Species

BUY IT

General		Extras
Category	Horror	Theatrical Trailer(s)	Yes, 1
Rating		Other Trailer(s)	Yes, 1 (Species II)
Year Released	1995	Commentary Tracks	None
Running Time	104 minutes	Other Extras	Booklet
RSDL/Flipper	No/No	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region	4	Director	Roger Donaldson
Studio Distributor	Warner Brothers	Starring	Ben Kingsley Michael Madsen Alfred Molina Forest Whitaker Marg Helgenberger Natasha Henstridge
Case	Amaray
RRP	$34.95	Music	Christopher Young

    The basic premise of the movie is that a message has been received from outer space in response to a message we sent out to the stars. The message contains a recipe for a hybrid DNA, which, of course, we here on Earth decide to create. The scientist in charge of the project is Fitch (Ben Kingsley). Unfortunately, the creature, dubbed Sil (Natasha Henstridge) that results from this hybridization looks human on the outside, but is all nastiness on the inside, and escapes from the lab, wreaking havoc alongst its path. After all, she wants to have a baby.

    An oddball team of people are gathered to recapture the creature; Press the assassin (Michael Madsen), Arden the geek (Alfred Molina), Laura the female geek (Marg Helgenberger) and Dan the clairvoyant (Forest Whitaker). They seem to be one step behind the creature at all times, which makes for some seriously gruesome visual effects. Indeed, I would have to say that the visual effects in this movie are the most gory and unpleasant that I have seen in some time - this is a positive comment, not a criticism.

Video

    The transfer is presented at an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, 16x9 enhanced, not 1.85:1 as is stated on the packaging.

    The transfer was quite sharp and clear, except for some deliberately hazy scenes. I found this transfer to be very hard to watch because of the sharpness and because of the resultant aliasing - more on this issue later. Shadow detail was good, and no low level noise was apparent.

    The colours were appropriately rendered with no particular over- or undersaturation.

    No MPEG artefacts were seen. Film-to-video artefacts consisted of frequent and significant aliasing, and even some moiré effects at times. All of the usual culprits surfaced, shimmering away, and this was quite distracting. It made the transfer difficult to watch at times. Whilst not as bad as Thelma & Louise, this was still quite a distracting artefact. I also felt there was quite significant judder during the opening titles, but this was not a problem once the movie itself started. Film artefacts were rare once the titles were over and done with.

Audio

    Dialogue was usually clear and understandable, though a few sentences here and there were drowned out by ambience and music.

    There were no audio sync problems with this disc.

    The music by Christopher Young was unremarkable, but seemed to suit the on-screen action.

     The surround channels were used for music, ambience, and for special effects, creating a moderately enveloping soundtrack.

    The .1 channel was moderately heavily used to give extra punch to special effects and to music.

Menu

Theatrical Trailer

Booklet

    The video quality is only just acceptable, with significant amounts of aliasing marring the picture.

    The audio quality is unremarkable, but good.

    The extras present are very limited.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall

© Michael Demtschyna
21st March 1999