didn't realize there was a directors cut version
It makes almost no difference.
have seen the directors cut version of aliens and thought the extra stuff was just fluff that was rightfully cut from the theater version
The original cut is better
90% of the time, the theatrical release is better than the directors cut.
That being said, the sequel, Aliens, by James Cameron has a better directors cut as well as his next film Terminator 2.
LaggnFragnLarry posted...
have seen the directors cut version of aliens and thought the extra stuff was just fluff that was rightfully cut from the theater version
I feel the same way about the Aliens Director's cut. Sigourney Weaver was upset when they had to cut the scenes where they talk about the daughter Ripley left behind who lived her entire life and died of old age while Ripley was in stasis. Sigourney felt that scene contextualizes the entire film (which, strictly speaking, it does), but I never needed that to infer that Ripley probably had a family life she's now missed out on, and is projecting some of that on to Newt. And I feel that you take something away from the audience when you deny them the chance to figure that out - you're not giving them something by adding that extra information.
90% of the time, the theatrical release is better than the directors cut.
Honestly, I felt that the revelation added very little to the film and was a bit out of place since we didn't even get a hint of such a relationship in the original film.
I'm 26 years old and grew up with the more effects-savvy scifi, mostly anime. The first sci-fi I really remember are Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040 and Gundam Wing, so, for that reason I'm leaning towards starting with the Director's Cut, but I'm not 100% sure.
Scott has stated that he was very pleased with the original theatrical cut of Alien, saying that, "For all intents and purposes, I felt that the original cut of Alien was perfect. I still feel that way", and that the original 1979 theatrical version "remains my version of choice".