Arrow Films, out now

A former junkie discovers the hallucinatory properties of the powder he uses to kill bugs.

David Cronenberg’s 1991 adaptation of William S Burroughs’ ‘unfilmable’ 1959 novel looks fantastic in its UHD upgrade but is still a tough movie to enjoy.

First and foremost, Arrow’s new special edition is a huge improvement on StudioCanal’s 2015 Blu-ray release, not least because of the addition of so many extras. But the big draw here is the new 4K restoration from the original camera negative, overseen by the director of photography and approved by Cronenberg. From the opening shot of a vibrant red door, through to the sandy tones of North African locale Interzone, the picture is sumptuous, the HDR10 image never disappointing, even in the darkest shots.

Peter Weller is suitably low-key as exterminator William Lee, who discovers that his wife Joan (Judy Davis) has realised the hallucinatory properties of the powder he uses to kill bugs. They become hooked, and the line between reality and drug-induced hallucinations is blurred. There’s a great cast, including Roy Scheider, Ian Holm and Julian Sands, and the creature work by Chris Walas is quite remarkable, but it’s an impenetrable movie. With no sympathy for anybody of the leads, and the realisation that you just have to go with it, it just feels like a distasteful fever dream, albeit expertly realised.

Arrow’s release includes a legacy audio commentary by Cronenberg as well as new ones by film historian Jack Sargeant and screenwriter Graham Duff. There’s also new interviews with producer Jeremy Thomas, star Peter Weller, director of photography Peter Suschitzky, special effects artist Chris Walas and composer Howard Shore.

Add to that, more features about William S. Burroughs, Shore’s film scores, Chris Ridley’s archival ‘making of’ documentary, trailer and galleries, and it’s a packed set. The special edition also includes reproduction lobby cards, reversible poster and a book of new writing.

Verdict: An excellent transfer in an impressive set, but it’s probably for Cronenberg collectors only. 9/10

Nick Joy