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triffid

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Join date
2-Feb-2006
Last activity
30-Nov-2018
Posts
109

Post History

Post
#187767
Topic
Idea & Info: a Preservation of Alien Evolution doco?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/187767/action/topic#187767
Time
Hey folks, I am glad to hear you are not dead. Funny thing: The "commercial" is on the Hungarian site no more. They deleted it.
I saw the Dead End two weeks ago (Ash595 posted a link to it earlier in this forum). It is funny, but it has nothing to do with Aliens. Plus, it is already available anywhere, either for free or for money, together with the Making of. I really do not think we should put it on our discs, nor even as an easter-egg. If you are longing for a fan movie, there were some Alien fan movies in the past.
Post
#187597
Topic
Idea & Info: a Preservation of Alien Evolution doco?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/187597/action/topic#187597
Time
A short note: I placed our "commercial" in the following forums:
8thpassenger.com
gamegossip.com
aliensonline.hu
If you find it there, do not respond to the thread, it is me!

I checked all Alien forums I know in the past two weeks and these were the only ones I chose. The others are either too AvP game oriented (planetavp.com) or almost abandoned (alienexperience.com or the German forum). But you can submit any promising forum to me, if you think it is worth of try.


Post
#187590
Topic
Idea & Info: a Preservation of Alien Evolution doco?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/187590/action/topic#187590
Time
OK, let's go through the news step-by-step.

A) No Giger biography in the near future. Yesterday I received a message from the editor of this project. They finished the primary shooting phase already, but their main sponsor cancelled the deal! Finding a new one can take months... I do not understand why some Swiss company do not catch this great opportunity immediately. Giger is their national treasure and they can make money on him.

B) Jonno
Giger’s Alien – I asked 8t88’s for a copy. I can compare the versions, select the best one and send it to you together with my material that I must send to you sooner or later. I already PMed him my address. I also wrote a letter to the guy who offered his LD to Fox three years ago, but I do not believe he will respond to it.
Shock & Awe – I asked tb1971 for his archive several times, but he does not answer. I really hope he did not forget about us!
Aliens: James Cameron Director & Work – Yes, we are still on the Archives version for this. I contacted the girl in London again today, waiting for her answer. The studio that made it in 1986 do not answer too, so all my hopes are with her. She definitely has it on a tape, but she has "too little time" to look for it. I offered either money or our final product to her as a compensation.
Making of Alien 3 (UK) – Since I must transfer some of my tapes to DVD next week, I will add this one to the mix. My comments on its quality are above.
Making of Alien Resurrection (Brad Dourif version) – The same problem with tb1971, I consider my NTSC copy to be not too good but usable. I will have a PAL version of it in two weeks too plus some more A4 TV stuff, quality unknown.

C) 8t88
Same as with tb1971. If you can make a high quality copy from the VHS and then put both documentaries on one disc , I will compare the Making of A3 with both my VHS and VCD. Then I will send everything to Jonno. My transfers are not ready yet, I must do this in my friend's flat, only he has the equipment we need. Thus I cannot send anything to Jonno sooner anyway and there will be no time loss, Jonno cannot start his work without my videos.

D) I think we should leave the final decision about distributing of the material among the discs on Jonno. Personally I do not care about the chronological order, my only request is to do not change PAL into NTSC and vice versa.

E) Meedermow
The video you wanted is among these "to be transfered" items too.

Post
#186718
Topic
Idea & Info: a Preservation of Alien Evolution doco?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/186718/action/topic#186718
Time
Nope. I've been in Switzerland two times, but I never had a chance to visit Gruyères. There was Giger's exhibition in Czech Republic a year ago, so I saw many of the goods on my own eyes, including Giger himself.

P.S.: Are you in touch with the owner of the original tape? Maybe he can make a DVD copy directly from his original to avoid the VHS to VHS phase.
Post
#186715
Topic
Idea & Info: a Preservation of Alien Evolution doco?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/186715/action/topic#186715
Time
Thanks for the info 8t88. Now I believe that your copy may be the treasure we are looking for. No Japanese subtitles. The rest of the material is not interesting for the current project because there is no Alien-related footage in it. But I am Giger fan too - is there any chance to get the full version from you? It is a nonsense to hope in finding of this diamond anywhere.

to Meedermow: That "Interface 2006" thing was just an example. This time Mother can start with "Interface 38" or "Special order No..." as well. If you want to name the project somehow, how about "The Complete Alien Doco"? Only those who know what "doco" is can enjoy the joke. And no, I do not think the team need a name. Ask the others.
Post
#186702
Topic
Idea & Info: a Preservation of Alien Evolution doco?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/186702/action/topic#186702
Time
I do not know. I really like this "Transmission start" stuff. When Legacy came out, I even made a background theme for my PC from this motive ("Mother activated" etc.). But they used it three times already (Alien DVD, Legacy DVD and Evolution) and you want to use it again. Maybe if we can write brand new texts with the MOTHER font, for example "Welcome on board of..." or "Interface 2006.... Presents...." and extract the original beeps from Alien?
Post
#186303
Topic
Idea & Info: a Preservation of Alien Evolution doco?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/186303/action/topic#186303
Time
OK, people, I am back in front of my computer. I started to check the available material. And there were many surprises waiting for me.

Alien Evolution – End of one Mythos
First of all I must send my greetings to Jonno again. His transfer is simply fantastic and I think that it is even better than the one in Quadrilogy. All these minor mistakes I saw on PC disappeared on big TV screen. I am definitely against any touches into this our first disc, i.e. adding any other footage or menus. It is great exactly as it is now.
Surprise #1 and an advice that applies to anything that follows below: Never trust your feelings or your memories. Since that time I saw AE in AQ in 2003 I believed that this new version is a violent edit of the Channel 4 original (which I had on VHS already). I never tried to compare them. Did you know that the AQ version is even few seconds longer than the TV version? The nice Kermode’s narration is gone, A2 – A4 are gone and the running time is still 64 min! I read somebody‘s complaint about this in 2003. He wrote that the TV version’s length was at least 75 min and I felt like „OK, I got that one, I am a king.“ But the truth is that now we have here two full stand-alone versions in high resolution and no 75 min version. And I do not believe that there is any. I had no time to watch both of them today and look for any clues verifying that Fox re-edited it on purpose and filled the empty space with some ballast from its archive. I do not believe this since it means too much work for them. If they did not like the A3 comments, they could simply discard the whole documentary from AQ.
Or everybody knows this already? No new continent? Did I miss something?

Giger’s Alien
Forgot the Necronomicon/GA eBay shit forever. Last time I watched it (spring 2005) I was sure that it is from VHS. I bought it for 8 dollars only and thus I did not feel to be stripped too much. Then my memories (again memories!) faded. Today I am sure again. The start of the video shows signs common to damaged videotapes, few secs are missing on both the beginning and the end. If there was any Japanese VHS edition, it comes from it. If not, then it is a LD –> VHS –> DVD recording. The PAL copy from Archives 2 is better, but still not good. After its end there are remnants of the LD copyright info and it is plain to see that the letters are not as sharp as they could be. On the other hand, watching of AE (I mean the sequences taken from GA) reminds me of the fact that the original footage itself is really poor. At least the subtitle-less copy they used in AE does not fill my heart with joy. Whoever owns the master print, they should restore it ASAP before it falls apart.

Making of A3 and A4
I always hated VHS tapes, even in times when there were no DVDs yet. This magnetic shit have almost all disadvantages I can imagine. Today I watched these two after a long time. They are both originals, I bought them sealed and used them maybe four times each. They are properly stored and once per year forwarded/rewinded to avoid folds (right E. word?). But I am sure that the magnetic information slowly vanishes anyway. I compared the A4 VHS and VCD. I thought the VCD was made from an original studio master as a regular licensed product (memories, part 3). Now I doubt it, the picture looks much more like a copy from NTSC laserdisc. These two are totally different – The tape is grainy, oversaturated PAL with rich, full sound. The VCD picture is much softer, cleaner NTSC with pale colors, low contrast and Chinese subtitles. I really do not know. I think we should buy the laserdisc instead. Either with or without subtitles.

Shock & Awe
I saw it for the first time today. Nice documentary, even if they have not much to say, no interesting facts. Hope that tb1971’s copy is better. This one from Archives 2 is really bad, especially considering its age. It should be of almost the same quality as Jonno’s AE. Plus, I do not understand the strange 1.66:1 format. Was it broadcasted like this?

To 8t88: You wrote “VHS copy of the original Giger VHS“. How do you know? Did you saw the original tape? I am asking since there is no proof yet that any „original“ tape exists. Original = full-color cover and trademark icons of appropriate companies (Sony and Fox in this case). Does your video contain Japanese subtitles?
For example last month somebody sold something like that on eBay. The tape on the attached photo was in all-white cardboard envelope (standard US-style, I hate it) with black letters inside a big black circle. That was a fake.

Post
#186171
Topic
Idea & Info: a Preservation of Alien Evolution doco?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/186171/action/topic#186171
Time
Originally posted by: klokwerk
I'd rather the commercials be left in, with the chapters set up so that you can play the film with them or without them. If you do remove the commecials though I'd like to get a copy of them.
Yeah, I just wrote something like that to Suntech. Please do not let me suffer anymore. I am waiting for this version for 10 years. No kidding, I remember that I bought the Alien-special Italian magazine in Milano in late summer 1995. And when my friend bring Legacy to me from USA in 1999, I was disappointed to find inside "only" the longer cut (which I already owned at that time).

If our head-soundmaster is interested in the 70 mm soundtrack, the cheapest copy (for the price I foretold, including a shipping within USA) is HERE
Post
#186033
Topic
Idea & Info: a Preservation of Alien Evolution doco?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/186033/action/topic#186033
Time
Great news indeed!
I really wish to see it after all these years. Can I send you a PM?
Also, can you explain to me the few details unknown to a guy from non-English speaking country? It is not a joke, I really do not know nothing about the TV channel. In the LD archives they mention both CBS and ABC abbreviations. What is the connection between these two?

Post
#185931
Topic
Idea & Info: a Preservation of Alien Evolution doco?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/185931/action/topic#185931
Time
Update:
Positive – Waiting for two Making of Aliens docs. I bet that we already know these, but maybe…? Their owner cannot describe them sooner than in a week and I do not want to push him too hard.
Negative – The guy with Aliens CBS did not find the tape. How about our two new potential suppliers?
Negative – I am not buying the Workprint. I sent my photos to the man and he honestly admired that there is probably no difference in the quality.

to Klokwerk:
I do not believe LDDb too much, there are often mistakes in their descriptions. However, let’s say that the info is correct. We are not talking about some B-grade low-budget movie of unknown origin. Alien saga LDs should be very well catalogized already. I am almost sure that there are no more different trailers for the first 4 films. (But there are for Legacy, Alien DC and Quadrilogy.) And the A4 featurette will be probably just the 4 minutes one. I can confirm the existence of the different A1 audio. There were two sets of reels sent to theatres. A smaller group of more technically advanced theatres received the 70mm copies, the rest 35mm copies. The audio tracks are different (they say “some noises and also few words”). Never saw this one. Worth of copying to DVD, don’t you think? I guess we can find it on eBay for 5 bucks. Finding Nemo 3? This idea sounds much better for me than the Alien Redux thing.

to Jonno:
Scott DVD was never released. I am asking if somebody taped it from TV (approx 2003-4). They released only few (10?) first episodes on DVDs including Cameron (aired in 1998?). That is why it is in YES category. More info on IMDb.

Please do not mix NTSC and PAL.

Edit: Making of A4 in the LD sets is the 30 min HBO version.
Post
#185863
Topic
Idea & Info: a Preservation of Alien Evolution doco?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/185863/action/topic#185863
Time
A year ago I found this very interesting series of articles. It is now deleted from its original source, so I am offering my personal address instead. Basically it is a complaint against AL (in 2001 nobody knew that there will be AQ soon) and the author of this article gives his hints how a "good edition" of Alien DVD set should look. You can compare how incredibly close we are now to his ideas!!! I just sent an e-mail to him, asking if he wants to see his Alien Good Edition DVD set idea coming to life.
Post
#185854
Topic
Idea & Info: a Preservation of Alien Evolution doco?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/185854/action/topic#185854
Time
Originally posted by: fezza2000

1 x 2:05 Aliens trailer
5 x 0:30 approx Aliens trailers
= 171MB as VOB files.

Ready to go.
The first one is probably the most well known one, begins with “Just tell me one thing, Burke”, ends with “This time it’s war”, length 1:56, fullscreen, right? Priceless. But the five TV spots aren't available enywhere else. Good job. I think that you should leave the files as they are now, just extract the master vob file that contains them, and Jonno will cut them out of it himself.

By the way there are as much as 13 TV spots for Resurrection at its old webpage. Only one of them made it into AQ.


Post
#185711
Topic
Idea & Info: a Preservation of Alien Evolution doco?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/185711/action/topic#185711
Time
Originally posted by: klokwerk
Triffid, yes I know the guy. I directed Digitalfreaknyc and Jambe Davdar to him as well. He has many other DVDs he's done for Star Wars and the like. I have his Jaws In-Depth DVDs (like the Alien Archives but for Jaws).
If HE is not a member of this forum, can YOU contact him in our name? And probably without inviting him here? I really do not like an idea to see our DVD set on eBay a month later. That "Phil" asked 9 pounds for each DVD plus postage. I do not participate in this wonderful project to let him make more money. Do you remember that "Where you draw the line" guy? Selling Originaltrilogy projects to public is behind that line, I think.



Post
#185703
Topic
Idea & Info: a Preservation of Alien Evolution doco?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/185703/action/topic#185703
Time
Originally posted by: meedermow
Alien War in Trocadero/Glasgow - everyone knows my thoughts on this = ALIEN WAR ROOOOOLED !
Eh, I am used to work hard... and Aliens are my hobby No1.

My feelings about AvP are similar, but if there will be - let's say - 1 or 2 GB of free space on some of the disc, why not to add something? I consider AvP to be Predator 3 much more than Alien 0. It is a movie about Predators and humans; Aliens play there the same role as boars in a wood during a hunt.

Giger’s Alien - Not watched your version yet, a shame. But whatever it is, I still do not like the first (N/GA) verson too much. I WANT THE LD!
Making of A3 UK version - I guess that Jonno has the original promotape. If not, I have it.
Making of A4 HBO version with Ron Pearlman - Same as above. Easy to get in the UK, we do not need any x-generation copy. For 0.99 at eBay at anytime. I will compare the VCD with VHS.
Making of A4 Sci-fi Channel version - I am trying to convice tb1971 to send me his copy for comparison. Mine is (as I said already) a NTSC DVD from not-too-good TV recording. His is converted to PAL, but it may came from better original.
Shock & Awe - same as above. His version may be better.
Alien War in Trocadero/Glasgow - I have two short videos but we cannot use them, both are stupid 240 or 320 mov files. I want to see this Roooooling too! Maybe we could put our money together, buy the scrap and reopen the show??? I want to play a Marine.
Post
#185676
Topic
Idea & Info: a Preservation of Alien Evolution doco?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/185676/action/topic#185676
Time
Originally posted by: klokwerk
I recommend somebody contact the guy who created the Alien Archives discs. I got them from him directly, so I could do it I guess. The reason for emailing him being - see if he has any additional material or if he has better versions of the content from the Archives discs.
Nice idea. But do you really know who is it? I always thought Meedermow is the one until I met another guy who claims that "Making of Aliens ends before the end credits (you've obviously already seen a version copied from my original), my brother taped it in 1986 and the tape ended too soon" (my rewording, do not have his message at hand). His name was Phil. But anybody can say something like this if he owns the same DVDs, right?



Post
#185612
Topic
Idea & Info: a Preservation of Alien Evolution doco?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/185612/action/topic#185612
Time
I think it is time to summarize the list of contents. Jonno became our natural leader since he started to burn the discs already and I think that he is the right person to do all the editing. Ash595 proved to be our master cover-designer and Meedermow will probably provide his nice menus. Here follows the list of videos I would like to see in the set. We should not include anything already available on official DVDs (AL, AQ, AS).

YES (and source)
Giger’s Alien (from Necronomicon/GA eBay DVD or from LD if we find any; the version from Meedermow’s Archives is probably worse, right?)
Alien Evolution (Jonno’s disc #1 already available)
Aliens: J. Cameron A Director & His Work (either the incomplete one from old Archives or from my friend in London)
Making of A3 UK version (The one in the old Archives. Does it need to be remastered from the original facehugger promotape again or should it stay as it is? Jonno probably has one, right? If not, I can make a copy from my box.)
Making of A4 HBO version with Ron Pearlman (Promo VHS, Jonno probably has one, right? If not, I can offer my official VCD.)
Making of A4 Sci-fi Channel version with Brad Dourif (either from my DVD or from tb1971, somebody must compare the quality)
A4 Behind the Scenes documentary (aired by E! Entertainment one week before premiere, does anybody have it?)
A1 DC trailer, interview with R. Scott and TV spots (Ash595 and tb1971)
AQ trailers (Ash595, if he has both, I have just one on my promo DVD)
Shock & Awe (either from old Archives or from tb1971, somebody must compare the quality)
Ride at the Speed of Fright (tb1971)
Alien War in Trocadero/Glasgow (tb1971 + anything we can find)
SNL Aliens show (tb1971, any other versions for a comparison available?)
Films by Ridley Scott documentary (from AFI The Directors series, does anybody have it?)
selected short bites from TV (tb1971 plus anybody else)
if somebody can provide the 6 Aliens TV spots from US Abyss, I vote for them (Yes, Abyss definitely IS an official DVD, but the spots do not belong to that movie. I am willing to buy the movie if nobody else has it, in order to add them to the mix.)
How about AvP??? Do you consider it to be a part of the series? The 2-discs set contains almost everything, but still there are few more trailers on promo DVDs. And also a TV documentary about AvP FXs ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472993 ).

NO (and Why no)
Sigourney’s screen tests (in AS)
any A1 – A4 trailers (in AQ, in AL, the 1,85:1 A1 trailer with blue opening screen is in AS and in “Galaxy and Beyond”)
any deleted scenes (in AL, AQ)
Aliens: Behind the scenes 8 minute version (from EPK?) (in AS)
Making of A3 US version (in AL)
Making of A4 4 min version (from EPK??) (in AL)
The Alien Saga 109 min documentary (in AS, of course)
Alien Legacy 66 min documentary (in AL and available separately too)
Films by James Cameron documentary (from AFI The Directors series, available on a separate DVD)
any laserdisc bonuses (Not 100% sure. AQ contains the LD archives from A1 and A2. Are there any OTHER LD editions of these two movies with different bonuses? I believe that A3 and A4 LDs never have any bonus except for trailers. Can we confirm this theory somehow?)

SEPARATE PROJECTS:
Finding Nemo 1 (best quality A3 Workprint, still waiting for your comments)
Finding Nemo 2 (any quality A2 CBS cut – either Suntech or Rijir, probably Suntech because of the intro)

Continue please with anything I forgot. Should we switch something between YES and NO categories?

DO NOT USE “QUOTE” WHEN REPLYING


Post
#185544
Topic
Idea & Info: a Preservation of Alien Evolution doco?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/185544/action/topic#185544
Time
Originally posted by: meedermow
I'd say that's all pretty much goods news suntech ! The fact you've still got it and its first generation is a major step in the right direction. Let us know how your other deck goes. Mono would be better than nothing ! Many thanks for bringing your tech to this thread

My words. Personally I do not care much about the quality in this case. I believe that this cut does not contain anything not re-used later in the SE. I want to have this one only for reference. If you can burn a mono copy on a DVD, I do not ask for more. I just hope that it really is the mysterious 145 min cut preceding the LD release of the SE.
Post
#185500
Topic
Idea & Info: a Preservation of Alien Evolution doco?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/185500/action/topic#185500
Time
Originally posted by: suntech
Well If he does not PM I have it.
Omygod! Welcome, my hero. I am pretty sure he got my two messages. But he does not want to answer for some reason. What is the quality of your copy, please?

Update: I just got his answer: Hi, well wow, that list was made yages ago. I haven't actually think I have that VHS anymore. I'll have a look but I think I gave it away.

This does not sound good.
Post
#185389
Topic
Idea & Info: a Preservation of Alien Evolution doco?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/185389/action/topic#185389
Time
Originally posted by: meedermow
Hmmmmmm, doesn't look great, though obviously hard to tell without seeing it ! What are the specs of the other version that you've been offered ? Just a VCD port to DVD, or something better ? Is there a financial burden that you'd have to carry on this ?

Download the picture and switch to full screen. It is bad. Ebay, winter 2002/2003, 40 dollars. I never saw it before, thus I did not care about money too much. Now the situation changed, the Quadrilogy version is cool and I will spend more money on the other version only if it is significantly better. I just sent these photos to the man for comparison. I think he will make a DVD-R from his VHS. Of course not for free. That is why I am trying to ask you first. If somebody have a good copy already, I can save money.

Edit: This one is available for anybody, of course.
Post
#185366
Topic
Idea & Info: a Preservation of Alien Evolution doco?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/185366/action/topic#185366
Time
What do you think about the Alien 3 Workprint? Even if there is the restored Quadrilogy version, I believe that the old stolen version of unknown origin is an important part of Alien movies history. And I am always looking for better copy. How about you? Are your copies ugly too? Here are four samples in their original resolution 352x240 (it is a VCD, not a DVD).

http://web.quick.cz/Triffid/workprint/time17.30_autopsy.jpg

http://web.quick.cz/Triffid/workprint/time28.10_no_temptation.jpg

http://web.quick.cz/Triffid/workprint/time37.59_no_idea.jpg

http://web.quick.cz/Triffid/workprint/time59.14_running_facility.jpg
Post
#185352
Topic
Idea & Info: a Preservation of Alien Evolution doco?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/185352/action/topic#185352
Time
Originally posted by: tb1971
I found "evolution" thread trough Search Category option inside the forum, and the forum itself after extensive googling for indiana jones documentaries

Really? Did you really came here from the same reason as me? Unbelievable. Congratulations.

to Meedermow: So my opinion on Jonno's Evolution was correct? No "buts"? Maybe our meeting here is a coincidence, or maybe some Alien god sent him to us. That is why I'd like to know how the two guys got here...
Post
#185330
Topic
Idea & Info: a Preservation of Alien Evolution doco?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/185330/action/topic#185330
Time
off topic:
Jonno and tb1971, can you tell me how did you find „Evolution doco“ thread? You both came in the right time. It surprises me. Were you looking for a forum like this intentionally? I am new here, too. I was searching for info about Indiana Jones laserdiscs and Google found Originaltrilogy for me. And when I noticed this long abandoned Alien thread, I thought it could be nice to revive it. I had no idea that it can work so well.