Aliens (1986)
Action, Thriller, Science Fiction • 2h 17m
Overview
Ripley, the sole survivor of the Nostromo's deadly encounter with the monstrous Alien, returns to Earth after drifting through space in hypersleep for 57 years. Although her story is initially met with skepticism, she agrees to accompany a team of Colonial Marines back to LV-426.
Director: James Cameron
Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser, Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton, William Hope, Jenette Goldstein, Al Matthews, Mark Rolston, Ricco Ross, Colette Hiller, Daniel Kash, Cynthia Dale Scott, Tip Tipping, Trevor Steedman, Paul Maxwell, Valerie Colgan, Alan Polonsky, Alibe Parsons, Blain Fairman, Barbara Coles, Carl Toop, John Lees, Eddie Powell, Chris Webb, Alec Gillis
Director: Ridley Scott
Theatrical Cut: Fox 4K Blu-ray
2003 Directors Cut: Fox 4K Blu-ray
Theatrical Cut: Fox 4K Blu-ray
2003 Directors Cut: Fox 4K Blu-ray (additional scenes appear to be upscaled)
Original Theatrical 70mm 6-Track Stereo: Fox 4K Blu-ray (DTS-HD MA 4.1)
Original Theatrical 35mm Matrixed Dolby Stereo: Fox 4K Blu-ray (DTS-HD MA 2.0)
2003 Directors Cut:Fox 4K Blu-ray, Fox Blu-ray (DTS-HD MA 5.1)
Director: Ridley Scott
Theatrical Cut: Fox 4K Blu-ray
2003 Directors Cut: Fox 4K Blu-ray
Theatrical Cut: Fox 4K Blu-ray
2003 Directors Cut: Fox 4K Blu-ray (additional scenes appear to be upscaled)
Original Theatrical 70mm 6-Track Stereo: Fox 4K Blu-ray (DTS-HD MA 4.1)
Original Theatrical 35mm Matrixed Dolby Stereo: Fox 4K Blu-ray (DTS-HD MA 2.0)
2003 Directors Cut:Fox 4K Blu-ray, Fox Blu-ray (DTS-HD MA 5.1)
Director: David Fincher
Director: David Fincher
Director: Ridley Scott
4K release is missing the bonus disc from the old Collector's Edition Blu-Rays
Director: Ridley Scott
4K release is missing the bonus disc from the old Collector's Edition Blu-Rays
Director: Ridley Scott
Director: Ridley Scott
Director: Fede Álvarez
Director: Fede Álvarez
Director: James Cameron
Disney 4K Blu-ray's artificial smoothening of facial textures making actors look unnatural, grain reduction and other changes to make the film look less like a product of its time
Old WEB-DL or HDTV rip for non AI version
Director: James Cameron
Disney 4K Blu-ray's artificial smoothening of facial textures making actors look unnatural, grain reduction and other changes to make the film look less like a product of its time
Old WEB-DL or HDTV rip for non AI version
Director: Richard Stanley
AU Umbrella 4K Blu-ray > US Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray
The US/Theatrical Cut on the Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray is AI upscaled and has DNR, along with Kino Lorber's usual poor compression.
Director's Cut uses a proper transfer but suffers from terrible compression, even by Kino standards.
The Umbrella with its FiM encode looks blurrier due to a slight low-pass filter, but is still far better than Kino.
AU Umbrella 4K Blu-ray and US Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray are the same.
The 5.1 track is a direct port of the lossy NTSC DVD track.
Director: Richard Stanley
AU Umbrella 4K Blu-ray > US Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray
The US/Theatrical Cut on the Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray is AI upscaled and has DNR, along with Kino Lorber's usual poor compression.
Director's Cut uses a proper transfer but suffers from terrible compression, even by Kino standards.
The Umbrella with its FiM encode looks blurrier due to a slight low-pass filter, but is still far better than Kino.
AU Umbrella 4K Blu-ray and US Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray are the same.
The 5.1 track is a direct port of the lossy NTSC DVD track.
Director: James Cameron
2013 MGM Blu-ray, or 4K Blu-ray if you MUST have the mono mix, 2001 MGM DVD for a purist version with original colors and the international mono mix
2013 MGM Blu-ray for non AI transfer, 2001 MGM DVD for a purist version with original colors and the international mono mix
1991 Image Entertainment LaserDisc for the US mono mix, 2001 MGM DVD for the International mono mix
The 4K Blu-Ray and the 2001 MGM DVD have exclusive extras.
Director: James Cameron
2013 MGM Blu-ray, or 4K Blu-ray if you MUST have the mono mix, 2001 MGM DVD for a purist version with original colors and the international mono mix
2013 MGM Blu-ray for non AI transfer, 2001 MGM DVD for a purist version with original colors and the international mono mix
1991 Image Entertainment LaserDisc for the US mono mix, 2001 MGM DVD for the International mono mix
The 4K Blu-Ray and the 2001 MGM DVD have exclusive extras.
Director: James Cameron
Resen 2020 Spain Blu-ray, old WEB-DL (pre 2023/2024 transfer), HDTV rip, or 35mm scan
Resen 2020 Spain Blu-ray, old WEB-DL (pre 2023/2024 transfer), HDTV rip, or 35mm scan better than 4K Blu-ray with terrible "AI" upscale: screenshots
Director: James Cameron
Resen 2020 Spain Blu-ray, old WEB-DL (pre 2023/2024 transfer), HDTV rip, or 35mm scan
Resen 2020 Spain Blu-ray, old WEB-DL (pre 2023/2024 transfer), HDTV rip, or 35mm scan better than 4K Blu-ray with terrible "AI" upscale: screenshots
Director: James Cameron
Paramount/Fox Blu-ray
3D Blu-ray for the IMAX/Open Matte version
35mm scan for original theatrical cut
Paramount/Fox Blu-ray
3D Blu-ray for the IMAX/Open Matte version
35mm scan for original theatrical cut
4K Blu-ray is AI upscaled
The 4K Blu-ray bonus disc, the 2012 Blu-ray bonus disc, and the 2005 3 disc DVD have exclusive extras.
Director: James Cameron
Paramount/Fox Blu-ray
3D Blu-ray for the IMAX/Open Matte version
35mm scan for original theatrical cut
Paramount/Fox Blu-ray
3D Blu-ray for the IMAX/Open Matte version
35mm scan for original theatrical cut
4K Blu-ray is AI upscaled
The 4K Blu-ray bonus disc, the 2012 Blu-ray bonus disc, and the 2005 3 disc DVD have exclusive extras.
Director: Jack Sholder
Director: Jack Sholder
Director: Alan Shapiro
US Shout! Factory Blu-ray
Avoid the Germany Hanselab 4K Blu-ray, as it's riddled with oversaturated colors, poor encoding, AI upscaling, and DNR. The included Blu-ray is also DNRed.
Director: Alan Shapiro
US Shout! Factory Blu-ray
Avoid the Germany Hanselab 4K Blu-ray, as it's riddled with oversaturated colors, poor encoding, AI upscaling, and DNR. The included Blu-ray is also DNRed.
Director: Jeremiah S. Chechik
Director: Jeremiah S. Chechik
Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray > BFI 4K Blu-ray, see caps https://slow.pics/c/nPcxCNW4
Some find BFI better but with more DNR and AI upscaling like their horrible 1979 Nosferatu 4K Blu-ray, and Shout! Factory has more over-exposed grading https://slow.pics/c/WQKmBTLJ
2000 R2 Stonevision DVD vs Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray?
Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray > BFI 4K Blu-ray, see caps https://slow.pics/c/nPcxCNW4
Some find BFI better but with more DNR and AI upscaling like their horrible 1979 Nosferatu 4K Blu-ray, and Shout! Factory has more over-exposed grading https://slow.pics/c/WQKmBTLJ
2000 R2 Stonevision DVD vs Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray?
2015 Lionsgate Blu-ray or 35mm scan for Theatrical Cut
For the Ultimate Edition with the T-1000 searching John's room and the happy future ending, the 2009 Skynet Blu-ray, which is the older pre 2017 transfer, but has DNR.
StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray is heavily denoised and smoothened, best Blu-ray is the 2015 Lionsgate Blu-ray (missing the Ultimate Edition with the T-1000 searching John's room and the happy future ending, which is on the 2009 Skynet Blu-ray, which is DNRed), 35mm scan for the theatrical cut also available.
For the Ultimate Edition with the T-1000 searching John's room and the happy future ending, the 2009 Skynet Blu-ray, which is the older pre 2017 transfer, but has DNR.
Original Kodak CDS mix likely on the Artisan DVD and other Japan DVD.
Differences and review of the mix. There are earlier stereo mixes and many subsequent remixes on DVDs but it is unclear how many of them are really unique.
2017 Blu-Ray (which has the DNRed transfer), the 2009 Skynet Edition Blu-Ray, and the 2000 Ultimate Edition DVD have exclusive extras. The 2003 Extreme Edition DVD has some exclusive easter eggs.
2015 Lionsgate Blu-ray or 35mm scan for Theatrical Cut
For the Ultimate Edition with the T-1000 searching John's room and the happy future ending, the 2009 Skynet Blu-ray, which is the older pre 2017 transfer, but has DNR.
StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray is heavily denoised and smoothened, best Blu-ray is the 2015 Lionsgate Blu-ray (missing the Ultimate Edition with the T-1000 searching John's room and the happy future ending, which is on the 2009 Skynet Blu-ray, which is DNRed), 35mm scan for the theatrical cut also available.
For the Ultimate Edition with the T-1000 searching John's room and the happy future ending, the 2009 Skynet Blu-ray, which is the older pre 2017 transfer, but has DNR.
Original Kodak CDS mix likely on the Artisan DVD and other Japan DVD.
Differences and review of the mix. There are earlier stereo mixes and many subsequent remixes on DVDs but it is unclear how many of them are really unique.
2017 Blu-Ray (which has the DNRed transfer), the 2009 Skynet Edition Blu-Ray, and the 2000 Ultimate Edition DVD have exclusive extras. The 2003 Extreme Edition DVD has some exclusive easter eggs.
Director: James Cameron
Director: James Cameron
Director: James Cameron
Fox Blu-ray for original cuts without the extra scene added in the re-release and AI upscaling
Newer Blu-ray/4K has the extra scene, but is poor and has excessive AI upscaling
Fox Blu-ray for original cuts without the extra scene added in the re-release and AI upscaling
Newer Blu-ray/4K has the extra scene, but is poor and has excessive AI upscaling
An additional scene was added to the ending of the movie in the 2022 re-release: https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=493908
Director: James Cameron
Fox Blu-ray for original cuts without the extra scene added in the re-release and AI upscaling
Newer Blu-ray/4K has the extra scene, but is poor and has excessive AI upscaling
Fox Blu-ray for original cuts without the extra scene added in the re-release and AI upscaling
Newer Blu-ray/4K has the extra scene, but is poor and has excessive AI upscaling
An additional scene was added to the ending of the movie in the 2022 re-release: https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=493908
Disney Collector's Edition 4K Blu-ray
Disney 4K Blu-ray, Collector's Edition has more extras + Dolby Vision
Disney Collector's Edition 4K Blu-ray
Disney 4K Blu-ray, Collector's Edition has more extras + Dolby Vision
Edit History
11/17/2025
Best Video Release
From
2014 Fox BD
Disney UHD has AI enhancement see youtube comparison
To
Disney 4K Blu-ray has AI enhancement see youtube comparison
12/28/2024
