WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Alien
Genre:Science Fiction

Reviewed In Issue 18 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm, Yaphet Kotto

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 4
Sound Rating: 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): 8760-85
(MPAA Rating): R
(Retail Price): $$49.98
(Running Time In Minutes): 117
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Theatrical Release): 1979
(LD Release Date): 11/95
(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 Seymore
(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): Panavision
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.39:1
(Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.32:1

DVD Sound Information
(DVD Soundtrack): Dolby Digital
(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:
The 2.32:1 picture exhibits improved imagery over the previously issued LaserDisc (reviewed in Issue 1). There is substantially less noise, but the imagery lacks sharpness and detailed for a slightly out-of-focus quality.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The Dolby® Digital 5.1 discrete soundtrack delivers a full scale aggressively holosonic soundfield experience when all the channels are fully engaged. At times, however, the sound is limited to three-channel stereo with no surround signal, and dialogue is sometimes wanting in spatial integration and naturalness. Otherwise, this is a thrilling sonic experience with extended and powerful bass enhanced with aggressive and system challenging .1 LFE. The orchestral music scoring is hauntingly beautiful and features a wonderfully spatial soundstage presence that images wide and deep. This soundtrack will not disappoint in its delivery of a sonic nightmarish experience.
(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: