Alien 3 Workprint Cut Restoration (Project CRT)

[PDB]

Project Info:

There were two goals with this project. The first goal for me was the complete one project for each of the movies in the the Alien Trilogy. Alien was a regrade to the 95 LD with the Sensurround track, Aliens was the TV Cut (eventually the TC also) regraded to the 95 LD and the final was Alien 3 to be cut the Workprint (WP).  In other words its an attempt to re-cut Alien 3 as close as I can to the tape(s).

For example, in order to recreate the WP's opening credits I had to make 24 cuts to TC and 19 edits to the 5.1 soundtrack. That involved moving shots to recreate the flow of the WP and then covering up the sound edits by rebuilding the 5.1 dialog and music track. And that's one example. In the end I will try to make this as close to the WP as possible. For unique WP shots I will either use close substitutes from the AC/TC, for example the unique EKG shot from the opening of the WP is replaced with the exterior Sulaco shot from the same time or find the original footage if I can. I was able to recover a few WP shots from trailers and EPK video. Things such as Ripley "for the last time" shot and Golic's original death when releasing the Alien. Some shots like the "bigger cage" shot will have to be left out altogether.

I was going to keep the existing color timing until one day I came across some lobby cards for Alien 3 and they looked a lot like the color timing on the WP tape. So I thought I should use the tape as a basis even though it most likely is theatrically inaccurate. Point of fact: there are actually 3 WP tapes. One without a time code (which I don't have) and two with a time codes. The two with the time codes are from the same source but differ slight, with one tape having title cards for the reel changes and the 20th Century Fox logo. The colors are also similar with a heavy bias towards blues , oranges a lot of red but with one tape having a lot of green in its picture also. I balanced the look between the two tapes to come up with an average that I'll refine some more after editing is finished.

This is actually the most difficult project I've undertaken. Not only does it have a massive amount of editing of video but also audio, a new territory for me.

Video:
2010 Blu-Ray (AC and TC) video color regraded to the Workprint tapes and cut into the WP edit

Audio:
1. 2010 Blu-Ray Dolby Digital 5.1 re-built from scratch from the AC/TC BD but adding in dialog from the WP tape if needed.

2. The soundtrack from the original WP tape that is dialog and sound effects only, no music.

Pics:
BD/WP regrade (WIP)

[spoRv]

Kudos to your choice, you have guts to approach this quite difficult project!

I got the WP version without timecode; quality is horrible, and don't think could be of some use, unless it has something not found in another versions (even if I doubt it) - 2:01:53, 694x292, 29.97fps, h264

You need some fantasy to decode what's going on in the screen most of the time - it's comparable to the youtube video found here - if you need it, drop me a PM

Happy to see much interest around a "minor" Alien title!

[alexpeden2000]

Colours look much better in the regrade! Good luck with the project

[Jetrell Fo]

I've got 3 DVDs of this film, 1 from the Legacy box, 1 from the U.S. Quadrilogy, and 1 from the Japanese Quadrilogy. The Japan one has DTS audio for the Theatrical cut.

This looks like it will be a nice project once complete.

[spoRv]

I've got 3 DVDs of this film, 1 from the Legacy box, 1 from the U.S. Quadrilogy, and 1 from the Japanese Quadrilogy.  

I wonder if they are different, color wise.

The Japan one has DTS audio for the Theatrical cut.

The BD has an English DTS-HD MA, that presumably is better than it, unless they remix it (and it's not a remote possibility...)

[xxstadtkindxx]

is this project still on the run, will be happy to see the workprint of alien 3! Thank you for you work !

[Jetrell Fo]

Maybe finding a way to contribute to the community instead of just coming here for stuff you want would be more helpful.

[PDB]

It's ok Jetrell, I think he is just asking if I'm working on it still, not if he can get it. That's ok by me.

Yes I am still working on it but I'm working on color timing for the theatrical cut first which will go to this project later.

[Jetrell Fo]

Sorry, things are getting a little weird around here lately, carry on then.

[xxstadtkindxx]

Maybe finding a way to contribute to the community instead of just coming here for stuff you want would be more helpful.

maybe you should just be a little more open! What can I contribute when I'm not even able to remove a DTS sound? I have other strengths, maybe you need help with your surround system? If you want to stay among you then close the forum, and make the membership only on invitation.

For me, Alien is the biggest movie collection, so i think is normal to ask if this here is still on live, hope to see some new Frames from a movie with a disastrous working process. yeah i am a big Fan boy, deal with it! Alien 3 is for me the best Movie of the Serie, is has the best Visualization, best Score, best mood, and for all the Franchises ho has a thrid movie is this the only one what is great This movie is so much underrated. for me only the Effekts from the alien are bad! Yeas all was Killed, but be serios, there was no space for a new "great" Story for all 3, after 3 Films and after 2 AVP evry story SUCKS, Prometheus is okay, but Covenant has Killed the Franchise

I Think PDB will understand it, you dont work on a movie when you not love it .- right =?

and as a big fan you wannt see and know all!