Science Fiction & Fantasy Reviews

Featuring: Paul Verhoeven, Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Ray Wise, Kurtwood Smith, Ronnie Cox, Miguel Ferrer. 

Directed by: Eastwood Allen and Christopher Griffiths  

Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment

December 2023
 

Icon Films releases Robodoc – The Creation of Robocop, a 4-Part intensively in-depth documentary covering all aspects of the making of the Science Fiction hit Robocop from 1987, directed by Paul Verhoeven. This 2-disc Blu-ray Special Edition first aired on the Icon Film Channel. It is directed by Eastwood Allen and Christopher Griffiths (who both worked on Pennywise: The Story of IT) and produced by Michael Perez (Scream: The Inside Story; Hollywood Dreams and Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story), Gary Smart (Pennywise; Hollywood Dreams and Nightmares; Dark Ditties Presents), and Hank Starrs (Elstree 1976). It features brand new interviews with the BAFTA-nominated Verhoeven, and stars including Peter Weller (Murphy/Robocop), Nancy Allen (Officer Anne Lewis), Ray Wise (Leon C. Nash), Kurtwood Smith (Villain Clarence J. Boddicker), Ronny Cox (Dick Jones), and Miguel Ferrer (Bob Morton). There is plenty of on-scene, behind-the-camera footage, clips from the film itself, and the following Bonus featurettes: Meet the Makers; The Weapons of Robocop; Robo Cast Quotes; Art of the Steel; Call to Action; Gun Guns Guns; Part Gan Part Machine All Video Game; and Roboteam Assemble. The set includes an A4 Poster and 4 x Art Cards, and the running time for the four episodes and the bonus material comes to around 5 hours. That’s what you call attention to detail!
 

There is much to appreciate here for lovers of the Robocop films and science fiction in general. It has to be one of the most intensive and meticulous explorations of a single film and is becoming more commonplace with recent detailed looks at other genre matter, such as Living With Chucky/Brad Dourif, Pennywise/Tim Curry, and Freddy Krueger/Robert Englund. In this one each aspect is studied in turn, with the main emphasis on the essence of the tale: what it means to be human. The bottom line being they can’t take away your core essence: what it is to be you. Consequently, there is much discussion of the prolonged and sadistically violent torture and kill (or attempted kill) of Murphy.
 

The section I find most engaging is Rob Botin’s design of the Robocop armour – with several clay models having been created – and nice touches such as the leg incorporating Robo’s specially made gun. Botin, of course, was an amazing artiste of real physical effects (no cheap-looking CGI here), who worked on groundbreaking movies such as John Carpenter’s The Thing, Total Recall, The Howling, Piranha, and many others. It’s interesting to realise how many times Robocop came close to having the plug pulled, due to delays and a constantly rising budget. There was definitely a certain attention to realism portrayed as a dystopian future of violence and disorder. Kurtwood Smith had to be shoved against the precinct counter by Robocop, but he threw himself forward with such force that he cracked two ribs, refusing to reveal the fact until the scene was in the can. There are in-jokes, such as having all the names of the police officers based on serial killers, thereby depicting a grey area of human nature, and Verhoeven’s liking for lots of blood, in almost comic book depictions of violence, also comes across as an accepted one.
 

It seems strange watching a documentary which is more than two and a half times the length of the movie itself. Those individuals who only watch the films themselves, ignoring any commentaries or behind-the-scenes features will, of course, find this of no interest. However, film and TV extras wouldn’t be supplied if they were not demanded by the fans themselves. Whether these stand-alone documentary releases will stand the test of time and popularity remains to be seen, but this is certainly a fascinating insight into a classic sci-fi movie.

Verdict: 9 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2024)  

Featuring: Kenji Sawada, Ken Ogata and Sonny Chiba 

Directed by: Kinji Fukasaku 

Eureka! Masters of Cinema

June 2023
 

Eureka Entertainment – as part of The Masters of Cinema Series – releases the UK Blu-ray debut of the 1981 film Samurai Reincarnation from a 2K restoration. This story of magic swordsmen, demon assassins, ninjas and forbidden love was helmed by Kinji Fukasaku, the acclaimed director of Battle Royale. The release incorporates uncompressed original mono audio, alternative English dubbed audio, and optional English subtitles. There is a brand-new audio commentary by Japanese cinema film critic Tom Mes, a brand-new interview with filmmaker Kenta Fukasaku, an original Japanese trailer and, in the Limited Edition first print run of 2000 copies, a collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film and a slipcase with artwork by Takato Yamamato.
 

After a failed Christian rebellion resulting in a massacre, Amakusa Shiro is crucified, but he prays to Beelzebub in order to seek retribution. He returns with the power to resurrect the dead, and soon builds a team of undead warriors – one of which is the legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi. While a beautiful demon beguiles the young Shogun, the peasants are roused into an uprising, and the palace of power is put to flame, a lone samurai named Yagyu Jubei takes a stand against the demons. However, he does not suspect he will have to face his swordmaster father to the death.
 

The opening scene showing the aftermath of the battle carnage is almost certainly a stage set, but nevertheless impressive. The first few scenes following this are split into mini chapters and, consequently, come across as stilted and somewhat haphazard. The bottom line is they portray a similar narrative of offering a powerful person new life upon their death if they accept serving the devil. Thus, there are aspects of sword and sorcery, horror and a large serving of manipulation and slaughter. The final third of the film contains the most spectacle, with Jubei imploring an old man to forge a final powerful samurai sword, before watching the oldster almost comically die instantly afterwards. The sword duel on a shoreline looks spectacular, as does Jubei’s battle with his father amidst the fiercely burning palace of the shogun – although in reality their skin would have been melting from their bones!
 

There is plenty to enjoy here, although the movie does take a fair while to find its feet.

Verdict: 7 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2023)  

Featuring: David McCallum, Melinda O. Fee & Craig Stevens

Directed by: Various

Fabulous Films/Fremantle Media

March 2023
 

Fabulous Films/Fremantle Media release the 1975 TV series The Invisible Man as a 3-disc Blu-ray set containing all 13 episodes. The show starred the hugely popular David McCallum, best known for Colditz, The Great Escape, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (for which he received two Emmy Award nominations and more fan mail than Elvis!), Sapphire & Steel, and NCIS (in which he plays Dr Donald ‘Ducky’ Mallard). The Invisible Man – inspired by the original classic HG Wells novel – was created by Harvey Bennett, and featured writers for The Incredible Hulk, The Six Million Dollar Man, and Hill Street Blues. It was a ratings hit in the UK and was dubbed into French, Persian, Italian and Finnish, but pulled due to poor ratings in the US – even though a sub-standard but cheaper version called Gemini Man was commissioned. All 13 episodes are presented here (including the Pilot).

Dr Daniel Westin is a leading scientist at a US think-tank called the Klae Corporation. He has perfected temporary invisibility with animals, but when funding to continue is threatened he is obliged to attempt the process on himself. It proves to be a success; however, the government wants the process for military application. To prevent this happening, Westin destroys the laboratory equipment, inadvertently becoming permanently invisible in the process. Managing to escape, he confides in a friend who creates him a realistic mask, eyes and hands. Ultimately, he agrees to apply his unique ability to helping a friend at the institute in circumstances of major fraud or espionage, and other major crime. He is aided in his endeavours by his wife, also a doctor.

Episode Listing: The Invisible Man (Pilot); The Klae Resource; The Fine Art of Diplomacy; Man of Influence; Eyes Only; Barnard Wants Out; Go Directly to Jail; Stop When Red Lights Flash; Pin Money; The Klae Dynasty; Sight Unseen; Power Play; An Attempt to Save Face.

Rather than simply being a gimmick, these episodes incorporate compelling stories; the early ones are particularly strong, even though they are a little more mainstream/family-friendly than the pilot. It’s a shame the series came to an end so early. The special effects were ground-breaking at the time and, accordingly, pushed-up the budget. 

There is something compelling about any acting performance by David McCallum; an indefinable quality which simply draws you in. The series is often overlooked as average, an undeserved dismissal of a quality show. Like many episodic serials, one view per week was the intention; contemporary binge watching takes something away from the format. This Blu-ray release is most welcome.

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2023)  

Featuring: Lam Ching-ying, Yuen Biao, Wu Ma, Richard Ng, Yuen Wah

Directed by: Ricky Lau

Eureka Entertainment

May 2023
 

Eureka Entertainment releases Hopping Mad: The Mr Vampire Sequels – for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK. When Mr Vampire first showed at Hong Kong cinemas in 1985, viewers were wowed to the extent they demanded a horror/comedy/Kung-Fu hopping vampire sequel. Director Ricky Lau and producer Sammo Hung duly obliged by filming a string of follow-ups in the Jiangshi fighting style. Fully restored in 2K and presented as part of the Eureka Classics range, this set incorporates four films over two discs: Mr Vampire II (aka Vampire Family) from 1986; Mr Vampire III (1987); Mr Vampire IV (aka Uncle Vampire) from 1988; and Vampire vs Vampire (1989). The first three here were directed by Ricky Lau and the last by actor/director Lam Ching-ying. A plethora of Hong Kong stars – including Lam Ching-ying, Yuen Bia, Wu Ma, Richard Ng, and Yuen Wah – showcase their talents...

Extras on this set include a limited-edition slipcase featuring new artwork by Darren Wheeling; a collector’s booklet with new writings by James Oliver; new audio commentaries on Mr Vampire II and Vampire vs Vampire by Asian film expert Frank Djeng; new audio commentaries on Mr Vampire III and Mr Vampire IV by action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema; a new video piece on the history to date of the Jiangshi genre; original sleeve poster art; and trailers.

In Mr Vampire II, an archaeologist and his two foolhardy students uncover three ancient coffins which turn out to be vampires. The plan to sell-on the bodies goes disastrously awry when the students unwittingly bring them back to life. While the authorities – once convinced of the seriousness of the situation, and with the invaluable help of Lam Ching-ying’s character – track-down the adult vampires, the little monster has been taken-in and harboured by the young children of a local family. It takes more than a few minutes to encompass the sheer madness of this film. Much of the pace is hectic and the humour very much zany and slapstick. However, you have to accept and love the mad choreography which is spot-on in its timing.

In Mr Vampire III, Ming and his two ghosts combat vengeful spirits but inadvertently attract the attention of a powerful witch woman. When the woman and her bandits attack the locals with her magic, Taoist priest Uncle Nine’s experience of holy weapons against the evil is called upon. But even he ends up needing the help of Ming’s two ghosts. Lam Ching-ying’s priest Nine is the best and only sensible character in the film. He seems to hold the prevailing chaos together. The stunts and fight sequences are very well-handled and go by so quickly it’s impossible to grow bored or look too closely at the set-ups. The comedy is best represented in the fight sequences, so that it appears panic ensues. But everything is meticulously planned.

In Mr Vampire IV, a Taoist priest and a Buddhist monk are at constant loggerheads, always playing tricks on each other much to the chagrin of their two students who get on well. Nearby, soldiers are transporting a coffin in which lies a hopping vampire. Bad weather effects the charms on the coffin, and the vampire escapes to attack and infect several soldiers. The priest and the monk must work together to fight the outbreak of vampires. Half of this movie consists of the two masters playing dangerous pranks on each other, so that the viewer is thankful when a vampire shows up to give substance to the plot. With Lam Ching-ying absent from this outing, the film lacks that strong factor which normally ties it all together. There are some interesting ideas, however, including a very camp gay vampire.

In Vampire vs Vampire, a village’s water is tainted by bats. One-Eyebrow-Priest (the excellent Lam Ching-ying) traces the bats to an old, abandoned church, wherein a vampire is disturbed. Meanwhile, a lovestruck army captain finds a body with an emerald-mounted blade through its chest and removes it for the lady – thereby animating a Western-style vampire. There is so much going on in this instalment there is no time to relax and take stock. There are bats attacking nuns, a deadly tree spirit, a possessing ghost, the two powerful vampires, a hopping child vampire and much more. The stunts and fight sequences are stunning and have to be seen to be believed. Of course, the humour is ever-present but most emerges here through the ridiculousness of the situations.

I didn’t think I would enjoy this set, but I quickly grew into this crazy, chaotic world of the supernatural. Clearly, much went into the planning and choreography. Lam Ching-ying is an essential ingredient.

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2023)  

Featuring: Willie Chi and Carman Lee

Directed by: Ringo Lam

Eureka Entertainment

May 2023
 

Eureka Entertainment releases the 1993 Cantonese gothic horror-infused martial arts film, Burning Paradise, directed by Ringo Lam. Presented as part of the Eureka Classics range, the movie debuts in the UK on Blu-ray with a 2K restoration. The first print-run of 2000 copies feature a Limited-Edition O-card Slipcase and a Collector’s Booklet with new writing by James Oliver. Burning Paradise is Lam’s only venture into the Wuxia (or Martial Arts Heroes) genre but is considered to be one of his most noteworthy movies – arguably his best. It appears here for the first time since its release on VHS...
 

Fok Sai-yuk is travelling with his Buddhist master when they are forced to hide from the formidable army of the Manchu government, led by the sadistic Kung. Here they meet a young woman fleeing from a house of ill repute. When the master is seriously injured, before being heartlessly killed, Fok Sai-yuk fights fearlessly, but surrenders when the woman’s life is threatened. They are taken to a temple which serves more as a prison to countless Shaolin monks. Tortured and forced to fight against a brother monk, he is thrown into a pit of corpses and left for dead. But here he meets another master from his old temple, and they plan not only their own escape but the release of their fellow monks and – against almost insurmountable odds – the downfall of this corrupted temple.
 

This film has a lot going for it. The characters are well-rounded, the Kung Fu and swordplay is stunning, and there are wry humorous comments amid the horror. The sadistic horror sets the scenes (corpses heaped high in a pit or hanging outside the temple, and skeletal body parts sticking out of the ground as if the dead are rising from their graves), coming increasingly to the fore with decapitations and blades slicing cleanly through bodies during fight scenes – along with countless hidden death traps throughout the temple. The chief villain seems to be something more than human. A demon, perhaps. He adorns the walls with bloodthirsty, macabre paintings, and is seen to be killed, before pulling a lance from his body. This enjoyable film is very well shot, and set at a relentless pace, with no padding. Give it a go, you won’t be disappointed.
 

Extras include a brand-new commentary by Asian film expert Frank Djeng; a new interview with actor Wong Kam Kong; an archival interview with Tsui Hark; Cantonese and English audio options; and newly translated English subtitles.

Verdict: 7 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2023)  

Featuring: Sammo Hung, Wong Ha

Directed by: Sammo Kam-Bo Hung

Eureka Entertainment

June 2021

Courageous Cheung is a man well-known in his local village for his lack of fear. His friends and associates often make bets, setting him challenges. So, when he is tricked into spending the night in a haunted temple reported to be full of spirits, zombies and vampires, he is compelled to do so. But Cheung has been set-up to be killed. His job has been to transport around the respected Master, but the powerful old man has been secretly seeing Cheung’s wife. He wants Cheung out of the way and so has one of his men contact a powerful mystic who can summon the spirits. The mystic has a kinder and more honest brother, however, who is not influenced by the lure of money, and he seeks to protect the hapless hero. But is it enough...?

Eureka Entertainment, as part of their Eureka Classics range, releases for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK a 2K restoration. The first print run of 2000 copies features an O-card slipcase featuring new artwork by Darren Wheeling, a collector’s booklet featuring new content by James Oliver, and a reversible poster featuring the film’s original artwork. There is an interview with the star, a new audio commentary by Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival), and downloadable content including a stills gallery. Also, there are four ways to enjoy the movie: Cantonese audio, with original mono presentation and English subtitles; Rare alternative Cantonese soundtrack; Optional English dubbed audio; and Optional English subtitles newly translated for this release.

The film is directed by and stars the multi-award winning Sammo Hung, of Project A, Lucky Stars, and Zu: Warriors From the Magic Mountain. It’s a frantic, action-packed extravaganza which mixes the genres of horror, comedy, Kung-Fu and action. The blending of martial arts, special effects and Chinese folklore inadvertently created a new sub-genre of Asian cinema that became known as Jiangshi – and this would spawn successes such as Mr Vampire. The majority of the comedy is breathless and zany (comparable to parts of Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein), but there are also moments of genuine humour. It’s created mainly as a result of the sheer pace of the action. The Kung-Fu is closer to stunt coordination choreography than actual martial arts. It’s all about a certain amount of gymnastics and chases; avoiding being struck, in other words. It is highly-skilled and must have taken hours and hours of rehearsals to perfect. The fighting becomes more perfected during a late scene when Cheung is possessed by a fighting spirit to defend himself against the mystic’s denizen.

Rather than a serious study or biopic of a reluctant hero, Encounter of the Spooky Kind is mindless fun… but very enjoyable mindless fun. 

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2021)  

Featuring: Kim-Myung, Kim In-Kwon

Directed by: Jong-Ho Huh

Acorn Media International

October 2021

Acorn Media International in conjunction with Shudder, releases the UK Blu-ray debut of Monstrum. In the setting of 16th Century South Korea, the spread of plague terrorises the villagers on Mount Inwangsan. They are in constant fear of this, and rampant rumours of a giant ferocious beast called Monstrum attacking soldiers and peasants. There are constant reports of bodies discovered torn limb from limb. Simultaneously, there is a power struggle going on between the king and his political opposition. Both sides blame each other for striking terror into the people and for staging the scenes to make it look like a beast is responsible. To stamp-out the rumours, King Jungjong sends for his most trusted retired general, Yoon-gyeom to hunt Monstrum. He is joined by a royal court officer Heo, his daughter Myeong, and right-hand man Seong-han. But is Monstrum real...?
 

Well, of course he is, otherwise this wouldn’t be a horror film. In actually, it spans several genres, and this is what grounds the plot and situations in reality – or as close to it as you can get with a never-before-seen monster running around. It’s an Historical saga, with Political struggles, swordplay Martial Arts, and a Horror Fantasy beast. The horror element is maintained by the outright brutality of Monstrum. It’s been said that this movie is like Bong Joon Ho’s Host set in the 1500s. That’s quite an astute assessment, because not only does the plot involve a mutated creature causing havoc in a community but, more importantly, a family pitting themselves against the oppression and learning that the authorities are as much of a problem as the source.

For anyone who has read and enjoyed old fantasy books and heroic fantasy, they will recognise the old, seasoned wizard, the untested apprentice or pawn, and the unknown family connection. Even George Lucas utilised this ageing technique in Star Wars: A New Hope, and it still works as well now as it always has done. Myung-Min Kim (Six Flying Dragons) is excellently calm and resourceful as General Yoon-gyeom. The others have connectivity too, so that they make quite a quartet. Director and co-writer Huh Jong-ho has mapped-out this backdrop like a seasoned professional. He keeps the audience waiting for the Monstrum reveal, so that even we begin to doubt its presence. And when it does show its face, it is crafted so that it doesn’t resemble any known animal. Even its movements are unpredictable. Furthermore, he even gives the creature a backstory, without slowing the pace of the plot. The effects are exemplary.
 

No detail seems to be forgotten here. Our heroes are not simply sent into the mountains by themselves; for the entirety of the film, they are entrenched in the thick of political manoeuvring, back-stabbing plots, the protection of the king, avoiding the plague, and the capture or removal of Monstrum. With everything that is going on, not once does the director lose sight of the essential characterisations of the main players. So, there is room for emotion, the bonding of family, and the occasional humorous act or comment. Everything is choreographed beautifully, particularly the fighting with blades, and the eerie nighttime hunting scenes. Many writers or directors have no idea how to end a story; it’s much more common than you may think. Here we have a spectacular action-packed finale, an epilogue with a twist, and a parting of the ways – as all teams must one day split.
 

In the Set-Up options you can listen to the film in its original South Korean dialogue with English subtitles, or select the English language dub (which is very good, and nothing like the cringeworthy martial arts dubs of the 1970s). I elected to go for the English dub and the English subtitles so I wouldn’t miss a word of the dialogue. I’ve enjoyed this film very much. The only thing I would change is a few seconds of dialogue near the end: something to the effect of “Uncle!” “Father!” “Daughter! “Uncle!” “Father!” But have no doubt, this is a professionally constructed movie which has something for everybody.

Verdict: 9 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2021)  

Featuring: Danielle Chuchran, Richard McWilliams and Paul D. Hunt. 

Directed by: John Lyde 

Signature Entertainment

July 2013
 

An elven huntress has been left orphaned by an attack on her people by Orcs. What she doesn’t know is that it was in retaliation for an unprovoked raid on Orc peoples searching for food. Now she has become a dangerous bounty hunter, but when she kills an Orc shaman, his parting curse is to leave her with the mark of the Shadow. The Shadow is an evil cult uprising dedicated to the return of the gods, and in particular the ritualistic summoning of the demon god of death. Now it’s a matter of controlling her will as the darkness seeks to overcome her. An uneasy alliance forms between a holy soldier, an Orc seeking to regain control of his hoard, and the elf, as they attempt to capture the vessel required for the ceremony. If they fail it could mean the end of everything...

My expectations for this one were quite low. A sword and sorcery fantasy following in the wake of The Hobbit. However, right from the off I found myself compelled to watch with interest. The female elf very much looked the part, her pointed ears, blonde hair and startlingly blue eyes somehow enhancing both her beauty and danger. One of the hurdles at which to stumble might have been the sword fights and battle scenes, but I have to say that they are very professionally choreographed and the most convincing I have seen in some time. Likewise, the make-up is phenomenal for the Orcs and other creatures. The effects are low-key and kept to a minimum, and the movie is all the better for it –  although there are a few impressive surprises. Even the sky in the scenic establishing scenes, which glows yellow at one time of the day and pink at another, is done with just enough intensity to remind you this is an alien landscape and accepted boundaries don’t apply.

Okay, so it’s not The Lord of the Rings, but why does it have to be? I recently visited a plush cinema in central London to see Pacific Rim, because I am a huge fan of Del Toro’s work. It is the biggest load of tosh I have seen in quite some time. Yes, a fortune has obviously been spent on special effects, but the dialogue is cliched and the characters are Joe Soap nobodies. In short, it has no heart. Rise of a Shadow Warrior is different. The characters are diverse and well-defined. They have depth and quirks and mannerisms of their own. These are people you care about. The female elf is selfish, vengeful, but essentially good, which she proves when fighting the darkness within. The human cleric soldier is no-nonsense, and follows the wishes of his goddess without question, until he learns to feel for his purpose and the people around him. The Orc travelling with them has a dark sense of humour and, arguably, has the most likeable traits. Even the nasty cyberpunk dwarf with his invented projectile weapons is a fascinating and well-rounded extra.

The plot is pretty straightforward, but sometimes that simplifies matters enough to allow the players to come to the fore and shine. I found this film a breath of fresh air. The battle scenes are superb, the quest thrilling, the central trio of goodies utterly convincing. I found myself saddened it was all over. But where are the extras? I would have lapped them up.

Verdict: 9 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2016)  

Featuring: Bernice Stegers, Philip Sayer, Simon Nash, Maryam d'Abo and Danny Brainin. 

Directed by: Harry Bromley Davenport 

Second Sight

July 2018

Sam Phillips is playing with his son outside the family cottage when night sets in abruptly and a blinding bright light appears, accompanied by high winds. Suddenly, Sam is gone. His wife Rachel assumes he walked out and left them. Three years later she has a live-in lover. Tony, the young boy is not interested in bonding with his ‘new father’ and sticks to his story that dad was taken by a bright light and that he will return. A strange and dangerous creature from another world arrives in the area and impregnates a woman living on her own with her dog. In a process which inevitably kills her, she gives birth to a full-size and fully-formed Sam. He returns to his old house where it is as if nothing has changed with his son. The boyfriend wants the newcomer gone, but Rachel grows to love him again as his memories return. What she doesn’t know is that Sam is now different, and has also passed-on surreal mental abilities to his son...

Xtro is a home-grown horror set in and around London. It just survived on the edge of the countless banned ‘Video Nasties’ of the 1980s, and deservedly so because it isn’t simply gore for gore’s sake. It’s a long time since I’ve seen this film; it gained a certain notoriety, like Inseminoid. In actuality it’s much better than I remember. Part of the reason has to do with the quality of the picture, which is quite staggeringly crisp and sharp. This is one of those examples similar to the Hammer Blu-ray releases that make you believe you are watching a new film with a period setting. This set has been assembled with real care, displaying a definite love for the project. This film certainly carries its own unique identity. The genres cross between science fiction, horror, 1970s to 1980s panache (wherein everyone’s a photographer, model or artistic painter), and Twin Peaks-style surrealism.

You may have to pay more than you would for a standard Blu-ray, but this box set incorporates a  veritable plethora of special features. Take a deep breath: Choice of Theatrical or Video Cover Artwork; a New Restoration with Optional Original and Alternative Endings; the UK Original Video version, and New 2018 Director’s Version; Xploring Xtro – a New 57 Minute Documentary with cast and crew; The World of Xtro – a New Featurette; Beyond Xtro – Looking Ahead to the New Reboot Xtro – The Big One with director Harry Bromley-Davenport; Xtro Xposed; Loving the Alien: Tribute to Philip Sayer featuring Exclusive Brian May Music Tribute; Original Soundtrack CD; and Soft Cover Book with informative text and stills… And breathe.

The best of these extras for me is The World of Xtro. Director Harry (the name of the ‘female’ snake in the film) Bromley-Davenport is generally self-deprecating. He calls this their ‘little movie’ and calls it ‘an awful mess’ or words to that effect. We hear from Xtro’s number one fan. While the director tells us they didn’t have the time or money to film linking scenes, here we are told the weirdness of the film benefits from their absence. The fan proves convincingly that scenes were carefully planned. The boy, Tony, has a toy black panther in a cage; the moment he causes the clown to make an appearance the panther is seen to be free of the cage – a  foreshadowing of what is to come. There are many examples like this if you pay close attention. What makes the craziness work is the entire story is grounded in the emotion of the family; all affected in different ways by events. The acting in this respect is very good by all concerned.

This film deserves more attention than it will probably get. One of the better shock-horror films of the 1980s. Give it a try. The amount of extras earns it an extra point.

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2018)  

Featuring: Katherine Sigismund, Corey Eid and Riley Polanski.

Directed by: Matty Beckerman

Signature Entertainment

August 2014
 

A couple, along with their elder daughter and son, and younger autistic son, embark on a camping holiday at Brown Mountain in North Carolina. After camping at their first stop point, the kids see spherical lights in the night sky. The boy captures them on a camcorder which he always has with him. The next day, they drive to the next site, but the satellite navigation takes them down an endless winding road. They are almost out of fuel when they reach a tunnel, blocked with long-abandoned cars. The father and boys go looking for help, but are accosted by not-quite-seen creatures. The father is taken, and the boys are forced to run away to warn the others. Suddenly, they are on the run in the woods from beings which can only be aliens. A lone man living in the hills could mean their salvation or their end...

This is another one of those supposed fictional/true-life events; camcorder footage found by the government, and all that… Yawn! But I have to say, like some kind of guilty pleasure, that I actually enjoyed this film. It’s no classic, but it’s certainly the best running-round-with-a-camera one I’ve seen.

Firstly, there is a strong, valid reason for everything being filmed – it’s not a coincidence that sudden occurrences are caught: the younger boy is autistic; he films practically everything. It’s something he needs to do, a sort of self-help therapy. Secondly, unlike most of these cheaply-made a lot-about-nothings, there is not only a final frame reveal, but the  viewer is rewarded with a number of visual set-pieces. Depending on what you are used to seeing, they are potentially shocking moments, filmed very maturely and with a great deal of thought as to how to get the most out of what they have.

The aliens are well-realised, and wisely shown in quick cuts or in shadow/silhouette, etc. Less is definitely more here. There is very good use of lighting, too, to accentuate the fear factor. Sound is utilised too much and too cheaply in horror films these days, with slamming doors and echoing sounds in corridors, etc. – however, here it is used in conjunction with the lighting to phenomenal effect. The scene where our characters are hiding in the barn is actually a suitably anxious moment.

So, there’s plenty to enjoy here. It gives new life to this tired sub-genre. Oh, and watch past the end credits, as there is a short  additional scene worth seeing. 

Verdict: 7 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2014)  

Featuring: Stefan Ebel and Siri Nase.

Directed by: Daniel Raboldt

Reel 2 Reel Films

August 2021
 

In a dystopian future an on-going war is raging between mankind and the machines. Thomasz is a war deserter who has seen many of his compatriots wiped-out with little effort. Instead, he finds a remote abandoned house and sets up a forcefield around it, amidst nightmares of the past. When the barrier is compromised he fears it is by the machines; however, it is a young woman who wants to access the plans and electronics in the house. Initially untrusting of him, she renders Thomasz unconscious and bound, but Lilja is the survivor of a resistance group and drags him into her fight. To speak is to invite destruction, though it can also prove to be a useful diversion. Thomasz discovers a way in which he can make a difference in this war. But is it enough...?

This Reel 2 Reel Films DVD movie is the directorial debut of Daniel Raboldt. It employs elements of A Quiet Place, in that no one can speak without fear of death, as the machines appear to be attuned to the reception of speech and blast the area where it has been detected without hesitation. Of course, this aids a fledgling film, because there's next to no speech – and so no dialogue scripting and coaching, only movement direction. It is not really explained how the world came to this moment. There is a shot lasting mere moments which shows the recording of a news presentation featuring a newly created machine, so in this respect it borrows from Terminator and a little from Robocop and Transformers, too.

For some reason the film seems overly long; certainly the premise is a simple one and it takes its time showing us any meat on the bone, so to speak. There is a lot of wandering around with a gun, ducking under overhangs and behind trees, and walking great distances. The budget is plainly spent on the special effects of flying or walking machines of destruction – and very nice it looks –  but the acting and machines seem clumsily separate, like a child playing soldiers in the playground and imagining an enemy monster. The setting is good. It was filmed beyond the arctic circle in Finland, and this aids the climax. However, the machine war is described as a worldwide disaster, so the conclusion of the film must only solve a local problem. Nevertheless, it’s of light interest and far from being the worst director debut I’ve seen. No Extras.

Verdict: 5 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2021)  

Featuring: Albert Dekker, Thomas Coley, Janice Logan, Charles Halton and Victor Kilian.

Directed by: Ernest B. Schoedsack

Fabulous Films/Fremantle Media

August 2017

The scientist colloquially known as Doctor Cyclops is on the brink of a big discovery. However, one thing is getting in the way, and his eyesight is deteriorating rapidly. He invites three renowned experts in their field to aid in his work. They make the long journey by donkeys to his remote location. As soon as one of them identifies his mistake Cyclops loses interest in the three, summarily dismissing them. Indignant at their treatment they refuse to leave. Cyclops appears to mellow, offering to show them his experiments which are powered by mined uranium ore. But he traps them in a radiation chamber and reduces them to a fraction of their normal size. He attempts to use them as controlled experiments, but they escape vowing to expose him. When you’re tiny though where is there to run to? 

The back story to this movie is at least as interesting as the feature itself. Many people will not have heard the name Ernest Schoedsack, but when I remind them that he also directed the all-time classic King Kong (1933), it will instantly be elevated to somewhere near the status he deserves.

Doctor Cyclops is a 1950s B-Movie style production, except it is extremely well made and years ahead of its time in concept and execution. Bearing in mind this was 1940, not only is it in Technicolor (unlike many of the aforementioned 1950s films) but it was Oscar nominated for the excellent effects which Schoedsack made certain looked as realistic as possible. And talking of colour, it’s not only bright but vibrant to the point of creating more movement to the piece.

Cyclops was played by Albert Dekker. Much as in retrospect he seems to  be the ideal candidate for the part, he was blacklisted in Hollywood for some years as a result of criticising anti-communist speaker Senator McCarthy. Dekker was found dead in 1968 in a compromising and somewhat ritualistic setting.

It’s easy to dismiss Doctor Cyclops as just another giant and small people mash-up; however, we need to remember that this came years before The Incredible Shrinking Man, Land of the Giants, The Borrowers, and all those others we have come to accept. It’s an enjoyable little piece with only two scripted moments bringing wry smiles of ridicule. To be hustled into the radiation room (with even the man looking after the donkeys invited in) they are proved to be naïve beyond belief. Even the most ‘green’ would recognise the danger of being locked in. The other situation is the raising and lowering of the drill in the grounds. The disappearance of Cyclops to periodically make a minor adjustment is merely a writing plot device for our pint-size heroes to instigate their escape and fight back.

All in all, this movie – based on a short story by Henry Kuttner – is a well-crafted pleasure. I welcome its first release on DVD. 

Verdict: 7 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2017)  

Featuring: Morgan Freeman, Thomas Jane and Jason Lee.

Directed by: Lawrence Kasdan

Warner Home Video

March 2003

Four boys, Henry, Beaver, Jonesy and Pete, save a mentally challenged boy from being taunted and beaten by older boys. Douglas Cavell, soon known as Duddits because of his hands raised exclamation of "I duddits" instead of "done it", now sees the boys as close friends. Duddits is discovered to be more than he seems when he imparts certain abilities on them, including telepathy and uncanny seeing skills, which help them find a missing girl. Years later, and now adults, the four are enjoying their annual reunion when a sick man staggers from out of the woods. Inside him gestates a worm-like parasitic creature, which leads to an early confrontation with a large alien to become known as Mr Gray. All the natural creatures inhabiting the mountainous areas flee and are quickly superseded by the army, led by Colonel Abraham Curtis. Curtis quarantines the region and incarcerates all those who carry the rust-like infection of the aliens. An attack on a crashed spacecraft triggers its self-destruction, but the menace is far from over. Curtis plans on sterilising the entire area, but the four friends have other ideas. When Jonesy is possessed by Mr Gray his subconscious retreats to the Memory Warehouse, the only part of his mind that the invader can't penetrate. Henry realises that Duddits' extraordinary abilities means he knew this would happen from the time they were boys, and that he was always the focus of their group. But Duddits is older now and is sick with leukaemia...

In previous reviews I have revealed that I am not a fan of Stephen King on the printed page. A wealth of original ideas are often tainted by the need to describe the floral wallpaper and regency furniture, information most readers simply don't want to know. Film adaptations are another matter, however. Although there have been some derisory attempts to convert King's fertile imagination to celluloid form, a handful of films based on his books have succeeded spectacularly: The Dead Zone, Misery, The Shawshank Redemption, and The Green Mile, to name but a handful. Whilst Dreamcatcher is not as emotionally compelling as these, it is gripping all the same. You get the impression that all the stops have been pulled out to produce the best film possible from the book. Acting, special effects and scenery combine in a not often seen synergy.

Question: How do you show alien parasitic creatures gestating inside human or animal hosts without seeming to emulate the science fiction classic Alien? Answer: you make the connection obvious by having the military nickname them "The Ripleys". Much as this description may make you think otherwise, appearance and motives are not even close to the Alien movies, and even Mr Gray turns out to be a shape-changing creature which uses the standard alien look, albeit on a much larger scale, for its own nefarious motives. The scene with the worm parasite in the toilet is both hilarious and chilling, and was said to have been used as a location in the book by King because he felt it was the only room left in a house which people don't want to see beyond in a movie.

The Dreamcatcher of the title is mainly a metaphor for the prophetic bonding of the four friends. As a child Duddits creates an image in the air of a Red Indian dreamcatcher (which is said to have had the ability to prevent bad dreams from taking form, or allowing evil spirits through) in the air. The four friends later create the real thing; four circles with another in the centre representing Duddits. It hangs in the cabin where they meet yearly. Donnie Wahlberg, as one of seven headlining names in the film, will no doubt receive plaudits for his portrayal of the adult Duddits, when clearly Andrew Robb as the young version is so much better. He is a little aloof, somewhat strange and yet very friendly, and all of this comes across extremely well.

The mass exodus of animals from the forest looks Jumanji-like, when this kind of CGI was in its infancy, but as we witness the movements from a distance the shortfalls are not so evident. There is so much to appreciate here. The spiral architecture of the Memory Warehouse, packed-out from floor to high ceiling with dusty boxes, and labelled with subject information, is impressive, as is the way we see Jonesy inside the room protected from Mr Gray, even though he is possessed by the creature.

The picture and sound quality on this widescreen version is superb. Extras include five alternate or extended scenes, an interview with writer Stephen King (in which he comes across friendly and enthusiastic), a behind the scenes feature, a visual effects feature, a film trailer and DVD ROM stuff. Coupled with the film running time of 134 minutes, all on one disc, this makes for an impressive and cost effective package.

Verdict: 9 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2003)  

Featuring: Adria Arjona, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Ana Ularu, Mido Hamada, Gerran Howell, Jordan Lough. 

Directed by: Tarsem Singh 

Fabulous Films/Fremantle Media

November 2020
 

Dorothy is a young woman who is finally reunited with her mother, only to find her dead. A huge twister is tearing-up Kansas City, and she finds herself caught up in it and transported to a strange land ruled by magic. She reluctantly teams-up with a warrior she names Lucas, who has lost his memory, and a German Shepherd police dog who was brought from Kansas in the storm. In order to return home, and for Lucas to regain his memory they travel to the City of Oz for council with the all-wise Wizard. However, when they are tortured on the way by a powerful witch, Dorothy manages to trick the witch into shooting herself, and from that moment on, she is a target. Not only does the Wizard want her, but so too do the sister witches. But there is unrest in Emerald City. A past disaster is prophesied to return, and a neighbouring kingdom has declared war on Oz. The wizard has outcast magic in favour of science, but he may need the help of magic to save his city from The Beast Forever. Furthermore, Dorothy could prove critical in his salvation. But can he be trusted... 

Emerald City first aired in 2017, but it’s conception was three years earlier. The pilot script was written by Matthew Arnold, and promptly commissioned for a ten-episode season. Although Josh Friedman (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) was brought on as the showrunner, he quickly fell-out with the studio, causing the series to be cancelled. David Schulner was employed to replace Friedman, with Tarsem Singh directing all ten episodes. The series was cancelled after the first season. But was that decision justified? It is intriguing, and you don’t feel as if you’ve wasted your life watching it. However, it fails to reel you in and grip to the point that you can’t wait to see the next instalment. It’s partly down to the concept. It’s the correct decision to abandon the admittedly brilliant but very fluffy 1939 film version in favour of something closer to L. Frank Baum’s harder-edged children’s Oz books. If anything, this isn’t gritty enough. There are a few shocks. But you don’t sympathise enough with the lead characters.

Adria Arjona is kind of okay as Dorothy, but doesn’t have enough charisma to carry the show as the lead protagonist. Again, Vincent D’Onofrio is fine as The Wizard, although he’s not compelling enough to be the ambiguous hero/villain of the piece. The strong roles are Oliver Jackson-Cohen as Lucas the swordsman, who portrays confident or lost with equal aplomb; Gerran Howell as Jack the part-human part-clockwork boy, who you believe and feel for in every relevant scene; and Rebeka Rea as the little girl witch Sylvie. A wonderful performance considering her age. There are radically different versions of The Scarecrow, who is Lucas (partly because of his loss of memory, and a greater connection near the end of the season), The Tinman who is Jack (he has metal parts and occasionally requires oiling), and The Lion, played by Mido Hamada, a less than cowardly  soul. Quite the opposite, in fact. The whole has a kind of Gulliver’s Travels-like feel to it, rather than The Game of Thrones look it promises. However, I did enjoy the Victorian Cyberpunk aspect to parts of the show – particularly the repairs made to Jack, and the  multiple masks of the queen he befriends.

It’s not fantastic but it is well worth checking out. Fans of The Wizard of Oz will be intrigued as to how the concept has been updated for the new age. We also get to see a brief backstory for The Wizard. It would be interesting to know what was planned for Season Two. We do know that it involves more prominently The Beast Forever. The epilogue scene for this season is slightly corny; perhaps it was tagged onto the end when the show was cancelled. Extras include: Deleted Scenes, and Oz Reimagined: The Making of Emerald City.

Verdict: 6 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2021)  

Featuring: Emily Booth, Christopher Adamson and Norman Lovett.

Directed by: Jake West

Media Enterprises

April 2015
 

The female presenter (played by Emily Booth of the Horror Channel) of a tacky UFO investigation TV show is sent by her boss to an island off North Wales to investigate the reports of a young woman being attacked and impregnated by an alien lifeform. Along with her camera man and sound man, she takes along two talentless actors (a tall, effeminate man, frightened of his own skin, and a Barbie-like model who is the girlfriend of her boss) to re-enact what supposedly happened at an ancient stone circle. Here they meet an uber-geek, the founder of a UFO society, who is also at the stones looking for proof of a visitation. No one really believes the pregnant girl’s story until a UFO lands on the stones and they learn just how violent the occupants can be. The girl’s three scary brothers seem able enough, but this turns out to be a larger scale problem than they could ever envisage...

Now, how would I describe Evil Aliens? I suppose a dark comedy, science fiction, horror gore-fest would be most succinct. This is another example of a writer/director project, this time at the hands of Jake West. The film had a strange effect on me, although admittedly I wasn’t expecting too much in the first instance, because most fag packet writer/directors are doomed to failure and are forced to commit to one or the other. Not everyone can be John Carpenter or Guillermo del Toro. My first impression was that it was a little silly, rather than funny, and the dialogue somewhat ‘talky’ and annoying – even if it was realistic in the circumstances. However, once the real action got going I found myself increasingly warming to the characters and situations. Certain aspects of the film reminded me of Inbred, another dark comedy which grew on me, and another example of classic Britishness in style.

I was impressed by the way the characters became very natural, individual and distinct as the tension was cranked-up. Some of them are forced to adapt and change to survive, and the leaders who emerge are not always the ones you would expect. Having sympathy for the characters is not something you expect to do in this type of film. It is, after all, extremely gory, and could be seen to be in bad taste if not for the fact the plot and situations have their tongues very firmly in cheek throughout. However, the two best characters in evidence are the strangest and most violent of the island’s three brothers, and the Barbie-like model/actress who walks into the farmhouse in pink and high heels but later turns into a gun-toting action heroine. The two become a sort of unlikely partnership.

The make-up and prosthetics work is very good, and the visual effects on the whole well worth the year it took to realise them for the screen. There are a couple of areas where it doesn’t quite work: one being the flying debris from an explosion, the other being fire (which, to be fair, special effects have never been able to make look entirely real, no matter how much money is thrown at them). The action sequences are what make this movie work so well. There are a number of darkly comical sequences when I was caught between pulling a face and laughing out loud. Straight music is used to good effect in some of these. When the three brothers first arm themselves and go out into the night to confront some of the aliens, it is to the background sound of a Spaghetti Western. The best sequence though – and guaranteed to make anyone laugh with appreciation – is when the TV presenter’s camera man drives a combine harvester across a corn field scattering and shredding scores of aliens before him, to the tune of The Wurzels’ ‘I’ve Got a Brand New Combine Harvester!’

Just a word about Norman Lovett (comedian and TV’s original Holly in Red Dwarf); he is woefully underused here, having only one scene but one in which his talent and charisma shines through. There are some nice extras on the disc, which include: Interviews with cast and crew; Extended, Deleted, Extended and Unused Scenes; Bloopers & Outtakes; and A Guided Tour of Life Creations (the make-up, model and prosthetics company). This is a home-grown gem which, once through the clichéd first fifteen minutes, any fan of horror is sure to enjoy.

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2015)  

Featuring: Sasha Roiz, Jenny Mollen and Dominic Bogart.

Directed by: Nir Paniry

Signature Entertainment

September 2013
 

 An engineering scientist called Thomas Jacobs invents a device which records and places you into your own memories. The purpose is to help people with psychological problems, and to separate real from false memories. He is approached by a backer representing the Justice Department, which wishes to invest. In return for making him and his family very wealthy, he is persuaded to adapt his device to place someone mentally into the memories of another person. The test subject is a dangerous criminal convicted of brutally killing his girlfriend. Thomas agrees to demonstrate the machine himself, and spends time watching the man’s memories from within. However, when the time comes to leave, Tom finds he is trapped inside the man’s head. For four years, he is obliged to repeatedly witness past events from the point of view of the convict. But then a slight malfunction in the system allows the convict to notice his presence. The desperate man is convinced he is innocent of the charge of murder, and so forces Tom to uncover the truth or stay imprisoned within his head forever...

This is another one of those films which surprises you with its originality and inventiveness. This is no big budget blockbuster, and works all the better for it. It is well crafted and tightly edited so that it hits the ground running and is constantly evolving and picking up pace. The plot is intriguing, but the background gives it just as much substance. I like the fact that, within the scene of a given memory there are points of detail which have been forgotten. These are filled-in by the programme, and Tom has to carefully trigger the clarity of these details. Whilst initially taking for granted what he is told about the situation, Tom becomes guardedly sympathetic to the convict’s plight as more information is uncovered and doubt overcomes him.

In retrospect, the storyline of Extraction allows for many of the memory scenes to be repeated with only minor alterations, without ever seeming like the movie is scrimping and saving on its costs. This consequence may have also reduced the filming schedule. Nevertheless, it’s well worth a look for those who enjoy technological science fiction or murder mystery thrillers, as it straddles both genres.

Verdict: 7 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2013)  

Featuring: Willie Chi and Carman Lee

Directed by: Jamie Childs

BBV Video

December 2020
 

Lyra Silvertongue is a girl who leaves her home in the Oxford of her world in search of her father, Azrael, who is studying the  properties of something called Dust. As Season 2 begins, she discovers an abandoned city which exists separate to everything else. Here she meets Will Parry, a boy from our world, and learns that their destinies are inextricably linked. There are more immediate matters to attend to, however. Will is the new bearer of the Subtle Knife, which can cut through realities. Lyra agrees to help Will find his father but, unbeknown to her, Lyra is the subject of a prophecy to bring harmony and unite all worlds. But this places her in great danger, least not from her devious and scheming mother, who has connections with the Magisterium, an evil religious order. Then they discover that Dust is the same as Dark Matter in our world, and it has a conscience. In fact, a great many consciences. But who or what is the Authority...?

Every so often a quality drama comes along which is not only extremely well-made in every respect, but which unites the adult and child demographic. This is very much a family viewing experience, with neither age group being spoken down to. This story is based on Philip Pullman’s fantasy/intrigue trilogy spanning alternate worlds. It seems that each series follows the plot of each book in turn. So, the first series was Northern Lights, this second series is The Subtle Knife, and series 3 will be The Amber Spyglass. There is also The Book of Dust (a  prequel) to consider. Pullman’s story is very well realised here. The characters with demons (a sort of witch’s familiar animal; they are the same essence) have their companions speak and move realistically – unlike those hugely annoying talking animals in TV advertisements. Everyone has their own agenda, which is as it would be, and this adds a suspense and almost thriller aspect to the whole. It is also represented in a manner which keeps you coming back for more. This is not as easy as it sounds in a modern, inpatient society wherein everyone is so fickle.

The series stars Dafne Keen (Logan), Ruth Wilson (Luthor), Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton), Andrew Scott (Sherlock), Ariyon Bakare (Good  Omens), Simone Kirby (Jimmy’s Hall), and James McAvoy. I have to say that the acting is uniformly very good, and the animal demons have just as much character – which must be very difficult to achieve. I found my favourite character to be the aeronaut Lee Scoresby, played by Lin-Manuel Miranda, who is a single-minded adventurer, and through his clothing and actions adds a Steampunk and Western aspect. All of the demons are remarkably well-matched to their human counterparts. Scoresby has a large female hare.

This BBC Studios Season Two Boxset is very nicely put together, being in a solid slipcase the insert of which opens out horizontally to reveal a lovely picture representing the major characters, and three separately mounted discs incorporating three episodes each on discs one and two and episode seven and the extras on disc three. The set also includes four double-sided art cards. There is a very enjoyable and informative behind-the-scenes documentary covering the first series. Of particular interest in this are the excellent animal puppets and their operators who created realistic movements and a point of contact for the actors to work to, before the CGI was added. The Subtle Knife is listed right underneath on the special features, so I expected  another in-depth documentary. However, this lasted only a matter of minutes. There is an interview with Lyra’s Dafne Keen, and a feature on The Powerful Mrs Coulter.

If you somehow missed the series, or want to revisit these colourful characters, there’s no better way than to add this to your collection and wait with baited breath for series three.

Verdict: 9 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2020)  

Featuring: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage and James Nesbitt.

Directed by: Peter Jackson

Warner Bros. Home

November 2020

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment releases the  outstanding New Line Cinema and Metro Goldwyn-Mayer movies The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies – in a Trilogy Boxset. They are mastered in stunning 4K Ultra HD resolution with High Dynamic Range, which showcases a wider colour spectrum (brighter, deeper and more lifelike) for a much improved viewing experience. The remastering was overseen by original director Peter Jackson...

Peter  Jackson, of course, famously adapted J. R. R. Tolkien’s timeless The Lord of the Rings trilogy of books into the films The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. So ground-breaking and successful were they that the studios wanted Jackson to move directly on to The Hobbit – a prequel of sorts. However, he had worked tirelessly for five years on three films back-to-back and was desperate to do something else. It was reported that the studio executives threatened to give The Hobbit film to someone else, but he was determined to have a break. It was well that they waited for him, because Jackson essentially made three long but very fine movies based on only a single book – and a relatively short book, come to that. One of the writers for the film was Guillermo del Toro, a director I have a great deal of respect for (Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy, etc.). In the films, Bilbo Baggins is politely goaded by the wizard Gandalf into accompanying a band of warrior dwarves in an epic journey to take back their home in Erebor from the fearsome dragon, Smaug. They are obliged to tackle Orcs, Goblins, Mountain Giants, and a host of other hazards. The cast includes Ian McKellan, Martin Freeman,  James Nesbitt, Sylvester McCoy, Kate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Andy Serkis, Benedict Cumberbatch, and many, many more.

I mention the word ‘stunning’ in the first paragraph, and I don’t use  it lightly. Many 4K releases fail to impress, as they are simply up-scaled or poorly mastered offerings. Some truly stand out. V For Vendetta, The Dark Knight Trilogy, and the John Carpenter films Escape From New York and The Fog are good examples of how they should be. Even Carpenter’s The Thing was released as a Blu-ray but with 4K remastering of the original negatives, and it’s so good that I spent much of the viewing time appreciating scenery I had not seen in detail before. I would certainly place The Hobbit Trilogy in this top class group of releases. There appears to be more depth to the experience, and the colours are vibrant without being cartoonish. Everything seems more real and gritty; which is certainly what is required in a fantasy – albeit a Dark Fantasy from a classic book. I possess the original DVD releases of these films, and noticed no difference at the time because you come to accept the new technology as standard. But the difference between the DVD and 4K viewing pleasure is tantamount to the distance between The Shire and Erebor.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy is also available in the same format: both have the Theatrical Version and the Extended version of each film (6 discs in each set). These contain only the films, no extras. Both trilogies are also out in Steelbook format. It should be pointed out that in the Summer of 2021 a 4K UHD “Middle Earth”  Ultimate Collectors’ Edition featuring the Theatrical and Extended Versions of all six films, with new Bonus Content and Blu-ray versions of the films also included, is released. You might feel this is a bit of a con, but some people only want to see the films, and are not interested in the special features. Therefore, if you are a Peter  Jackson or Middle Earth keen enthusiast I would suggest waiting and saving your pennies for the Summer Ultimate set. My opinion is that these should have emerged at the same time. But as for this trilogy set, it’s practically faultless.  

Verdict: 10 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2020)  

Featuring: Scott Adkins, John Hannah, Lashana Lynch, Elliot James Langridge, Tommy Flanagan.

Directed by: Martin Owen

101 Films

January 2021

Teenager Sarah is a dedicated gamer; obsessed, her dad might call her. She suddenly finds herself inexplicably transported into a platform adventure, becoming a male crewmember on a spaceship commanded by the talented but self-important Captain Max Cloud. She discovers she cannot direct the character’s actions, so it proves timely when a gaming associate arrives at her empty house looking for her. After his initial shock has abated, he learns that he can communicate with Sarah through the console’s headset. Obliged to play the game of life or death to its conclusion, Sarah and her companions find that their ship has crashed and there is a gaping hole in its side. Furthermore they are continuously attacked by humanoid fighters sent by the evil manipulator, Revengor who, it seems has a history with Cloud...

The Intergalactic Adventures of Max Cloud – to give it its full name – is a science fiction comedy. However, unlike the excellent Galaxy Quest, this film has a problem with its balance. It’s a nice idea to have a modern movie made about a retro 1980s/1990s computer game, and it’s equally bold to set it in that time period. Surely such a notion is doomed to failure? I believe the format may have worked a little better if the flick was set in contemporary times but still revolved around a retro game. There would have remained a clash of culture, even though the game is futuristic. Another problem is that most of the characters are dull, and made more forgettable by the misappropriated humour which misses its mark so many times that it leaves behind a residue of bad puns and pantomime set pieces.

Isabelle Allen is pretty good as Sarah, but wasted by spending half of the film as a disembodied voice. Scott Adkins plays Max Cloud as reckless and annoying. I realise that is how it’s written by director and co-writer Martin Owen, but he proves to be far too irritating and tiresome for the title character. Even the happenstance friend Cowboy (Franz Drameh) is a little slapstick in places. The injection of the lone gunman Brock Donnelly (Tommy Flanagan) only works to a certain extent to inadvertently bring Cloud down from his high horse. By far the best character is the main villain Revengor. John Hannah (perhaps best known for Four Weddings and a Funeral, and McCallum) plays the role like a dramatic thespian, and in doing so adds some much-needed quirkiness. It’s fitting that his sidekick, the warrior witch-like Shee (Lashana Lynch) is nastier than he is.

I wouldn’t like to suggest no one will like the movie. Perhaps I just require more substance, and don’t suffer fools gladly – whether they be fictional or real. It is certainly true that you will need to leave your IQ at the door. Just accept it for what it is, and it will pass an evening with a bowl of popcorn. 101 Films has released this on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital formats. There are no extra features, almost unheard of in this day and   age.

Verdict: 5 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2021)  

Featuring: Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt and Christopher Plummer. 

Directed by: Terry Gilliam 

Fabulous Films/Fremantle Media

December 2020
 

It’s the year 2035. Only one percent of the Earth’s population has survived following a catastrophic disaster. They live underground while the animals and insects claim the old cities. ‘Volunteers’ are picked to suit-up and risk the uninhabitable surface. One such person is ex-violent criminal Cole (Bruce Willis). After a successful excursion, he is put before scientists and chosen to be sent to the past. He thinks it is 1996 – the time that the Twelve Monkeys phenomenon first appeared – but he is really in 1990. His sometimes violent attempts to warn people of what is about to happen land him in a insane asylum. Only Dr Kathryn Railly (Madeline Stowe) listens to his ravings. She has the distinct feeling she has seen him before. Armed with only two clues, together they must solve the puzzle of the Twelve Monkeys before humanity is made completely extinct...

Receiving this Limited Edition DVD version of Twelve Monkeys for review throws me back to when I had the original video release of the film. That is an irony in itself considering the nature of the plot. My first impression back then was that the story was left open and the film consequently not properly finished. However, a satisfactory conclusion isn’t always the most important part of a movie’s structure. So, a number of years and thousands of viewed films later I find myself with a different opinion. I’m not keen on films which are tied-up in neat little packages and are obliged to explain themselves. The way I look at this now is Cause and Effect. Time will not be compromised; any attempt to change it will throw you into a time loop.

Twelve Monkeys was inspired by Chris Marker’s 1962 short film La Jetee. This film wears the cloak of a science fiction, but breaking it down to its bare bones it’s something like The Butterfly Effect mixed with Groundhog Day or Happy Death Day. Then, thrown into the stew is Environmentalists, Political Activists and Insanity. It’s certainly a good romp, but it’s not the revelation it is claimed to be by some – although I’ll admit it’s arguably more relevant than it ever has been since the initial cinematic release.

Bruce Willis and Madeline Stowe are good together as the two key characters. Both reportedly took a pay cut in order to work with Terry Gilliam, who saw this as a premise similar to his previous film, Brazil.  Willis was given acting cliches to avoid by Gilliam, including the steely-eyed stare. The revelation here is the performance by newcomer Brad Pitt. Terry Gilliam was uncertain whether Pitt could play the required crazy/eccentric part, and so sent him to a voice coach. Subsequently, he discovered he need only have taken away the man’s cigarettes! Between the end of filming and the release of the film Brad Pitt’s star was in the ascendancy, having appeared in Interview With a Vampire, Legends of the Fall, and Seven.

Extra features include: a Feature Length Documentary The Hamster Factor and Other Tales of Twelve Monkeys; and the Strictly Limited Edition contains a Twelve Monkeys Pandemic Mask.

Verdict: 7 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2020)  

Featuring: Masaaki Sakai, Masako Natsume, Shiro Kishibe, Toshiyuki Nishida, Tonpei Hidari.

Directed by: Toshi Aoki, Jun Fukuda, Kazuo Ikehiro, Yusuke Watanabe, Daisuke Yamazaki.

Fabulous Films/Fremantle Media

October 2020
 

“In the worlds before Monkey, primal chaos reigned. Heaven sought order. But the phoenix can fly only when its feathers are grown. The four worlds formed again and yet again, as endless eons wheeled and passed. Time and the pure essences of heaven, the moisture of the earth, the powers of the sun and the moon worked upon a certain rock, old as creation. And it became magically fertile. That first egg was  named ‘thought’. Tathagata Buddha, the Father Buddha said, ‘With our thoughts we make the world.’ Elemental forces caused the egg to hatch. From it then came a stone monkey. The nature of Monkey was irrepressible…”

Confused? I’m not surprised. The pilot episode crams so much back story into the proceedings that it’s enough to turn anyone off before the series even begins. Try this synopsis instead: For his arrogance and troublesome nature, Monkey is given a lower position in heaven in order to teach him responsibility. However, when he eats the protected peaches of strength and immortality, and attempts to take over a position of power – even disrespecting the Buddha – he is expelled from heaven and trapped under a mountain for 500 years. The Buddha has written new scriptures and tasked a young priest, renamed Tripitaka, to journey to India to recover them. But the quest will be a dangerous one, so the priest is accompanied by the released Monkey who is controlled via a mentally-controlled headband which gives monkey pain when he becomes wayward. Also, along on the journey are two other expulsions from heaven, Pigsy (a humanoid pig monster creature of gluttony and lust) and Sandy (a humanoid sea monster and ex-cannibal).

By the end of the second episode the format is in place, the journey has begun, and Monkey has even fought and outwitted a thief demon. A water dragon makes the mistake of eating Tripitaka’s horse, and so is obliged to take the shape of a white horse and carry the priest for the entirety of the journey. It even talks to the others when it feels like doing so. All this sounds completely crazy, doesn’t it? But it’s great fun and in turns both ridiculous and extremely amusing. For anyone old enough to remember, the 1970s incorporated Kung-Fu mania in the form of Bruce Lee, the hugely popular series Kung-Fu (starring David Carradine), and even Kung Fu disco and pop songs! Monkey emerged in 1979, around the same time as the excellent The Water Margin. If the latter was the more serious and adult of the two, the former was aimed at a family audience and particularly kids - which is curious considering the backgrounds of Pigsy and Sandy. The whole thing is so quirky, the trio of guides/protectors bounce off of each other and are almost constantly in conflict with each other, even though they fight as a unit.

Fabulous Films have released a Blu-ray set of the complete series for the first time anywhere worldwide. There is also a complete DVD set (which is what I am reviewing). Monkey, a Japanese drama based on a Chinese tale from the 16th Century about a Buddhist priest from the 7th Century, was reworked for a British audience by scriptwriter David Weir, who had previously adapted The Water Margin. Monkey was screened on BBC2 in 1979 to much acclaim. They showed 39 of 52 episodes. David Collins who voiced the title character sadly passed away earlier this year. He has appeared in Doctor Who, Sapphire and Steel, and Gerry Anderson’s UFO.  Peter Woodthorpe who voiced Pigsy has also passed on. They have certainly left behind a legacy here. You may be interested to know that Miriam Margoyles voiced many of the female characters on the show, and Andrew Sachs voiced Tripitaka’s horse who is really a Water Dragon. The ‘lost’ 13 episodes were dubbed by Fabulous Films in 2004 using the original cast, and were narrated by Bert Kwouk (Cato in The Pink Panther films).

Although Restored, these episodes do not appear to have been remastered from the original negatives. In other words, they really should look brighter and crisper. But don’t let this spoil your enjoyment of a fondly remembered series. I didn’t notice any existing damage to the picture or sound, and it’s eminently viewable. It really is great to have some of these old shows returned to us from an age when we believed that if you missed it you’d missed it forever. Extras include a Documentary about the dubbing of the lost 13 episodes, and PDF Scans of original dubbing scripts.

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2020)  

Featuring: Diane O'Bannon, Roger Corman, Bijan Aalam, Tim Boxell, Axelle Carolyn.

Directed by: Alexandre O. Philippe

Dogwoof

September 2019
 

Only days after if was released in selective cinemas, Dogwoof releases Memory: The Origins of Alien, on DVD and on Demand. Said to be the most comprehensive documentary on this ground-breaking film from 1979, it incorporates interviews, storyboards, artwork, and a history from original concept to realisation...

Although it could be argued this genre began in the 1950s with the plethora of fun science fiction monster b-movies, the modern era of SF horror undoubtedly began with Alien in 1979. Without the style, impact and, ultimately, the success of this enterprise there may not have been many other subsequent big budget Hollywood ventures. In fact, so enduring was the rude awakening that humanity isn’t the dominant species in the universe that it has remained with us for four decades. Many movies have tried to emulate Alien (among them Species and Splice), but even some of the sequels have fallen short in that respect.

As you would expect, the documentary explores many (although not all) of the film, concentrating mainly on style and the timeless chest-bursting scene. There are snippets of interviews with the late Dan O’Bannon, the scriptwriter, and new interviews with his widow. O’Bannon, of course, worked alongside the great John Carpenter on Dark Star (which he also acted in). When they fell-out, O’Bannon worked on his own concept called Memory (from where this documentary gets its title). At some stage in the process the name changed to Star Beast (a rather tacky title), before settling on Alien. The strength of the original 29-page script is evident in the fact the first section of the film remained unchanged.

For me, by far the most interesting and informative part of this documentary lies with the origins of the alien designs and environments. Of course, we all have H.R. Giger to thank for the artwork which had never revealed the like in popular culture. His phenomenal designs were described as menacing, uncomfortable, sexual and beautiful. It has been said that much of his artwork was influenced partly by the ancient Egyptian culture, but more fully by the tales and themes of classic horror writer H.P. Lovecraft. I adore Lovecraft; I have a leather bound complete collection of his work, which I have read at least three times, and some favourite stories more frequently. Lovecraft’s setting and slow-burn creeping menace (or, as Lovecraft himself would put it: The Crawling Chaos) is all over Alien – as well as Event Horizon, another favourite of mine. Giger even published a collection of his work under the title The Necronomicon – a forbidden and rare book invented by Lovecraft, incorporating all of the information about the Elder Gods (or Old Ones) – creatures that would be likely to send even the reader to the edge of madness.

Yes, Giger was influenced (is any idea completely original?) but this stuff - enhanced even further by Francis Bacon’s The Furies – had never been seen before. So, for the first time the public was offered a culture not even slightly humanoid. Life is the only film to even get close to emulating the impact of Alien. So powerful was Giger’s influence that when the film company banished him from the project, director Ridley Scott brought him back in.

Much as this is an interesting and compelling documentary, I do rather feel short-changed on extras (of which there are none); considering there is a Blu-ray set of the six (non Predator) Alien films, with extended cut versions of some, and other extras, for only £15.99. Although this is a 95 minute piece, when you consider John Carpenter’s The Thing had the full feature, plus an 80 minute documentary and a whole host of brilliant extras, I think this would sit more comfortably as a special feature – perhaps on a future 4K collection of the films.

Verdict: 7 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2019)  

Featuring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, Ryan Reynolds, Hiroyuki Sanada, Ariyon Bakare.

Directed by: Daniel Espinosa

Sony Pictures Home

September 2017
 

An international space station comprising a crew of two British, two Americans, a Dutch woman and a Japanese man collect a mineral sample from a satellite which has been to Mars. They find a single cell life-form which contains all the ingredients for growth and evolution. When it begins to react to stimulation the news is a relayed to an excited Earth. However, precautions are taken by placing the lab in quarantine and, when the life-form appears to die, an electric shock causes it to react with violence. Despite protocols it manages to escape the lab, where it grows and shows adaptability and natural predatory survival skills. Suddenly, it is not only the remaining crew-members who are in danger but the very existence of life on Earth...

This is very much Alien for the new generation, and boy does it work! When Ridley Scott’s first Alien film emerged to an unsuspecting public, aided immensely by H. R.  Giger’s design, nothing like it had been seen before. In a science fiction environment it offered an example of what could happen when man ventures out on to other planets. Life explores an even more potentially realistic scenario. What really brings it home is that this could happen right now. We have a space station, we have exploratory satellites taking photos and samples. Furthermore, an  edge-of-the-seat atmosphere is created very early by having a nondescript alien organism (dubbed Calvin). The greatest fear in life is fear of the unknown, and at no time do we learn what it is capable of, what it can survive, or how it might adapt and evolve in any situation. There are some serious scares, so rare in films these days.

A variation on the Wish Fulfillment saying is: Be careful what you  look for, you might just find it. In a sense, this gives credence to those dissenters of certain social networking who opine about opening a can of worms. This is pushing that scenario to the limit. After all, renowned science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke once said that if we ever came across extraterrestrial life it would be so different that we wouldn’t even recognise it for what it was.

Directed by an enthusiastic Daniel Espinosa, Life is very much a joint  effort, with actors such as Rebecca Ferguson, Ryan Reynolds, Hiroyuki Sanada and Ariyon Bakare working well and naturally together. It’s a nice touch to have the  Japanese astronaut’s wife having their baby on a video link so, in effect, he can be there. This creates an important link between the astronauts and the Earth, and an even more important one for the viewer to realise the situation is critical not just to the space station but the entire planet. The weightlessness is handled extremely well, so that rather than the slow weighted shoes of other films they zip around with some speed in this one, heightening the pace and sense of constant peril. This tightly-shot base under siege-type film is well worth a look.

Extras include: Astronaut Diaries (characters shooting video sequences for the public back home); Creating Life (The Art and Reality of Calvin); Life in Zero G (about filming the movement of the characters); and Claustrophobic Terror: Creating a Thriller in Space (documentary). 

Verdict: 9 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2017)  

Featuring: Christian Slater, Brendan Fehr, Amy Matysio, Michael Therriault.

Directed by: Roger Christian

Signature Entertainment

May 2013

Three men and a woman comprise the only crew on the ARK moon base. When the structure is hit by an unscheduled meteor shower, it causes a considerable amount of damage, as well as affecting the life support. However, they soon discover that is not the worst of their problems. The female crew member has ventured on to the moon surface to check the damage, and unwittingly brought a bacterial contagion into the complex. Spores on a rock fragment reproduce, and the woman undergoes a full pregnancy in a matter of hours. The creature spawned mutates and replicates a crew member. The woman and the copied crew member have seen it, but Colonel Brauchman and the doctor believe they are suffering hallucinations brought on by carbon monoxide poisoning, caused in the damage. The truth will have to be realised soon, because the creature is using the shafts to watch and study them and their weaknesses, and it’s intent on killing them all...

There aren’t nearly enough science fiction horror films any more, as all or most seem to be compared with Alien. Of course, Stranded does borrow heavily from that SF classic. There’s the claustrophobia, the use of ventilation shafts, the gestating alien and, most notably, the escape pod fiasco. There is also use of the Invasion of the Body Snatchers scenario, along with the body horror of John Carpenter’s The Thing. Even Predator gets a little wave, as does Event Horizon (a vastly underrated film). In fact, it’s very difficult for the genre to be  original; it has taken on established acceptances and fears to deviate too much from that path.

I like Christian Slater as an actor - and we don’t get to see him as much as we should – but to be honest, he’s not given a great deal to work with here. So, we get an enjoyable enough film. Action I can do without, but character strength and plot tension are essential qualities which are just a little lacking here. I don’t want to come down on Stranded  too much, as it’s very obviously a low budget outing; it’s just that to make itself known it needs to incorporate something radically  different. I appreciate convincing hard science fiction, but only if it has something new to say.

Roger Christian directed Battlefield Earth. I don’t think that’s something to brag about. The novel is one of my favourite books of all time, and an international bestseller. The movie, however...  Well, let me simply say it takes awful to a new level. So Stranded is definitely a step in the right direction.  

Verdict: 5 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2013)  

Featuring: Jon Gries, Kyle Davis, Michael Black, Erin Cahill, Steve Barg and Taylor Bateman.

Directed by: Devin McGinn, Steve Berg.

Signature Entertainment

February 2014

A group of scientists and paranormal researchers arrive at the Skinwalker Ranch in Utah, to investigate a series of reported phenomena surrounding UFO sightings and cattle mutilations. This was the site where a young boy called Cody Miller went missing in 2010. His father saw him disappear in a bright flash of light, but other people in the region are divided over whether he was responsible. The father is as determined as ever to recover his boy, but the new arrivals at his ranch seem significantly more interested in the shocking and, frankly, frightening events which begin almost the moment they arrive. What appears to be the boy runs through the kitchen and vanishes again, large bright lights and smaller orbs are seen, dead bats crash into the roof, and a very large and ferocious animal attacks them. Then the group discovers that the organisation which funded this research was also at the ranch in the late sixties. A video tape is discovered, which reveals that a missing girl was found, but that she was something else when she returned. All bar one of the group are desperate to leave, but will whatever is there allow them to leave...?

I wanted to get this review out of the way first from the current batch, as I was fully expecting another Paranormal Activity-type movie where someone runs around with a camera for ninety minutes, doing nothing very interesting, and then the film ends suddenly, making you rue that hour and a half you’ll never get back. Although this one does end suddenly, there’s a very valid reason for it. As well as POV hand-held camerawork, there is also a certain amount of traditional  filming. I must say that this is the sort of movie where you expect very little and so are pleasantly surprised when you get so much more. I’m not a fan of films which tie-up everything in a neat little package, as if you might not understand what has been rammed down your throat from the start, but in this case it would have been nice to get even a little hint of what this was all about, in terms of the reason why the events were taking place and what significance the ranch has in the visitations.

So, you can see I’m rather torn on this one. The plot, although  apparently partly based on a true story, doesn’t really go anywhere. The characters are a little stereotypical, to the extent of being bland, all except for the boy’s father, who acts exactly the way you would expect him to, given the situation. The saving grace here is that shocking events come relatively thick and fast, and crank up the viewer interest (if not the tension) with increasingly bizarre happenings.

For all its faults, I found myself enjoying Skinwalkers, proved by the fact that the 86 minutes running time seemed to fly by. I  just can’t find myself forgiving the non-conclusive and sudden ending. The Blair Witch Project has a lot  to answer for. 

Verdict: 6 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2014)  

Featuring: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Joel Edgerton, Ulrich Thomsen, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. 

Directed by: Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. 

Universal Pictures (UK)

March 2012
 

An American paleontologist is sent thousands of miles away to a remote Norwegian research base in the frozen wastes of the Antarctic. A major scientific discovery has been made in the ice. There is what appears to be a spacecraft, and nearby an alien creature embedded in the ice. The ice block is transported to the camp for study, but the unknown occupant of the UFO makes its escape as the temperature rises. The men and women of the base will soon come to realise that the newcomer is a deadly predator that can skillfully duplicate its prey, so that their living conditions become a boiling pot of ill-trust and paranoia. However, for the paleontologist there is the added realisation that the Thing can not be allowed to escape to populated areas...

For anyone who isn’t aware of its illustrious background, this tale began as a short story called Who Goes There? written by SF scribe W. John Campbell Jr. In the 1950s, Western filmmaker Howard Hawkes adapted it as The Thing From Another World.  John Carpenter was greatly inspired by the techniques utilised by  Hawkes. In 1982 Carpenter returned more closely to the source material, accentuating the claustrophobia, paranoia and base-under-siege format. He has described this as his best film - both in its latter day success, and the enjoyment in the making. So, what do you do when confronted with the situation of updating/remaking a cult classic? Answer: you make a sequel, or in this particular case a prequel.

This version of The Thing acts-out what took place at the  Norwegian base prior to those events we all know and love from Carpenter’s film. Essentially, it means that this film ends at the point Carpenter’s begins - with the helicopter pursuing the fleeing dog across the ice. The danger here is that continuity has to be right, and that’s exactly what director Matthijs Van Heijningen has striven for in an attempt to make these earlier plot lines canon to the fans. On the extra features virtually everyone spoken to talks about paying homage to Carpenter’s fantastic film. After watching the film I would say homage means copying almost every aspect of  it.

Consequentially, I found myself appreciating the technical prowess of the new film, whilst pretty much hating it. For instance, the monster effects are a combination of animatronics, prosthetics and CGI, and it’s evident even to the untrained eye that what works least well here is the CGI. The open-body tentacles look fake, whereas the body sculptures work quite well. The obvious problem is that the majority of creature reveal moments are drearily close to the originals featured in John Carpenter’s far superior movie. There’s that homage again. Also, I like the way this film uses natural fire rather than CGI fire, which even in multi-million pound blockbusters still doesn’t work.

In all other respects this is simply a by-the-numbers rehash. It lacks characterisation; everyone is faceless canon fodder. The feeling of dark oppression and paranoia which completely permeates the celluloid of Carpenter’s film is completely absent here. There’s no mood, and you just don’t care about the proceedings. In short, there’s nothing new about this film, apart from the idea of looking in people’s mouths, as the creature can not replicate non-organic  material - i.e. teeth fillings. For real tension, check out the scene in Carpenter’s film where they take blood samples to discover who has been replicated.

There are apparently two versions of this release. One with just the new 2011 film and extras (commentary, deleted scenes, The Thing Evolves, Fire & Ice)  -  and a 2-film version which includes Carpenter’s 1982 film and a horde of extras. Take my advice, buy the 1982 film; it’s superior in every way.

Verdict: 5 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2012)  

Featuring: Adrien Brody, Sarah Polley and Delphine Chanéac.

Directed by: Vincenzo Natali.

Optimum Home Entertainment

November 2010
 

Two  young scientists are attempting to isolate genes from a newly created hybrid creature for the purposes of combating certain diseases. However, unbeknown to the company, they have created another creature with human DNA present. The animal human hybrid becomes both smart and unpredictable. Initially, scared, they come to love the creature. But their unusual child continues to transmogrify, eventually metamorphosing into something very different and very dangerous...

I very much expected this film to be a third rate copy of Species (and I didn’t even like that film very much). However, I was immediately intrigued by the concept and how it was played out. There is a morbid fascination which draws you in and ultimately makes for compelling viewing.

One of the largest moral dilemmas we are ever likely to confront as human beings is present and foremost in this movie. The human ingredient in this hybrid makes the creature at once both an abomination and a sentient being with human rights. It’s a Frankenstein tale of sorts, but pushed to the very limits. Instead of an animated monster made from dead human body parts, what we have here is an evolving inter-species organism, which takes on some human characteristics whilst remaining a long way from being human. Just when the key players are growing attached to it, there is a further development which makes it even less human - merely humanoid. The survival of the creature could almost certainly seriously affect the ecological balance of the planet, but can they remove themselves emotionally enough to do what is necessary?

There are some nice extras included on the disc: an informative interview with director Vincenzo Natali, who also directed the excellent Cube; a 32-minute featurette (A Director’s Playground); a 33-minute Behind the Scenes documentary (including extraordinary visual effects and make-up); and a Trailer. This is one of those films which very naturally portrays what might well happen in the near future, and leaves you thinking at the conclusion of events. It is well worth a look.

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2010)  

Featuring: Anna-Katherina Scwabroh and Martin Rapold.

Directed by: ‎Ivan Engler

Optimum Home Entertainment

July 2010
 

The year is 2267. The Earth is said to be largely uninhabitable, with the population crammed into orbiting space stations. Medical doctor Laura Portmann dreams of joining her sister on the paradise world of Rhea, which is continually teased to the populace. But the journey and transfer is hugely expensive, so she takes a job aboard the cargo ship Kassandra on an eight year trip to a space station orbiting Rhea. The crew undergo cryogenic hibernation with each of them being roused separately for an eight month shift. Laura has the final watch, and immediately begins to hear sounds coming from the hold. She also has the sense she is being observed. When she comes across the security chief, Samuel Decker, Laura initially assumes the mystery is solved. However, they are forced to wake the rest of the crew prematurely to search the immense cargo bays, and it is then that they uncover a conspiracy which shakes the human race to its very foundations...

This is a German film with English subtitles. I hadn't come across it before, although it was presented at the 2010 Sci-Fi London Film Festival. It has a slow and steady build-up with visuals to keep you interested, which is probably why it reminded me in format of those early scenes in Alien. I kept expecting some sort of monster to lumber out of hiding and pick off the crew in established fashion, one by one.

Cargo is very much a grounded science fiction with a human interest story - as all the best tales are. The problem is that it will only appeal to a select niche of viewers. There is next to no mainstream accessibility which, although personally is seen as no real hardship, will certainly hinder its path to commercial success. Furthermore, the excruciatingly slow pace caused even my interest to wane at times; and I have more patience than many for a believable and realistic low-key plot.

As mentioned, the visuals are very impressive without ever being over-bearing. The space station from which the cargo ship leaves is stunning, and seems like a somehow merged scene from Arthur C. Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey and Philip K. Dick's Blade Runner (or Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep - for purists). Cargo can't be faulted for its sets and down-played special effects, but what is really missing is the excitement, the tension, the suspense. You just don't care about anything that happens.

Verdict: 5 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2010)  

Featuring: Dennis Quaid, Ben Foster.

Directed by: Christian Alvart

Icon Home Entertainment

February 2010
 

A military lieutenant wakes from cryogenic sleep aboard a spacecraft which appears to have lost all power. Aided by his superior officer, he starts the long journey to the bridge (by-passing sealed doors and crawling through ventilation shafts) to discover what has happened. Unfortunately, the effects of the sleep means he can't remember anything about the ship or its mission. When he finds the bodies of operatives belonging to a follow-up task force to his own, it becomes alarmingly obvious that something is awry. He doesn't know the half of it; a large contingent of violent mutant bipeds has overrun the ship. The reactor is on a critical countdown, and the cargo consists of the last vestiges of the human race. Hope of survival appears impossibly thin, and the future of mankind hangs in the balance. However, help comes from the most unexpected quarters...

The pull here as far as actor appeal goes is Dennis Quaid - the only big name in attendance. However, the vast majority of the action and plot centres on the 'soldier boy' lieutenant, as he makes his way initially to the bridge, but getting diverted to engineering when he learns that the reactor is going critical. The idea here seems to be to explore the evolution of a seemingly abandoned craft. The mutants themselves look great; they are cleverly depicted in quick movements and editing cut-aways, so that we have to wait until at least halfway through the film before we see them in their entirety. It's at this point that they strongly resemble the carnivorous attackers from John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars - particularly the warrior-like leader.

The lighting is kept very low, which comes as both a blessing and a curse; keeping dangers half-hidden to the detriment of actually seeing what is going on. The special effects are saved for the shot of the spacecraft at the beginning, and the ejection of the life pods to the surface at the end. I can appreciate the attempt to do something different with the sci-fi/horror genre, but ultimately it only amounts to a run around. 

Verdict: 5 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2010)  

Featuring: Isaac C. Singleton Jr, Clark Bartram and Damien Poitier.

Directed by: Sandy Collora

Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment

September 2010

When their spacecraft crash lands on an inhospitable barren world, three surviving battle-hardened soldiers discover that the dangerous criminal they were transporting has escaped. Orders from the highest echelons dictate the quarry should be brought in alive at all costs. However, the troopers are not being told the whole truth; the so-called criminal is the last human, and he holds critical information. A game of cat and mouse ensues, but who will get the upper hand, and what is the crucial information which needs to be protected...?

I'm sad to say that my first statement has to be a reference to the film print carrying a 'Copy of Moviehouse Entertainment' warning across the screen. This is of course extremely annoying and detracts from what otherwise might be an entertaining experience. This treatment of the reviewer as a potential illegal pirate copier makes it difficult to be objective. Let's face it, we are giving their film publicity... And now with that justifiable rant over with, let's turn to the film itself.

The marketing blurb carries a quote from Totalfilm.com which compares Hunter Prey to classic Star Wars. Although it falls well short of reaching those simple but innovative heights, it does have its moments. It's one of those movies which somehow manages to be both tedious and compelling. The early scenes consist of three helmeted figures tracking a distant black-garbed escapee. Consequentially, there is an inordinate amount of sleep-inducing traipsing over sand hills and across rocks (the most fun you can have in a quarry when it's your day off from waiting for the kettle to boil). In fact, there is so much of this padding that the entire plot could comfortably be played out in a third of the running time.

There are pleasantly surprising moments of brilliance. The fact that the escaped criminal is a man would be a great reveal, if not for the film's tagline and cover pictures giving it away. However, the main strength of Hunter Prey is the dialogue, which is always grounded and realistic - particularly between one alien and the human. Without it I think the film would be unwatchable. Add to this the very impressive make-up and prosthetics, and the restraining hand with regard to effects, and what we are left with is a slightly above average film which could have been so much more.  

Verdict: 6 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2010)  

Featuring: Peter Fonda, Blythe Danner, Arthur Hill, Yul Brynner.

Directed by: Richard T. Heffron.

101 Films

2009

Two years after the disastrous events which took place at Westworld, when state-of-the-art humanoid robots broke their programming and began killing the guests, the Delos role-playing leisure resort is re-opening, claiming all-new ultra-safe technology and new zones - one of which is Futureworld. As expected, interest from suspicious holidaymakers is low, and so to boost popularity dignitaries and selected media people are invited along with the idea of them spreading the word of their experiences. Chuck Browning is the reporter who publicised the events at Westworld and therefore destroyed the reputation of Delos. Along with TV presenter Tracy Ballard, an old flame, he arrives at the resort where he is promised access-all-areas. Suspicious to the point of paranoia it doesn’t take him long to wander from the accepted routes. In the underground tunnels linking the zones Chuck meets a technician who takes him to a restricted area. Here they discover a terrifying secret which could make or break the new Delos...

After the simple but masterful creation that was Westworld, Futureworld tries to mix things up with kidnapping, killing and intrigue. During the first half of the film Peter Fonda’s character achieves nothing of any significance in what amounts to a tiresome run-around. Only when he meets the technician, and his faceless android friend, does the pace pick up a little. However, there’s far from enough to keep the general viewer interested. It only needs one essentially good idea, but the big secret here is a plot device which was being used in science fiction films in the forties and fifties.

It's nice to see the abandoned Westworld zone, which after all is cheaply and easily created using the backlot from any western feature. In my opinion it would have been a simple and logical notion to have the technician rebuilding the old gunslinger in his spare time and have it disrupt the Futureworld zone by killing the prominent guests. Instead of that, what do they use the remarkable and prestigious acting talents of the returning Yul Bryner for? Tracy's dream sequence wherein they dance and kiss. To say that he is woefully underused is the ultimate understatement; all I can say is I hope he got paid a lot of money.

Futureworld is pretty close to a pointless exercise. It never garnered much attention at the cinema and I can't see it gaining a retrospective DVD following (especially with no extras). The sensible option would be to package it with Westworld and allow it to hang on to its great predecessor's shirt tails. 

Verdict: 4 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2009)  

Featuring: Simon Callow, John Shrapnel, Lucy Cudden and Kal Weber. 

Directed by: Julian Doyle 

Universal Pictures (UK)

September 2008
 

In a Cambridge University laboratory a very unusual science experiment is underway. A virtual reality suit is linked to a super computer, but the project goes seriously awry when, unbeknown to his colleagues, occultist Victor Neumann uploads the works and black magic ceremonies of the notorious Aleister Crowley in binary form. After donning the suit, Classics lecturer Dr. Haddo turns from a self-conscious stutterer to a self-assured, even arrogant and conceited verbal and physical aggressor. Having shocked his students and outraged the faculty, Haddo sets out to repeat and progress Crowley's so-called 'sex magic' using depraved acts and hallucinogenic drugs - to the point where he actually believes himself to be a reincarnation of 'the  wickedest man in the world', the universally condemned Beast. But when Haddo displays more knowledge of Crowley than even a madman scholar would, his former colleagues are forced to find a way to reverse the process...

Chemical Wedding is co-scripted by Iron Maiden front man, Bruce Dickinson, based on his solo CD of the same name. Not only have I been a more than avid follower of Maiden since their self-titled debut album in 1980 (yes, I am that old, though I remain young at heart!), but I also know, as do many others, that Dickinson is multi-talented: he is a singer/songwriter at the top of his profession, a jumbo-class airline pilot, a novelist, a BBC radio DJ, and a former national-level fencing coach. With all this in mind, the question is can he add screenplay writer to his résumé. The answer is yes... sort of.

The  slightly non-linear, loop structure to this film will undoubtedly confuse many mainstream viewers, who might prefer your standard beginning, middle and end whiz bang Hollywood blockbuster. Personally, I can appreciate the attempt to achieve something a little different. This movie explores such topics as quantum physics, time theory, alternative universes, and of course the occult - so the closest connection it might have to another film is something like Donnie Darko or Primer.

Although I would describe Chemical Wedding as thought-provoking, it's far from being staid. The dark humour isn't prominent, as some media quotes seem to suggest, rather it is dropped in subtly in various places, particularly in some of the ceremonies and latter dialogue. In the same way that Westworld is a good film made a hundred times better by the excellent performance of Yul Brynner, the same can be said for Simon Callow here. The larger-than-life presence of the well-known thespian means that he dominates every scene in which he appears. Callow's acting is fabulous, especially considering some of the questionable actions and lines he has to contend with.

Okay, so this isn't a film that's going to be remembered in ten years time, but it is valiant attempt to do something out of the ordinary. Extras include a Making of... documentary; Deleted Scenes; a Trailer; and a Commentary by director Julian Doyle, co-writer Bruce Dickinson and producer Ben Timlett. And watch out for a couple of cameo appearances by the Bruce-meister himself.

Verdict: 7 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2008)  

Featuring: Adrien Brody, Sarah Polley and Delphine Chanéac.

Directed by: Vincenzo Natali.

Optimum Home Entertainment

November 2010
 

Two  young scientists are attempting to isolate genes from a newly created hybrid creature for the purposes of combating certain diseases. However, unbeknown to the company, they have created another creature with human DNA present. The animal human hybrid becomes both smart and unpredictable. Initially, scared, they come to love the creature. But their unusual child continues to transmogrify, eventually metamorphosing into something very different and very dangerous...

I very much expected this film to be a third rate copy of Species (and I didn’t even like that film very much). However, I was immediately intrigued by the concept and how it was played out. There is a morbid fascination which draws you in and ultimately makes for compelling viewing.

One of the largest moral dilemmas we are ever likely to confront as human beings is present and foremost in this movie. The human ingredient in this hybrid makes the creature at once both an abomination and a sentient being with human rights. It’s a Frankenstein tale of sorts, but pushed to the very limits. Instead of an animated monster made from dead human body parts, what we have here is an evolving inter-species organism, which takes on some human characteristics whilst remaining a long way from being human. Just when the key players are growing attached to it, there is a further development which makes it even less human - merely humanoid. The survival of the creature could almost certainly seriously affect the ecological balance of the planet, but can they remove themselves emotionally enough to do what is necessary?

There are some nice extras included on the disc: an informative interview with director Vincenzo Natali, who also directed the excellent Cube; a 32-minute featurette (A Director’s Playground); a 33-minute Behind the Scenes documentary (including extraordinary visual effects and make-up); and a Trailer. This is one of those films which very naturally portrays what might well happen in the near future, and leaves you thinking at the conclusion of events. It is well worth a look.

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2010)  

Featuring: Anna-Katherina Scwabroh and Martin Rapold.

Directed by: ‎Ivan Engler

Optimum Home Entertainment

July 2010
 

The year is 2267. The Earth is said to be largely uninhabitable, with the population crammed into orbiting space stations. Medical doctor Laura Portmann dreams of joining her sister on the paradise world of Rhea, which is continually teased to the populace. But the journey and transfer is hugely expensive, so she takes a job aboard the cargo ship Kassandra on an eight year trip to a space station orbiting Rhea. The crew undergo cryogenic hibernation with each of them being roused separately for an eight month shift. Laura has the final watch, and immediately begins to hear sounds coming from the hold. She also has the sense she is being observed. When she comes across the security chief, Samuel Decker, Laura initially assumes the mystery is solved. However, they are forced to wake the rest of the crew prematurely to search the immense cargo bays, and it is then that they uncover a conspiracy which shakes the human race to its very foundations...

This is a German film with English subtitles. I hadn't come across it before, although it was presented at the 2010 Sci-Fi London Film Festival. It has a slow and steady build-up with visuals to keep you interested, which is probably why it reminded me in format of those early scenes in Alien. I kept expecting some sort of monster to lumber out of hiding and pick off the crew in established fashion, one by one.

Cargo is very much a grounded science fiction with a human interest story - as all the best tales are. The problem is that it will only appeal to a select niche of viewers. There is next to no mainstream accessibility which, although personally is seen as no real hardship, will certainly hinder its path to commercial success. Furthermore, the excruciatingly slow pace caused even my interest to wane at times; and I have more patience than many for a believable and realistic low-key plot.

As mentioned, the visuals are very impressive without ever being over-bearing. The space station from which the cargo ship leaves is stunning, and seems like a somehow merged scene from Arthur C. Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey and Philip K. Dick's Blade Runner (or Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep - for purists). Cargo can't be faulted for its sets and down-played special effects, but what is really missing is the excitement, the tension, the suspense. You just don't care about anything that happens.

Verdict: 5 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2010)  

Featuring: Dennis Quaid, Ben Foster.

Directed by: Christian Alvart

Icon Home Entertainment

February 2010
 

A military lieutenant wakes from cryogenic sleep aboard a spacecraft which appears to have lost all power. Aided by his superior officer, he starts the long journey to the bridge (by-passing sealed doors and crawling through ventilation shafts) to discover what has happened. Unfortunately, the effects of the sleep means he can't remember anything about the ship or its mission. When he finds the bodies of operatives belonging to a follow-up task force to his own, it becomes alarmingly obvious that something is awry. He doesn't know the half of it; a large contingent of violent mutant bipeds has overrun the ship. The reactor is on a critical countdown, and the cargo consists of the last vestiges of the human race. Hope of survival appears impossibly thin, and the future of mankind hangs in the balance. However, help comes from the most unexpected quarters...

The pull here as far as actor appeal goes is Dennis Quaid - the only big name in attendance. However, the vast majority of the action and plot centres on the 'soldier boy' lieutenant, as he makes his way initially to the bridge, but getting diverted to engineering when he learns that the reactor is going critical. The idea here seems to be to explore the evolution of a seemingly abandoned craft. The mutants themselves look great; they are cleverly depicted in quick movements and editing cut-aways, so that we have to wait until at least halfway through the film before we see them in their entirety. It's at this point that they strongly resemble the carnivorous attackers from John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars - particularly the warrior-like leader.

The lighting is kept very low, which comes as both a blessing and a curse; keeping dangers half-hidden to the detriment of actually seeing what is going on. The special effects are saved for the shot of the spacecraft at the beginning, and the ejection of the life pods to the surface at the end. I can appreciate the attempt to do something different with the sci-fi/horror genre, but ultimately it only amounts to a run around. 

Verdict: 5 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2010)  

Featuring: Isaac C. Singleton Jr, Clark Bartram and Damien Poitier.

Directed by: Sandy Collora

Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment

September 2010

When their spacecraft crash lands on an inhospitable barren world, three surviving battle-hardened soldiers discover that the dangerous criminal they were transporting has escaped. Orders from the highest echelons dictate the quarry should be brought in alive at all costs. However, the troopers are not being told the whole truth; the so-called criminal is the last human, and he holds critical information. A game of cat and mouse ensues, but who will get the upper hand, and what is the crucial information which needs to be protected...?

I'm sad to say that my first statement has to be a reference to the film print carrying a 'Copy of Moviehouse Entertainment' warning across the screen. This is of course extremely annoying and detracts from what otherwise might be an entertaining experience. This treatment of the reviewer as a potential illegal pirate copier makes it difficult to be objective. Let's face it, we are giving their film publicity... And now with that justifiable rant over with, let's turn to the film itself.

The marketing blurb carries a quote from Totalfilm.com which compares Hunter Prey to classic Star Wars. Although it falls well short of reaching those simple but innovative heights, it does have its moments. It's one of those movies which somehow manages to be both tedious and compelling. The early scenes consist of three helmeted figures tracking a distant black-garbed escapee. Consequentially, there is an inordinate amount of sleep-inducing traipsing over sand hills and across rocks (the most fun you can have in a quarry when it's your day off from waiting for the kettle to boil). In fact, there is so much of this padding that the entire plot could comfortably be played out in a third of the running time.

There are pleasantly surprising moments of brilliance. The fact that the escaped criminal is a man would be a great reveal, if not for the film's tagline and cover pictures giving it away. However, the main strength of Hunter Prey is the dialogue, which is always grounded and realistic - particularly between one alien and the human. Without it I think the film would be unwatchable. Add to this the very impressive make-up and prosthetics, and the restraining hand with regard to effects, and what we are left with is a slightly above average film which could have been so much more.  

Verdict: 6 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2010)  

Featuring: Peter Fonda, Blythe Danner, Arthur Hill, Yul Brynner.

Directed by: Richard T. Heffron.

101 Films

2009

Two years after the disastrous events which took place at Westworld, when state-of-the-art humanoid robots broke their programming and began killing the guests, the Delos role-playing leisure resort is re-opening, claiming all-new ultra-safe technology and new zones - one of which is Futureworld. As expected, interest from suspicious holidaymakers is low, and so to boost popularity dignitaries and selected media people are invited along with the idea of them spreading the word of their experiences. Chuck Browning is the reporter who publicised the events at Westworld and therefore destroyed the reputation of Delos. Along with TV presenter Tracy Ballard, an old flame, he arrives at the resort where he is promised access-all-areas. Suspicious to the point of paranoia it doesn’t take him long to wander from the accepted routes. In the underground tunnels linking the zones Chuck meets a technician who takes him to a restricted area. Here they discover a terrifying secret which could make or break the new Delos...

After the simple but masterful creation that was Westworld, Futureworld tries to mix things up with kidnapping, killing and intrigue. During the first half of the film Peter Fonda’s character achieves nothing of any significance in what amounts to a tiresome run-around. Only when he meets the technician, and his faceless android friend, does the pace pick up a little. However, there’s far from enough to keep the general viewer interested. It only needs one essentially good idea, but the big secret here is a plot device which was being used in science fiction films in the forties and fifties.

It's nice to see the abandoned Westworld zone, which after all is cheaply and easily created using the backlot from any western feature. In my opinion it would have been a simple and logical notion to have the technician rebuilding the old gunslinger in his spare time and have it disrupt the Futureworld zone by killing the prominent guests. Instead of that, what do they use the remarkable and prestigious acting talents of the returning Yul Bryner for? Tracy's dream sequence wherein they dance and kiss. To say that he is woefully underused is the ultimate understatement; all I can say is I hope he got paid a lot of money.

Futureworld is pretty close to a pointless exercise. It never garnered much attention at the cinema and I can't see it gaining a retrospective DVD following (especially with no extras). The sensible option would be to package it with Westworld and allow it to hang on to its great predecessor's shirt tails. 

Verdict: 4 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2009)  

Featuring: Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson, Max Von Sydow, Brian Blessed. 

Directed by: Mike Hodges 

Momentum Pictures

October 2005
 

For no other reason than to alleviate boredom, an unknown aggressor toys with the Earth prior to its planned destruction, by directing freak weather conditions and laughing uproariously like the egotistical megalomaniac he is. American football star Flash Gordon and Dale Arden are hit by the sudden conditions, causing their pilot to be lost, and obliging Flash to crash land the light aircraft... on the laboratory of ex-NASA scientist Dr Hans Zarkov. The seemingly mad Zarkov manages to get them on his rocket which he aims at an anomaly in space he believes is attacking the Earth. They are soon arrested and taken to a palace where different races are paying fealty to Ming the Merciless, Emperor of the Universe. When Ming heartlessly kills a man, Flash disrupts the proceedings and for his troubles is sentenced to death in a gas chamber. Not a good day for anyone ... even a square-jawed hero. Can he escape and rescue the doctor from his mind conditioning and Dale from her fate as a concubine? Stay tuned, same time, same DVD to find out!...

There are two ways the making of this film could have been approached. One was to play it serious and hard-hitting, to reinvent the old comics and serials from the 1930s, the other to pay tribute to the serial's regular slices of ham and drama. With the former idea the format would have had to be spot on to succeed, but thankfully they chose the latter.

This loud and colourful tongue-in-cheek version throws an open nod and wink in homage to the black and white days of Saturday morning kids cinema, with thrills, spills and kills. The balance is just right. The characters are all played purposefully over-the-top (particularly Brian Blessed's portrayal of Prince Vultan of the Hawkmen, which is like a cross between Santa Claus and the Jolly Green Giant), and Melody Anderson's Dale Arden flits between helpless girly and action heroine. Who can forget the immortal line, "Flash, I love you, but we only have fourteen hours to save the Earth!" Believe it or not Max Von Sydow's Ming is the most intelligently understated acting, even though he's supposed to be the evil villain.

Watching this movie is like a game of Who's Who. Aside from the aforementioned, there's Timothy Dalton, Topol, and shorter appearances by Peter Wyngarde, Susan Danielle, Robbie Coltrane, Peter Duncan, and the excellent Richard O'Brien.

The accompanying soundtrack by rock giants Queen fits the mood of the piece exactly, being both quirky and dramatic. You can tell that they all fully entered into the spirit of the thing to achieve a piece which undoubtedly enhances the whole.

DVD extras include a trailer, a Mike Hodges interview, photo gallery, and an episode of the original Flash Gordon series, starring Buster Crabbe (which gives you an inkling of just how well this film has captured the mood).   I doubt very much that this is a film people will want to watch over and over, but it is great fun. All together now, "Flash! Ah, ah ..."

Verdict: 7 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2005)  

Featuring: Adrien Brody, Sarah Polley and Delphine Chanéac.

Directed by: David Twohy.

Universal Pictures

August 2004
 

Riddick, a dangerous convict, is being transported aboard a civilian spacecraft to a new location. The craft becomes damaged by space debris and is forced to crash land on a nearby planet. The captain and others are killed, leaving Fry and Johns in charge of a group of survivors. After a run-in with subterranean creatures, they feel safe in the knowledge that three suns will bring constant light. However, once every 22 days the suns align behind other astral bodies, creating sustained complete darkness. At first they hide away inside a construct left by the previous settlers, wiped-out by the creatures. But their sources of light cannot last forever. They need to make the journey to their wrecked craft and carry the heavy power units to an intact ship left behind by the vanished people. It seems like a suicide mission, especially when they have to rely on the multiple murderer, Riddick, who with unique implants is the only one who can see in the dark...

This film borrows from so many sources it's amazing it works at all, and is not subject to immediate derision. But work it does. You could say Pitch Black is a construct of so many ideas that the whole gives the impression it's something entirely new and original. The dangerous convict being transported comes from Con Air (a brilliant, purposeful over-the-top satire); the transported convict being relied upon for help is straight out of John Carpenter's Assault On Precinct 13 (there's that name again); and the empty settlement and dark-loving, ferocious and lightening-quick creatures must have brought an ironic smile or grimace from James Cameron in regards to his Aliens masterpiece. Even the views from the planet surface reminds me of the computer-generated terrain created for the early Planetary Traveller DVD. But who cares; nothing is totally original in this day and age.

Pitch Black made quite an impact with science fiction fans upon its cinematic release. In retrospect, the film company has seized on Vin Diesel's Riddick as the winning element, hence the Dark Fury and The Chronicles of Riddick follow-ups. But it is not the man but the look and feel of the product that wins through. This success is down to a number of factors: the low-key mood; the over-bright, sun-washed look of the planet surface; and the manner in which the creatures are kept mainly to the darkness, so you see more movement than detail, are just a few examples. A couple of things don't work. Fry's crisis of conscience is a mite overacted, and the holy man's faith in God's protection being severely tested has been portrayed in so many films that it merely induces a groan from this reviewer now.

Comparing this Special Edition version with the original DVD release, I found there were not too many differences. The widescreen and 5.1 sound are the same, the two commentaries are the same, the Making of Pitch Black is the same, and the trailers too. What's new is an Introduction by the director, an early Scene from The Chronicles of Riddick film, a Trailer for the game Escape From Butcher Bay, the Making of the Dark Fury animated film, and The Johns Case Log (computer diaries tracking Riddick).

You would need to be a Pitch Black fanatic to buy the DVD again for what amounts to a handful of minor extras. If you're buying the film for the first time, however, I would strongly recommend this release.

Verdict: 8 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2004)  

Featuring: Sam Shepard, Scott Glenn, Dennis Quaid, Charles Frank and Ed Harris.

Directed by: ‎Philip Kaufman

Warner Home Video

July 2003
 

Based on a book by Tom Wolfe, the history of aviation in America is portrayed from the later forties, with the first breaking of the sound barrier, through to the early space program. A group of elite pilots are selected to train for the Mercury project space race against the Russians, and put their lives on the line for the pride of America...

Four Academy Awards notwithstanding, whether you enjoy The Right Stuff or not depends very much on who you are, or at least where you are situated in the world. There is more than enough to appreciate if you look in the right places. The filming is undoubtedly top-notch stuff, and the presentation informs you that the piggy bank was raided for a suitable budget. But then you have the dialogue and overall feel of the thing.

In the entire history of film and TV, I don't think I've ever come across such gung-ho, self-obsessed, shameless backslapping, flag-waving, self-congratulatory Pepsi... I mean, patriotism. Oh, the puerile over-sentimentality. It felt so false. Everyone has the right to be patriotic, but this abuses the privilege. I watched it with one eye on the sick bucket, just in case. And, in the event the viewers might forget how they should be feeling whilst watching The Right Stuff, the Bill Conti music regularly crashes in over the top with its sickly, overemotional feel good score. It made the many John Williams contributions for Steven Spielberg sound harsh in comparison. If I hadn't been so worried about further increasing my nausea, I'd have stood up and saluted.

Why couldn't Philip Kaufman just get on with telling the story without all the twee singing of its own praises? A country or individual person is measured by his actions and achievements, not his opinions of them. Here we have a veritable plethora of screen stars: Fred Ward, fondly remembered for the low budget gem, Tremors; Lance Henriksen, the android Bishop in Aliens; Sam Shepard, Dennis Quaid, Scott Glenn - all of whom struggle not to drown in their own heroism and cheesy grins. Ed Harris, so good in James Cameron's The Abyss, plays John Glenn, the all-American blue-eyed ex-marine astronaut who can do no wrong. This he pulls off pretty well. In fact, for me the best scene of the movie is the one where his wife refuses an audience with the Vice President, and is supported wholeheartedly by Glenn via long-distance telephone.

Don't believe for one minute that I'm belittling the achievements of the real men involved in these historic events. My argument is that they were probably just doing the best they could in difficult circumstances. In this film the script has the space program and the media pour far too much syrup over the story.

For anyone with a stronger stomach than mine, this DVD package contains many extra features on a second disc, and must surely win a couple of points for its eye-catching design and attention to detail. You'll find included: a profile of the real John Glenn; commentaries by Philip Kaufman and other cast and crew; three documentaries; thirteen additional scenes; and an interactive timeline with NASA footage.

Verdict: 6 out of 10

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2003)