4K Ultra HD – Edition FR – 20th Century Fox – 117 min – 24 April 2019
Video format
• Intermediate Master: 4K
• Standard HDR: HDR10+
• Ratio: 2.39
Soundtrack
• English DTS-HD MA 5.1
• English DTS-HD MA 4.1 (film version only)
• English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Surround
• French SDR 5.1
Subtitles
• English
• French
It is brought to the attention of our dear readers as well as the viewing equipment specified and used by each tester of the MaG team, the rendering may differ from one installation to another, whether or not it is calibrated, as well as personal preferences and expectations may influence the rating. Moreover, the images in the article are not representative of the edition tested.
WORK – Giving birth to his own death
In 2122, the commercial Nostromo sailed to Earth with a crew of seven hibernations and a cargo of minerals. He suddenly interrupted his course after receiving a mysterious message from an unexplored planet. Revealed by the flight computer, the crew went to the scene and discovered the remains of a gigantic alien vessel whose only passenger seemed to have died in strange circumstances...
First appearance of the most frightening creature in the history of the SF and founder of a huge mythology, this very refined horrific closed-door (Scott's realization is always a reference after more than 40 years) at a rather slow pace, provides horrific upsurges when his star species makes its appearance and stages an unusual hero for the time, a woman, who will also become an icon of horror cinema in his three suites. More than a timeless classic, this fabulous nightmare was imposed as an indisputable masterpiece of 7th art.
IMAGE – LV-426 Hospitaller!
Drawn from a new 4K restoration supervised by Ridley Scott (the official release indicates that it is different from the one used in 2010 for the Blu-ray release), the brand new images of this UHD HDR10+ transfer are magnificent. Captured at the time of filming (1979) in 35 mm with anamorphic optics, they now display with a superb silver grain that the moderate use of DNR never disturbs.
Provided with a magnificent accuracy (the model of the space tug and the matte painting on the unknown planet are only more visible) with a kyrielle of details previously unknown (the Space Jockey scene is the perfect example), they no longer hide anything from the parts and long corridors of the cargo, especially as it is recovered here a portion of the frame (left and right) previously absent. Of course, close-ups on the faces of the actors (the pores of the skin and sweat) as well as the combinations and the Xenomorph itself benefit from this increase in resolution.
Thanks to the realization of a new calibration, the colorimetric palette is now better saturated (the scarlet red during the violent appearance of the Chestburster) and offers unique shades absolutely fascinating (the rust-orange color in the hangar). Dark film obliges, contrasts are even stronger than before with fabulous blacks. They also manage to reveal many elements immersed in the ambient darkness (they were previously masked) while remaining from a model depth.
Last and not least, the countless light sources now shine with a thousand lights. From the reflections on the water or metal to the heat of the flames, to the intensity of the flashlights and the blinding flashes of the interior lights as the ship approaches self-destruction, there is clearly a forward and a later.
Concerning the Director, the additional scenes (two minutes added to the cinema version in seamless branching) show a bit because they were taken from the old 2K master. Upscaled with the application of an automatic HDR, they necessarily seem coarser.
SON – In space, no one will hear you scream
Despite the absence of a 3D track that would certainly have brought a real plus to the already very satisfactory mixes 4.1 (grosser with a sound design sometimes slightly different) and 5.1, these soundtracks that give priority to the front stage n-en do not however forget the surrounding activity which turns out to be really attractive when narration imposes (many heavy atmospheric atmospheres like the « breathing » Nostromo).
The spatialisation is finely worked out, the dynamic has momentum, Jerry Goldsmith's agonizing score is not lacking in scope and the bass emphasize all effectively.
As for the VF, less organic than the VO despite such a convincing distribution (if this is the voice given to Mother), its dubbing is a little too advanced.
CONCLUSION – The monster of a generation
Nestled inside the bodies before showing itself in all its biomechanical beauty, the Xenomorph that continues to exercise a unique fascination power gets shelled in 4K Ultra HD!
Artistic note
10
Video quality
9.5
Audio quality
9
0
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