The fullscreen is one of the worst stateside dvd transfers in existence. Many night scenes seem to be taking place in a storm of dust. The day scenes aren't much better; each one looks like it was filmed after sundown. The glorious color cinematography of Earnest Dickerson is ruined, both by the muted color and by the 4:3 remframing. Though not nearly as vibrant as Dickerson's later work on Do the Right Thing, this is still a suprisingly compelling movie from a visual standpoint. If you get the fullscreen, you'll never know.

And at last, you can see every nuance of Joe Morton's face! His great performance as the brother, which has not one single spoken word, is finally visible in all its complexity. So are the faces of the residents of Harlem, both good and bad, that we encounter throughout the film. As many have noted, the sci-fi effects are totally laughable (the removable eye, especially), but that's not what this film is about. It's about a new way to look at the experiece of race and community, and it succeeds brilliantly.

A final note on the pro-fullscreen reviewer: if you look up his reviews, you will note that he hates Taxi Driver and loves both Ishtar and Howard the Duck. I rest my case.

Buy the other version (Rating: 1.00)
Review : this one is so called "widescreen." There is another DVD which has the number B000055XLV also available here on Amazon, which is fullscreen so you can really watch and enjoy this wonderful movie. Buy that version instead, and the price is much cheaper to boot!

Fullscreen and Great (Rating: 5.00)
Review : This version, the Gemstone DVD--not the more recent MGM one--is fullscreen so you can really see and enjoy the movie. Contrary to the reviews below, it is truly great, and at a much better price. It is too bad that the director's interview, etc. are on the MGM DVD, but that one is so called "widescreen" only, and therefore should not be bought or supported. Buy and watch this excellent fullscreen version of a truly wonderful film.

Amazing (Rating: 5.00)
Review : This is one of my favorite films of all time. Like many really good Sci Fi tales, it is ultimately a very human story. I love so many of the scenes - the character interactions in the bar scenes are great. And Joe Morton is terrific.

They didn't have much budget for this and there are obvious clumsy mistakes in the movie. Some of the mistakes are even pointed out in the director's comments, but it just adds to the enjoyment. (But my DVD copy is just fine. I don't understand the quality complaints in other reviews here.)

For all the rough spots, I don't miss the million dollar effects one bit. Effects might even push the story aside too much. This DVD will always have an honored place on my shelf and I will enjoy this many more times. (And I could never say the same for Matrix Revolutions, for example.)

Dr. Jan (Rating: 5.00)
Review : This is a must see for any one who is knowledgeable about the history of African Americans. Morton stars as an alien, who is escaping from a distant planet where he was enslaved. This movie is Joe Morton's best work ever, although his character is mute...through his talent as an actor, he speaks volumes.

Although comedic in nature, the movie has some serious undertones and displays a lot of symbolism and historic references throughout. For example, Morton's space ship initially lands in the immigrant entry point of Ellis Island, however, as a Black man, he finds his way to Harlem where he can 'blend in' safely and hide from the peculiar, looking and acting, white slave catchers.

This movie is one of the best movies ever made that can be enjoyed by anyone at any age. As a matter of fact, I think it would be a great family discussion movie with the "drug problem" and "man's inhumanity to man" co-plots. Rent it! Buy it! You'll be glad you did!