Review: Ghost in the Shell – Stand Alone Complex – Solid State Society (15) / Director: Kenji Kamiyama / Screenplay: Kenji Kamiyama / Starring: Atsuko Tanaka, Osamu Saka, Akio Ohtsuka,  / Release Date: May 21^st

Depending on your knowledge of the Ghost in the Shell universe, this may not be the best place to jump in. To clarify; first was Masamune Shirow’s original manga, director Mamoru Oshii then made two movies which took Shirow’s technology dominated universe as an inspiration but were very much their own thing. Anime house Production IG then brought the universe to TV with the Stand Alone Complex two season 26 episode arcs in the middle of the last decade. This was closer to the manga and ignored Oshii’s movies. Ghost in The Shell – Stand Alone Complex: Solid State Society (henceforth known as GITS-SAC:SSS) is set two years after the end of the TV series. Everybody got that? Good, let’s get into it…

GITS-SAC:SSS finds Section 9 hunting a master hacker by the name of ‘The Puppeteer’ who is hacking into cybernetically enhanced brains belonging to government officials and making them kill themselves. The Puppeteer seems to have political connections and a wide knowledge of the personnel who work for Section 9. Toganusa is now the boss, having recently had cybernetic upgrades with Batou remaining on the sidelines and Major Kusanagi having quit section 9 and now spending her days conducting her own investigations for anything that tickles her philosophical fancy on the net. The more Section 9 investigates, the more the Major comes under suspicion.

I’m not a genius but I’m not exactly a dunce either, though admittedly I had problems keeping up with the fast moving and complex plot in this. It took me a couple of viewings to fully absorb Mamoru Oshii’s first two GITS films as stunning as they are. GITS-SAC: SSS plays out like much of the Stand Alone Complex did, it’s what studios would come up with if they had to make 24 thirty years in the future. I understood the film whilst I was watching it but if you had to ask me what happened now a day or so later I would have a job telling you. There are many characters within Section 9 but also many supporting players whose allegiances are not always clear. The lines between human and cyborg blur constantly and the action scenes are never less than thrilling with hardware on display that would make James Cameron envious. For all the invention and the thrills this has going for it, it’s a shame that the plot ultimately boils down to a re-tread of the first Oshii film. I know they are set in alternate timelines or what have you but come on; it’s been said and done. The net is vast and infinite indeed…

Although it isn’t quite as beautiful as Mamoru Oshii’s cinematic films, GITS-SAC:SSS is wonderful to look at and the Blu-ray transfer is really quite amazing. Sadly there is no sign of the 3D version which came out in Japan last year but never mind. The good thing about the SAC series and this film is that it breaks recent anime tradition and never succumbs to ‘fan service’. So there are no gratuitous shower scenes or any unnecessary wide eyed jiggling, this is a franchise whose primary concern is thrilling you as well as making you think.

For long-time fans of this universe, this is a mostly brilliant and worthy conclusion to one of the best anime series of recent years. For anyone else not familiar with it, knock an additional point off the score out of ten.

Special features: Design features, making of, trailers, Interviews.

Review: Puss in Boots (U) / Director: Chris Miller / Screenplay: Tom Wheeler / Starring: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis / Release Date: Out Now

It’s fairly obvious that DreamWorks animation have turned a corner in terms of the quality of its output. Bringing in Guillermo Del Toro as a creative consultant was a smart move and one that seems to be paying off. Since Kung Fu Panda things have gotten better with each film they release and the fact that this summer their big release is another in the awful Madagascar franchise is a let-down. Puss in Boots shouldn’t work, seeing as it’s a spin off from the tired Shrek franchise but, against all odds, this is one of the most entertaining animated films for a while. Puss in Boots manages to balance the absurd with a sense of excitement and adventure that hasn’t been seen in a while.

The plot charts the back story of Puss before he hooked up with Shrek and Donkey in a land far, far away. Puss is something of a folk hero in the small Spanish town where he grows up, foiling crime and being donated his boots by the townspeople that love him so much. All is going well until his no good half-brother Humpty Dumpty ends up in hot water with the wrong people and Puss is framed for a major robbery. Puss is shunned from the town and we catch up with him when he is a wandering hero/lady killer who comes into contact with the thief Soft Paws. After an extended and hilarious dance fight sequence, Puss follows Soft Paws into a plot concocted by Humpty Dumpty to steal some magic beans from Jack and Jill (here reimagined as a white trash couple with some edgy incestuous overtones) to climb the mythical beanstalk to a kingdom in the sky and steal a golden egg laying goose.

Puss in Boots continues the new traditional DreamWorks strategy of great action, great characterisation and just the right amount of darkness. Gone are the days of endless pop culture references that will date badly and in its place we get simply brilliantly told tales of high adventure with a nice message that the kids can get behind but the adults will appreciate too. Antonio Banderas continues to impress as Puss with his sultry Latin tones really selling the Zorro-esque hero at the heart of the story. Salma Hayek and Zach Galifianakis play Soft Paws and Humpty Dumpty and are likewise great choices for their roles. It’s strange how in animation you always know when the right actor has been picked for the voice of the character as the animation starts to look more and more like its physical counterpart.

The humour is very clever and comes not just from the physical mannerisms of the characters but also from the fairy-tale tropes that the film introduces and then shatters into hilarious pieces. There are an endless supply of jokes about Humpty Dumpty being an egg and also Puss’ actual boots but somehow they never get tired and keep the laughs going right until the end. Even if you aren’t in it just for the yuks, Puss in Boots has some great action scenes. A chase through the canyons with Jack and Jill is a highlight as is the whole sequence of escape when they actually get to the castle in the sky. These scenes are brilliant because they manage to be exciting as well as maintaining the child like sense of wonder that is present in the best interpretations of fairy tales.

Puss in Boots is a great addition to DreamWorks’ ever increasingly appealing animation catalogue. It’s a film designed to appeal to both adults and kids and everybody in between and thus comes highly recommended.

Special features: Puss In Boots: The Three Diablos, How To Train Your Dragon Arena Spectacular

Blu-ray Exclusives: A DreamWorks Fairytale, Puss’ Paw Pouncing Challenge, The Animators’ Corner, Trivia Track, Purr-fect Pairing: The Voices Behind the Legend, Deleted Scenes, Kitten to Cat, Glitter Box Dance Off!, Klepto Kitty, Kitty Keyboard, Fairytale Pop Up Book, Kitty Strikes Again ,Previews: Madagascar 3, Puss In Boots THQ Game Trailer, The World Of Dreamworks: Shrek, How To Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar, Megamind.

Review: Another Earth / Director: Mike Cahill / Screenplay: Brit Marling, Mike Cahill / Starring: Brit Marling, William Mapother / Release Date: Out Now

Science Fiction concepts have and can be used to tell some very human stories. Recently Lars Von Trier used an end of the world scenario in his portrayal of depression in Melancholia. Inception is very much a film about grieving and moving on and Contact is about self-discovery. I think Another Earth is about accepting responsibility but it’s hard to say, the film seems too in love with its own sense of self importance and its unique idea that any message gets lost in the pretentiousness.

The film begins with promising MIT student Rhoda (Brit Marling) getting wasted one night and whilst drink driving, spotting the emergence of a new Earth-like planet in the night sky. This distraction leads to her wiping out the family of John (William Mapother) and leaving him in a coma. Four years later, Rhoda is released from jail and gets a janitor job in the local school. After the energetic opening this is where Another Earth slows right down. The planet is still there in the sky, and it’s learned that it is an exact copy of our planet, and is even populated by the same people living here. We hear about this through radio and television broadcasts. This is all just white noise however as Rhoda has started to pose as a contracted cleaner for John who mopes about in his run down shack in the countryside. Ill-advisedly Rhoda and John get close, John not knowing that this is the lady responsible for the death of his family. Around the same time a competition opens up to take part in the first manned mission to ‘Earth 2’ and Rhoda enters. You don’t need a bachelor’s degree in storytelling to see where this is headed.

There is nothing wrong with the central idea at the core of Another Earth; it’s a fascinating idea to think of another exact copy of our planet down to the last detail suddenly appearing in the galaxy. It’s an idea full of possibilities which sadly are not explored to their fullest. Director Mike Cahill is much more concerned with getting in as many slow motion shots of Brit Marling moping around in a hoodie as possible. There really isn’t much to this story, where you should be fascinated and gripped by the possibilities and where it goes, instead much of Another Earth is predictable and forced.

The film is well acted though and has some good performances that are well judged despite the floaty camera work. Cahill is good at framing a shot of one of his miserable protagonists against the background of the new planet in the sky and this seems to be his main passion. Despite lack of focus William Mapother proves again he is much more than just the cousin of the world’s biggest star and Brit Marling is fully justified in her label as the new indie ‘it girl’.

I feel like this film should have justified a 1000 word long discussion on the themes and meaning inherent in the wonderful imagery that Mike Cahill gives us. Sadly Another Earth doesn’t justify this level of discussion; it barely registers and is mostly harmless. Director Mike Cahill shows promise but must work with a better script if he is ever going to become more than just another mediocre indie director.

Extras: None

Review: Take Shelter (15) / Director: Jeff Nichols / Screenplay: Jeff Nichols / Starring: Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, Shea Whigham / Release Date: Out Now

Imagine the scenario; you start receiving eerie, powerful and shocking visions of an apocalypse and how it affects your family. The dreams and visions don’t fade over time but instead increase in volume and intensity. What do you do? How do your loved ones react to your chosen path? It’s this simple yet unique conceit that Jeff Nichols’ second film as a director, Take Shelter, explores in a thorough and absorbing manner. The film is already under the radar thanks to the limited release it got late last year. Take Shelter is a film that deserves your immediate attention now that it’s out on DVD.

The film takes place in the recognisably familiar environments of small town America that Stephen King likes to call his home. Curtis (Michael Shannon) is plagued by visions of an epic storm and strange rain that affects people in homicidal fashion. The visions and dreams are so intense that they affect him physically as well as mentally. Worryingly Curtis has a family history of mental illness with his mother being diagnosed as a schizophrenic at roughly the same age Curtis is. His beautiful wife (Jessica Chastain) is understanding although clearly troubled by the fact that Curtis begins to build a shelter in their back yard.

The film works on a few levels, mainly as a study of mental illness with performances for the ages and also as a thoroughly modern re-telling of the Noah’s Ark myth. It’s in the study of possible mental illness where the film is most successful. Michael Shannon is quite simply amazing as the everyman suddenly thrust into self-doubt and turmoil by his visions. There is a well of emotion bubbling away just under the surface of the man and when it finally erupts it results in a classic scene of brilliantly judged acting by Shannon. Jessica Chastain is equally impressive in one of her several performances in 2011 that justifies the sudden hype around her. The writing and direction is top notch, Jeff Nichols has a focussed, unfussy style very reminiscent of Frank Darabont and, instead of having it be a simple back and forth between Shannon’s ranting and the community disbelieving him, has the characters exhibit differing reactions. His best friend for example listens to Curtis, thinks he has issues but helps him anyway out of loyalty and eventually to his own detriment. Nichols throws in a subplot about the family’s daughter being deaf and needing an expensive operation. This works as a nice counterpoint to underscore the desperation Curtis feels in his situation. He is so convinced of the coming Armageddon that he will risk the current health of his only daughter to protect her from certain death.

The Noah’s Ark subtext is not blatantly there in the way it would be in a lesser director’s hands but should you be prepared to give it some thought it’s undeniable. In the Noah’s Ark tale, Noah is informed by god that a great flood will be coming and to take two of each animal on to an ark in order that life survives and can re-build. Imagine this story in a modern setting and that’s pretty much Take Shelter. You can see the visions Curtis experiences as a test of faith whilst all around him have doubts. Is Curtis chosen? Is he a prophet of some sort? The film offers no easy answers and asks you to make up your own mind.

The ending is one that will divide people but also provoke serious thought and debate like the best cinema can. Take Shelter is a mesmerising film not to be missed.

Special Features: Behind the scenes with director and cast commentary, Deleted Scenes.

Review: Miracle In Milan (U) / Director: Vittorio De Sica / Screenplay: Cesare Zavattini, Vittorio De Sica, Suso Cecchi D’Amico, Mario Chiari, Adolfo Franci / Starring: Francesco Golisano, Emma Gramatica, Paolo Stoppa, Brunella Bovo / Release Date: Out Now

A 1951 Italian film from Vittorio De Sica, famed director of the gritty, Neo-realistic classic, Bicycle Thieves is not what you would usually expect a Starburst scribe to be reviewing, but have a little faith, as there is much more to Miracle In Milan than meets the eye. 

An old spinster finds a baby in her cabbage patch and raises him as her own, instilling an education and morals, along with an ability to gleam pleasure out of any situation. After her death, the young Toto (Golisano) is assigned to an orphanage. When he is sent on his way into the world as a young man, his fresh faced optimism and naïvety land him at a shanty town, on the outskirts of Milan. This is a desolate, cold place with make shift ‘houses’ made of little more than a metal sheet. The down and out hordes huddle together in the strangely directional sun beams. Under Toto’s guidance, they build a more structured town, with slightly more secure buildings, and a place for every unfortunate, even those who don’t want to see themselves as ‘tramps’.

When they suddenly discover oil on the land, the fat cat owner, Mobbi (Guglielmo Barnabo) decides to get rid of the inhabitants by any means possible. It is here where the film takes a more unexpected turn. Toto’s mother appears as an angel, and gives him a dove which allows him to bestow the tramps of the shanty town their greatest wishes. This, of course brings out not only the inherent greed of human nature, but the bitter irony of love.

From the opening ‘Once Upon A Time…’ (despite obviously being post war Italy) to the celestial visitors and salvo of magic, the whole film is a delight. Director De Sica uses the fairy tale approach to highlight some very serious moral and societal problems. Using the style of the Neo-realism films that he had become well known for in the ’40s/’50s (using non-professional actors, a simple narrative and a focus on the impoverished) juxtaposed with almost Frank Capra-esque flourishes make for one of the more satisfying and life affirming films of the sub-genre, with some genuine laugh out loud moments. If you are open minded enough to give classic world cinema a whirl (and of course, Starburst readers are), you will find Miracle in Milan a very rewarding watch.

Extras: Blu-ray and DVD version of the film from the original negative (the picture quality and sound are superb). Bonus feature film Il Tetto (aka The Roof) also by De Sica and Zavattini, previously unavailable on DVD. Interview with Manuel De Sica. Interview with Brunella Bovo. Newsreel footage of the Rome Première. Original trailer. Booklet with essays on both films, and a re-print of a 1951 article by John Maddison, The Case of De Sica.

Review: Doctor Who – Ace Adventures Box Set (PG) / Director: Chris Clough / Screenplay: Ian Briggs (Dragonfire), Graeme Curry (The Happiness Patrol) / Starring: Sylvester McCoy, Bonnie Langford, Sophie Aldred, Tim Barker,  / Release Date: May 7th

It would be easy to start a review by asking if this is truly an ‘Ace’ box set. And then go on to prove that it is not Ace at all. Taking the micky out of 2 Entertain’s (now BBC Worldwide) penchant for giving box sets collective names has become an increasingly unrewarding past time.

This box set consists of two of the three remaining Sylvester McCoy stories: Dragonfire and The Happiness Patrol. In Dragonfire we see the Doctor arrive on the planet Svartos, where he and Mel encounter an old friend – Sabalom Glitz and are joined by Ace, a teenage waitress with a love for explosives. For a lark they wander off to find the fabled Dragonfire treasure, all the time, the sinister Kane (ruler and all round psycho) watches on.

For many people this story marks the beginning of the return to form for Doctor Who. Three very important things happen in this story. The first is the introduction of Ace. A character that works perfectly with the Seventh Doctor and also brings new life to the role of companion. Secondly it marks the departure of Bonnie Langford, a woman so typecast (in the eyes of UK/hard core fans) that some people see her casting as an actual nail in the coffin of an ailing show rather than a wasted opportunity to use a talented actor to play against type. Either way, a Mel-free TARDIS was an improvement.  Thirdly – we have a simply stunning melting face effect that left a lasting impression on any viewer in 1987.

It is far from perfect. The creature is overly lit and the – literal – cliff hanger moment has passed into fan lore as a low point of Doctor Who. Despite its faults, this is a magical story. Not exactly Doctor Who does Aliens, but it’s as close as the classic series ever got.

It could be argued that the reason to group The Happiness Patrol in with Dragonfire is that it could be the only way that people would actually buy it. A Harsh but financially sound piece of reasoning. While Dragonfire has a certain charm, fan reception of The Happiness Patrol is overwhelmingly negative. To understand this one simply had to remember that the week before this story aired we had the highly visual – and frankly cool – Remembrance of the Daleks. Which gave us a false sense of security. A rug that was firmly pulled out from fans feet when ‘it’ walked on screen.

A character so awful that it is often cited by old school fans as the worst thing in the history of Doctor Who.

Say it once and don’t look in a mirror.

Kandyman.

Yes, the Kandyman is a travesty. A copyright breaking monster if ever there was one.

And so, with fresh eyes, I look once more on this story and hope that the sickly sweet taste won’t ruin my appetite.

The plot is intriguingly simple. Having heard rumours, the Doctor and Ace arrive on the planet Terra Alpha to topple the entire regime. In a single night! On Terra Alpha the population must display happy smiles. Anyone feeling remotely blue or glum disappears. Very quickly. This story had all the potential to be a classic from the very start. Here, we are shown a proactive, dark Doctor. A Doctor we came to love in later years

Much has been made of the allegorical nature of this story and how Helen A is Margret T or how painting the TARDIS Pink has a certain political message but all of these things get in the way of enjoying a classic tale just as much as the Basset Monster ever did.

So, yes this is the Ace Box set and yes it is Ace. Mostly.

Special Features: Both DVDs are very similar with commentaries – here the commentaries take a new direction by taking questions from fans of the story submitted via soundcloud/twitter. There are: deleted and extended scenes, Production subtitles, a Coming Soon Trailer (Death to the Daleks), the Radio Times listings and Making-of documentary for each story. There are also a couple of extra documentaries such as the one about explosive effects in Doctor Who and another in the series ‘The Doctor’s Strange Love’. Across the set we also find “Ace” wishing Blue Peter Happy Birthday.

Review: Doctor Who – Nightmare of Eden (PG) / Director: Alan Bromly / Screenplay: Bob Baker / Starring: Tom Baker, LallaWard, Lewis Fiander / Release Date: April 2nd

With the twinkling of a corporate jingle the 2 Entertain intro finally passes into history with the last release under the much loved banner before it ends up under the care of BBC Worldwide. Credits roll and before us is a story with some big ideas and some shoddy production values. This may seem a harsh statement to open with, but the sight of the Mandrils – monster of the week – stumbling down the brightest corridors ever seen on television was the first conscious memory I have of Doctor Who not being quite as good as I thought it should be. Even as a child I was unable to suspend my disbelief at these Honey Monster wannabes.

The basic plot revolves around two spacecraft that have become fused together while leaving hyperspace at the same time. The subsequent dimensional instabilities threaten everyone aboard when the Doctor (Tom Baker), Romana (Lalla Ward) and K-9 arrive to lend a hand. As well as dealing with the accident a crewmember is found clawed to death, it seems there’s something even more frightening stalking the corridors. Add to this a zoologist with the oddest accent ever heard in classic Who and his amazing, performing 3D slide show (think Avatar without a budget) and you have the tale in a nut shell.

As with so many Doctor Who stories, this has things to say: ‘Drugs are bad’ ‘Insurance companies don’t like to pay out’ and ‘Look closely at other people’s holiday photos’. The usual messages, which are largely laudable, however the plodding nature of the story just doesn’t quite deliver. Both Tom and Lalla are very good, but you are left with the feeling that there is a reason that this is the last fourth Doctor DVD to be released, as we now have a full set of mad uncle Tom’s greatest hours. Ignore the Mandrels, see it with fresh eyes so that you can hold on to your arms, your legs and your everything and give this story another chance.

Why? Because it actually has some wonderful moments, it is surprisingly mature; it’s clever and has some fabulous acting.

Special Features

Given the emotional baggage that Tom Baker must have about his time with actor Lalla Ward it is hardly surprising that it is Mz Ward and not Tom who presides over this commentary. She is joined by Peter Craze (Costa), writer Bob Baker, effects designer Colin Mapson and make-up designer Joan Stribling all moderated by the increasingly present Toby Hadoke.

The first documentary is the traditional ‘Making of’ called The Nightmare of Television Centre, a look back at the reasonably troubled production with three of the crew who worked on this story. A short piece Going Solo with the writer Bob Baker talking about his work on The Nightmare of Eden without his usual writing partner.

The third documentary is the rather likable The Doctor’s Strange Love: Nightmare of Eden with comedian Josie Long and writers Joe Lidster and Simon Guerrier. Taking a reasonably humorous look at the story and its themes. There is also a short excerpt from Ask Aspel featuring Lalla Ward’s appearance on the children’s talk show. Other extras are the usual Radio Times listings, subtitles, photo gallery and the gloriously useful production Information Subtitles. All topped off with a coming soon trailer which manages to make Death to the Daleks look both gripping and impressive.

Review: Land of the Giants – The Complete Collection (PG) / Directed by: Various / Written by: Various / Starring: Gary Conway, Dan Marshall, Don Matheson, Valerie Lund, Kurt Kasnar, Heather Young, Stefan Arngrim / Release Date: Out Now

Previously released last year in two separate season boxsets, Irwin Allen’s gloriously dayglo 1960s sci-fi fantasy series is back in a new lower-priced ‘complete collection’ boxset (even though web-hounds will be able to sniff out the original releases at discounted prices by now). The set features all 51 episodes of the show’s run, all the features from the original individual releases and a few photograph ‘art cards’ as a new enticement-to-buy.

Allen fans are torn as to which is the master of disaster’s most accomplished TV show. In the 1960s Allen brought a string of far-out futuristic fantasies to American TV screens with varying degrees of success – Voyage To the Bottom of the Sea ran for four years, Lost in Space staggered on for three seasons, The Time Tunnel managed just one season and Land of the Giants pegged it after two series due to prohibitive production costs rather than falling popularity (the show was still holding its own in the US ratings when the axe fell). Voyage and Lost In Space suffered by quickly degenerating from reasonably intelligent if unsophisticated adventure series into silly sci-fi romps full of outlandish and ridiculous-looking monsters (and with Lost in Space in particular suffering by its suffocating obsession with the ‘comical’ antics of Jonathan Harris’s cowardly Zachary Smith) and The Time Tunnel quickly became repetitive and boring and padded out by outrageous amounts of stock footage from feature films to disguise its low budget. But Land of the Giants managed to keep a reasonably steady style of storytelling across its two seasons and never really compromised on its original concept. Well, not too much…

So it’s an inherently silly idea – a sub-orbital liner from 1983 (wow!) flies through a space warp and ends up on an Earth-like planet where everything’s about forty times larger than it is on Earth. The crew and passengers of the liner Spindrift quickly become fugitives, hunted by the planet’s security forces and terrorised by the curious giants they continually come into contact with. Land of the Giants still works  well – and much better than Allen’s other, more dated shows – because it still looks so good and it maintains a fairly dignified tone throughout its run, only occasionally falling into the realms of the absurd and inane which scuppered both Voyage and Lost In Space. Land of the Giants has a visual look which is still distinctive today; the episodes are full of impressively-crafted oversized props and ingenious ‘up high’ camera angles make the human castaways look suitably small (the show’s always photographed in a way which really draws the viewer into its concept and its ‘world’.) Only a few raw and unconvincing optical effects (and the cheesy papier-mâché giant hand which swoops down every now and again) let the side down. The show’s pilot episode The Crash beautifully introduces the characters and the scenario and really sets out the show’s store. Interestingly the first couple of episodes depict the ‘giants’ as near-mute, lumbering hulks; clearly this was bound to restrict opportunities for the humans to interact with the giants so this was quickly abandoned and the giant world, initially appearing a bit askew and distinctly alien, quickly became just a giant photocopy of the Earth full of secret agents, spies, murderers, fairgrounds and mad scientists. Many stories are just routine capture/escape runarounds but there are attempts in the second year to broaden the format a bit with the introduction of more obvious science-fiction concepts such as cloning, robots and, in the exceptional Wild Journey, a trip back in time for two characters as they return to their home world before they ever set off on their ill-fated flight and try to change history by preventing the Spindrift from lifting off.

As usual Allen populates his show with a strong ensemble cast and fortunately initial fears that Kurst Kasznar’s shifty conman character Fitzhugh could go the way of Dr Smith in Lost In Space are unfounded. Admittedly there’s not much more to Gary Conway’s Captain Steve Burton than a square jaw and a bright red costume but he’s strong enough to carry the show and he’s given decent support from his co-pilot Dan (Marshall), snipey businessman Mark (Matheson), leggy ‘socialite’ Valerie (Lund) and feisty stewardess Betty (Young). They never develop much as characters but then this isn’t really a show about people, it’s about spectacle and excitement and fortunately, even now, Land of the Giants is capable of delivering them in spades.

Land of the Giants is a personal genre favourite and whilst I’m not blind to its flaws and its relative lack of sophistication against more savvy 21st century fare, if you can buy into the thrilling idea of the show and just let yourself go with the flow and admire some way-ahead-of-their-time visuals, there’s hours of bright, colourful, exciting fun to be had here in one of the few shows from the 1960s which really manages to stand the test of time.

Special features: Busy cast commentary on the pilot episode on the second season set, interview snippets, mute FX shots, souvenir booklets, galleries, presentation reel and more.

Review: The Doom Generation (18) / Director: Gregg Araki / Screenplay: Gregg Araki / Starring: Rose McGowan, James Duval, Johnathon Schaeche / Release Date: Out Now

A hedonistic rampage of a road movie full of gore, sex and murder. Amy Blue (Rose McGowan), Jordan White (James Duval) and Xavier Red (Jonathon Schaech) go on the run after an unfortunate encounter with a shotgun, a convenience store owner and a severed head. At times ultra-violent but it comes with a keen sense of humour and an intelligent angst ridden edge.  The Doom Generation is part of Gregg Araki’s “Teenage Apocalypse Trilogy” the other films being Totally Fucked Up and Nowhere.

Greg Araki first presented this film in 1995 as a response to sexual issues of the time; in an interview with the director (an excellent feature on the DVD) he reflects on this film, and speaks of how worries about AIDS and death were on his mind. This film represents the music and mood of the nineties underground with Nine Inch Nails and The Jesus and Mary Chain featuring on the soundtrack. It is filled with the anger and the naivety of youth. This trio of latch-key kids are exploring all kinds of sexual curiosity but not without consequences. Amy’s sexual past is quite literally haunting her on the road trip. Along the way violence is fuelled by chance meetings with ex- partners spurned with jealousy who want to kill her and chop off her boyfriend’s dick. It’s all delivered with extreme gore and daftness. The fun has to come to an end at some point though and the final scene delivers some harsh reality that feels much darker than the rest of the film. Araki is trying to make a point and his characters speak his mind, “Sex – I think it’s more powerful than we would like it to be.”

Araki uses close up camera angles and lingering moments to create stifling sexual tension between the three characters. He has created an extravagant piece that has some fun moments of gore, the highlight being a garbling severed head, but there is much more to this excursion. The characters reactions to human suffering and death depict the desensitisation of the culture. Troubled youth and discontent will always be relevant and this slice of time stands up to the current mood. He also pokes fun at the mainstream press with bland news presenters overanalysing and patronising their audience. Nothing much has changed, just the clothes, music and hair, although they are making a comeback.

A low budget feature that excels at inventive set design including a checkerboard bedroom and a lavish rouge boudoir that screams “have sex in me!”. It’s excessive but it works. A fun ride that comes to an abrupt, cruel end and has a lot more to say than first meets the eye.

Review: The Devils (18) / Director: Ken Russell / Screenplay: Ken Russell / Starring: Vanessa Redgrave, Oliver Reed, Dudley Sutton, Max Adrian, Gemma Jones, Murray Melvin, Michael Gothard, Georgina Hale, Brian Murphy / Release Date: Out Now

The DVD release of The Devils (courtesy of the British Film Institute who took custody of the film due to the absolute disinterest of Warner Brothers in having anything to do with it) might be the most important ’classic film’ release of the year. And make no bones about it, whatever your view of this extraordinary movie – and having finally watched it for the first time I’m still not quite sure what I think of it – The Devils is an important and ground-breaking piece of 20th century cinema.

Fans who have waited patiently for the movie to become available on DVD might be frustrated by the fact that the version presented here is the original X certificate 1971 UK release and not the little-seen 2004 reconstruction. However, their disappointment is likely to be tempered by the wealth of bonus material included on this generous, attractively-packaged two disc set.

Based on a ‘true story’, The Devils is set in the village of Loudon in seventeenth century France. It tells of Father Grandier (Reed) who is accused of entering into a pact with Satan and corrupting the local convent of Ursuline monks, particularly the hunch-backed Sister Jeanne (Redgrave) whose erotic obsession with the darkly charismatic Grandier leads to the eventual downfall of the town. According to writer Aldous Huxley, on whose book ‘The Devils at Loudon’ the movie is based, the whole incident was a conspiracy by Cardinal Richelieu who was determined to destroy self-governing states, such as Loudon, in order to strengthen the sovereignty of the King of France.

Even now, over forty years after its release The Devils is still strong stuff and it’s not hard to understand why it caused such a furore when it first appeared. Its director’s vision was compromised by the demands of the censor and the film itself was pilloried by critics who railed against its graphic depictions of sexual depravity and violence. But these weren’t the film’s only problems; many a brow was furrowed at the questions The Devils was asking about the power of the church and organised religion, political persecution and the corrupt nature of the relationship between the church and the Crown.

Inevitably the film’s legend seems to focus on its travails at the hands of the censors and the critics rather than the film itself. Indeed, it was too often dismissed as a celebration of perversion and even, most unfairly, as just a bad film. This is patently nonsense; subject matter notwithstanding, The Devils is a stunningly-realised work. Russell’s very singular vision is beautifully brought to the screen with the aid of Derek Jarman’s stark and striking sets (the town of Loudon was erected on the backlot at Pinewood) and Shirley Russell’s evocative and opulent costume design. Best of all, though, are the performances. Oliver Reed was never better than here as the brooding, powerful Grandier. Redgrave is breath-taking as the fanatical Sister Jeanne and the late Michael Gothard is suitably maniacal as the barking mad witch-hunter Father Barre. Perhaps most disturbing of all is the presence of British sitcom icon Brian Murphy (George and Mildred, Last of the Summer Wine) during one of the more graphic orgy sequences. What would Mildred have said?

The Devils in 2012 remains a powerful and affecting film. The final sequences of Grandier facing his fate at the stake, flames blistering and charring his face as he refuses to confess to crimes he’s not committed, is in its way as haunting and disturbing as the similar ‘burning of the innocent’ in The Wicker Man a couple of years later. But time has moved on and what shocked in 1971 – blasphemous visual imagery, nudity and scenes of sexual degradation – whilst not exactly tame, has arguably lost just a little of its potency in the intervening decades. However, The Devils as a film is as powerful and compelling as it ever was, perhaps because the age of auteur directors like Russell (who passed away just last year) has now long gone in a time of ruthless commercialism and films which live or die on their opening weekend box office. The Devils isn’t easy viewing – in some ways it’s not even especially enjoyable viewing – but there’s no doubt that this in an important, striking and thought-provoking movie whose narrative edge has been frustratingly blunted and blurred by the treatment it’s received over the years by the censors and the critics. Ultimately The Devils is an essential purchase for anyone with a real interest in genuinely important cinema.

Special features: Virtually the definition of ‘an embarrassment of riches.’ A chunky 40-page souvenir booklet has an introduction by Mark Kermode, essays on the film’s run-ins with the censors, Jarman’s set designs, memories of Russell, profiles of Reed and Redgrave and more. Elsewhere on the 2-disc set can be found a 1958 Russell short, a 2002 TV documentary about the movie, a 22-minute piece on Russell and his work, on set footage and a 2004 Q&A hosted by Kermode.