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Amazon.co.uk Review
While other films directed by Nicolas Roeg have attained similar cult status (including Walkabout and Don't Look Now), none has been as hotly debated as this languid but oddly fascinating adaptation of the science fiction novel by Walter Tevis. In The Man Who Fell to Earth, David Bowie plays the alien of the title, who arrives on Earth with hopes of finding a way to save his own planet from turning into an arid wasteland. He funds this effort by capitalising on several highly lucrative inventions, and in so doing becomes the powerful leader of an international corporate conglomerate. But his success has negative consequences as well--his contact with Earth has a disintegrating effect that sends him into a tailspin of disorientation and metaphysical despair. The sexual attention of a cheerful young woman (Candy Clark) doesn't do much to change his outlook, and his introduction to liquor proves even more devastating, until, finally, it looks as though his visit to Earth may be a permanent one. The Man Who Fell to Earth is definitely not for every taste--it's a highly contemplative, primarily visual experience that Roeg directs as an abstract treatise on (among other things) the alienating effects of an over-commercialised society. Stimulating and hypnotic or frightfully dull, depending on your receptivity to its loosely knit ideas, it's at least in part about not belonging, about being disconnected from the world--about being a stranger in a strange land when there's really no place like home. --Jeff Shannon.
Product Description
United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), English ( Dolby Digital Stereo ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Based on a novel by Walter Tevis, The Man Who Fell to Earth achieved cult film status for David Bowie's performance as Thomas Jerome Newton, aka "Mr. Sussex," and the imagery of director Nicholas Roeg, a former cinematographer. In this deeply allegorical science-fiction drama, Newton is an alien from a planet that is dying for lack of water, and he has been sent to earth to find a way to ship some of the earth's plentiful supply to his home planet. He arrives with a human-looking disguise, his knowledge of unusual technologies, his despair, and little else. Using his knowledge, he takes out patents on "his" inventions, aided by patent lawyer Oliver Farnsworth (Buck Henry). He skillfully parlays the money from these inventions and becomes a financial/industrial tycoon. These inventions, and others like them, along with his political and financial power, should make possible the transfer of water to his planet. But instead of pressing forward with plans to save his home planet, he becomes enamored of Earth's low-down ways and of his strange, passive relationship with his elevator-operator girlfriend, Mary Lou (Candy Clark). Meanwhile, his phenomenal rise from anonymity to power, and his eccentric behavior, spark the government's interest. Chemistry professor Nathan Bryce (Rip Torn) also comes calling, fascinated by the alien's history. As gin and despair slowly cripple him, he becomes consumed by memories of life on his doomed planet. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: Berlin International Film Festival, ...The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976) ( El hombre que cayó a la tierra )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
32 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I've been a long term appreciator of this film since it was regularly shown late at night on BBC2 in the 70's and 80's. Seeing it on DVD at its full aspect ratio is a revelation though, the composition of the images is wonderful and I kind of missed that on a 4:3 TV all those years ago. This is a quality movie with excellent performances from all the actors, even the bit parts. Anyone who ever claims that David Bowie cannot act should be forced to watch this and then to eat their words because he is quite frankly superb in the part of Thomas Newton. He conveys more 'other-worldliness' in a simple gesture than most actors achieve with the full Stan Winston latex treatment. Despite this being an SF film (with no major SFX, just intelligent scripting) it could just as easily be about anyone out of their environment and feeling alone and paranoid. They quite literally don't make em like this anymore. Instead we get MIB:2. Help!
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
It irritated me when I had to order this, that I could find no subtitle info, so just to help others I will add that: there are no subtitles of any kind (not even english for hard of hearing) on this movie. Otherwise its a great movie and great dvd, so no need to avoid it just for that detail, but if you're a non-native speaker, you might like to know this in advance.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
Nicolas Roegs follow up to his successfull thriller 'Don't look now', was the Science fiction themed 'The Man who fell to earth'. The role of the main chracter, that of the alien,Thomas Jerome Newton, finally found itself fullfilled by the then most alien of rock stars David Bowie.
Roeg had previously in mind PeterO'Toole and Micheal Crichton as possibles for the role of the icey alien. However, Roeg, who had used Mick Jagger successfully in his earlier film 'Perfomance' was attracted to Bowie through his sense of mime and movement on stage and also through Alan Yentob's BBC Documentary -'Cracked Actor' which was aired earlier that year. After Roeg met with Bowie in New York he felt he had found his alien and Bowie, who had been interested in acting since the sixtes and had had some minor film roles, accepted the part.
This film is wonderfully shot and is a visual joy especially in its wide screen format. From claustraphobic interiors to wide expanding landscapes and not least the images of the wonderfully pale and angullar Bowie, who later used some of the images as album covers. A superior and unobvious sci-fi film it deals with themes familiar to the work of Roeg(And to some extent Bowie)- alienation,paranioa,memory and wierd sex! The story line concerns the alien visitor, in human form, who has visited earth in search of resources to save his dying planet. This some-what naive and cold character recieves the affections of a lonely woman,the 'down home'Mary Lou.(Well played by Candy Clark). Who in one memorable scene carries Newton from an elevator, where he has collapsed vomiting, to his hotel bedroom. Once the alien begins to trust Mary Lou he begins to reveal his true identity which culminates in one shocking scene which was edited out when the film was first shown in the U.S. This is where Newton/Bowie reveals his true hairless, almond eyed physiognomy.(ala:Arnie in Terminator 2)From then on a feeling of entraptment ensues as the alien becomes corrupted and his benign cause esqued.
Roegs Film enchants, puzzles and provokes but one can't help thinking allegorically of a being alienated and brainwashed by society and unable to save 'his world' or that of those around him. If not Roeg's best film then definitely Bowie's. One of the best films of the seventies, it is still relevant today and stands up to repeated viewing. Favourite scene: Our alien seated in front of banks of television screens using the remote control, in information overload, before destroying the screens shouts despairingly "Get out of my mind... all of you!"
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Ruined by Roeg
I also read and enjoyed the book when it first came out. Not only is it very a good story but also a perfect vehicle for Bowie. Read more
Published 6 months ago by A. KING
Blu-ray details / very good print: Sound and Vision = Hunky Dory !
Very fine print with original aspect ratio.
Saw this movie twice in theatres and now the BD looks even better, recommended to all fans of the film or Nicholas Roeg! Read more
Saw this movie twice in theatres and now the BD looks even better, recommended to all fans of the film or Nicholas Roeg! Read more
Published 8 months ago by mickey_one
Okay, but could really have done with a trim.
I've often wondered what would happen if aliens arrived on Earth... primarily, would they think we're all completely mad? Read more
Published 13 months ago by DVDfever
Totally weird film
Classic film. Totally weird, but magical at the same time. Can't imagine anyone making anything like it now though, very much of its time. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Mr. A. Buckle
interesting and thought-provoking
This is a film you can love or hate. Many reviewers were disturbed by its very frank sex scenes, forgetting that this is a film from the '70s, when nudity and sex were sort of... Read more
Published 18 months ago by papirosnitsa
Vintage
I bought this for a Uni project after reading the book. I'm glad I had read the book first. I know I would have been bored and confused out my skull for the first part if I didn't... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Ms. Ir Bird
Peerles mythic allegory
This is perhaps one of those rare occasions when reading the source novel by Walter Tevis The Man Who Fell to Earth (Penguin Modern Classics) before seeing the movie may increase... Read more
Published on 11 April 2010 by John Luxton
I really love David Bowie performances
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fell-Earth-Penguin-Modern-Classics/dp/014119037X/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t
The Man Who Fell to Earth achieved cult film status for David Bowie's... Read more
The Man Who Fell to Earth achieved cult film status for David Bowie's... Read more
Published on 24 Jan 2010 by Gennaro Troiso
A spiritual allegory
This film is best approached from the perspective of a spiritual allegory. It is replete with esoteric symbolism that will be missed by those not initiated into it. Read more
Published on 12 Dec 2009 by The holo-man
The Man Who Fell To Earth
Excellent DVD, lovely film, a very original sci-fi story, and surreal epic, great cast and a diamond for any Bowie fan. Read more
Published on 25 May 2009 by i
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