Rentals
Altered States
Mad scientists, mutants, man-machines and mind-bending trips - these films connect with our human biology and chemistry.
Whether pushing the limits of the human body or bioengineering new futures for the species, many of these films owe much to the stomachchurning virtues of their special effects. In an age where bio-machining is well under way and the planet seemingly destined to face increasingly difficult challenges to its survival, this is sci-fi territory which feels more potent than ever. Unraveling the mysteries of the mind is another sci-fi specialty, of course, and in Altered States you’ll find films that evince the hallucinatory power of cinema, play with our memories and generally mess with our minds.
The ThingThe Thing
Horror1982109 minsDirector: John Carpenter
Twelve men at an Antarctic research station battle a shape-shifting alien that hides in human form, in John Carpenter’s ground-breaking sci-fi horror.
Upstream ColourUpstream Colour
Science Fiction201396 minsDirector: Shane Carruth
Shane Carruth’s startlingly original and beautifully conceived drama follows two lovers as they recover from infection by a mind-altering parasite.
The BroodThe Brood
Horror197992 minsDirector: David Cronenberg
David Cronenberg’s highly disturbing horror about a woman who’s able to externalise her inner torment and manifest it into a brood of killer offspring.
Open Your EyesOpen Your Eyes
Thriller1997119 minsDirector: Alejandro Amenábar
Alejandro Amenabar’s signature science-fiction drama follows a young man who falls for his dream woman, before he is disfigured in an accident.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless MindEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Drama2004103 minsDirector: Michel Gondry
Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet play the couple who fall in love so quickly it seems they must have known each other in a past life ... only to discover they did.
The CongressThe Congress
Drama2013123 minsDirector: Ari Folman
Ari Folman’s follow up to Waltz with Bashir is a hallucinatory fable about an actress whose digital image is controlled by a Hollywood studio.
The Andromeda StrainThe Andromeda Strain
Science Fiction1971131 minsDirector: Robert Wise
Veteran director Robert Wise’s adaptation of Michael Crichton’s sci-fi novel is an alien virus epic with superb special effects and a suspenseful climax.
Behemoth the Sea MonsterBehemoth the Sea Monster
Horror195969 minsDirector: Douglas Hickox and Eugène Lourié
A radiation-spouting prehistoric creature emerges off the Cornish coast and begins making its way towards London, in Britain’s answer to Godzilla.
Creature from the Black LagoonCreature from the Black Lagoon
Horror195479 minsDirector: Jack Arnold
Jack Arnold’s monster classic about the discovery of a prehistoric, amphibious Gill-man that takes a shine to a female expeditionary.
DoomwatchDoomwatch
Science Fiction197292 minsDirector: Peter Sasdy
Dr Del Shaw and the Doomwatch team investigate sinister effects of pollution on a small island in this big-screen spin-off from the cult BBC series.
The Final ProgrammeThe Final Programme
Science Fiction197386 minsDirector: Robert Fuest
Wild adaptation of Michael Moorcock's novel about a playboy's search for the lost designs of the perfect self-replicating human.
The Giant Gila MonsterThe Giant Gila Monster
Horror195975 minsDirector: Ray Kellogg
This low-budget addition to the creature features craze of the 1950s sees a giant lizard emerge from a Dallas ravine to terrorise teenagers.
The Incredible Shrinking ManThe Incredible Shrinking Man
Science Fiction195781 minsDirector: Jack Arnold
One of the classics of 50s sci-fi sees the title character in the unfortunate position of continually shrinking following exposure to radiation.
Island of Lost SoulsIsland of Lost Souls
Horror193270 minsSilentDirector: Erle C. Kenton
A highly controversial adaptation of the H.G. Wells story about a mad scientist creating half human/half animal creatures on his island kingdom.
Man without DesireMan without Desire
Fantasy1924108 minsSilentDirector: Adrian Brunel
A sumptuous silent drama of love, frustrated desire and suspended animation in 18th-century Venice.
Midnight SpecialMidnight Special
Science Fiction2015112 minsDirector: Jeff Nichols
Jeff Nichols, the acclaimed chronicler of American delirium, presents an imaginative sci-fi about an otherworldly child pursued by the FBI and a shadowy cult.
ScannersScanners
Horror1980103 minsDirector: David Cronenberg
From singularly talented Canadian director David Cronenberg comes this sci-fi/horror classic about people with powerfully violent telepathic powers.
Slaughterhouse-FiveSlaughterhouse-Five
Comedy1972103 minsDirector: George Roy Hill
This adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut’s novel follows Billy Pilgrim’s journeys in time as he flits between WWII Dresden and a future on planet Tralfamadore.
SpliceSplice
Horror2010104 minsDirector: Vincenzo Natali
Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley are scientists who create an animal-human hybrid that develops at an alarming rate and soon grows out of control.
VideodromeVideodrome
Fantasy198387 minsDirector: David Cronenberg
James Woods and Debbie Harry star in David Cronenberg’s mind-melting sci-fi about media domination.
The WallThe Wall
Drama2011104 minsDirector: Julian Roman Pölsler
A woman holidaying at an Alpine hunting lodge discovers she’s been encircled by a mysterious, invisible force-field, in this highly original exploration of solitude and survival.