When David Lynch calls a film "simultaneously horrific, erotic and funny," and master surrealist Luis Buñuel says that it is "exceptional," you know it's probably not an easy watch. Martin Scorcese, Francis Ford Coppola, along with Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia, helped to finance a new print of the film, that's how much they love it.

First released in December 1966, The Saragossa Manuscript   is a mind-bending adaptation of some of Jan Potocki's equally difficult eighteenth-century novel. The complex narrative weaves together a group of tales set in Spain, where more characters than you can keep track of stagger (or sometimes caper) through wildly clashing movie genres: the gothic, the historical, the satirical. There is very little warning when the film abruptly delivers you from one storyline to the other. Isn't it great when a film makes you think? 

Kotov is a medalled veteran of the1917 Bolshevik Revolution and the ensuing Russian Civil War, which ended in 1923. He has the number of Stalin’s private line, and is respected by everyone who lives near his dacha. It would seem that this hero’s comfortable life is unassailable. The cinematography captures the lush, summery colours of the scenery around the house, and the slightly faded, but still fine hues of the clothes that Kotov’s wife’s once-aristocratic extended family wear. It’s all dancing round the piano, sitting down to meals and playing with little Nadia. Also, despite the age gap, Kotov and his wife seem to truly be in love.

In Stalin’s Russia, not even the war hero of olden times is safe from the Great Purge

However, the threat to this carefree idyll comes in the form of Maroussia’s ex-lover, and Kotov’s ex-subordinate. Mitya, played by long-time Mikhalkov collaborator, Oleg Menshikov, turns up and charms his way back into the household. Despite his easy way with Nadia, there’s something up. He stares coldly at Kotov. He keeps reminding Maroussia of their past. In just one day, Mitya destorys everything that Kotov has built up. In Stalin’s Russia, it seems, not even the war hero of olden times is safe from the Great Purge.   Yet, Kotov is not entirely innocent either – his past actions cost Mitya years of his life. From this plot outline, you might think that there is no one to sympathise with in the film. You’d be wrong. Mikhalkov’s film presents us with rounded characters, flaws and all, with whom we can’t help but empathise. Gradually, those flaws appear larger and less forgivable, although the lack of choice involved is always apparent. Burnt by the Sun is slow-moving, which makes Kotov’s sudden realisation of his vulnerability at the end all the more shocking and disorientating. Mitya has been working for the Secret Police, and his mission at Kotov’s house was partly on orders from Stalin, and partly out of a need for revenge.   

The Sixth of May , directed by the late Dutch director Theo Van Gogh , is a thriller that re-enacts the murder of right wing Dutch politician, Pim Fortuyn, on 6th May 2002. The slick movie has a Hollywood feel to it, but might prove impenetrable without a little Wikipediaing of the facts (at least), unless you're clued up on your Dutch politics.

This documentary, made by renowned [some might say notorious] left-wing journalist John Pilger, is out on DVD on 4th February. The film uses the USA's treatment of Latin America over the second half of the 20th century as evidence that the US is fighting a war against democracy in the region known as "America's backyard." His film shows us the flipside of Bush's "War on Terror," where the US's efforts don't even pretend to be for the greater good. 

A reviewer of his 2006 book, Freedom Next Time , said of Australian-born, London-based Pilger:

John Pilger is a very unusual journalist. He writes about people on the receiving end of grisly western policies - whether bombs or economic "advice" - and then exposes the motivations of those who are responsible. One might think Pilger is just doing his job. In fact, it is an indictment of western journalism that this way of working is rather unusual and Pilger unique. He opens by writing: "This book is about empire..."

Taking Liberties, a documentary which explores the possible erosion of civil liberties under Tony Blair's government, supported by the UK Film Council P&A fund, is out to rent or buy on DVD on 15th October.  Director Chris Atkins has grand aims for the film: 

"If there's one thing I've learnt from making this film, it is the understanding that politics is not about self important windbags in Westminster, or thundering newspaper editorials - it's about people. And all people need to do is to engage and have a voice and they can change the world."

The Lives of Others, which won the Best Foreign Language Film at this year's Oscars, will be available to buy next Monday.

The critically-acclaimed film, which was nominated in an unprecedented 11 Deutsche Filmpreis categories (German equivalent of the Oscars), is set in East Germany in 1984. It follows a member of the Stasi, the secret police force of the German Democratic Republic, who is commissioned to monitor a playwright and his girlfriend.

It seems to me that I always talk about the weather in the introduction to these columns. I’ve vowed that I was going to stop that. Unfortunately, Danny Boyle’s latest film has kind of scuppered that. So I have to mention that, considering the general rain, it’s good that Special Edition # 21 has a new film that can bring some brightness into all our lives. Laurence Boyce also has his usual rag bag of re-releases, TV shows and Doctor Who. Enjoy!