The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976) heads to Blu-ray

Some movies go to Blu-ray and you just think 'whatever'. That's not going to be the case with the Blu-ray arrival of The Man Who Fell to Earth.

Optimum is releasing Nic Roeg's science-fiction cult classic for the first time in high-definition in April, a movie with stunning visuals and David Bowie in his 'think white duke' pomp as the lead character, Thomas Jerome Newton. Your TV is probably salivating at the prospect right now.

The Flipside presents The Terrornauts (1967) on the big screen

Bonkers British sci-fi, who can resist it? Not The Flipside obviously, who are screening the cult 1967 flick The Terrornauts at the NFT in London in 23rd March 2011.

An Amicus production, this time it's less horror and more in tune with the big-screen Dr Who movies they also produced. Described as a 'psychedelic other-worldly adventure', the story revolves around Dr Joe Burke, who is abducted by aliens and matter-transported to a distant asteroid guarded by a sinister, mechanical guard.

But Burke - who must attempt to prevent an invasion of Earth - is not alone. Accidentally accompanying him on his adventures are an accountant (Charles Hawtrey) and a chirpy tea lady (Patricia Hayes). Throw in an episode of 70s sitcom The Worker that features an alien and you've got a quality night out. Tickets on sale now here - or check out the trailer below.

 

La Planete Sauvage (Fantastic Planet) released on Blu-ray

One of the most trippy animations ever to make it to the big screen is back - with La Planete Sauvage (Fantastic Planet) set to be even more trippy when it lands in high definition on Blu-ray disc.

René Laloux's mesmerising psychedelic sci-fi feature is a landmark animation, especially when couple with the much-sampled soundtrack by Alain Goraguer. What's it about? Well...

Cult Clip: Killer Klowns From Outer Space (1988)

Look out for a review of this newly-reissued 80s b-movie in the next couple of days. In the meantime, just 'enjoy' the trailer of Killer Klowns From Outer Space...

DVD Review: Forest of Death (2007)

If nothing else, Forest of Death proves it's possible to make a supernatural thriller that isn't particularly scary, but still compellingly odd.  Following their jointly directed triumph Re-cycle (2006), the Pang Brothers went their seperate ways this year.  Oxide Pang made the psychological thriller Diary, while sibling Danny takes the helm here. 

The film opens with a young girl driven to slash her wrists amidst the eerie, mist drenched greenery.  Local rumour has it the mysterious forest induces suicides and shock deaths, the next being a police inspector who succumbs to a heart attack while investigating a crime scene.  Detective Ha (Shu Qi) takes up the case, pursuing an arrogant triad rapist.  In a radical move, she teams up with maverick botanist Steven (Ekin Cheng), who believes the living forest thrives upon, records and stores human pain and suffering.  Steven has invented a machine that can talk to trees (Shades of Clint Eastwood in Paint Your Wagon!), while May (Rain Li) his selfish, tabloid TV reporter girlfriend angles for a scoop. 

In the movie's most effective scene, Detective Ha and Steven use the forest's powers to goad a confession out of the rapist, while the trees traumatize the assembled reporters with the victim's pain.  But bodies keep piling up.  Ha discovers some suicides have been missing for decades, their corpses neither decomposed nor aged.  Meanwhile May, tortured by professional failure and a suspicion that Ha and Steven are having an affair, is lured into the forest.