The Aliens Special Edition DVD is packed with bonus content, but one of its best extras is hidden away as a secret Easter egg.
If you own the two-disc Special Edition, there’s a fantastic 15-minute featurette waiting to be discovered on Disc 2.
How to Find the Hidden Featurette
- From the main menu, select Post Production.
- Highlight Final Countdown.
- Press Left on your remote control.
- A hidden symbol will appear above the menu.
- Press Enter to access the Easter egg.
This unlocks a featurette called “A Boy and His Power Loader.”
What Is “A Boy and His Power Loader”?
The featurette tells the incredible story of special effects artist Van Ling and his homemade Power Loader costume.
After being dared to build one for a Halloween party, Ling created a fully wearable, 7.5-foot-tall replica of the iconic exosuit seen in Aliens. Even more impressive, he built it entirely from reference photos and without any official blueprints.
The costume included moving parts powered by cables and springs, making it look remarkably authentic.
A Halloween Costume That Changed a Career
The Power Loader costume proved to be much more than a fun project.
When filmmaker James Cameron and producer Gale Anne Hurd saw the creation, they were so impressed that it helped open the door to a career in the film industry for Van Ling. Hurd reportedly described it as one of the most impressive resumes she had ever seen.
The suit was so large that it had to be transported to 20th Century Fox Studios in pieces and reassembled on site.