The panel was officially called “Aliens 40: The 40th Anniversary of One of the Best Sequels Ever Made”, and the movie may very well be exactly that. After the incredibly commanding presence of the first Alien film, it would take a hell of a lot more of just everything, for a sequel to follow something that bold. And thus we have the movie Aliens, where our beloved Ripley and a bunch of colonial marines have to battle an alien queen and her offspring!
The panel was moderated by actor Mark Atkinson, and featured film cast members Jenette Goldstein (Private Vasquez) and Mark Rolston (Private Drake). Michael Biehn was slated but unable to make the panel, though Atkinson let slip that he may very well be at San Diego, and we all know what that means, fans.
Goldstein and Rolston sat down to reminisce over the enduring legacy of this Alien sequel, but were almost immediately interrupted by a visit from an alien itself, the Xenomorph! Or a cosplayer in a pretty keen getup, whatever.
Goldstein mentioned how at its roots the film was a war story, that’s the genre it portrays, and how it could be whatever war, whatever period you wanted it to be. “The film takes its’ time and lets the audience get to know each character,” she said, “as opposed to films these days which just sets right off, and that’s a mistake. You get to really learn who everyone is, before you start killing them!”
Rolston gave a memory of boot camp-like training for the actors playing marines, including the late Bill Paxton. How everyone got woken up at 4:30 AM and told to go for a five mile run, right then. How Paxton complained about really having to do this, having just gotten off a flight and being jet lagged and stuff, and the drill instructors responded with, “MARINE YOU WILL DO THIS!” To great audience cheers and laughter.
Both actors talked about Michael Biehn replacing James Remar as the character Hicks, how Biehn had to wear Remar’s characters uniform and was constantly tugging at it for being too small. Plus how Biehn hated the personalization Remar had already made to the uniform, thinking the brightly colored heart on his jacket was more like a bullseye!
Reviewed by Alicia Glass