# Just recently watched the Alien "Quadrilogy" for the first time, and here's what I think... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 17, 2012, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-recently-watched-the-alien-quadrilogy-for-the-first-time-and-heres-what-i-think/625415 "2012-06-17T10:13:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-recently-watched-the-alien-quadrilogy-for-the-first-time-and-heres-what-i-think/625415/101 "2012-06-19T22:02:11Z")
> [@Gerald\_II](#): > > Whereas ALIENS added to the idea of the xenomorphs like the notion of a hive, addition of a Queen, etc, nothing like that was done here. Not true. In _Alien3_ we learn that the xenomorph tends to take on some characteristics of the animal in which it incubates. (A dog.) > [@](#): > > Instead of appearing strangely humanoid, and intelligent in the previous 2 films (hiding in the escape pod in the first one, “how could they could cut the power!!?” in the sequel) here the xeno is more animal like and simple. See above. _Alien3_ was a return to the more atmospheric style of _Alien_. I can see why that bothered fans of the _Aliens_ shoot-em-up who were hoping for more of the same, but as for me, I liked the quieter approach better. ---
**Author:** ![GreedySmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@GreedySmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreedySmurf)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-recently-watched-the-alien-quadrilogy-for-the-first-time-and-heres-what-i-think/625415/102 "2012-06-19T22:25:38Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > _Alien3_ was a return to the more atmospheric style of _Alien_. I can see why that bothered fans of the _Aliens_ shoot-em-up who were hoping for more of the same, but as for me, I liked the quieter approach better. Not true for this particular fan. **Johnathon Chance** summed up exactly what my issue with Alien 3 was. Figure out some other way to get the movie rolling and I would have been in board right from the start. As I said upthread, I recognise that Alien 3 is a decent movie, but I just can’t completely get over the first five minutes, it just sticks in my craw. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-recently-watched-the-alien-quadrilogy-for-the-first-time-and-heres-what-i-think/625415/103 "2012-06-19T22:33:19Z")
I guess I just didn’t have the same attachment to Newt and Hicks. I liked all the characters in the first Alien, and they all died. ::shrug:: ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-recently-watched-the-alien-quadrilogy-for-the-first-time-and-heres-what-i-think/625415/104 "2012-06-19T23:38:59Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > BTW the correct term for the OP is _Tetralogy_. I put it in quotes because I thought it was a made up word, but as someone already said, the Alien movies boxed together are called the Alien Quadrilogy. Dumb, I know. But that’s why I used it. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-recently-watched-the-alien-quadrilogy-for-the-first-time-and-heres-what-i-think/625415/105 "2012-06-19T23:40:00Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > I guess I just didn’t have the same attachment to Newt and Hicks. I liked all the characters in the first Alien, and they all died. ::shrug:: Spoke, sounds like you and I are 100% in agreement pretty much. Aliens seemed like a big budget action flick that left me underwhelmed. And I didn’t care at all that Hicks, Newt and Bishop all died in Alien 3. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-recently-watched-the-alien-quadrilogy-for-the-first-time-and-heres-what-i-think/625415/106 "2012-06-19T23:48:03Z")
I suppose if you “grew up” with Aliens, rewatching it on HBO and then video cassette numerous times, the beginning of A3 was a bit more slap-in-the-facey than some watching them all straight through. ---
**Author:** ![Gerald\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Gerald\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gerald_II)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-recently-watched-the-alien-quadrilogy-for-the-first-time-and-heres-what-i-think/625415/107 "2012-06-20T00:53:39Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > Not true. In _Alien3_ we learn that the xenomorph tends to take on some characteristics of the animal in which it incubates. (A dog.) Actually forgot about that. Yeah, that’s a very cool idea and a good edition to the xenomorph mythos. > [@](#): > > See above. While I think that the idea is great, the execution of it was a step backwards for me at the time I saw it but I saw it when I was young so I need to rewatch it to see how the xenomorph acts. > [@](#): > > _Alien3_ was a return to the more atmospheric style of _Alien_. I can see why that bothered fans of the _Aliens_ shoot-em-up who were hoping for more of the same, but as for me, I liked the quieter approach better. Part of what contributed to that build up of atmosphere in ALIEN was answering that distress call,landing on that uncharted moon and discovering and entering an alien craft, with a deceased pilot and it’s “cargo.” There was no sense of mystery or speculation, nor was it as visually rich as the previous installments. This is why I feel it’s generally viewed as the lesser among the three. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-recently-watched-the-alien-quadrilogy-for-the-first-time-and-heres-what-i-think/625415/108 "2012-06-20T02:44:22Z")
> [@Gerald\_II](#): > > Part of what contributed to that build up of atmosphere in ALIEN was answering that distress call,landing on that uncharted moon and discovering and entering an alien craft, with a deceased pilot and it’s “cargo.” Well I agree with that. I’m certainly not saying _Alien3_ is as good as _Alien_. It isn’t. But I liked _Alien3_ better than _Aliens_, and I thought it was more true to the original in tone. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-recently-watched-the-alien-quadrilogy-for-the-first-time-and-heres-what-i-think/625415/109 "2012-06-20T02:58:53Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > I think that’s it exactly. My own view is that _Alien3_ is a better film than _Aliens_, which, to me, just seems like a big dumb 80s action movie. > > People talk about _Alien3_ shitting all over _Aliens_, but from my perspective, it was James Cameron and _Aliens_ shitting all over the original by taking what should have been a horror franchise and turning it into just another 80s-style militaristic action blockbuster (with explosions! and fireballs!). Yes. I liked Alien3 best. The horror of realizing you will die becoming the thing you hate most, and there is no way to stop it… gives me shivers. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-recently-watched-the-alien-quadrilogy-for-the-first-time-and-heres-what-i-think/625415/110 "2012-06-20T05:37:58Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > I look forward to the Alien teen comedy! Whereas I look forward to _Alien Saves Christmas_. Who’s this generation’s Phoebe Cates? We could get both in the same movie! ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-recently-watched-the-alien-quadrilogy-for-the-first-time-and-heres-what-i-think/625415/111 "2012-06-20T11:39:33Z")
What about an Alien buddy picture? Two mismatched characters find they have something in common and learn a little about themselves. Maybe Alien and Predator could mend their differences on a wacky cross-country road trip! ---
**Author:** ![Mekhazzio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b38774/32.png) [@Mekhazzio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mekhazzio)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-recently-watched-the-alien-quadrilogy-for-the-first-time-and-heres-what-i-think/625415/112 "2012-06-20T13:07:52Z")
As long as they don’t [share an apartment](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrqSCn0sBPw). ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-recently-watched-the-alien-quadrilogy-for-the-first-time-and-heres-what-i-think/625415/113 "2012-06-20T13:20:41Z")
Maybe Alien/Predator? I mean, Alien is only half a step away from being mpreg fanfiction already… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-recently-watched-the-alien-quadrilogy-for-the-first-time-and-heres-what-i-think/625415.md?page=5)