Aliens Expanded - Festival Review

Famed director James Cameron was fresh off the release of the hybrid sci-fi action hit 'The Terminator' (1984), when he began pitching an innovative idea for a space movie tackling poignant topics of a genetically engineered underclass residing hundreds of thousands of feet in the sky. Whilst Cameron's powerful idea still sounds incredibly interesting decades on, the "pitchees" in question, David Giler and Walter Hill, who had co-produced the iconic 'Alien' (1979), were hoping for a more archetypal action blockbuster simply set in space rather than a film that weaves in outer space genre potentials into the grit of the story. 

However, a silver lining was introduced in the form of a project that the duo had been sitting on for a rainy day, waiting to adapt when the right time came along. The film in question: a sequel to Alien, to which Cameron verbatim states his brain lit up "like a slot machine at Vegas that's paying off a million bucks…ding, ding, ding"; a joyous reaction that is ablaze with a certain cinematic passion and heart for a film, an energy that comes across tenfold throughout his eventual feature 'Aliens' (1986). 

Exploring the vast world of Aliens is Ian Nathan's expansive almanac 'Aliens Expanded', a must-see documentary that covers every minutiae originating from its source feature, including production obstacles, practical effects secrets that helped give immense life to the array of extraterrestrial creatures and behind-the-scenes stories that even diehard fans wouldn't have heard of. Bringing these stories to life is a chorus of experts whose firsthand experience of being on the set of this classic horror film gives a rare insight into the world of Aliens and its everlasting legacy. At the forefront of the roster is Cameron himself, an Academy Award winner who holds an astounding record for directing three out of the five most profitable films of all time, 'Titanic' (1997), 'Avatar' (2009) and its sequel 'Avatar: The Way of Water' (2022). 

Being at the beating heart of Aliens, from its inception through to its award-sweeping release, Cameron's narrations are crucial to understanding the film's historical and contemporaneous success. Listening to details that went into every creative decision, whether it be small touches or grandiose, dramatic decisions from the creator himself, is a feat that very few documentaries can attest to. Experiencing this wealth of insight from the direct source is such a priceless treat that makes Aliens Expanded an instant addition to every sci-fi fan's watchlist. 

The ball, however, does not stop at Cameron, with the documentary further enlisting the on-set chronicles from nearly every key performer from the film. Just a handful of the appearances include Ricco Ross, aka, Frost, the colonial marine whose pessimistic, but witty one-liners made him a fan favourite, Lance Henriksen as Bishop, the on-board android whose endearing yet eerie manner has gone down in the Alien franchise history, Michael Biehn as Corporal Dwayne Hicks, the astute and stern leader of the group, followed by William Hope who nailed his character Gorman, whose reserved nature truly stood out when placed alongside his colleagues, Mark Rolston as the brash Drake and Jenette Goldstein whose role as the fiery Vasquez still has fans approaching her with high praise thanks to her character's tough-as-nails persona. And last but not least is the one and only Sigourney Weaver, whose return as Ellen Ripley in Aliens helped cement the character's iron-clad reputation as one of cinema's greatest heroines - a topic that Aliens Expanded takes the time to dive deep into. 

 Aliens Expanded is above all a documentary for fans made by fans, akin to that of a cinematic love letter or a one to one Q&A where every possible facet of information has been pried into and laid bare. It would actually be quite difficult not to walk away from the documentary with an arm's length worth of "did you knows", some of which will include the fact that the actors attended a training bootcamp with the British SAS to prepare for their intense military-based roles, or that the cast were given an afternoon and a room full of props to personalise their costumes with to flesh-out their characters. Further to that is the documentary's dissection of Aliens practical effects which combined old fashioned camera trickery with an emphasis on adapting and evolving upon H. R. Giger's original Xenomorph design rather than attempting to replicate or even replace such fine and solidified craftsmanship. 

Aliens Expanded offers a thorough look into the world of one of the horror genre's greatest sequels, diving into the land of everything Aliens and providing a complete panoramic view that is certainly one for the books. 

Catch the unmissable Aliens Expanded at this year's festival on Friday the 25th September at 22:15

You can grab your tickets to watch Aliens Expanded at this years Festival here!

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