Aliens (1986)

Director:

James Cameron

Writers:

James Cameron (story) and
David Giler (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

18 July 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

This time there's more.

Plot:

The planet from Alien (1979) has been colonized, but contact is lost. This time, the rescue team has impressive firepower, but will it be enough?

Plot Keywords:

Alien | Space Marine | Nightmare | Rescue | Cat

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 16 wins & 21 nominations

Cast

Sigourney Weaver	...	Ellen Ripley
Carrie Henn	...	Rebecca 'Newt' Jorden
Michael Biehn	...	Cpl. Dwayne Hicks
Paul Reiser	...	Carter Burke
Lance Henriksen	...	Bishop
Bill Paxton	...	Pvt. Hudson
Jenette Goldstein	...	Pvt. Vasquez
William Hope	...	Lt. Gorman
Al Matthews	...	Sgt. Apone
Mark Rolston	...	Pvt. Drake
Ricco Ross	...	Pvt. Frost
Colette Hiller	...	Cpl. Ferro
Daniel Kash	...	Pvt. Spunkmeyer
Cynthia Dale Scott	...	Cpl. Dietrich (as Cynthia Scott)
Tip Tipping	...	Pvt. Crowe
Trevor Steedman	...	Pvt. Wierzbowski
Paul Maxwell	...	Van Leuwen
Valerie Colgan	...	ECA Representative
Alan Polonsky	...	Insurance Man
Alibe Parsons	...	Med Tech
Blain Fairman	...	Doctor
Barbara Coles	...	Cocooned Woman
Carl Toop	...	Alien Warrior
John Lees	...	Power Loader Operator

Directed by
James Cameron

Writing credits
James Cameron		(story) and
David Giler		(story) &
Walter Hill		(story)
Dan O'Bannon		(characters) and
Ronald Shusett		(characters)
James Cameron		(screenplay)

Produced by
Gordon Carroll	....	executive producer
David Giler	....	executive producer
Walter Hill	....	executive producer
Gale Anne Hurd	....	producer

Original Music by
James Horner

Cinematography by
Adrian Biddle		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ray Lovejoy

Production Design by
Peter Lamont

Art Direction by
Terry Ackland-Snow		(supervising art director) (as Terence Ackland-Snow)
Ken Court
Bert Davey
Fred Hole
Michael Lamont

Set Decoration by
Crispian Sallis

Costume Design by
Emma Porteus		(as Emma Porteous)

Makeup Department
Elaine Bowerbank	....	chief hair stylist
Peter Robb-King	....	makeup supervisor
Everett Burrell	....	special makeup effects (uncredited)
Tony Gardner	....	Stan Winston's creature effects crew (uncredited)
Melissa Street	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Mo Coppitters	....	unit production manager
Hugh Harlow	....	production supervisor
Gil Whelan	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Derek Cracknell	....	first assistant director
Melvin Lind	....	second assistant director
Stan Winston	....	second unit director
Julian Wall	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Ron Cobb	....	conceptual designer
Bert Hearn	....	property master
Syd Mead	....	conceptual artist
Sid Palmer	....	production buyer (as Sidney Palmer)
Vic Simpson	....	construction manager
Janice Body	....	graphics artist (uncredited)
Michael Boone	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Mick Chubbock	....	plasterer (uncredited)
Tony Gardner	....	artistic supervisor: miniature effects unit (uncredited)
Mark Harris	....	technical set dresser (uncredited)
Paul James	....	supervising plasterer (uncredited)
Simon Lamont	....	art department assistant (uncredited)
Maciek Piotrowski	....	sketch artist (uncredited)
Tony Rimmington	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Colin Thurston	....	prop storeman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Michael A. Carter	....	dubbing mixer
Roy Charman	....	sound recordist
Dev Goodman	....	sound editor
Graham V. Hartstone	....	chief dubbing mixer
Peter Horrocks	....	sound editor
Jack T. Knight	....	sound editor (as Jack Knight)
Nicolas Le Messurier	....	dubbing mixer
Archie Ludski	....	dialogue editor
Alan Paley	....	sound editor
Rocky Phelan	....	foley editor
Don Sharpe	....	supervising sound editor
Chris Blunden	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Scott Brose	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Deveril Goodman	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Jeffrey Perkins	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Otto Snel	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Lionel Strutt	....	adr mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Norman Baillie	....	workshop supervisor
Nigel Booth	....	creature effects crew
Ron Burton	....	senior special effects technician
Trevor Butterfield	....	creature effects crew
Julian Caldow	....	creature effects crew
Ron Cartwright	....	senior special effects technician
Philomena Davis	....	creature effects crew
Michael Dunleavy	....	senior special effects technician
Greg Figiel	....	creature effects crew (as Gregory Figiel)
Nick Finlayson	....	senior special effects technician
Alec Gillis	....	creature effects coordinator
Matthew Harlow	....	special effects technician
Graham High	....	creature effects crew
Dave Keen	....	creature effects crew (as David Keen)
Richard J. Landon	....	creature effects coordinator (as Richard Landon)
Rick Lazzarini	....	creature effects crew
Ray Lovell	....	creature effects crew
Lindsay MacGowan	....	creature effects crew (as Lindsay McGowan)
Shane Mahan	....	creature effects coordinator
John Morris	....	senior special effects technician
Stephen Norrington	....	creature effects crew
Christine Overs	....	creature effects crew
Peter Pickering	....	senior special effects technician
John Richardson	....	special effects supervisor
John Robertson	....	creature effects crew
Ian Rolph	....	creature effects crew
Matt Rose	....	creature effects crew
John Rosengrant	....	creature effects coordinator
Bill Sturgeon	....	creature effects crew
Willie Whitten	....	creature effects crew
Paul Whybrow	....	senior special effects technician
Joss Williams	....	senior special effects technician
Mark Williams	....	creature effects crew
Stan Winston	....	alien effects creator
Tom Woodruff Jr.	....	creature effects coordinator
Howard Berger	....	sculptor (uncredited)
Michael Burnett	....	miniature effects unit (uncredited)
Dave Chagouri	....	special effects (uncredited)
Simon Cockren	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)
Edward J. Franklin	....	special effects crew (uncredited)
Julian Parry	....	effects crew: Los Angeles (uncredited)
Tim Turner	....	miniature effects assistant (uncredited)
Andy Williams	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Steven Woodcock	....	model maker (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Michael Anderson	....	camera operator: visual effects unit
Jonathan Angell	....	senior special effects technician: visual effects unit
Doug Beswick	....	mechanical armature design: visual effects unit
John Brown	....	senior special effects technician: visual effects unit
Leslie Dear	....	camera operator: visual effects unit
Paul Frift	....	assistant director: visual effects unit
Robert Gavin	....	special effects editor: visual effects unit
Richard Hewitt	....	video effects supervisor
Brian Johnson	....	visual effects supervisor: post production
Christopher Knowles	....	assistant director: visual effects unit (as Chris Knowles)
David Litchfield	....	camera operator: visual effects unit
Pat McClung	....	miniatures technical supervisor: visual effects unit
Digby Milner	....	senior special effects technician: visual effects unit
Roy Moores	....	process photographer: visual effects unit
Phil Notaro	....	mechanical armature design: visual effects unit
Harry Oakes	....	camera operator: visual effects unit
Peter Russell	....	art director: visual effects unit
Barry Saunders	....	construction manager: visual effects unit
Dennis Skotak	....	visual effects supervisor
Robert Skotak	....	visual effects supervisor
Brian Smithies	....	miniature floor effects supervisor: visual effects unit
Sarah Spooner	....	production secretary: visual effects unit
Charles Staffell	....	process photographer: visual effects unit
Paul Tivers	....	unit production manager: visual effects unit
Wally Wheeler	....	gaffer: visual effects unit
Tony White	....	titles and video graphics design: visual effects unit
Larry Arpin	....	visual effects (uncredited)
Steven Begg	....	model effects (uncredited)
Suzanne M. Benson	....	visual effects (uncredited)
Martin Body	....	rotoscope artist (uncredited)
Zoe Cain	....	visual effects trainee (uncredited)
Alan Church	....	optical camera operator (uncredited)
Andrew Coates	....	rotoscope artist (uncredited)
Andrew Eio	....	motion control programmer (uncredited)
Tony Gardner	....	cosmetic supervisor: miniature effects unit (uncredited)
John Lee	....	model maker (uncredited)
Alan G. Markowitz	....	visual effects supervisor (uncredited)
Jay Roth	....	model maker (uncredited)
Tony Rowland	....	camera grip (uncredited)
Adrian Trent	....	assistant visual effects editor (uncredited)

Stunts
Elanor Bertram	....	stunts
Simon Crane	....	stunts
Sue Crosland	....	stunts
Steve Dent	....	stunts
Stuart Fell	....	stunts
Louise Head	....	stunt double #1: Carrie Henn
Jazzer Jeyes	....	stunts
Sean McCabe	....	stunts
Eddie Powell	....	stunts
Kiran Shah	....	stunt double #2: Carrie Henn
Stuart St. Paul	....	stunts: Queen Alien - right-hand side
Malcolm Weaver	....	stunts: Queen Alien - left-hand side
Chris Webb	....	stunts
Bill Weston	....	stunts
Paul Weston	....	stunt coordinator
Jason White	....	stunts
Clive Curtis	....	stunt double: Frost (uncredited)
Tom Delmar	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nick Gillard	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Martin Hume	....	camera focus
Martin Kenzie	....	camera focus
Shaun O'Dell	....	camera operator
Bob Penn	....	still photographer (as Robert Penn)
Jack Thetford	....	gaffer
David Worley	....	camera operator
Kevin Brookner	....	video operator (uncredited)
Pete Cavaciuti	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
Michael Condro	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Stewart Hadley	....	generator operator (uncredited)
Paul Kenward	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Michael McDermott	....	gaffer: second unit (uncredited)
Pat Miller	....	electrician (uncredited)
Jan Pester	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
Nigel Seal	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Chris Warren	....	video assist operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Jane Feinberg	....	casting: USA
Mike Fenton	....	casting: USA
Mary Selway	....	casting: UK
Judy Taylor	....	casting: USA

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Tiny Nicholls	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Peter Boita	....	associate editor
Simon Harris	....	second assistant editor
Phil Sanderson	....	first assistant editor
Robert Hambling	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Brian Q. Kelley	....	editor: additional material for special edition (uncredited)
Steve Maguire	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Robin Clarke	....	music editor
Michael Clifford	....	music editor
Randall Frakes	....	synthesizer effects
Robert Garrett	....	synthesizer effects (as Robert Garret)
Greig McRitchie	....	orchestrator (as Greg McRitchie)
Eric Tomlinson	....	music recording engineer
Ian Underwood	....	synthesizer effects
Otto Snel	....	music pre-dub mixer (uncredited)

Other crew
Polly Apostolof	....	assistant to producer
Jill Bennett	....	production accountant
Diana Dill	....	script supervisor
Geoff Freeman	....	unit publicist
H.R. Giger	....	original alien designer
Jay Roberts	....	location auditor
Paul Tucker	....	production controller
Joyce Turner	....	production coordinator
Simon Atherton	....	armorer (uncredited)
James Cameron	....	queen alien designer (uncredited)
Terry English	....	armor designer (uncredited)
Andrew Fletcher	....	armorer (uncredited)
J. Randolph Harrison	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
• Brandywine Productions
• SLM Production Group

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1986) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (1986) (Japan) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (1986) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (1986) (UK) (theatrical)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (1987) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• CBS/Fox (1987) (Argentina) (VHS)
• CBS / Fox Video (1987) (Greece) (VHS)
• Fox Film (1986) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1989) (USA) (TV)
• Gativideo (2004) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2004) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-edited)
• Odeon (2004) (Greece) (DVD) (director's cut)
• 20th Century Fox of Germany (1986) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Spentzos Films (1987) (Cyprus) (theatrical)
• Spentzos Films (1987) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century Fox (1986) (Austria) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (????) (New Zealand) (VHS) (original video release)
• CBS/Fox (USA) (lasedisc)
• Encore Entertainment (UK) (laserdisc)
• Fox Video (Europe) (laserdisc)
• Fox Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Fox Video (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (laserdisc)
• Lightstorm Entertainment (USA)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2010) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray) (Alien Anthology)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2012) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray) (Prometheus to Alien: The Evolution boxset)

Special Effects

• Fantasy II Film Effects
• L.A. Effects Group
• Peerless Camera Company (motion control)
• Stan Winston Studio

Other Companies

• Abbey Road Studios  music recorded at
• Arkadon  motion control
• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• General Screen Enterprises  opticals
• London Symphony Orchestra, The (LSO)  orchestra
• Mayflower Recording  adr recording
• Peerless Camera Company  motion control
• Peerless Camera Company  opticals
• Peter Aston model effects  miniatures
• Peter Govey Film Opticals  opticals
• Pinewood Studios  movie studio
• Pinewood Studios  sound re-recorded at
• Varèse Sarabande  score album released by

Also Known As:

"Alien 2" - Japan (English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for monster violence, and for language

Runtime:

137 min | USA:154 min (1992 special edition)

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Iceland:16 | Ireland:18 | Japan:PG-12 | Mexico:B | Netherlands:16 | Norway:18 | Peru:14 | Singapore:M18 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (1986-present) | West Germany:16 (nf) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Manitoba) | Canada:14A (British Columbia) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) (original rating) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) (Director's Cut) | Italy:T | Finland:K-18 (director's cut) (DVD rating) | South Korea:12 | Portugal:M/16 | Brazil:14 | Philippines:R-18 | USA:R (Certificate #27850) | South Korea:15 (DVD rating) | India:A | New Zealand:M | Australia:MA (Cable TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Acton Lane Power Station, Acton Lane, Acton, London, England, UK

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Most of the movie was filmed under very bluish light to give it a strange and "alien" feel. The colors of the Marines' camouflage BDUs and the Humbrol "Brown Bess" used on the Pulse Rifles were all chosen specifically to work with the blue set lighting. As a result, both look very different under natural light than they did on screen.

Goofs:

Continuity: Just after finding Newt, Ripley gives her a cup of hot chocolate and the cup handle switches sides between shots.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Salvage team leader:Bio-readouts are all in the green, looks like she's alive. Well, there goes our salvage, guys.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Mr. B's Lost Shorts (2001) (V)

Compelling, far superior sequel to sci-fi classic (8/10)

Seven years after barely surviving events on board the Nostromo in Ridley Scott's classic sci-fi horror ALIEN, Sigourney Weaver reprised her role as Warrant Officer Ripley for one of the most compelling and critically-acclaimed sequels of all time. Canadian director James Cameron had already struck gold with the Arnold Schwarzenegger starring vehicle THE TERMINATOR (1984), after his somewhat inauspicious feature film directorial debut with the long-forgotten, Dutch-backed PIRANHA II: THE SPAWNING 3 years earlier. ALIENS would further cement Cameron's growing reputation as a first-rate director of high-tech, fast-paced, adrenaline-pumping action thrillers, from which there would normally be no let-up once they got going.

When Ripley is rescued from drifting aimlessly through deep space, she is horrified to learn that not only has she been asleep for 57 years, but the planet on which she had encountered the original alien all that time ago has since been colonized. At first no-one will heed her warnings or completely believe the story she gives at an official enquiry as to what happened to her and her fellow Nostromo crew members. But then contact is lost with LV-426, and despite initially throwing Ripley "to the wolves" (as she herself puts in), The Company, through representative Carter J. Burke (Paul Reiser), suddenly finds itself in a position of having to ask Ripley for help, finally persuading her to return to the planet that still consumes her every nightmare, as an advisor to a motley group of very tough colonial marines expecting this to be just another run-of-the-mill "bug-hunt". But how wrong that assumption turns out to be!

I would argue that ALIENS far surpasses its celebrated predecessor in almost every aspect. Obviously the sheer spectacle of what is basically a Vietnam war movie in space is particularly awe-inspiring - the impressive sets, the many excitingly-staged combat sequences, the aliens themselves (interestingly enough, although through fast cutting and appropriate camera placement it seems as though there are hundreds of aliens being blasted to kingdom come - or else picking off the gung-ho marines one by one - in reality no more than 6 aliens are ever seen in any one shot). But the human drama element of this sequel is also greatly heightened, primarily by the introduction of "Newt" (wonderful little Carrie Henn, in her only film role), who turns out to be the sole survivor of recent events on LV-426, becoming a kind-of surrogate daughter to Ripley, which leads to several touching moments and gives the story a surprisingly effective emotional core in the midst of all the otherwise pre-eminent carnage.

Amongst the talented supporting players are Cameron regulars Michael Biehn (THE TERMINATOR, THE ABYSS) and Bill Paxton (bit part in THE TERMINATOR, TRUE LIES, TITANIC), and Cameron's punchy dialogue includes such suitably macho wisecracks as - Hudson (Paxton): "Hey Vasquez, have you ever been mistaken for a man?" Vasquez (a pumped-up Jenette Goldstein): "No, have you?" Nominated for 7 Oscars, including Weaver as Best Actress (again this confirms the general class on display, as it is fairly rare for the Academy to recognize the acting qualities inherent in this type of predominantly action-driven movie), the film went on to win for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound Effects Editing. Further, almost inevitable sequels followed in 1992 and 1997, but I prefer to think of the terrifying perils of Ellen Ripley as ending on this high note.