Goldenthal's Alien3 score. Mr Frizzell has created overwhelming mixtures of sounds using an orchestra, a choir, and synthesizers to set the emotional tone for the fourth installment of the series. An unnerving, tense masterpiece the newsest Alien film!" Sounds like a 'thumbs up' to us. [Sent in by the equally-as-creepy sounding 'CalvinVader'.]

November 22, 1997... One pre-release movie review has arrived, chock full of details about the film's story. Another extensive review is forthcoming. Consider yourself SPOLIER WARNED -- Click on this line to read 'em, Marine.

November 26-27, 1997... More reviews of the film are now avaliable in the review page. For those of you awaiting to know what the 'human spaghetti' incident was that's been removed from the film, we'll post all about it next week (a good friend of ours was cocooned this week, and we're nursing him through this difficult time.)

After Its Release:

December 2, 1997... The film nets $27 million in its first five days of release, coming in second place for the weekend box office.

Author A.C. Crispin has written the novelization of the film, as opposed to Alan Dean Foster who wrote the first three. [Contributed by '110363.1070', who thought it was the best of the novelizations.]

December 7, 1997... A matter of controversy has begun over the absence of artist Hans Rudi Giger's name and credit from Alien Resurrection. H.R. Giger designed the original look of the creature from the first Alien, and his artistic creation shaped the public's image of the beast. Director Ridley Scott has even gone so far as to state that without Giger's vision, the film would have never been the same as it is now.

So why is credit justly given to original Alien screenwriters Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shussett, but not Giger? The artist addressed this in a letter posted on his website in the 'Alien Insurrection' section:

"November 13, 1997:

"The Alien Quartet has, from the very beginning, contained my unique and personal style. For the first film ALIEN, I was awarded an Oscar for 'Best Achievement for Visual Effects'. In ALIENS, a film I was not asked to work on, I still received a screen credit for 'Original Alien Design'. On ALIEN 3, I was cheated out of the Oscar nomination received by that film because 20th Century Fox gave me the credit, 'Original Alien Design' again, instead of 'Alien 3 Creature Design', as it was my rightful title in accordance to my contract and the work I had performed on the film. In 1976 I had completed two paintings, 'Necronom IV' and 'Necronom V', in which two long-headed creatures appeared. In 1977 these paintings, were published in my book, NECRONOMICON, by Sphinx Verlag, Basel, in German. It was in this version of the book that Ridley Scott, in his search for a credible Alien creature, came across these two paintings and decided, on them for the full-grown Alien, using the words 'That's it!' The statement has been graciously repeated by Ridley Scott in almost every interview about his work on ALIEN.

"The creatures in ALIEN: RESURRECTION are even closer to my original Alien designs than the ones which appear in ALIENS and ALIEN 3. The film also resurrects my original designs for the other stages of the creature's life-cycle, the Eggs, the Facehugger and the Chestburster. ALIEN: RESURRECTION is an excellent film. What would it look like without my Alien life-forms? In all likelihood, all the sequels to ALIEN would not even exist! The designs and my credit have been stolen from me, since I alone have designed the Alien. So why does not Fox give me the credit I rightfully earned?

"As for those responsible for this conspiracy: All I can wish them is an Alien breeding inside their chests, which might just remind them that the 'Alien Father' is H.R.Giger."

You can visit H.R. Giger's website at www.hrgiger.com and read more about his battles for recognition for ALIEN³ as well as his current efforts to receive credit for his original design in the fourth film. [Special thanks to Joesph Mauceri and an anonymous individual; additional thanks to Mani Moghaddam.]

Ok -- finally it's time to talk about the infamous 'human toothpaste' scene that was missing from Alien Resurrecion.

In Whedon's original draft, the Aliens get loose much the same way they do in Jeunet's film. Two Aliens attack and kill a third inside a holding cell, and the acidic blood melts open a hole for escape. Once the others are freed, the Aliens begin to rampage the Auriga.

But there's a scene missing from the movie.

In Whedon's script version: a lone Alien bursts into the Auriga's mess hall. Instantly the Marines grab their rifles and shoot the creature. As it begins melting into the floor, none notice that a few drops of the Alien's blood sprayed on a window. And in a moment, a hole is melted through said window and the room begins to decompress. One lone Marine loses his grip, hits the window with his back, and through the force of the pressure, his insides start being yanked through the hole into space.

Whoa whoa whoa!, you say. I saw this happen to the Newborn in Alien Resurrection! Correct. The death scene was removed and then given to the Newborn, replacing Whedon's original climax where Ripley and Call battle the Newborn to the death with a futuristic wheat thresher.

In Jeunet's storyboard version: the Alien enters the mess hall moments after the klaxon sounds. The Marines, under the command of General Perez, kill the creature. The blood eats a tiny hole in the window and the room starts depressurizing. But this time, it's Perez who loses his grip and lands on the window.

What follows next takes up about a minute of screen time. Looking back inside the room from a position just outside the window, we see the red eruption of Perez's innards as they start being dragged out. The suction dies down and the stunned Marines start collasping back to the floor, where they can only watch in horror as their leader is slowly drawn outside piece by piece. As Perez screams, he forces an arm back to try and stop it; instead, his fingers, and then his hand, and then his arm are compressed and spewed outside. It continues on until all that remains is Perez's skull -- but it doesn't make it outside. Instead, the suction starts up again through one of the skull's eye sockets. Again the Marines are lifted up and have to hold on for life, now filled with the knowledge that if they slip...they know how they will die.

As fate would have it, one of the rings on a Marine is tugged off. It flies across the room and hits the eye rocket of Perez's skull and wedges itself into the socket. The hole is sealed off -- for the moment.

We would have preferred to see this death of Perez much more so than the one he received in A4. It could have been to the 90's what the original Alien's chestbuster scene was to the 70's...it kept us afraid of brushing our teeth for weeks afterward!

Another ALIEN 4?: British-based screenwriter Stuart Hazeldine has penned another proposed treatment for ALIEN 4, which he is trying to forward to 20th Century Fox. You can read about his story (both proposal and his attempts at reaching Fox) by clicking on ALIEN 4: Earthbound.

The Tag Line: "Witness the Resurrection."

Official Web Site: www.alien-resurrection.com.

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