Alien 3: Theatrical Cut or Assembly Cut?

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 16 Apr 2006, 16:52

1992 Theatrical Cut = 115m
1991 Assembly Cut = 144m

IronMonkey · Post by **IronMonkey** » 16 Apr 2006, 21:48

I'd definitely go with the "assembly cut", even though the audio is a little off at times. It just feels like a much better film to me...

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 16 Apr 2006, 23:09

I'd say the theatrical cut and I watched them both last night.

I was expecting the extended film to be radically different than the theatrical release but it wasn't. It was just longer. And much of the stuff cut looks like scenes or bits that any director would normally remove to trim and tidy a movie. And maybe Fincher would have too himself had he been given final cut? I'm glad they reshot the scenes with the ox (making it a more feasible dog) and had the alien burst out of the chest at the end (it also helps cover up some ropey F/X work). A lot of people complained that the theatrical cut is boring but it seemed tighter to me without the repetition (Dillion's constant religious babble dominated too many dialogue scenes) and reduction of Paul McGann's loon (although they made a mistake in not explaining his disappearence from the film. A brief scene discovering his corpse - say he died from shock - would've sufficed). Many would say that the assembly cut vindicates Fincher - to an extent - but I would counterargue that it equally vindicates the studio (Fox) for turning an overlong film into a more gripping experience without - IMO - losing any of the quality acting or character. Tell me what's in the assembly cut that makes it better than the theatrical cut?

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 17 Apr 2006, 00:31

Assembly cut definitely. The TC is unwatchable garbage.

gojensen · Post by **gojensen** » 17 Apr 2006, 08:38

Well I think I only ever saw the Assembly cut so I'm not voting

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 17 Apr 2006, 12:09

None, they are both as good as each other. Worth seeing for different reasons.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 17 Apr 2006, 14:25

EvaUnit02 wrote:Assembly cut definitely. The TC is unwatchable garbage.

That's just silly.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 17 Apr 2006, 14:32

In the TC you don't really get to know the characters. In the end you don't care if they live or die.
For this reason alone the "DC" is better.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 17 Apr 2006, 16:16

I saw it in the cinema when I was a kid and liked it, but its still a crishing blow of a film as it just didnt really follow up the mighty Aliens like everyone wanted.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 17 Apr 2006, 16:19

BRADAVON: Oops bugger I seem to have EDITED out Mark's last comment. I meant to click QUOTE not EDIT sorry.

Mark was asking why Fox called it Director's Cut when the sleeve notes say it's not.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 18 Apr 2006, 13:37

I've only seen the Theatrical Cut so far and have always thought it to be decent. I don't get why it's hated so much, oh yes I do it's the Godfather 3 syndrome. It MUST be rubbish just because it's weaker than what came before.

Because an Assembly Cut wouldn't sell. They should've called it an Extended Cut/Edition but seeing as the rest had (some so called) Director's Cuts it would've looked odd.

AFAIK none of the Extended Cuts are Director's Cuts. The Director's Cuts are all the Theatrical Cuts (except for Alien 3 which I guess the Assembly Cut is effectively the Director's Cut).

gojensen wrote:Well I think I only ever saw the Assembly cut so I'm not voting

Are you sure as it's only ever been released in this box set.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 18 Apr 2006, 14:19

bradavon wrote:AFAIK none of the Extended Cuts are Director's Cuts. The Director's Cuts are all the Theatrical Cuts (except for Alien 3 which I guess the Assembly Cut is effectively the Director's Cut).

There's no director's cut for Alien 3. The editing was taken out of Fincher's hands. The Assembly cut is just an early incomplete rough cut; it's obviously closer to Fincher's preferred vision, but I don't believe Fincher has officially sanctioned it as a finished product he would have released.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 18 Apr 2006, 15:53

the 2-disc featuring both versions is £4.97 in music zone's sale.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 18 Apr 2006, 16:27

I got it for £3.99 out of Megastore. Major bargain.

Kurgan · Post by **Kurgan** » 20 Apr 2006, 00:15

It's not really a case of liking it because it's better; I prefer the extended cut just because it has more footage and it's as close as we're going to get to Fincher's/Ward's cut. I've always liked Alien³, moreso than the original (which I find very tedious now) so seeing more of the film is a plus, as far as I'm concerned.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 20 Apr 2006, 12:28

Markgway wrote:I got it for £3.99 out of Megastore. Major bargain.

Not when you consider the box set is £17.99

. Personally I was only interested in the box set.

Except for the ending Alien Resurrection is also great. The underwater scene is lots of fun.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 20 Apr 2006, 14:33

I prefer the extended cut just because it has more footage and it's as close as we're going to get to Fincher's/Ward's cut.

Vincent Ward, you mean? His version was nothing like anything that ended up on screen in either cut. Monks on a wooden planet indeed!!

Not when you consider the box set is £17.99 . Personally I was only interested in the box set.

£3.99 is a bargain for a 2-disc set under any circumstances. Besides the quadrilogy is a digipack which means you have to keep all four films. I bought Alien SE yesterday for a fiver. Took ages to get going, but Ridley certainly knows how to crank up the tension. The Director's Cut isn't much different really.

Except for the ending Alien Resurrection is also great. The underwater scene is lots of fun.

I thought it was an episode too far. Not terrible, mind, just pointless. The weakest of the series by far.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 20 Apr 2006, 16:53

I need to rewatch Alien 3 extended cut as it seems like years now since I saw it (probibly was as I got it before it was even released in America).

Kurgan · Post by **Kurgan** » 20 Apr 2006, 23:49

Markgway wrote:Vincent Ward, you mean? His version was nothing like anything that ended up on screen in either cut. Monks on a wooden planet indeed!!

This is going sound strange, and I still have trouble grasping it, but a mate of mine has recently come back from Oz after spending a year or so there and got to know Vincent Ward (by way of his daughter

). He didn't know who he was at first (not the film fan, my mate), but once saw a load of the Oscar 'For Your Consideration' DVDs at his place. He asked how he got them and he told him who he was etc.
The wooden planet stuff is all true; that was his original idea, but he said that he actually ended up directing a hell of a lot of the final film. Bizarre, I know!

I thought it was an episode too far. Not terrible, mind, just pointless. The weakest of the series by far.

I'd go one further and say that it is terrible. Joss Whedon wrote the script, which having only seen Firefly and Serenity of his oeuvre, I'd say was a good thing. However, other writers got their mitts onto it, and the film turned out horrendously. Just stupid little things like the 'Father' being the call to activate the on-board computer really pissed me off, and don't get me started on that abomination of a monkey-alien. It hurts even more, given that the better ideas from the film were stolen from comics and books (the Earth Hive series has the lion's share of the ideas nicked from it.)
And that's why I only have the film in the original box set that came out. Of the subsequent re-releases, I only bought Aliens and Alien³.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 21 Apr 2006, 01:59

Kurgan wrote:The wooden planet stuff is all true; that was his original idea, but he said that he actually ended up directing a hell of a lot of the final film. Bizarre, I know!

Ward details the story outline on the Alien 3 extras. He makes it sound interesting but I don't think it would've worked. However producer David Giler makes it clear that Ward quit BEFORE any shooting was done - but the sets had been built in Pinewood. When Fincher took over (at the recommendation of Fox) the story was reworked and the script rewritten (by David Giler and Walter Hill). I think maybe Ward (or your friend...) is away with the fairies. 8)

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 21 Apr 2006, 07:05

Markgway wrote:The Director's Cut isn't much different really.

That's not a DC BTW. Fox just gave it that title for marketing purposes, those bastards. The 1979 TC is Scott's DC.

gojensen · Post by **gojensen** » 21 Apr 2006, 09:14

bradavon wrote:
gojensen wrote:Well I think I only ever saw the Assembly cut so I'm not voting
Are you sure as it's only ever been released in this box set.

Yeah, bloody sure actually as I only have the box set

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 21 Apr 2006, 12:44

Nah, All the DVDs in the Quadrilogy (except the 9th disc) were released separately as 2-discer SEs.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 21 Apr 2006, 14:21

Yeah, I have the 2-discers for Alien and Alien 3; will get Aliens as soon as it's cheap enough.

In Ridley's intro for Alien "Dir's Cut" he talks about having made the changes himself so I never thought to question the DC assignation. But I'm sure you're right as I've never heard anything about him being forced to make cuts in 1979.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 21 Apr 2006, 21:57

Markgway wrote:In Ridley's intro for Alien "Dir's Cut" he talks about having made the changes himself so I never thought to question the DC assignation. But I'm sure you're right as I've never heard anything about him being forced to make cuts in 1979.

Watch Ridley's intro again, he clearly states he prefers the 1979 TC. He just made the 2003 Alternative Cut cuz Fox wanted it.

Bullets 'n' Babes

Alien 3: Theatrical Cut or Assembly Cut?

Which do you prefer and why?

Alien 3: Theatrical Cut or Assembly Cut?