Review Detail

I've been on a grindhouse fanedit binge as of late, and I decided to watch two of Gieferg's edits: This one and Three ----ing Bears. I personally thought this was the weaker of the two, and sadly, not one of the better grindhouse edits I've come across. But it is what it is, and if you're a die-hard Alien fan, you'll probably enjoy this take on the film.

I'll start with the good. It wasn't boring. The first half of the film is basically Alien, but with a funky '70's soundtrack. For me, the grindhousing of the film begins at around the second half (starting with the infamous chestburster scene). And that second half pretty much saved this edit. I enjoyed seeing the added violence and sexual content/nudity that's been thrown in here. Seeing just how messed up Alien could've been is enough fun to justify seeing this, especially for the fans. I also enjoyed seeing a bunch of outtakes to reduce the acting talents of everyone involved. The alternate ending was an unexpected surprise, but for what it is, it worked.

But with that said, somebody has to talk about the weak spots. My biggest problem with this edit is immersion. While the film gets it right most of the time, when it gets it wrong, it gets it so wrong that it turns you into an angry nerd, complete with the phrase, "What were they thinking?" And I think it comes down to the song choices. I've actually talked with Gieferg over my review of Three ----ing Bears, and his main inspiration for his grindhouse edits comes from TMBTM's Jaws - Sharksploitation Edit, which also featured music that wasn't just limited to x decade. I understand the logic behind this, but at the same time, it's a double-edged sword. When done right, the music ends up being mostly invisible, as in the case of Three ----ing Bears. But when done wrong, the songs stick out like a sore thumb.

The biggest sore thumb I came across was the inclusion of Lenny Kravitz's "Fly Away" in the final 15 minutes. Regardless of what your thoughts are on the artist, why is that in here? I'm guessing that Gieferg was running low on song picks (There are a lot of songs in this edit, so it's a fair assumption), but I think this edit could've been improved if he'd stretched out a little more and searched for a more retro alternative. To me, putting Lenny Kravitz in a grindhoused version of Alien is like putting a Britney Spears song in The Wizard of Oz. It feels so out-of-place and it leaves you wondering why it was chosen. I've also been told that the inclusion of Thriller has divided some too, although I didn't mind that song choice. Still, I feel it's worth bringing up as it applies to what I'm saying here.

If you're somebody who wants a pure, unadulterated and immersive grindhouse experience, where every single detail has been thought out to look like a badly made 16mm funfest from the '60s and '70s, you might be better off looking elsewhere. However, if you're willing to keep an open mind and let go of any judgments you have, you'll probably enjoy it. For all of its faults, I can't honestly say I hated this. I still recommend it. Maybe not as strongly as other reviewers have, but I do recommend it. Just don't expect too much and I think you'll have a good time.