Despite having a vaguely ridiculous name, the Alien Quadrilogy box set was, when it came out seven years ago, the fucking business.  Directors cuts, lost footage, phenomenal time-lapse set construction stuff, trailers, deleted scenes, and a remarkable honesty over the behind-the-scenes mess surrounding Alien3. I

It really was a textbook example of how to give a DVD box set added value and must-have status.  Even one that contained Alien Resurrection.

Anyway, seven years have passed, Alien's getting a prequel, the AVP films have manage to piss acidic blood on both franchises from a great height... and it's time to dust off the Quadrilogy again - this time on Blu-Ray.

Fox have announced the new Alien Anthology box set (See, even they realised Quadrilogy was crap), which takes the best bits of the old DVD box set, polishes them up to shiny HD-o-vision, and then throws a truckload more extras in on top of those.  Here's the, frankly, exhausting list of what's on the discs.

DISC ONE: ALIEN

1979 Theatrical Version

2003 Director's Cut with Ridley Scott Introduction

Audio Commentary by Director Ridley Scott, Writer Dan O'Bannon, Executive Producer Ronald Shusett, Editor Terry Rawlings, Actors Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton and John Hurt

Audio Commentary (for Theatrical Cut only) by Ridley Scott

Final Theatrical Isolated Score by Jerry Goldsmith

Composer's Original Isolated Score by Jerry Goldsmith

Deleted and Extended Scenes

MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream  
 

DISC TWO: ALIENS 

1986 Theatrical Version

1991 Special Edition with James Cameron Introduction

Audio Commentary by Director James Cameron, Producer Gale Anne Hurd, Alien Effects Creator Stan Winston, Visual Effects Supervisors Robert Skotak and Dennis Skotak, Miniature Effects Supervisor Pat McClung, Actors Michael Biehn, Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen, Jenette Goldstein, Carrie Henn and Christopher Henn

Final Theatrical Isolated Score by James Horner

Composer's Original Isolated Score by James Horner

Deleted and Extended Scenes

MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream

DISC THREE: ALIEN³ 

1992 Theatrical Version

2003 Special Edition (Restored Workprint Version)

Audio Commentary by Cinematographer Alex Thomson, B.S.C., Editor Terry Rawlings, Alien Effects Designers Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr., Visual Effects Producer Richard Edlund, A.S.C., Actors Paul McGann and Lance Henriksen

Final Theatrical Isolated Score by Elliot Goldenthal

Deleted and Extended Scenes

MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream

DISC FOUR: ALIEN RESURRECTION 

1997 Theatrical Version

2003 Special Edition with Jean-Pierre Jeunet Introduction

Audio Commentary by Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Editor Herv? Schneid, A.C.E., Alien Effects Creators Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr., Visual Effects Supervisor Pitof, Conceptual Artist Sylvain Despretz, Actors Ron Perlman, Dominique Pinon and Leland Orser

Final Theatrical Isolated Score by John Frizzell

Deleted and Extended Scenes

MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream 

DISC FIVE: MAKING THE ANTHOLOGY 
In addition to over 12 hours of candid, in-depth documentaries, you now have the ability to go even deeper into Alien Anthology history with nearly five hours of additional video Enhancement Pods created exclusively for this collection, presenting behind-the-scenes footage, raw dailies and interview outtakes from all four films. At topical points in the documentaries, you may access these pods to enhance your experience, or watch them on their own from the separate Enhancement Pod index.
The Beast Within: Making ALIEN 

The Visualists: Direction and Design

Truckers in Space: Casting

Fear of the Unknown: Shepperton Studios, 1978

The Darkest Reaches: Nostromo and Alien Planet

The Eighth Passenger: Creature Design

Future Tense: Editing and Music

Outward Bound: Visual Effects

A Nightmare Fulfilled: Reaction to the Film

Enhancement Pods

Superior Firepower: Making ALIENS 

57 Years Later: Continuing the Story

Building Better Worlds: From Concept to Construction

Preparing for Battle: Casting and Characterization

This Time It's War: Pinewood Studios, 1985

The Risk Always Lives: Weapons and Action

Bug Hunt: Creature Design

Beauty and the Bitch: Power Loader vs. Queen Alien

Two Orphans: Sigourney Weaver and Carrie Henn

The Final Countdown: Music, Editing and Sound

The Power of Real Tech: Visual Effects

Aliens Unleashed: Reaction to the Film

Enhancement Pods

Wreckage and Rage: Making ALIEN³ 

Development Hell: Concluding the Story

Tales of the Wooden Planet: Vincent Ward's Vision

Stasis Interrupted: David Fincher's Vision

Xeno-Erotic: H.R. Giger's Redesign

The Color of Blood: Pinewood Studios, 1991

Adaptive Organism: Creature Design

The Downward Spiral: Creative Differences

Where the Sun Burns Cold: Fox Studios, L.A. 1992

Optical Fury: Visual Effects

Requiem for a Scream: Music, Editing and Sound

Post-Mortem: Reaction to the Film

Enhancement Pods

One Step Beyond: Making ALIEN RESURRECTION 

From the Ashes: Reviving the Story

French Twist: Direction and Design

Under the Skin: Casting and Characterization

Death from Below: Fox Studios, Los Angeles, 1996

In the Zone: The Basketball Scene

Unnatural Mutation: Creature Design

Genetic Composition: Music

Virtual Aliens: Computer Generated Imagery

A Matter of Scale: Miniature Photography

Critical Juncture: Reaction to the Film

Enhancement Pods

MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience to Access and Control Enhancement Pods

DISC SIX: THE ANTHOLOGY ARCHIVES ALIEN 

Pre-Production

First Draft Screenplay by Dan O'Bannon

Ridleygrams: Original Thumbnails and Notes

Storyboard Archive

The Art of Alien: Conceptual Art Portfolio

Sigourney Weaver Screen Tests with Select Director Commentary

Cast Portrait Gallery

Production

The Chestbuster: Multi-Angle Sequence with Commentary

Video Graphics Gallery

Production Image Galleries

Continuity Polaroids

The Sets of Alien

H.R. Giger's Workshop Gallery

Pre-Production and Aftermath

Additional Deleted Scenes

Image & Poster Galleries

Experience in Terror

Special Collector's Edition LaserDisc Archive

The Alien Legacy

American Cinematheque: Ridley Scott Q&A 

Trailers & TV Spots

ALIENS 

Pre-Production

Original Treatment by James Cameron

Pre-Visualizations: Multi-Angle Videomatics with Commentary

Storyboard Archive

The Art of Aliens: Image Galleries

Cast Portrait Gallery

Production

Production Image Galleries

Continuity Polaroids

Weapons and Vehicles

Stan Winston's Workshop

Colonial Marine Helmet Cameras

Video Graphics Gallery

Weyland-Yutani Inquest: Nostromo Dossiers

Pre-Production and Aftermath

Deleted Scene: Burke Cocooned

Deleted Scene Montage

Image Galleries

Special Collector's Edition LaserDisc Archive

Main Title Exploration

Aliens: Ride at the Speed of Fright

Trailers & TV Spots

ALIEN³ 

Pre-Production

Storyboard Archive

The Art of Arceon

The Art of Fiorina

Production

Furnace Construction: Time-Lapse Sequence

EEV Bioscan: Multi-Angle Vignette with Commentary

Production Image Galleries

A.D.I.'s Workshop

Pre-Production and Aftermath

Visual Effects Gallery

Special Shoot: Promotional Photo Archive

Alien³ Advance Featurette

The Making of Alien³ Promotional Featurette

Trailers & TV Spots

ALIEN RESURRECTION 

Pre-Production

First Draft Screenplay by Joss Whedon

Test Footage: A.D.I. Creature Shop with Commentary

Test Footage: Costumes, Hair and Makeup

Pre-Visualizations: Multi-Angle Rehearsals

Storyboard Archive

The Marc Caro Portfolio: Character Designs

The Art of Resurrection: Image Galleries

Production

Production Image Galleries

A.D.I.'s Workshop

Pre-Production and Aftermath

Visual Effects Gallery

Special Shoot: Promotional Photo Archive

HBO First Look: The Making of Alien Resurrection

Alien Resurrection Promotional Featurette

Trailers & TV Spots 

ALIEN ANTHOLOGY 

Two Versions of Alien Evolution

The Alien Saga

Patches and Logos Gallery

Aliens 3D Attraction Scripts and Gallery

Aliens in the Basement: The Bob Burns Collection

Parodies

Dark Horse Cover Gallery

Patches and Logos Gallery

MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience

The box set is out on October 25.  Consider it bought already.