Fox Home Entertainment has finally let the cat out of the bag via IGN and officially announced Alien Anthology is coming to Blu-ray Disc on October 26 (Oct 25 in the UK and Nov 3 in Australia), the same day Universal is debuting the Back to the Future Trilogy on Blu-ray. Combine that double purchase with the Alien Anthology SRP of $139.99 and our wallets hurt already!
The six-disc set will include all four Alien films and over 60 hours of bonus features accessible via Fox’s new MU-TH-UR Mode, an interactive feature providing an index of every bonus feature across the entire set. Those bons features will include about 12,000 images and material from the 1990s LaserDisc release, the “Legacy” release and the Quadrilogy set.
The fifth and sixth discs will include 5 hours of material accessible via Pods from the documentaries. The Pods will also be available to view from their own index page.
A chunk of the bonus features will be entirely new including “screen tests of Sigourney Weaver prior to filming the original Alien, unseen deleted scenes, the previously unseen original cut of “Wreckage and Rage: The Making of Alien3″ and more.”
Below is the packaging followed by a breakdown of the extensive bonus features that will make your head spin. It looks like the only way to purchase the Alien Anthology on Blu-ray (or now) will be the big alien and egg packaging that includes the more traditional Blu-ray packaging inside (click the “beauty shot” for a larger look). Better clear some room on the Blu-ray collection shelf.
Disc One: Alien
- 1979 Theatrical Version
- 2003 Director’s Cut with Ridley Scott Introduction
- Audio Commentary by Director Ridley Scott, Writer Dan O’Bannon, Executive Producer Ronald Shusett, Editor Terry Rawlings, Actors Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton and John Hurt
- Audio Commentary (for Theatrical Cut only) by Ridley Scott
- Final Theatrical Isolated Score by Jerry Goldsmith
- Composer’s Original Isolated Score by Jerry Goldsmith
- Deleted and Extended Scenes
- MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream
Disc Two: Aliens
- 1986 Theatrical Version
- 1991 Special Edition with James Cameron Introduction
- Audio Commentary by Director James Cameron, Producer Gale Anne Hurd, Alien Effects Creator Stan Winston, Visual Effects Supervisors Robert Skotak and Dennis Skotak, Miniature Effects Supervisor Pat McClung, Actors Michael Biehn, Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen, Jenette Goldstein, Carrie Henn and Christopher Henn
- Final Theatrical Isolated Score by James Horner
- Composer’s Original Isolated Score by James Horner
- Deleted and Extended Scenes
- MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream
Disc Three: Alien3
- 1992 Theatrical Version
- 2003 Special Edition (Restored Workprint Version)
- Audio Commentary by Cinematographer Alex Thomson, B.S.C., Editor Terry Rawlings, Alien Effects Designers Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr., Visual Effects Producer Richard Edlund, A.S.C., Actors Paul McGann and Lance Henriksen
- Final Theatrical Isolated Score by Elliot Goldenthal
- Deleted and Extended Scenes
- MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream
Disc Four: Alien Resurrection
- 1997 Theatrical Version
- 2003 Special Edition with Jean-Pierre Jeunet Introduction
- Audio Commentary by Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Editor Herve Schneid, A.C.E., Alien Effects Creators Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr., Visual Effects Supervisor Pitof, Conceptual Artist Sylvain Despretz, Actors Ron Perlman, Dominique Pinon and Leland Orser
- Final Theatrical Isolated Score by John Frizzell
- Deleted and Extended Scenes
- MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream
Disc Five: Making The Anthology
- The Beast Within: Making Alien
- Star Beast: Developing the Story
- The Visualists: Direction and Design
- Truckers in Space: Casting
- Fear of the Unknown: Shepperton Studios, 1978
- The Darkest Reaches: Nostromo and Alien Planet
- The Eighth Passenger: Creature Design
- Future Tense: Editing and Music
- Outward Bound: Visual Effects
- A Nightmare Fulfilled: Reaction to the Film
- Enhancement Pods
- Superior Firepower: Making Aliens
- 57 Years Later: Continuing the Story
- Building Better Worlds: From Concept to Construction
- Preparing for Battle: Casting and Characterization
- This Time It’s War: Pinewood Studios, 1985
- The Risk Always Lives: Weapons and Action
- Bug Hunt: Creature Design
- Beauty and the Bitch: Power Loader vs. Queen Alien
- Two Orphans: Sigourney Weaver and Carrie Henn
- The Final Countdown: Music, Editing and Sound
- The Power of Real Tech: Visual Effects
- Aliens Unleashed: Reaction to the Film
- Enhancement Pods
- Wreckage and Rage: Making Alien3
- Development Hell: Concluding the Story
- Tales of the Wooden Planet: Vincent Ward’s Vision
- Stasis Interrupted: David Fincher’s Vision
- Xeno-Erotic: H.R. Giger’s Redesign
- The Color of Blood: Pinewood Studios, 1991
- Adaptive Organism: Creature Design
- The Downward Spiral: Creative Differences
- Where the Sun Burns Cold: Fox Studios, L.A. 1992
- Optical Fury: Visual Effects
- Requiem for a Scream: Music, Editing and Sound
- Post-Mortem: Reaction to the Film
- Enhancement Pods
- One Step Beyond: Making Alien Resurrection
- From the Ashes: Reviving the Story
- French Twist: Direction and Design
- Under the Skin: Casting and Characterization
- Death from Below: Fox Studios, Los Angeles, 1996
- In the Zone: The Basketball Scene
- Unnatural Mutation: Creature Design
- Genetic Composition: Music
- Virtual Aliens: Computer Generated Imagery
- A Matter of Scale: Miniature Photography
- Critical Juncture: Reaction to the Film
- Enhancement Pods
- MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience to Access and Control Enhancement Pods
Disc Six: The Anthology Archives
Alien
- Pre-Production
- First Draft Screenplay by Dan O’Bannon
- Ridleygrams: Original Thumbnails and Notes
- Storyboard Archive
- The Art of Alien: Conceptual Art Portfolio
- Sigourney Weaver Screen Tests with Select Director Commentary
- Cast Portrait Gallery
- Production
- The Chestbuster: Multi-Angle Sequence with Commentary
- Video Graphics Gallery
- Production Image Galleries
- Continuity Polaroids
- The Sets of Alien
- H.R. Giger’s Workshop Gallery
- Post-Production and Aftermath
- Additional Deleted Scenes
- Image & Poster Galleries
- Experience in Terror
- Special Collector’s Edition LaserDisc Archive
- The Alien Legacy
- American Cinematheque: Ridley Scott Q&A
- Trailers & TV Spots
Aliens
- Pre-Production
- Original Treatment by James Cameron
- Pre-Visualizations: Multi-Angle Videomatics with Commentary
- Storyboard Archive
- The Art of Aliens: Image Galleries
- Cast Portrait Gallery
- Production
- Production Image Galleries
- Continuity Polaroids
- Weapons and Vehicles
- Stan Winston’s Workshop
- Colonial Marine Helmet Cameras
- Video Graphics Gallery
- Weyland-Yutani Inquest: Nostromo Dossiers
- Post-Production and Aftermath
- Deleted Scene: Burke Cocooned
- Deleted Scene Montage
- Image Galleries
- Special Collector’s Edition LaserDisc Archive
- Main Title Exploration
- Aliens: Ride at the Speed of Fright
- Trailers & TV Spots
Alien3
- Pre-Production
- Storyboard Archive
- The Art of Arceon
- The Art of Fiorina
- Production
- Furnace Construction: Time-Lapse Sequence
- EEV Bioscan: Multi-Angle Vignette with Commentary
- Production Image Galleries
- A.D.I.’s Workshop
- Post-Production and Aftermath
- Visual Effects Gallery
- Alien3 Advance Featurette
- The Making of Alien3 Promotional Featurette
- Trailers & TV Spots
Alien Resurrection
- Pre-Production
- First Draft Screenplay by Joss Whedon
- Test Footage: A.D.I. Creature Shop with Commentary
- Test Footage: Costumes, Hair and Makeup
- Pre-Visualizations: Multi-Angle Rehearsals
- Storyboard Archive
- The Marc Caro Portfolio: Character Designs
- The Art of Resurrection: Image Galleries
- Production
- Production Image Galleries
- A.D.I.’s Workshop
- Post-Production and Aftermath
- Visual Effects Gallery
- Special Shoot: Promotional Photo Archive
- HBO First Look: The Making of Alien Resurrection
- Alien Resurrection Promotional Featurette
- Trailers & TV Spots
Anthology
- Two Versions of Alien Evolution
- The Alien Saga
- Patches and Logos Gallery
- Aliens 3D Attraction Scripts and Gallery
- Aliens in the Basement: The Bob Burns Collection
- Parodies
- Dark Horse Cover Gallery
- Patches and Logos Gallery
- MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience
We’ll pass along Amazon.com Alien Anthology on Blu-ray pre-order information as soon as its available.
Source: IGN
