ANALYSIS (from the old 2013 review I wrote on the first Scream Factory release):
LIFEFORCE is Tobe Hooper's own version of a Hammer Film in 70 mm (the first of a 3 film deal for Cannon Films). I could imagine Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee in this movie if it was made in the 1960s or early 1970s instead of 1984. This 1985 sci-fi cult classic starts out as a sci-fi movie before turning into a space vampire movie before switching again to a mystery to an end of the world zombie action movie. Director Tobe Hooper and Screenwriters Dan O'Bannon and Don Jakoby throw in everything in this wild adaptation of Colin Wilson's novel SPACE VAMPIRES (which is more Lovecraftian than the movie). I love this movie even though some elements don't quite work as well as they should, but the stuff that does work makes this a cult sci-fi horror gem. The special effects (by John Dykstra) are mostly wonderful (with only a couple of scenes showing their age) with a tightly paced movie with some good performances even from the inexperienced Mathilda May (who shows a gripping presence as the head space vampire despite her being naked for most of her time on screen much to the delight of many teenage boys) and a sweeping epic score by Henry Mancini.

LIFEFORCE had a troubled production history as they started without a finished script and then the US version was cut down to 101 minutes from Tobe Hooper's preferred 116 minute cut (which was edited down from a longer 126 minute cut) with the theory they could fit in more showings with a shorter running time, but the cuts rush the movie too much and sometimes it does come off as disjointed.

LIFEFORCE starts with a modified (European Space Agency) Space Shuttle (called the Churchill) that sets out to investigate a big ancient alien spaceship in the tail of Hailey's Comet. The Churchill drifts into Earth orbit about thirty days later as a burned out husk inside with only three nude humanoid bodies left intact. The rescue mission brings those bodies down to earth and soon all hell breaks loose. The space vampires have let loose a life energy sucking plague on the United Kingdom as the only survivor of the Churchill, Colonel Carlsen (Steve Railsback), shows up with a special link to the head space vampire (Mathilda May). He teams up with SAS Colonel Colin Caine (Peter Firth) to track down the space vampires before it is too late. With help from Dr. Fallada (Frank Finaly), they start to search for the female space vampire as they soon realize time is running out as the space vampire spaceship inches closer to Earth. LIFEFORCE is a highly erotic piece of sci-fi horror that you shouldn't miss if you're a fan of Hammer horror films, Tobe Hooper, Clive Barker, Quatermass, or want to see Patrick Stewart in a different role from Captain Picard or Professor X (the moderator jokes Stewart is trying out for Professor X on the audio commentary with Tobe Hooper).

THE HISTORY OF LIFEFORCE ON VHS AND DISC:
The US theatrical cut saw release on VHS back in the 1980s via Vestron Video (later a Video Treasures release too) while the extended 116 minute international cut saw its VHS debut on June 18, 1996 via MGM (after the 1994 debut on LaserDisc in the USA) A DVD release came out from MGM on May 27, 1998 before Scream Factory licensed the title out years later for blu-ray with the first blu-ray out in 2013 followed by a steelbook blu-ray release in 2018 with improved transfers. Then newer transfers were done for the 4K UHD release that came on May 24, 2022. However only the shorter theatrical cut was put on a 4K UHD disc with Scream Factory giving the reason to not due the extended international cut on 4K due to their worries of the elements exclusive to the extended cut being from a 35mm inter positive might not be in good quality as the print used for the theatrical cut. If Vingear Syndrome can use an inter positive for BEASTMASTER's 4K UHD, I don't know why Scream Factory couldn't have done the same.

THE TRANSFER (4K):
The scans keep improving for each blu-ray release. The first blu-ray from Scream Factory was from a 2K scan where the steelbook transfers are from a 4K scan. A new 4K scan was done in 2021 for the theatrical cut. However, the 4K transfer of the theatrical cut (On the Scream Factory 4K) does dip down really low in the bitrate in at least three different places like the first minute, before the 28 minute mark, and around the 95 minute mark. Then there is the question of why Scream Factory didn't want to do 4K disc of the better international cut because they felt inserting the scans of the extra footage form the interpositive of the international cut with the theatrical cut (that is scanned from the original camera negative) would be too jarring. I just don't understand why Scream Factory couldn't have done a 4K scan of the interpositive of the international cut and presented it on disc without having to combine elements from two different source elements. Arrow Video thankfully did go the extra mile to create a new 4K transfer for the international cut.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
DISC ONE is the international cut which is a new 4K scan that combines a previous scan from Scream Factory and the scan of a 35mm interpostive of the International Cut.

Two audio commentaries are the only extra on this disc- one with Director Tobe Hooper as moderated by Tim Sullivan and the other track is with Make-Up Effects Designer Nick Maley. Isolated score and sound effects track.


CANNON FODDER: THE MAKING OF LIFEFORCE- a 70 minute retrospective making-of documentary on the origins of how the movie got made, what happened during the making of it, the change of the title from SPACE VAMPIRES TO LIFEFORCE, and the editing down of the movie. This documentary isn't included on the Scream Factory releases.
SPACE VAMPIRES IN LONDON WITH TOBE HOOPER- Tobe Hooper looks back at the making of LIFEFORCE
CARLSEN'S CURSE WITH STEVE RAILSBACK- Steve Railsback talks about his early career and how he was cast for LIFEFORCE and how it was working with Mathilda May
DANGEROUS BEAUTY WITH MATHILDA MAY- Mathilda May talks about how she was cast, how the scene covered in blood was uncomfortable, and how she was amazed she did the role in the nude somehow back then (she said she wouldn';t do something like that now for a role).

Textless Opening Sequences
Theatrical trailers

DISC TWO has the Theatrical Cut from a 4K Scan done by Scream Factory. It is an improvement over the previous LIFEFORCE disc.

Isolated score and sound effects track

Excerpts from ELETRIC BOOGALOO: THE WILD UNTOLD STORY OF CANNON FILMS featuring interviews with Tobe Hooper, Armstrong, Grover, and Messenger.

Split Screen comparison between the TV edit and the theatrical cut (the TV cut edits are sourced from a VHS recording).

Also included in the case is a booklet featuring a cast and crew list, an expanded version of an old website review on LIFEFORCE from cathoderaytube.co.uk, and information on the 4K transfers.

FINAL ANALYSIS: LIFEFORCE is one of the best sci-fi horror movie that Hammer Films wish they could have made. Arrow did put together r a great 4K UHD release with even some extras Scream Factory never had. I do think Arrow did a better job than Scream Factory did. My only complaint is the cover art as it reveals a big spoiler (if you haven't watched this movie ever) and the reversible cover art from an international poster is one of my least favorite posters (and I wish they used a different poster like the US poster or the one with the space girl tied to a rocket.

This review is (c)2-27-2025 David Blackwell and contains material from previous LIFEFORCE blu-ray reviews back in 2013 and 2018 and 2022. Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com and look for additional content at http://enterlinemedia.tumblr.com