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ALIENS

£35.00

Film

ALIENS

Additional information

Year

1986

Size/Type

UK Quad / (30″ x 40″) / Single Sided / Printed in England by W.E.Berry Ltd. Bradford

Country of Origin

UK / British – Printed in England by W.E.Berry Ltd Bradford

Condition

Very Fine-Very Fine Plus / Originally Folded (as issued)

Director

James Cameron

Actor/Actress

Bill Paxton, Carrie Henn, Lance Henriksen, Michael Biehn, Sigourney Weaver

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“This Time It’s War”

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A film poster that works perfectly with just a bold and simple design; it just draws you in & unlike the recalled version initially used in USA & Europe  (Newt & Ripley surrounded by Alien eggs) which showed too much and gave away much of the film’s climax keeps the anticipation high for although “Aliens” has gone on to become a benchmark for the sci-fi actioner at the time people knew it only as a sequel to the horror classic “Alien”. The original UK quad film poster offered here is from first year of release 1986 and presents very well in original unrestored, folded (as issued) condition. A very rare iconic British film poster that represents a fine piece of movie memorabilia from a truly influential movie that changed the face of the modern sci-fi action movie forever.

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Vintage Movie Posters Grading Criteria... read more +

Film Description

ALIENS Movie Poster

“There Are Some Places In The Universe You Don’t Go Alone !”

Back in 1986, sequels had become very common (Superman, Star Wars, Indiana Jones), yet people were suspicious when they heard of a follow-up to Alien, Ridley Scott’s acclaimed sci-fi horror from 1979. Most of the criticism was aimed at the fact that Scott had nothing to do with the new movie, which had been entrusted to an unknown (at the time) named James Cameron. Fortunately, Cameron had shown he knew the genre two years earlier with The Terminator, and by perfecting the skills he had developed on that film he delivered Aliens, which still stands out as one of the greatest science fiction flicks of all time.

Given how the first film ended (all characters but one died), Cameron wisely decided to radically separate his movie from the original, and he does so from the very beginning by having Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) wake up from her cryogenic sleep and make a shocking discovery: although she hasn’t aged at all, 57 years have passed since she left the Nostromo, meaning everyone she knew is either dead or very old (in a particularly heartbreaking scene, she talks on the phone with her grown-up daughter, who is full of resentment for her “unjustified” absence). In addition, no one believes her story regarding the alien since, as she’s told by scientist Carter Burke (Paul Reiser), the planet where these creatures allegedly lived has been successfully colonized. Suddenly, though, all communications with LV-426 are inexplicably interrupted. Thinking there might be some truth to Ripley’s tale, Burke asks her to join him and a group of soldiers on a mission to uncover the mystery. And while most of the participants are in it just for the money, our heroine realizes this is her only chance of confronting her worst nightmare and overcoming it for good.

The main problem with Alien, some have said, was that, as great as it can be, the characterizations were reduced to the minimum (not that it really mattered, with Ridley Scott ensuring the film retained the right pace and suspense throughout). With Aliens, character development is the last thing fans should worry about, Cameron being fully aware of each individual’s potential and exploiting it as much as he can. Ripley, who was just part of an ensemble in the original, is now allowed to carry the whole film, and boy, does she carry it: rarely has there been a more solid, compelling female role in a genre movie like this (the fact that Sigourney Weaver is the only actress, thus far, to have received an Oscar nomination for a science-fiction film is further testament to Aliens’ immortality). The supporting cast is equally good, with a multitude of different characters ranging from funny (regular Cameron collaborators Michael Biehn and Bill Paxton) to weird (Lance Henriksen’s android Bishop) and bringing something extra to the movie’s unique atmosphere.

Ah, the film’s mood: that’s the other aspect Cameron deserves all the credit in the world for. On a superficial level, it could be said Alien was a horror movie, while the follow-up is more action-oriented; that may be true, but one should also notice that every single spectacular battle scene actually oozes tension, never leaving the audience with a pause to breathe or relax. In fact, Cameron has succeeded where many other directors would have failed: he stayed faithful to the original’s tone, but managed nonetheless to make the film undeniably his own.

Relentlessly creepy, occasionally very violent and consistently compelling, Aliens is a pitch-perfect piece of adult science-fiction. Watch it on a double bill with Scott’s version and you will get four hours of genre film-making at its finest.

Vintage Movie Posters Grading Criteria

Mint
A poster that has never been used or displayed and may show the most minor signs of age and wear. The poster should have no holes or tears.

Near Mint
A generally unused poster with fresh, saturated colors. May have minimal tears at folds. Has no significant holes, no paper loss, may have minor tears along edges, may have fine pin holes.

Very Fine
A poster with bright colour and crisp overall appearance. It may have very general signs of use including slight fold separation and fold wear. It may have pin holes or very minor tears. This is the highest grade allowed for a poster that has been restored either on linen or on paper.

Fine
A poster with good colors and overall clean appearance. It may have minor tears small paper loss and minor stains. It may have some fold seperation.

Good
An average poster with overall fresh color. May have tears, minor paper loss, minor hazing. Paper may be brittle due to age, may have minor stains. May have a small amount of writing in an unobtrusive place. May have medium or major restoration.

Fair
A poster with faded colors and brittle paper, showing significant signs of use. May have tears and paper loss. May have tape, writing, stains in image area. In need of restoration or had major restoration.

Poor
A poster that is worn, torn, and/or damaged. May have staining, cracking, dry rot, and/or large tears. May be heavily soiled, may have pieces missing. In need of major restoration.

All photographs and images used on our site are photographs of the actual poster/item you are buying, we do not use stock photographs.

Most Popular Poster Types

US Posters

LOBBY CARD
11 x 14″ printed on heavy stock paper. Used as display in theatre lobbies. Originally made in sets of eight. Some sets have a title card, which contains credits and artwork, essentially a mini-poster. The remaining seven cards are coloured photographic credits and poster artwork showing different scenes from the movie.

WINDOW CARD
14 x 22″ printed on heavy stock paper with the top 4-6 inches usually left blank for the local cinema owner to fill in the cinema and the date it was due to play. Largely discontinued during the 1970’s.

HALF SHEET
22 x 28″ printed on heavy stock paper. The image displayed is normally a smaller version of the main poster, although some do have different artworks and sometimes come in two versions.

INSERT
14 x 36″ printed on heavy stock paper. Inserts usually have the same artwork as a one sheet. Popular with collectors since they are smaller and easier to frame. Normally come tri folded or rolled.

STYLE Y/FORTY BY SIXTY
40 x 60″ printed on heavy stock paper. Rare since they were primarily used for major motion pictures only. Designed to be used outside the theatre, on an easel, normally at a drive-in movie theatre.

ONE-SHEET
27 x 41″ printed on paper. This is the most common size of poster, intended to be displayed in a glass “marquee” case. It is the most sought after size by collectors. Since the 1980’s most posters are sent to the theatre rolled and maybe slightly smaller measuring 27″ by 40″ and with the advent of backlit light boxes a growing number of modern movie posters are available double-sided and the more traditional single-sided.

THREE-SHEET
41 x 81″ printed on paper. These were printed on two or three separate sheets designed to overlap, few survive. Used for larger advertising spaces, normally posted on walls, perfect for huge movie theatres the drive-in, where people could see them from a distance. From the 1970’s on, three-sheets were sometimes printed in one piece and issued as “international” versions to be used abroad.

BRITISH Posters

BRITISH QUAD
30 x 40″ Most common poster size used in the UK. British Quads are horizontal and may have different artwork to the US one sheet. Like a US one sheet they normally come in two versions. Like a US one sheet they are usually supplied single-sided or more commonly now as a double sided poster.

BRITISH ONE-SHEET
27 X 40″, printed on paper. Very rarely used size.

ITALIAN Posters

ITALIAN LOCANDINA
13 x 28″ six inches shorter than the US insert, very nice size to frame. Italian poster illustrators are some of the best in the industry.

ITALIAN PHOTOBUSTA
18 x 26″ Glossy, high quality, used as lobby cards in Italy. Size may vary, either vertical or horizontal format. There are also double Photobusta or mini Photobusta.

2-FOGLIO (DUE)
(DUE): 39 x 55″ This is the standard poster size used in Italy. Italian poster illustrators are some of the best in the industry.

4-FOGLIO
(QUATTRO) 55 x 79″ Very large Italian poster printed in two pieces, often contains very beautiful artwork.

FRENCH Posters

FRENCH
47 x 63″ (GRANDE) or 24 x 33″ (PETITE) French movie posters normally come with different artwork to either the US or the UK. Like the Italian’s some of the artwork is extrememly beautiful.