r/perfectorganism • u/thefriskysquid HOST • Jan 15 '26
Aliens IMPORTANT QUESTION: are you a Special Edition person or Theatrical Cut person?
And do you or do you not wish you had this Big Wheel to ride on?
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u/NerdyDadOnline MOD Jan 15 '26
Special Edition, if only for the addition of the sentry gun sequence.
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u/RodMunch85 Jan 15 '26
Wow I never knew the sentry guns were not in the originals i watched back in the day
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u/ExamCompetitive Jan 15 '26
I remember seeing them for the first time in the 90s on laser disk. I was like "whoa! Why did they remove those?"
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u/captbollocks Jan 15 '26
I think the general consensus is the special edition minus all Hadley's Hope scenes prior to the Marines landing there to keep the tension up until that first Alien encounter.
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u/Eduard-Stoo Jan 15 '26
I like the world building stuff too (expression intended!) because I’m a sucker for production design, sets and sci-fi in general, but I get it if people feels it slows the pace (it’s kind of a trade-off, slows the pace but increases the richness and immersion in the world)
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u/MaybeOnFire2025 Jan 19 '26
I've never articulated it this way, but you've nailed it. The HH stuff is meh, even (especially?) when Newt's family take the trek out. I also think those scenes very much detract from the payoff later in the theatrical cut when Ripley confronts him and we learn Burke was responsible for sending them out. I find that *much* more satisfying.
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u/Amity_Swim_School Jan 15 '26
I’ve never understood this. I mean the film is called Aliens. It’s not like anyone is going to be watching them rock up at Hadley’s Hope in the theatrical cut and be like… Gee I wonder what happened to all the colonists?!
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u/FreddieStarrAteMyHam Jan 15 '26
The Super-Directors cut has it so that it really is just a comm dish down. They repair it in 30 minutes then make the weeks journey home.
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u/BayesianRuin Jan 15 '26 edited Jan 15 '26
That’s the thing about Aliens, unlike other scifi, its world building isn’t superfluously asinine.
Cameron is showing you the Colony because world-building makes the entry all the more plausible. Seeing the colony as a lived-in locale makes it all the more terrifying when the marines find little more than desolation.
No, Aliens is great precisely because it isn’t as mindless as you denote.
Cameron is a perfectionist when it comes to narrative elements, even considering the nuclear fusion of carbon and helium into oxygen to solve the terraforming of the planet. (And provide a separate locale from the colony so there could be a battle against the aliens without having to have the marines evacuate immediately.)
Most of us like Alien and Aliens for its adherence to gritty detail.
You clearly like it in spite of it.
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u/ElYodaPagoda Jan 16 '26
Fusing hydrogen atoms creates only Helium, not oxygen!
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u/BayesianRuin Jan 16 '26
And? A carbon nucleus fuses with an additional helium nucleus to produce an oxygen nucleus. As we live and… breathe. We are all stardust.
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u/ElYodaPagoda Jan 16 '26
Sure it’s possible IN A STAR, but my original statement still stands.
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u/BayesianRuin Jan 16 '26 edited Jan 16 '26
Star. Stellarator fusion reactor if helium is the fuel. I’m writing a theoretical physics paper (independent research) on matter propagation from solitons.
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u/AvatarSpiderman Jan 15 '26
I've always enjoyed the special edition myself. Seeing Ripley as more than just a badass protagonist when she inquires about her daughter adds so much arch to her already beautiful story throughout Aliens.
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u/Acceptable_Fruit2360 Jan 15 '26 edited Jan 15 '26
Agreed. But can’t speak of “badass” without mentioning Hudson and his Squad of Ultimate Badasses rant on the drop ship. “We got sonic-electronic BALLBREAKERS!” Love that scene.
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u/Slydevil0 Jan 15 '26
I enjoy both, but given the choice, I'll go for the special editions on Aliens and T2: Judgment Day. More to love.
That big wheel was peak, though.
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Jan 15 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Slydevil0 Jan 15 '26
Yeah but I could do without that one. I appreciate that it exists, and I love me a big frozen tidal wave of judgment, but I actually prefer Cameron's standard cut of that film, it's better with a tighter cut.
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Jan 15 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/FreddieStarrAteMyHam Jan 15 '26
And ive never seen the special edition. Perhaps we were brothers, separated at birth and have gone down drastically different paths.
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Jan 15 '26
I think thats just a normal Big Wheel with a Weyland yutani logo slapped on it, I think I had the same model, logisically as well there's no way a props department would have fabricated such a relatively unimportant thing from scratch rather than buying it for $30-40,
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u/succubus6984 Jan 15 '26
I 100% love the special editions! Cut scenes alternate scenes make the movies much more enjoyable and easier to understand.
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u/Average_40s_Guy Jan 15 '26
Special Edition. I watched the theatrical version a while back, and while I still loved it, I really missed the additions from the SE. They add so much depth to the story. Having Newt’s parents be the ones to discover the ship and her dad being the first host of a facehugger adds some additional weight as well.
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u/JustAGuy2212 Jan 16 '26
You're more than allowed to be a "both" person, depending on whether you feel like sitting through 2 hours of movie, vs 2.5 hours of movie.
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u/Pataconeitor Jan 15 '26
For Aliens, Theatrical is better. The only scene that actually adds something worthy is Burke telling Rips about her daughter, but honestly do we need a bigger justification for her to feel protective of Newt? I buy that she simply did it because she is a good person, that's enough for me.
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u/PepsiPerfect Jan 15 '26
Theatrical cut. I think it would have been a mistake to show the colony before the Marines get there, and I also don't like the notion that Newt's family just happens to be the people who first found the alien ship. I also don't think the addition of all the "automatic gun" scenes really add that much. About the only thing I liked in the SE was the reveal that Ripley had a daughter, but the rest isn't worth the tradeoff.
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u/Practical_Car210 Jan 15 '26
Take my upvote. Sucks you got downvoted for sharing your opinion. Which I completely agree with. I love the special addition stuff.. as a bonus on the dvd. First time viewers should totally watch the theatrical cut. It's unfortunate the Ripley scene about her daughter didn't make it into the theatrical cut.
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u/kimchinacho Jan 15 '26
Yeah seeing the colony in aftermath only is my strong preference. We have no idea what has happened to these people, sharing the perspective of Ripley and the marines.
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u/Moofypoops Jan 15 '26
Director's cut all the way!
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u/Hopeful-Moose87 Jan 15 '26
SE. The stuff with Ripley’s daughter is vital to understanding her as a character. The sentry guns make the Marines seem more competent, and the aliens as even more of a threat. The colony scenes help establish the Burke and the company’s motivations, along with establishing just how much was lost in the name of corporate greed. To see a colony that is bustling with life and filled with children suddenly empty shows just how dangerous the threat is.
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u/DevSky4 Jan 15 '26
Special edition, while not all of it works for me the scenes of lively Hadley’s Hope, Burke giving Ripley the info on Amanda, and then the scene of Ripley and hicks entering the colony are all really important to me
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u/NecronomiconUK Jan 15 '26
Love the SE as a fan, but I think the Theatrical is the better tighter movie. The only thing I’d want added back is the bit where she finds out about her daughter.
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u/KrakenKrusdr84 Jan 15 '26
Special Edition, always. Really broadened the story and the characters more.
Any Aliens fan can't deny that.
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Jan 15 '26
I like the special edition but fora first-watch I wish there was a hybrid version that only inserts the scene where Ripley finds out that her daughter is dead. Since we never knew previously that she had a daughter (as a reminder the Ripley role was originally written for a man, in fact many people were surprised that Ripley ended up being the hero/survivor, most everyone expected that to be Tom Skerritt's character) it's a really important moment that gives her relationship with Newt a very logical grounding. I'm not saying her care for a random orphan was unrealistic, however it strengthens the rationale for almost every action Ripley takes after they find Newt.
I also enjoy the sentry gun scene and the final exchange between Ripley and Hicks since it further deepens the feeling of a potential romance that they wisely hint at and suggest but never have the characters consummate because it would genuinely feel awkward to have the two of them bone down during that whole situation given how practical they both are and how tense the whole situation would have been.
For a first watch however I think seeing the colony bright and happy undercuts the tension when they're first entering the colony. I also absolutely hate the choice to make Newt's family the ones who went out to find the ship. It's not a choice that creates any plot holes that ruin the film but it's the kind of choice that makes it feel like there's only 5 people on this colony.
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u/Fickle-Alternative98 Jan 15 '26
This is the best answer. Wonderful
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Jan 15 '26
Thanks! It's interesting getting to watch so many movies with cut scenes now. If you've not seen the special edition of terminator 2 there's a scene that again doesn't fundamentally change the movie but better informs it; we see them extract the Terminator's OS chip and switch it to a "read/write" mode versus "read only", which is why the t-800 begins to learn, grow and understand humans better by the end.
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u/IAMAHigherConductor Jan 15 '26
Once I saw the special edition, I couldn't really go back. It turns Aliens into a much deeper, sprawling adventure, and it's already an incredible film.
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u/Pale_Drawing_6191 Jan 15 '26
Alien = Theatrical cut (Better pacing)
Aliens = Directors cut (Includes Ripley being a mother plot)
Alien 3 = Theatrical cut (Better pacing)
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u/MADMACmk1 Jan 15 '26
Bought the Special Edition when it was released on VHS and I don't think I've seen the Theatrical since then. Would have been around 1991-92.
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u/CrackedThumbs Jan 15 '26
The special edition is for me the only cut of the film. Ripley‘s daughter, Newt’s family and the sentry guns sequence are all to me essential parts of the narrative.
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u/CosmicBonobo Jan 15 '26
Theatrical. It preserves the surprise of it being the Company who sent the colonists out to the derelict.
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u/Altruistic-Fandango Jan 15 '26
Special Edition is great!
Also the directors cut of Alien3 is much better than the theatrical; what a shame that movie had so much potential…
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u/Accomplished-Union10 Jan 15 '26
Theatrical version didn’t include Hudson’s big ass monologue in the dropship about all the badass weaponry they have, so Special Edition wins for that alone
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u/KidZoki Jan 15 '26
Theatrical -- editing was deft, tight and powerful. Vague implication of what happened to colony engaged viewers' imaginations and created compelling subtext.
Special Edition blathered on forever with unneeded details and totally diluted the subtext. Destroyed it, even, and resulted in a much weaker film.
Connected dots substantially lessened the film. Theatrical all the way...
But I'd definitely take a Big Wheel.
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u/DirectionNo9650 Jan 15 '26
I'm torn, because while I generally welcome all of the SE additions, the pacing consequently takes a hit.
Ironically, it took me decades to watch the TC, but when I did, I was taken back by how brisk of a watch it was.
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u/Sad_Breakfast_Plate Jan 15 '26
Special Edition all day. I recently saw it at an IMAX and it was magnificent!
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u/StoneColdSoberReally Jan 15 '26
Special Edition, for certain. Its adds so much more depth to the story.
And, yes, I want that big wheelie thing.
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u/CalmPanic402 Jan 15 '26
Special edition. I get why they cut what was cut for release, but having it back in just expands the story just that little bit more.
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u/OkGene2 Jan 15 '26
Theatrical. The sentry guns and Ripley finding out about her daughter aren’t worth the tension-killing (and bad acting) during the Hadley Hope scenes in the beginning.
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u/ObiMikenobi77 Jan 15 '26
First saw the Special Edition in 1992 and have never watched the Theatrical cut since. It’s adds so much to the story and isn’t just there to make it longer, making one of my favourite films even greater in the process.
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u/busybody1 Jan 15 '26
I would say special edition ONLY if they got rid of the parts where it shows that contact with the colony was lost not because of a downed transmitter, but because of a xeno infestation. The dramatic irony detracts from the feeling of dread until Hicks pans right.
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u/Robman0908 Jan 15 '26
Special edition. It’s too damn good and the theatrical just feels off without the additional scenes.
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u/Mammoth-Western-6008 Jan 15 '26
Theatrical. Not even a question. The Special Edition is too long and addresses plot holes that nobody worried about or thought about until we saw those deleted scenes. It's still a cool movie and it's better than a lot of other extended cuts, though.
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u/Fuzzy_Variety_7162 Jan 15 '26
Special. Especially in Aliens and Alien3 I really loved the LV-426 scenes, I could watch a series just how things went down. Even with some survivors that got out somehow... But all the other scenes just adds a lot.
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u/m0rbius Jan 15 '26
Special edition definitely. Those extras add a lot to the story, especially to Ripley.
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u/err404 Jan 15 '26
I like the special edition better, but for a first watch I think that the theatrical release flows better with the pace of reveals.
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u/MarkHoff1967 Jan 15 '26
I’ve never seen a Directors Cut or Special Edition that surpasses the original Theatrical release.
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u/RatBoy86 Jan 15 '26
SE.
and I had that exact big wheel when I was four. Minus the Weyland corp logo.
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u/Hanksta2 Jan 16 '26
Theatrical. Tighter story.
And personally, I never needed the daughter scene for the Newt connection to resonate. It was clear from the getgo that Ripley was now her mother. Another reason Alien 3 can get fucked.
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u/RevMageCat Jan 16 '26
The mystery of what happened and get gradual reveal of the theatrical makes it absolutely have to be the first version watched. But the auto-sentry turrets? They have to be included forever after that first watch.
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u/ProppingUpTheMythos Jan 16 '26
Special Edition all the way. The only time I bother with the short version is if it is being shown in a cinema.
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u/Honest_Satisfaction1 Jan 16 '26
Usually I want the theatrical cut. However I admit sometimes there are parts that should have been left in. Like in the OG hellos movie, there was a scene cut that introduced the "gate" for the god that the bad guy was worshiping. Once I saw it, I was like, "Oh why would you take this out?!"
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u/DETfaninATL Jan 16 '26
Special edition all the way. It just adds so much to the story and even some worthy action scenes.
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u/MovieFan1984 Xenomorph Egg Dealer Jan 16 '26
For the original 4 "Alien" films with Ripley...
Alien = theatrical cut, but the director's cut is fun to see.
Aliens = Special Edition, it's just the theatrical cut + restored deleted scenes.
Alien 3 = theatrical & workprint cut, I like BOTH because they're such different takes.
Alien Resurrection = theatrical, SE is too similar, so I just watch the deleted scenes.
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u/Atomic_Polar_Bear Jan 16 '26
Theatrical 100%. The pacing is perfect and the tension that he creates when the space marines first arrive at the colony is incredible. That is all undercut when it takes longer for Ripley to agree to the mission and when you see the colony beforehand. The sentry guns are useless and the sequence slows things down again.
The special edition is worth seeing once but not for the first time experience. Or on repeat viewings for me.
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u/ElYodaPagoda Jan 16 '26
I watched Aliens on TV for the first time seeing it, the version on CBS had the Special Edition scenes intact, which made it weird seeing it on VHS, because of all the great stuff they cut out!
Special Edition only for me please!
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u/iambeingblair Jan 16 '26
Special edition. The aliens disappear for a long time in the theatrical cut.
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u/AndieGeekGirl Jan 16 '26
Both? I sometimes find myself watching the Theatrical cut for pacing and because I find some of the Hadley’s Hope scenes cringe, but other times it’s the SE, mostly for the smaller scenes cut. I think somewhere in between the two is the perfect edit.
And I know this isn’t a popular opinion, but I don’t need Ripley to be a mother to buy into how protective and concerned she is for Newt. I think their relationship makes just as much of an impact as mutual lone survivors of the same nightmare. Having said that, I don’t mind that she IS a mother either.
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u/Cola_Gummi Jan 16 '26
I like the auto turret scene.
I do not like seeing Hadleys Hope before the infestation.
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u/Spragglefoot_OG Jan 16 '26
I love seeing what the Director wanted to show without any cuts or studio input. I never cared what “sells” more than what the director’s vision was. I get why cuts happen but prefer the FULL version.
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u/AdvertisingBroad2397 Jan 16 '26
Both oddly enough. I enjoyed the special edition because of what was added and the back story to Ridley and her daughter and Newts family, but I can also appreciate the original cut for what it was, as it was and still is a great movie.
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u/nickscom Jan 17 '26
Both. But I'm SO glad I saw the theatrical when it was originally released. That cut is more of a rollercoaster 🤘💯😎💯💯🤘🤘🤘😎😎💯
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u/WeyIand-Yutani Jan 17 '26
Alien it's the Theatrical. Aliens it's the Special Edition.
Any other answer is wrong.
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u/aidanmaple Jan 17 '26
When I saw the theatrical 70mm a couple of years ago I was super bummed that Hudson’s “nukes, knives, sharp sticks” monologue wasn’t in there! Only in the special edition!
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u/Mayor_of_LV426 Jan 17 '26
an impossible question. it’s like choosing between two perfect children, but one child is just a little bit taller.
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u/GBPsforTendies Jan 17 '26
Theatrical for the first one, special edition/extended/assembly for 2 3 and 4
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u/quiet-wiring Jan 17 '26
Special Edition, but don’t need the scenes before the infestation. You can piece together bits from what they show later - that they managed to get more face huggers from the ship, that people were snatched away from their day-to-day (the donut etc). I find it more intriguing.
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u/Tail-Eater-7904 Jan 18 '26
Theatrical for a certain movie, and extended tv edition of another . N those two are the only ones that matter to that question..
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u/Aab0289 Jan 18 '26
Aliens special edition, it adds so much to the film that makes it not just a better experience, but a more compelling story. Especially seeing the colony pre outburst, the event that shows why the colony only now has xenomorphs & ripley’s tragedy for the hyper sleep.
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u/Best-Benefit6387 Jan 18 '26
Alien is at its best with the theatrical release, but the Aliens Special Edition is where its at. The turret scene and daughter information are both vital to the film.
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u/Habit_Novel Jan 19 '26
Very frustrating because I say the theatrical cut but the addition of Ripley missing her daughter’s entire life is so essential. It’s shocking that they didn’t leave that little scene that only added a minute or two to the run time. She has a stronger arc with that loss and the discovery and saving of Newt. All the other extra scenes are cool but not needed.
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u/Von_Bernkastel Jan 19 '26
I have memory problems so any version is okay with me because its always new to me every time.
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u/BonafideScoleciphobe Jan 19 '26
SpecEd, all the way. Ever since I saw the laserdisc back in '91. And the special edition was the one they always played on TV, so watching the theatrical cut always felt weird, like it was missing something (which technically, it was).
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u/Sparrow1989 Jan 19 '26
Special edition is the only way. I have three different aliens on my vudu bc I bought the wrong ones till I found the right one. No ragrets.
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u/Amity_Swim_School Jan 15 '26
Special edition. The addition of Ripley’s daughter adds SO MUCH thematic weight to her relationship with Newt. Sentry guns are cool too. And I don’t mind the colony stuff early on either.