For the first time in nearly a quarter-century, movie audiences will be able to experience Alien on the big screen, as Twentieth Century Fox releases Alien The Director's Cut, a special edition of director Ridley Scott's science fiction/horror classic, in theaters nationwide this... [More]

For the first time in nearly a quarter-century, movie audiences will be able to experience Alien on the big screen, as Twentieth Century Fox releases Alien The Director's Cut, a special edition of director Ridley Scott's science fiction/horror classic, in theaters nationwide this Halloween. For this digitally remastered special edition of what many have called the "scariest movie ever made," Ridley Scott has incorporated new footage never before seen in movie houses. Working closely with Twentieth Century Fox, Scott oversaw a restoration of the original film's negative, as well as further digital enhancements. In addition, Scott and his team of archivists went through over 100 boxes of film footage, unseen in almost 25 years, which were discovered in a London vault. From this wealth of material, Scott selected new "Director's Cut" footage, which then underwent digital restoration, matching it to Alien's news-"polished" negative. The film also features a brand-new six-track digital stereo mix. Fox released the original Alien in May 1979. The film was hailed by critics and audiences worldwide as seminal work of science fiction, and went on to gross over $100 million worldwide, a remarkable number for that era. The film's success spawned a film franchise for the studio, with three adventures in the saga following in 1986, 1992, and 1997. Alien launched the career of Sigourney Weaver, whose character Ellen Ripley became one of the genre's first and most enduring heroines. The film also stars Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Sir Ian Holm and Yaphet Kotto. The producers are Gordon Carroll, David Giler and Walter Hill, and the screenplay was written by Dan O'Bannon from a story by O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett. -- © 20th Century Fox [Less]