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Aliens: The Illustrated Screenplay
FADE IN SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE– SPACE Silent and endless. The stars shine like the love of God...cold and remote. Against them drifts a tiny chip of technology. CLOSER It is the NARCISSUS, lifeboat of the ill-fated star-freighter Nostromo. Without interior or running lights it seems devoid of life. The PING of a RANGING RADAR grows louder, closer. A shadow engulfs the Narcissus. Searchlights flash on, playing over the tiny ship, as a MASSIVE DARK HULL descends toward it... James Cameron took Ridley Scott’s stylish noir sci-fi thriller and used the characters to create a ‘western in space’ tour de force. For the first time the complete script of James Cameron’s Aliens has been cleared for publication. The package will be the complete script including scenes filmed but not released into the theatres and hitherto unseen stills from the film.
- GenresScience FictionFilm
192 pages, Hardcover
First published August 23, 2001
56 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 9, 2016
This was such a sensational movie for the time! It was so suspenseful and very well written. I was on the edge of my seat.
December 11, 2024
Completing my reads of James Cameron’s Illustrated Screenplay trilogy, ‘Aliens: The Illustrated Screenplay’ is rather misleading!
Involving very little illustrative commentary, the first bookend offers a comprehensive coronation of how the action-oriented sequel came to be with the second concluding the book with deleted scenes. While I can find the merits in most screenplays, the proof in the pudding of action scripts is only realised upon shooting.
‘Aliens’ script is a big mountain of mashed potato action with overlaying commentary involving the optimism found in the young of an ever-pessimistic society. It’s also a story of mothers protecting their children, irrespective of their species. Alien mommy!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Involving very little illustrative commentary, the first bookend offers a comprehensive coronation of how the action-oriented sequel came to be with the second concluding the book with deleted scenes. While I can find the merits in most screenplays, the proof in the pudding of action scripts is only realised upon shooting.
‘Aliens’ script is a big mountain of mashed potato action with overlaying commentary involving the optimism found in the young of an ever-pessimistic society. It’s also a story of mothers protecting their children, irrespective of their species. Alien mommy!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 8, 2012
by James Cameron, with introduction by Paul M. Sammon, published in 2001.
Once again I am amazed by the brevity of the screenplay and how, once all elements are in place, the product (in this case Aliens) takes on a life of its own.
First off this “Aliens The Illustrated Screenplay” comes in three parts (well four parts but one is just the brief forward by Cameron himself.
So, part one is the introduction which goes through just about every aspect of the creation, and near non-creation, of Cameron’s screenplay and subsequent film. This part I found to be a fascinating behind-the-scenes look into the making of Aliens and how it conflicted with the making of “The Terminator”. Very interesting bit.
Second is the actual screenplay itself. Again, I find screenplays brief, and even though this one is about 120 pages or so, it seems like point form notes for a novel or short story - which I guess is just what a screenplay really is. I couldn’t get the actors faces or the movie scenes out of my mind while I was reading through it.
And I’ll just jump in right here and mention the illustrations. Most are just shots of the actual movie, with a few behind the scenes pictures as well. Perhaps the most interesting of the illustrations are Cameron’s own hand drawn pictures. Man, this guy is a talented artist as well as writer/director. Not hard to see the finished movie product from his sketches.
And finally we get to the third section which is a pretty thorough, though not totally comprehensive (this from Sammon himself) account of the deleted scenes, the difference between the Special Edition and Theatrical release, and general notes on dialogue changes while shooting was in production vs Cameron’s actual script. Pretty interesting bit once again getting you that much closer to how a movie actually comes about.
Overall a great finished screenplay book filled with art and information on the movie Aliens. And what a great movie it is.
If you collect screenplays - this one you definitely need to have.
Once again I am amazed by the brevity of the screenplay and how, once all elements are in place, the product (in this case Aliens) takes on a life of its own.
First off this “Aliens The Illustrated Screenplay” comes in three parts (well four parts but one is just the brief forward by Cameron himself.
So, part one is the introduction which goes through just about every aspect of the creation, and near non-creation, of Cameron’s screenplay and subsequent film. This part I found to be a fascinating behind-the-scenes look into the making of Aliens and how it conflicted with the making of “The Terminator”. Very interesting bit.
Second is the actual screenplay itself. Again, I find screenplays brief, and even though this one is about 120 pages or so, it seems like point form notes for a novel or short story - which I guess is just what a screenplay really is. I couldn’t get the actors faces or the movie scenes out of my mind while I was reading through it.
And I’ll just jump in right here and mention the illustrations. Most are just shots of the actual movie, with a few behind the scenes pictures as well. Perhaps the most interesting of the illustrations are Cameron’s own hand drawn pictures. Man, this guy is a talented artist as well as writer/director. Not hard to see the finished movie product from his sketches.
And finally we get to the third section which is a pretty thorough, though not totally comprehensive (this from Sammon himself) account of the deleted scenes, the difference between the Special Edition and Theatrical release, and general notes on dialogue changes while shooting was in production vs Cameron’s actual script. Pretty interesting bit once again getting you that much closer to how a movie actually comes about.
Overall a great finished screenplay book filled with art and information on the movie Aliens. And what a great movie it is.
If you collect screenplays - this one you definitely need to have.
June 12, 2024
Not usually an action/sci-fi fan but John August recommended reading this on the Scriptnotes podcast as an example of a perfect action movie screenplay.
I couldn't agree more. I've never seen this movie but I saw it in front of my eyes while reading this. The pacing is so pitch perfect and the action lines give you the unique character & voice of the film without ever trying to wax poetic.
I loved reading this so much that I'm about to watch the final product. Thanks as always Scriptnotes!
I couldn't agree more. I've never seen this movie but I saw it in front of my eyes while reading this. The pacing is so pitch perfect and the action lines give you the unique character & voice of the film without ever trying to wax poetic.
I loved reading this so much that I'm about to watch the final product. Thanks as always Scriptnotes!
March 13, 2018
intense story.
August 16, 2014
Beautiful hardback presentation of an ICONIC MASTERPIECE of a movie screenplay!
Complete with FULL script, all revisions, design sketches and introduction, this is ESSENTIAL for all Aliens fans!
ESSENTIAL!
Complete with FULL script, all revisions, design sketches and introduction, this is ESSENTIAL for all Aliens fans!
ESSENTIAL!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews