Aliens

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

To this day, it was Aliens that started the magical career of James Horner. Naturally, Battle Beyond the Stars depicted Horner's talent and of course was Star Trek 2 the biggest surprise of his young career. But Aliens was the start between James Cameron and the young British composer and even though, fights were often made because of Cameron's vision towards the music, it was Aliens that was nominated for an Oscar and started it all. Rightfully since it supported a winning blockbuster, made startling use of the brass and finesse of The London Symphony orchestra and above all was Horner's effective use of eerie strings and striking dissonance perfect for the desolate world of LV-426. It made for one of my first buys as soundtrack collector and it was an instant classic to love and like. The original release of Varèse Sarabande featured 40 minutes and looked longtime to be enough, but that same Varèse released later a longer special edition and is featured also here as a review. However, for my impression, Aliens the original release features the best highlights. It doesn't feature all the highlights but definitely the most important ones. 'Going After Newt' is the first with its thrilling heroic fanfares and orchestral power its easy to like after the dreary string opening, which nonetheless functions spectacular with its dissonance growing over the revealing of the title of the movie. 'Ripley's Rescue' is the next to follow that line, with another thrilling heroic ride, the often dissonant tones work perfectly to capture the alien threat.

Before that, 'Sub - Level 3' works purely as texture and is (for someone who saw the movie 20 times) a sign of effective music without actual themes and is therefore easier to like then something you don't know in the context. 'Futile Escape' is the next of action packed pleasure, with the same heroic action statements of track 4. 'Bishop's Countdown' is a climatic finish with the best Horner send off for a climax (meaning explosion) ever. And to this day, nobody knows the real story behind 'Resolution and Hyperspace', it never appeared in the film but 2 years later suddenly made the movie's climax in Die Hard. Nonetheless, the first minute of this track is absolutely breathtaking and replaces the same moody and lonely string tones who finish off the score. Take it from me, Aliens is a classic in the sense of the word. It may not listen as some other classics do but the effectiveness of the texture and dissonance is spot on the money, and further is the action music enormously exciting and powerful, here above all did Horner made his first use of the thumping energy that later would fulfill its duty in other Horner scores. I've always quoted Aliens, the original release with the highest quotation. However, now it receives a little less since Aliens: The Deluxe Edition and the bootleg offered simply more music. Nonetheless, for an example of science fiction horror music, Aliens offers the cold lonely tones but above all the most powerful action music for the genre, knowing now why nobody who hear us scream!

Aliens "Bootleg"

With a 40 minute release did Varèse set the standard for Aliens, the blockbuster film of James Cameron and the successful sequel to Ridley Scott's lonely horror film in space. The sequel packed more a punch and even if the terror was fearsome from start to finish, it were the kick ass marines that made the difference and the hard to nails action confrontations that made Aliens such a riveting production. James Horner composed one outstanding horror score in that time and the result was a nomination in his early career. However, there was significant material missing from the release of Varèse, even though everything was released what was considered of importance. But a bootleg with equally stunning sound quality became a hot selling item and offered us long before the special edition everything we wanted. The sole problem this bootleg has is the shame to present the same track twice, unfortunately its also a track full of texture and one that lasts for six minutes. Its a very effective track and the scary strings at the end are as effective as ever but sadly 'We Have a Job to Do' and 'Sub-Level 3' are the same, missing out a winner to actually present the music that was heard in the uncut version of Aliens, namely the action music during the turret scene. And one small sound quality issue is the sudden disturbance during the final minute of 'The Bitch', lasting though 30 seconds longer then initially stated on the back cover, followed by an unnamed track lasting for 20 seconds, producing the short blasts of the screeching strings to present the Alien Queen attacking, dying, whatever. These are small hiccups in an otherwise wonderfully presented bootleg of Concorde.

The wonderful thing about this bootleg was, until the special edition came, it presented the music the people wanted and even a little more then that. Even though in the first part just texture, tracks such as 'Bad Dreams', 'Arrival at LV-426', 'First Checking', 'This Place is Dead' and 'The Unknown' where wonderful in setting the mood, while the sudden dissonant warning in 'Newt is Taken / Elevator' is striking and 'The Bitch' brings the wonderful opening sound when Bishop is taken into several pieces by the queen. Yet longtime two tracks were considered to be the absolute dream of the bootleg and namely those are the never released in film 'Preparing for the Drop' and 'Burk Did It', the first brings heroic and wonderful building structures for the fall yet this all sounded so optimistic and uplifting that it didn't fit with the already set mood and texture of the film and score, how wonderful it sounded all the same. The second track is called in the special edition 'Facehuggers' and underscores the frenetic horror of the egg planters in med lab, with a terrific alien fanfare at the end of that track. Of course how sad that 2 tracks are differently named yet contain the exact same material may always be a sign of incompetence, its still a wonderful listen and bootleg to have. People will easily go to The Special Edition release now and I completely understand that, it has 10 minutes more of music and is presented with an amazing booklet and in professional design. I however give both albums as much as the other one since it presents all the music heard in the film and needed while just bringing something different yet equally unnecessary. This bootleg has 1 track repeated and the Deluxe Edition has mixings, alternate versions and percussion only tracks, all nice for the fans but basically at either end not too important material. Together, Aliens is still a kick ass ride for the science fiction, action, horror and Horner / Cameron fan.

Aliens "Deluxe Edition"

Collaborations like these were never so rocky, but director James Cameron and composer James Horner had a big difference that included the music for Aliens, 1986' biggest action movie. Their collaboration began and started with disputes and no matter how the end result sounded, both wouldn't be happy no matter how it turned out. Surprisingly their other collaboration was for the immense blockbuster Titanic, and it seems that both Cameron and Horner can deliver something that surpasses both their talents, if they can keep their eye on the project and their hate off the set. Still, what Horner delivered for Aliens was far from a regular soundtrack. His score is half the musical accompaniment and half the sound effect or background. Together they form one of the biggest action thrilling and sheer spine tingling results of Horner's career. This super Deluxe Edition promises and delivers, including the most part of Horner's score (no, this release isn't still complete) and extra variations and alternations of some of Horner's probably discussed cues. The begin track has always been the mood setter of Aliens, with the horrific music for the logo and continuing with the desolate music of Horner, that seems to pack Hornerisms with a classical piece, surprise surprise. As background score, atmospheric setting and horrifying support, Horner delivers everything what he can accomplish with his orchestra. And the London Symphony Orchestra delivers it also with sheer size.

This to the annoyance of some fans, but realizing what it does in the picture it is truly some work of art. It really creates this environment that I haven't felt in other scores since Poltergeist or The Omen. Tracks like 'Dark Discovery / Newt's Horror', 'Atmosphere Station', 'Sub Level 3', parts of 'FaceHuggers' and the total atmospheric 'The Queen' are truly impressive through their feel and impression. I know this isn't the best part of listening material, but having seen the film, I know what it accomplishes in the movie as pure terror. The action tracks are truly the best part of each release of Aliens, sharing resemblance with Star Trek II but delivering their own purpose when those rumbling action moments start to happen along screen. Militaristic, powerful, strong and fast, these moments are pure delight. 'Ripley's Rescue', the second part of 'FaceHuggers' and 'Futile Escape' deliver everything that you want to hear. Then we receive the bombastic preparing and climax of Aliens, with 'Going After Newt and 'Bishop's Countdown'. Also we have the variations I picked up in several tracks, 'The Queen' is pure background and misses the action music when Ripley starts to destroy the eggs, the music as heard in 'FaceHuggers'. 'Bad Dreams' doesn't use the Aliens theme but remains pure horrifying all the way through. And always the mystery is 'Resolution and Hyperspace' with the music used in Die Hard finishing with the ultimate greatness and delight.

The track 'Combat Drop' is one of the extra tracks found on this score and remains easily the best one of the unreleased cues. Still, this piece wasn't used in the motion picture and if Cameron was arguing about this scene I would have to agree. This is fantastic music that listens like if Cocoon and Sneakers would have been mixed, but it wouldn't have fitted with the scene. It makes the scene sound promising and adventurous, it should've sounded completely the opposite. The soldiers don't know what kind of horror is waiting for them and it was replaced with a drum rhythm in the movie. The extra alternate tracks aren't much worth, receiving two percussion only tracks, almost the same 'Bad Dreams' track and a nice scary ending of 'Hyperspace' that will give you a run for its money. And I'm disappointed that they didn't add the Turret action music to the expanded release. Still, what Aliens "The Deluxe Edition" offers is plenty and more then enough, fans of Horner's classic action and outer space score will be thrilled with the deserved expanded release. You receive the best treatment of sound possible and extended liner notes explain the quibble and argument, and the dozen uses of mixing and editing. It is like the other recent Deluxe Editions something to grab instantly and never let go of it. Aliens remains one sheer action packed horror treat with all the basic statements of Horner's doing. I'm extremely glad that the Academy board thought the same, it isn't a regular event that such a action and horror score receives a nomination in the first place. They have witnessed and realized what this score delivers and movie fans have rightfully thanked Horner for his immense result he delivered in such difficult circumstances.

Aliens: ****1/2
Aliens "Bootleg": *****
Aliens "Deluxe Edition": *****

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Main Title (5.07)

2. Going After Newt (3.16) Excellent Track

3. Sub - Level 3 (6.33)

4. Ripley's Rescue (3.16) Excellent Track

5. Atmosphere Station (3.13)

6. Futile Escape (8.25) Excellent Track

7. Dark Discovery (1.51)

8. Bishop's Countdown (2.49) Excellent Track

9. Resolution And Hyperspace (6.23) Excellent Track

Total Length: 40.59

Aliens "Bootleg"

1. Main Title (5.09)

2. Bad Dreams * (1.22)

3. Dark Discovery (1.53)

4. Arrival At LV-426 * (2.03)

5. Preparing For The Drop ** (3.29) Excellent Track

6. First Checking * (1.33)

7. Atmosphere Station (3.15)

8. This Place Is Dead * (2.05)

9. The Unknown * (1.15)

10. We Have A Job To Do (6.41)

11. Ripley's Rescue (3.18) Excellent Track

12. Burk Did It * (4.26) Excellent Track

13. Futile Escape (8.27) Excellent Track

14. Newt Is Taken / Elevator * (2.05)

15. Going After Newt (3.18) Excellent Track

16. Sub-Level 3 (6.35)

17. Bishop's Countdown (2.51) Excellent Track

18. The Bitch * (2.29)

19: Alien Threat (0.21)

20. Resolution And Hyperspace (6.27) Excellent Track

* Previously Unreleased

** Not used in film

Total Length: 69.14

Aliens "Deluxe Edition"

1. Main Title (5.11)

2. Bad Dreams * (1.22)

3. Dark Discovery / Newt's Horror * (2.07)

4. LV-426 * (2.03)

5. Combat Drop * (3.29) Excellent Track

6. The Complex * (1.34)

7. Atmosphere Station (3.10)

8. Med. Lab * (2.02)

9. Newt * (1.14)

10. Sub-Level 3 (6.36)

11. Ripley's Rescue (3.17) Excellent Track

12. FaceHuggers * (4.23) Excellent Track

13. Futile Escape (8.26) Excellent Track

14. Newt Is Taken * (2.04)

15. Going After Newt (3.16) Excellent Track

16. The Queen * (1.45)

17. Bishop's Countdown (2.50) Excellent Track

18. Queen To Bishop * (2.31)

19. Resolution And Hyperspace (6.27) Excellent Track

Bonus Tracks

20. Bad Dreams (Alternate) * (1.24)

21. Ripley's Rescue (Percussion Only) * (3.18)

22. LV-426 (Alternate Edit - Film Version) * (1.12)

23. Combat Drop (Percussion Only) * (3.24)

24. Hyperspace (Alternate Ending) * (2.09)

* Previously Unreleased

Total Length: 75.46

The use of artwork or photos is posted for non profitable reasons

=== Link to Composer Site: James Horner ===