BFI, out now

A friendly extra-terrestrial and a war correspondent meet in Jordan during the events of Black September in 1970.

Film theorist Peter Wollen’s sole feature credit is a bizarre story of the relationship between British war correspondent Sullivan (Bill Paterson, Doctor Who) and a female extra-terrestrial, Friendship (Tilda Swinton, Doctor Strange), released in a newly restored print by the BFI and receiving its UK Blu-ray and DVD premiere.

When ET Friendship is knocked off her planned course to MIT, and is dropped right into a conflict zone, she gets an extreme view of humanity. Surviving this hostile fall to Earth, she meets up with grizzled journalist Sullivan, who is understandably having none of this. Is she an enemy agent, or merely delusional? His initial fears are soon dispelled and he strikes up a relationship with her, spending the next 75 minutes talking about everything from booze to Charlie Parker and politics.

And that’s about it – and therein lies the movie’s shortcomings. A two-hander filmed on a couple of sets, it feels more like a play, with all the action and drama happening offstage. Both Swinton and Paterson are great, but there’s only so much general conversation about humanity that you can take. Real-life news footage injects some verisimilitude, but there’s little here for the non-academic.

Special features for the 1987 movie include a newly recorded audio commentary with producer Rebecca O’Brien, cinematographer Witold Stok and BFI curator Josephine Botting; a 40-minute discussion with Swinton, Paterson, O’Brien, cinematographer Witold Stok and BFI curators; a 62-minute appreciation on the works of Peter Wollen; and a 30-minute documentary on artist Frida Kahlo and photographer Tina Modotti. The limited edition first pressing includes an illustrated booklet with new writing on the film, as well as on Kahlo and Modotti.

Verdict: This one is for film academics and fans of Peter Wollen. I always applaud the release of obscure content, but this is the very definition of niche. 6/10

Nick Joy

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