Lifeforce

[MichaelB]

IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE, THE TERROR BEGINS.

When a space shuttle crew finds a mysterious spacecraft containing three human-looking creatures in a state of suspended animation, they bring them back to Earth for further investigation.

It's only then that scientists discover that they are in fact a race of space vampires that feed off people's life-force rather than their blood. So when they escape and run amok in London, the consequences are apocalyptic - and the shuttle crew's only survivor (Steve Railsback) seems to be the only man who can stop them.

Based on Colin Wilson’s novel ‘The Space Vampires’, co-written by Dan O’Bannon (Alien, Return of the Living Dead) and directed by Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Poltergeist), this lively sci-fi horror romp has a stellar cast including Peter Firth, Frank Finlay and Patrick Stewart - although it's Mathilda May's appearance as a naked female alien that attracts most attention to this day.

CONTENTS

• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the International Version, transferred from original elements by MGM with supervision by director Tobe Hooper
• Optional uncompressed 2.0 Stereo PCM and 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio Surround Sound
• Isolated Music and Effects Sound Track
• Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Audio commentary with Tobe Hooper, moderated by filmmaker Tim Sullivan
• Audio commentary with Academy Award-winning visual effects artist Douglas Smith, moderated by filmmaker and scholar Howard S. Berger
• Audio commentary with make-up effects artist Nick Maley, moderated by filmmaker Michael Felsher
• Cannon Fodder: The Making of Lifeforce – An epic UK-exclusive look at the genesis, production and release of Lifeforce featuring interviews with Hooper, producer Michael J. Kagan, editor John Grover, actors Aubrey Morris and Nicholas Ball, makeup artist Sandra Exelby, screenwriter Michael Armstrong, sound designer Vernon Messenger, artistic designers Tom Adams and Douglas Smith and effects artist John Schoonraad
• Space Vampires in London: An interview with Tobe Hooper
• Dangerous Beauty: An interview with Mathilda May, Lifeforce’s iconic star
• Carlsen’s Curse: Star Steve Railsback looks back on Lifeforce and his career
• Original Theatrical Trailer
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gary Pullin

[antnield]

DVDActive on Lifeforce - the first in-depth review that I've seen.

High-scoring Lifeforce review at The Digital Fix.

[MichaelB]

High-scoring Lifeforce review at The Digital Fix.

I think the review's being corrected, but in case anyone is tempted to believe the claim that it's region-free, I'm afraid it isn't - I've just tried to play a final production version in a Region A player with no luck.

[A man stayed-put]

Thanks for the response Michael.
Indeed, that moment was the main cause of confusion- I know violence and language are given a bit of classification leeway these days but thought that might take it a bit far.

I note that the original cinema release was cut to get an X and I imagine that scene and some of the language may have been the cause then.
Anyway, delighted this is coming out in such a stacked edition- had been umming and ahhing about the French Blu for a while.

[manicsounds]

Lifeforce review at BlurayDefinition

[antnield]

Cathode Ray Tube on Lifeforce.

[RossyG]

Someone on another forum has said they've found a Remo: Unarmed and Dangerous (aka Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins) postcard in their copy of Lifeforce.

[Jean-Luc Garbo]

I'm glad that Cathode Ray has provided context to the film's sexual politics and use of the various femme fatale tropes. After watching the film this week, Digital Fix's note about Hooper's contention during his commentary that "the film is really about relationships" strikes me as far less inexplicable. Early on after she beguiles all the guards, I found the film's segue into continued fascination with space girl's erotic force quite apparent. I thought the film was coasting on its visual joke of the alien's nudity being a trap to lure the male of the human species into submission as a sly commentary. Then in the film's most truly terrifying scene of Railsback's rape via nightmare, it seemed that the film had moved into the general trope of female sexuality as destructive force. (Caine even says as much in the chopper: "She's not human. She's not a woman. She'll destroy you.") The revelation of his erotic obsession as instead a deep connection caught my interest. One of my favorite works of feminist criticism is Nina Auerbach's "Woman and the Demon: The Life of a Victorian Myth" (see also her later book "Our Vampires, Ourselves") so this connection between Railsback and the alien immediately reminded me of Svengali (George du Maurier's novel "Trilby") and obviously "Dracula". Maybe I'm missing the point of the film as a B-picture, but this theme slowly seemed to me the apparent heart of the film. Whether it's just a feature of the genre or an intentional point by the writers, I found this focus in Hooper's film quite remarkable given the surrounding events with zombies and destruction as perhaps the actual reason to enjoy the movie. Space girl's comment "I am the feminine in your mind" certainly made Railsback's scene with Patrick Stewart a lot more coherent tho not less ridiculous. I haven't read Wilson's novel, but this theme of connection comes to a climax in the alien's speech to Railsback in the crypt: "The web of destiny carries your blood and soul back to the genesis of my life-form." (I'm quite taken by the poetry of that phrase despite the speaker!) Kudos to Hooper and the writers for making this relationship a lot less misogynistic than I'd anticipated. I have to say I'm equally impressed by how Railsback manages to sell it all despite his extreme agitation. As a film that uses various genres, I enjoyed it but the themes the film worked into the story proved of greater interest. I can say it's been awhile since I read a DVD review with footnotes, but Cathode Ray made its case very well.

[Orlac]

The US cut gives BBC news-readers with dubbed on American accents! I mean, WHY????

[David M.]

Otherwise how would you know what they are saying?

[colinr0380]

Strange to think of the influence that Halley's Comet had on genre films over those couple of years. Not only is there the news report in Lifeforce describing the comet as a 'dark star' but I also noted on watching Shout! Factory's recent release of the 1987 Prince of Darkness that another news report about strange celestial goings on turns up during an early scene there too!

[Orlac]

Halley's Comet makes an appearance in the Doctor Who story Attack of the Cybermen.

[colinr0380]

And the wonderful Night of the Comet!

[tele1962]

I sometimes wonder if I have watched the same film.