StudioCanal 4K edition, out now and in selected cinemas soon

When burly wanderer John Nada tries on a pair of special sunglasses he uncovers an alien plot in Los Angeles, but who will believe him?

John Carpenter’s 1988 sci-fi comedy satire is clearly a polemic, but who would have guessed in the late 80s that 21st Century America would be so dependent on media messages and fake news? That’s not suggesting that the current administration is actually the vanguard for an all-out Invasion (but who knows?) but there’s definitely threads that felt a lot more fanciful in 1988 than they do now.

StudioCanal have released two versions of the movie, as a four-disc special edition with 4K disc, two BluRays and the soundtrack, as well as the two BluRays on their own. Both sets are mastered from brand new 4k restorations using the original camera negatives, with the colour grading approved by the film’s cinematographer Gary B Kibbe.

It really is a stunning looking picture, even with the BluRay. The 4K UHD disc is of course the sharpest picture, the rich palette of LA’s sun-drenched streets coming through with strong shadows, and the detail in the alien faces is more unnerving than ever. Even in the 1080 BluRay set there is a marked improvement over the previous release, which always looked fine until you compare with this new print which really does bring the colour to life.

The film itself is a hokey affair, but former wrestler ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper gives a knowing performance, and his lengthy fight with The Thing’s Keith David just gets funnier every time I watch it. The 4K set also includes John Carpenter and Alan Howarth’s Bluesy soundtrack, which might just seal the deal for the unsure.

The BluRay special features are a commentary by Carpenter and Piper on Disc 1, while Disc 2 has a 47-minute ‘Making of’, the original EPK, the fake commercials used in the movie, short profiles, photos, TV spots and interviews. I’m not convinced this wouldn’t have all fit on Disc 1 though.

Verdict: What was once seen as a throwaway comedy sci-fi movie about consumerism and media now has a new contemporary relevance and StudioCanal have given us the opportunity to enjoy it with all the bells and whistles you could expect. Just remember to Obey, Conform and Buy the opinions of this review. 9/10

Nick Joy