ALIEN NATION Ultimate Movie Collection
DVD Review by David Blackwell

DETAILS: 455 minutes, five audio commentaries, 4 making of featurettes, still galleries, retrospective featurette)

Dark Horizon (Disc 1)-93 minutes
Body And Soul (Disc 2, Side A)
Millennium (Disc 2, Side B)
The Enemy Within (Disc 3, Side A)
The Udara Legacy (Disc 3, Side B)

VIDEO: 1.33:1 (Full Frame)
AUDIO: English, Spanish Stereo
Subtitles: English, Spanish,
STUDIO: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment/ Kenny Johnson Productions/ 20th Television
RELEASE DATE: 9-11-2007 (best Buy Exclusive)

Dark Horizon (Disc 1) is the first of the ALIEN NATION TV movies. It explored more of the Overseers and a resolution to the cliffhanger to the TV series.
Body And Soul (Disc 2, Side A)continues to develop the relationship between Detective Sikes and Cathy (a Newcomer). Also the shadow of the Overseers looms with weapons research and genetic in the form of a Newcomer child (and a giant Newcomer). Dark Horizon and this film were originally scripts developed for the season 2 that never was. They became novels before being the TV movies that kicked off the five TV movies.

Millennium (Disc 2, Side B) explores the fear of the impending millennium. I agree with Detective George Francisco (Sikes' Newcomer partner) that the new millennium starts in 2001 and not 2000. Sikes and George must save Buck from a cult that is exploiting people out of their money by letting them experience other worlds via a stolen Newcomer religious artifact.

The Enemy Within (Disc 3, Side A) a murdered Eeno (Newcomer waste eater on the slave ships) is found dead and it proves Tenctonese can even be racist. George must put aside his hate and help Sikes investigate a waste treatment plant (under Los Angeles) run by the Eenos. Like with each ALIEN NATION TV movie, the writers use the Tenctonese (Newcomers/ aliens) to explore our world and culture through their eyes. I love the irony of Newcomers' fondness for clowns where many humans hate clowns. In Tenctonese culture, there were no such thing as clowns. Cathy's clown painting collection unnerve Sikes at first after she moves into his apartment. I did have a small probelm with disc 3 in my set when this movie was on Side B and The Udara Legacy on side A.

The Udara Legacy (Disc 3, Side B) explores more of the Newcomer past as slaves as the lives of all newcomers continue to develop. Someone is exploiting the Udara (Newcomer rebels on the slave ships) to commit crimes. Buck finally decides on what career he wants to pursue. I'm just sorry The Udara Legacy was the last TV movie in the ALIEN NATION series. The original novels (some based on scriptys unproduced for season 2 and others turned into the TV movies) show where ALIEN NATION would have went after the last TV movie and a little inbetween the cracks (including prequel novel to the series). I miss the series and the TV movies improve on the show that only lasted for one season. ALIEN NATION is what good sci-fi is about- exploring ideas and issues (while mixing it in within the genre of the cop series).

SPECIAL FEATURES:
The extras on the set are extensive. Kenny Johnson has recorded info full audio commentaries for each film. He reveals information about each film (based on his memories and research when looking back at the TV films he directed). The first three films also have gag reels. Each making of featurette has audio commentary by Kenny Johnson. each film has still galleries (Kenny's Personal Album, concept art, storybaords). The love is definitely here for one of the most exhaustive set of extras for any TV on DVD set.

Dark Horizon (Disc 1)- THE MAKING OF ALIEN NATION: DARK HORIZON
Body And Soul (Disc 2, Side A)- THE MAKING OF ALIEN NATION: BODY AND SOUL
Millennium (Disc 2, Side B)- THE MAKING OF ALIEN NATION: MILLENNIUM
The Enemy Within (Disc 3, Side A)- THE MAKING OF ALIEN NATION: THE ENEMY WITHIN
The Udara Legacy (Disc 3, Side B)- A FAMILY GATHERING (25 minute retrospective featurette) which has the cast and Kenny Johnson reunite to talk ten years later. It is the best featurette in the set.

FINAL ANALYSIS: The ALIEN NATION TV movies hold up after all these years and are even better than the TV series they continue from. The DVD set is a labor of love with many extras put together by Kenny Johnson. The guy sure loves this show. I just wish he could return to ALIEN NATION and do more films (maybe direct to DVD).

RELKATED DVD Review:
ALIEN NATION The Complete Series- http://enterline2.tripod.com/alien_nation_tv.html

this DVD review is (c)10-3-2007 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. send all comments to lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com  

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