When the groundbreaking science-fiction horror filmAlienwas first released in 1979, director Ridley Scott believed that the theatrical cut was perfect. In the ensuing decades, Scott has variously reiterated his opinion that the theatrical cut ofAlienis the best version of the film in existence.
In 2003, when 20th Century Fox was in the process of preparing the nine-discAlien QuadrilogyDVD box set, which includesAlienand its three sequels, Fox approached Scott to see if Scott would be willing to restore several deleted scenes fromAlienfor inclusion in an expanded version of the film. While Scott felt that the expanded cut was overlong and poorly paced, Scott nonetheless agreed to re-cut the expanded version for the purpose of giving audiences a new viewing experience withAlien.
Ultimately, Scott’sAliendirector’s cutrestored approximately four minutes of deleted footage while trimming approximately five minutes of material from the theatrical cut, resulting in a director’s cut that is approximately one minute shorter than the theatrical cut.
While most of the changes contained within the director’s cut are minor, with added sound effects and the trimming of certain scenes to give the film a faster pace, the director’s cut is nonetheless highlighted by the inclusion of one of the most revelatory and shocking scenes, deleted or otherwise, in the history of theAlienfranchise.
The Director’s Cut Brings a New Perspective to Alien
The first notable addition within theAliendirector’s cut involves the mysterious transmission that compels the crew members of the commercial space tugNostromoto investigate the transmission’s origin on a nearby moon, after the ship’s computer, Mother, detected the transmission and subsequently awakened the crew members from stasis.
While the transmission isn’t heard in the theatrical cut, the transmission is heard in the director’s cut and sounds chilling and indecipherable. This scene is effective in establishing a sense of dread regarding the exploration of the transmission’s origin on the moon, where crew members Dallas, Kane, and Lambert trace the origin to an alien derelict ship.
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In the director’s cut, Kane is seen wielding a blaster weapon while investigating the ship’s egg chamber. Kane is subsequently attacked by an alien creature, which attaches itself to Kane’s face. The appearance of the blaster is effective because it demonstrates that Kane wasn’t entirely reckless when exploring the egg chamber and establishes that the crew members of theNostromohad additional weapons, beyond the flamethrower that Dallas, Parker, and Ripley wield later in the film.
The director’s cut highlights the fact that Ripley was willing to let the infected Kane die in strict observance of quarantine protocol. After Kane is allowed back onto the ship by science officer Ash, in defiance of quarantine protocol, the director’s cut includes a deleted scene in which Lambert slaps Ripley’s face over Ripley’s refusal to allow Kane inside the ship. This scene isdramatically effective and especially significantin retrospect, given the horrific repercussions that Kane’s infection has for the rest of the ship.
The Holy Grail of Alien Deleted Scenes
The most prominent aspect of theAliendirector’s cut is the inclusion of the infamous deleted cocoon scene, in which last survivingNostromocrew member Ripley discovers the alien nest, where Ripley finds the gruesomely cocooned bodies of abducted crew members Brett and Captain Dallas, both of whom are revealed to be in the process of becoming alien eggs. An agonized Dallas implores Ripley to kill him with her flamethrower.
The legendary cocoon scene is absolutely horrifying. Moreover, it’s extremely revealing in terms of revealing what the alien creature does to its human victims after they’ve been cocooned. While James Cameron tried to explain the existence of alien eggs through theappearance of the alien queen inAliens, the alien queen probably wouldn’t have been created if Scott had included the cocoon scene in the theatrical cut ofAlien.
While Scott obviously excluded the cocoon scene from the theatrical cut because of pacing, given that the cocoon scene happens amid Ripley’s frenzied attempt to escape the self-destructingNostromoby boarding an escape shuttle, the cocoon scene is so disturbing and emotionally powerful and revealing that it should have been included in the theatrical cut.
Related:Why Alien Is Still the Greatest Sci-Fi Horror Movie of All Time
The Director’s Cut Is For Die-Hard Alien Fans
A close, objective comparison between the theatrical cut ofAlienand the director’s cut reveals that while Ridley Scott is entirely correct in believing that the 1979 theatrical vision is perfect just the way it is, the director’s cut is nonetheless entertaining and useful and indeed includes several deleted scenes, primarily the cocoon scene, which Scott probably should have included in the theatrical cut.
If the director’s cut ofAlienhad been released in place of the theatrical cut in 1979,Alienwould still be regarded as being one of the greatest and most terrifying films ever made. Thedirector’s cut has brought added contextand visceral realization to concepts and scenes that Scott wisely felt were best left to the imagination in 1979. ForAlienfans, it’s the best of both worlds.
