RIJIR

I brought this up years ago.  I don’t have the ability to do it myself.  But with the extra deleted scenes on the Bluray this could really work out.

I think it would be cool to make a virtual edition of the lost cut by using the deleted footage.  Removing some of the matte paintings from scenes using stills published in books over the years.  Creating a new into using the original crawl script for “The Star Wars”.  The end result would be a completely rough version with “scene missing” screens and little to no actual special effects.  Possibly even all B&W.

What are your thoughts?

Jonno said:

RIJIR will have to give you an official answer, but considering the source material available - a large quantity of which still only exists as 4:3 letterboxed footage prepared for laserdisc - an HD version of the redux edit doesn't seem very worthwhile. I think meedermow wrung about as much quality out of this project as was possible when he upscaled it to 16:9 for the appendix release (RIJIR had edited in 4:3 originally).

All of the material I used for the Redux Workprint came from official DVDs.  Since the quality of some of the material is obviously not from the original negatives the quality would never be considered HD by any means.  Also since this edit was supposed to represent a "workprint" top-noch quality was not what I was going for.  I did all the editing with DV files and those files still exist on something like 10 or 20 DVDs.  I compressed those down to a manageable 3 1/2 GB for the DVD.  So a higher quality master could be made.  But it would never be HD without starting from scratch.  And still the deleted footage has never been released in HD.  So you would end up with a more dramatic switch when going to and from deleted scenes.

I still hope one day someone will make a virtual Lost Cut.

Personally I wish there was much more from A New Hope.  I would have loved to see more of the Death Star footage that appeared in the "Lost Cut". 

Obviously they didn't go back to the original negatives for these deleted scenes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPpnHBxeTM8

The word coming out is that the quality of the OT deleted scenes is that they are poor quality.  So that crap on how Lucasfilm said they went back to the original sources was just the usual bs. 

The Aluminum Falcon said:

So would you consider doing a project like you suggested with permission from the original Appendix creators? Your familiarity with MultiAVCHD is a good start.

If someone does this I still have all of the original files on around 10 DVDS for Alien Redux Workprint (Appendix 2) in DV format.  This would be a better source to author a Bluray as the DVD was authored at a lower bit rate to fit.

}{eywood said:

I've got an avi rip of this, but the quality sorta sucks.  I've been looking for the full DVD but have had no luck at all.  I wish someone would point me to a place to get it.

 

Also, I was wondering if there was any plan to do this with the audio done right.  I realize this is an attempt at a workprint style thing, but I'd like to see a full final version done with the audio fully produced and corrected.  What I've seen has terrible hiss, and many shots of exteriors without sound, or with the wrong sound.  Some scenes with someone off set shouting lines to the actors (Mother's voice?) that were clearly meant to be replaced later, and the one scene with Ash's head being bashed off where you can hear the director directing.  The video work on this release is fantastic.  If the sound were done correctly it would be a perfect full version of the movie.

 

Oh.  One thing I noticed in this:  There's a scene where the crew goes down to check out the derelict, and you hear Parker say something to them over the radio.  Then a shot of the same scene plays from inside the Nostromo with Parker and Brett shown, and the same dialogue is repeated.  The scene doubles up from different perspectives.  Wouldn't it have made more sense to cut back and forth between the shots?

 

Just being overly picky as I am wont to do.

I never really planned on doing a "perfect version" due to the fact that a lot of the deleted scenes are in much lesser quality.  Some, as you can tell, are obviously video sources rather than the original film source.  I have always had a fondness for those "workprints" with missing effects and final sound mixes.  So that is why I went for that look.  I used the original production audio from the DVD wherever possible.  The editing was done with DV files and they still exist on something like 10 DVDs backed up.  The final release was compressed to something around 3 1/2 GB just to get it out.  If the recent Bluray release had included a lot more deleted footage I would have considered going back and doing another edit.  But as usual Fox dropped the ball and didn't really do anything really special for the box set.  They could have included the 3 hour workprint from '79.  Of even a lot of the deleted footage of the alien itself that was shot. 

As far as any dialog repetition, that was just a goof. 

Before I started I toyed with the idea of capturing a commercial VHS source to better match the rough deleted scenes.  I even thought of adding a faux time code because most old workprints have them.

I'm really interested in what is going to be on this BluRay set as far as Alien deleted scenes we have not seen.  It wold be nice to do this thing over if there is a lot of new stuff to add.

cutnshut said:

Appendix 2 is: Alien Redux: the virtual workprint

I havnt watched the full thing yet! so far got up to where Kane is lowered into the egg chamber. I'm impressed so far! lots of people have commented on the poor video and sound quality - which unless im mistaken is due to the quality of the various sources -  but i think it actually enhances the atmosphere of the film and adds to the creepyness.

There are a couple of reasons for the rough sound and video.  One is I wanted it to look like a workprint.  So I wanted the "rough" look since many of the deleted scenes are rough in quality.  Much of the audio was pulled from the alternate audio track.  I only used the final audio track when I needed to fill things in.  The other reason is that when I rendered it the first time I did it quickly to a file that was only like 3.5 GB.  It was these files that others used to make the Appendix 2 and the anamorphic widescreen version. I had planned on doing another render to push and preserve the quality.  I just never got around to it.  I still have the whole thing spread across 10 or 20 DVDRs in DV format.

I had an idea of doing a visual storybook using the Alien Illustrated Story from Heavy Metal with audio from the film.  But I don't really have the time right now.  Maybe next year.

I thought the super8 version wasn't going to be included?  When I sent my original copy over to Junno I had asked to get a DV copy back to do color correcting and cleanup as I couldn't do the transfer myself. 

I sent Junno a copy of the super 8 film last July for use in the Appendix collection.

I have a lot of 19 VHS tapes (most converted nicely to clamshell cases)

PM me an offer if interested

I have this lot of SW related magazines/books for sale.  Anyone interested please make an offer via PM.

Thanks!!

I really like this flick.  And I have read before of a DVD with deleted scenes and alternate ending.  Althought I have never been able to find it.  Has anyone ever put together an extended version of this?

I provided the Siskel and Ebert review of Aliens and I don't belive it was used on the last one.  So that is still pending.

Monroville said:

RIJIR said:

I am very interested to see a update To Alien with new effect shots etc....

It is my all time favorite film.  May I suggest adding a deleted scene back in to the film?  But it is called the "box" scene.  At the point Ripley is turning the corner to go to the shuttle, after setting the self destruct, she sees the alien folded into a box shape in the hall blocking here way.  She apparently gets a good look at it before it slowly unfolds and stands up.

That would be very hard to do... I can think of maybe taking a shot of the hallway looking towards the entrance to the Narcissus and adding in the Alien element; this would also require reworking the music, since it is geared for the jump scare.

On the Anniversary CD I think it has the music score from the "box" scene.

What I was saying is don't use "Redux" in the movie at all as "Alien Redux: the Virtual Workprint" already exists.  It isn't added in the actual movie.  But if you do it will confuse people as to which one they are watching.

The ALIEN REDUX name has already been used.

I am very interested to see a update To Alien with new effect shots etc....

It is my all time favorite film.  May I suggest adding a deleted scene back in to the film?  This will be a tricky one as it hasn't shown up on any DVD release.  But it is called the "box" scene.  At the point Ripley is turning the corner to go to the shuttle, after setting the self destruct, she sees the alien folded into a box shape in the hall blocking here way.  She apparently gets a good look at it before it slowly unfolds and stands up.  This shot was removed in favor of the quick jump scene in the final film.  But it would be cool to see.  I guess you would need to find a guy who made a suit LOL.  But that would be one sweet shot.  I added a few seconds in my edit showing the creature bent over.  But that is all we have.

Also, the recent CD release of the soundtrack has music not on any DVD release.  There is also info included about deleted scenes.

Oh and by the way...please don't call it "Redux" in your final release as I already used that one.  :)

"I wonder if it's possible to take such colorizations, and apply the chroma to a DVD rip..."

Yes.  Apparently that is possible.  It was done recently (a few years ago) with a "lost" episode of Dr Who.  Apparently a really good B&W film copy of an episode existed and it was combined with the color from a lesser quality video tape copy.

Yes I still have the Alien Super8 movie film.  It is 18min w/sound.

But no funds to transfer it.

I would love to see this project move on.  I even have stuff to contribute.  But it seems to have died.

Here is the listing:

-Sunday September, 7th @ 8pm
-Sunday September, 21st @ 3:30 pm and again @ 12:50 am
-Monday September 22nd @ 12:45 pm