Ryan McAvoy said:
Alien - Original
Aliens - SE
I saw both Director's cuts in a double-bill at Halloween. The first time I'd seen both films on the silver screen (In any cut). The experience was somewhat different than it is at home.
Alien - I wasn't a fan of the DC anyway but the added Cocoon scene felt much worse with an audience. Even given it's probable misplacement, there were a lot of laughs from many in the packed cinema at how jarring the drop/increase in pacing and tension was when it was cut in. An oddly nervous "Well that was wierd" kind of laugh. 'Alien' is so perfectly paced in the original cut, it gets "faster and more intense" exponentionally as the movie progresses. The Cocoon scene slams on the breaks, wherever you put it the final act.
Aliens - I've got to change my opinion on the SE of this. When viewed at home (with the metaphorical ability to pause and make a cup of tea) the extra scenes feel welcome, emotional, well integrated and the pacing consistent. But wow, in the cinema when you're taking that 'Aliens' non-stop-rollercoaster ride, with the thundering score and ratcheting tension, it's like the ride has broken down during those added scenes.
Also as a side note... I've always been a fan of A3, I probably saw it before Alien. But watching the two films back-to-back in rapid succession made me dislike 'Alien 3' for the first time and perhaps see why others were irked by it. Nevermind about killing off Hicks and Newt, the real problem is continuing the Alien franchise at all. Having the Alien race survive largely invalidates Ripley's character arc across the first two films to some degree.
It's like she journeys into the depths of hell (The atmosphere-processor) to face the devil and regain her soul. You can't have Ripley cast satan down, only for Satan to pop up again in the third film and say "Oops missed me". When she settles down to sleep at the end of Aliens, you know it's the peaceful sleep of knowing that she's removed the "real monsters" (That Newt speaks of) from the world. You know Ripley will never have a troubled dream as long as she lives. The ending has such finality... but oh oh, think again Ellen! This franchise is making too much money ;-)