Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6251 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-01-29
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Box set, PAL, Special Edition
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 133 minutes

Synopsis
In Nicolas Roeg's sci-fi tale based on the novel by Walter Tevis, a humanoid alien from a dried-up husk of a planet falls to Earth in a spaceship--and later falls again metaphorically through alcohol abuse and the manipulations of a hostile culture. Arriving as a secret ambassador from a dying world, the masquerading Mr. Newton (David Bowie) patents several basic devices, including a self-developing color film and music recordings in the shape of small silver balls, in order to amass the tremendous capital necessary to build a spaceship. Along the way he solicits the help of a crack patent lawyer (Buck Henry) and a country-fried small-town girl (Candy Clark) who introduces him to gin, which he soon begins to substitute for his customary glass of water. Newton debates the reality of returning to his dead world only to have the choice made for him when he is swept from the launchpad by government agents. After serving his time with men in black, he is released, blinded by x-rays, into the world. As a last drunken hurrah, he records an album under the name the Visitor with the hope that it may someday be broadcast and heard by his family and friends back home. Connected throughout by intercut clips of television programmes, classic movies, and film soundtracks, THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH is an fine example of the postmodern technique of work referring to its own medium and history. Like much 1970s sci-fi, it is heavily indebted to Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY; a scene in which an upset tray of cookies is juxtaposed with flying bodies echoes the film's flying bone and spaceship. Juxtaposing the free love enjoyed by Dr. Bryce (Rip Torn) with post-Altamont, pre-Reagan paranoia, Roeg's film manages to be at once artistically groundbreaking and a crystallisation of the post-Summer of Love era.

Customer Reviews

Outstanding Criterion Release
The Man Who Fell to Earth is a science fiction cult film from director Nicolas Roeg (Walkabout, Don't Look Now). It stars David Bowie as an alien who visits Earth seeking water for his home world which is barren. It is based on the Walter Tevis novel of the same name and this Criterion release of The Man Who Fell to Earth comes with the book as well. There are significant enough differences between the novel and the film that the novel is a worthy supplement to the experience of watching this movie. You will also want to check out the DVD extras in the same regard.

David Bowie is the title character in his only feature role. He is Thomas Newton and he only has to adjust his appearance a little bit to look somewhat human. That is if you think David Bowie even looks human because I don't, but I do realize he is...I think? Anyway, Thomas Newton rises to great wealth due to his society's advances in technology and his ability to create enterprises based on his patenting compilations of ideas that his world produced, nonexistent on Earth. He is trying of course to fund the shipment of water back to his home world. Thomas soon meets Mary-Lou (played by Candy Clark). Mary-Lou is your typical girl who introduces him to many of Earth's temptations. Thomas is soon inhibited by his aberrant consumption of alcohol and his fixation with television. It all has a very negative effect on him. Mary-Lou and his friend Nathan (Rip Torn) both eventually discover separately that Thomas is indeed an alien. After being revealed and after the government imprisons him, Thomas's inevitable downfall becomes apparent. We see him gradually accept failure in his task and grow increasingly negative in his disposition. He has truly fallen to Earth I suppose.

The big strengths in this film are primarily its cinematography. I like Nicholas Roeg's other films a lot so I'm aware that this is to be expected. I like the idea of a science fiction art film and overall I can really appreciate the fact that The Man Who Fell to Earth is not as in your face as most science fiction is today and was even back then in the mid 70s. However, this is almost too surreal and sedated for me. It was convincing but there were some long and boring stretches and I couldn't figure out why exactly, beyond the photography alone. It just seemed a lot longer than the story warranted. Also, I think I can draw the line between gratuitous nudity and appropriate nudity and I'm grown up enough to accept both. The Man Who Fell to Earth has much gratuitous nudity, but that was a sign of the times I guess so it's partially forgivable. There is more emotion and drive behind Newton in the Tevis novel and it seemed a bit more controlled as an existential piece of work. It doesn't matter though because with the Criterion release you are getting both and if you like to collect interesting and unique films that will have you talking then this set is worth owning. The film itself would probably get three stars from me but the Criterion release justifies four. It really is an exceptional package. The extras are outstanding and should help answer most questions you will have. Provoking movies like this one, whether they be good or bad, deserve the royal treatment so kudos to Criterion once again.

It's supposed to be disjointed
Ah, the joys of non-linear narrative. Nicolas Roeg takes the plot back and forward until the audience either surrenders to the fractured consciousness of the alien or turns off the dvd and watches Eastenders instead. As with any great director, Roeg simply refuses to believe there's only one way to communicate a story. Kubrick had shattered that illusion with 2001 anyway. This film, along with much of Roeg's work, does for film narrative what Picasso and Braque did for perspective. Is that too much? I suppose the very least you could say about The Man Who Fell To Earth is that it's a film that dared to be genuinely different and remains a glorious testament to an age when substantive difference meant more than a stylish alternative. For those who are tempted, I can say it's much easier to follow than a more recent gem like Mulholland Drive, though equally challenging. It's not really 'sci-fi' - I think the film is far more concerned with alienation than with aliens. Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver was broke and out of luck, but here we have a film made around the same time expoloring the same sense from a position of incredible wealth and success. In '76 Bowie was the perfect choice and the rest of the casting is equally impeccable.

bowie's best
this is definitely bowie's best ever performance and he looks amazing - a superb casting choice. i really loved this film and i suspect you will too - especially if you are a fan of david bowie.

for the record, the soundtrack that bowie wrote for the film, but wasn't used as the film company didn't want to pay the cost that such an artist demands, became the album we know and love as "LOW" and not "STATION TO STATION" as a previous reviewer suggested. This is why LOW contains so many (brilliant) instrumentals.

Both albums used stills from the film but LOW contains the music that would have been the soundtrack - and what an opportunity missed! most long standing bowie fans hail LOW as his best album and THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH as his best film so imagine the two combined.

i wish the powers that be would release a version of this film with the original soundtrack that bowie intended it to have - now that would be something very special!

PLEASE - somebody make it happen :)