Hurd is talking exclusively to STARLOG as part of the extensive coverage (beginning next issue) of ALIENS, the long -awaited and much discussed sequel to 1979's SF shocker, ALIEN, due out this summer from 20th Century Fox. Reunited with Hurd as director James Cameron with whom she collaborated on The Terminator, 1984's runaway box office hit starring Arnold Schwarzenegger (STARLOG, #88, 89). Cameron -who co wrote Rambo, First Blood, Part II with Sylvester Stallone - has also penned the screenplay for ALIENS.

Currently in production at Pinewood Studios in England, ALIENS is being filmed in the atmosphere of secrecy, which characterizes a big-budget, major studio SF movie. The sets are closed. The plot is secret. Only the official still photographer may take pictures.

But despite this secrecy, its clear that ALIENS will be distinctively different from the fist movie. As evidenced by The Terminator, director Cameron's visual style differs markedly from Ridley Scott's. Also Hurd and Cameron have gathered a new production team for ALIENS. Creature FX executed on the first film by H.R. Giger are supervised by Stan (Terminator) Winston. Production designer Peter Lamont and special FX supervisor John Richardson both worked on the last 007 outing, A View to a Kill. Optical and visual FX and being handled by the LA FX Group who worked on Commando. And the editor is Ray (2001: A Space Odyssey) Lovejoy. Director of photography Adrian Biddle is the exception who did work on ALIEN, but in the smaller role of focus puller. ALIENS marks Biddle's debut as a director of photography on a feature.

Gordon Carroll, David Giler and Walter Hill, also return on ALIENS as executive producers. As Co-controllers with Fox of sequel rights to ALIEN, it was their decision to proceed with Cameron's concept for ALIENS.

Among the cast, Sigourney Weaver reprises her role as Ripley, sole survivor of the Nostromo. Michael Biehn and Lance Henriksen (STARLOG #78)-who both appeared in The Terminator --co-star along with Paul Reiser, Bill Paxton, William Hope, Al Matthews and Ricco Ross.

The new cast will be thrown into a terrifying confrontation with extraterrestrial evil because the one element of the first movie without which this "continuation": could not be made is the Alien itself. Face-hugger, chest-burster, full-size Alien-they're all back, and as the title suggests, this time, they have reinforcements.