The Man Who Fell to Earth

Cinema 5 Distributing | Release Date: May 28, 1976

6.6	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 31 Ratings

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SpangleMar 1, 2017

The Man Who Fell to Earth is a film released just over 40 years ago now and yet, I do not believe I have seen a film of this kind. I may have seen a lot of films, but this one is just so unique it makes it a daunting challenge to watch andThe Man Who Fell to Earth is a film released just over 40 years ago now and yet, I do not believe I have seen a film of this kind. I may have seen a lot of films, but this one is just so unique it makes it a daunting challenge to watch and then to comprehend afterwards. With stunning imagery, a surreal approach to its story, pro-conservation and anti-corporate themes, and a delicate look at how the people of Earth would react to an alien landing on the planet. Long, contemplative, and not entirely perfect, The Man Who Fell to Earth is a film that is more compelling and thought provoking than it is entertaining.

One of the first things I noticed about this film is the similarity with Don't Look Now in how the sex scenes are filmed. Intercut with other scenes just as in director Nicolas Roeg's prior film, the scenes are stunningly put together. One such scene in intercut with Thomas Jerome Newton (David Bowie) at a show featuring Oriental performances. A later sex scene is not necessarily intercut with another scene, but it is heavily obscured due to flashes of the gun and unnatural flashes occurring alongside the gun. It almost seems like the flash of the gun was heightened to serve as another scene of sorts to augment the sex scene. The end result is captivating sex scenes that allow Roeg to indulge the more sexual elements of the plot and the exploration of sex in the film, while infusing it with a sense of artistry and style. While the sex scenes can be a bit excessive to a comical degree, the film uses them as a source of exploration for Thomas, who is unaware of human sexuality.

This intercutting adds to the formalistic feeling of the film, also bolstered by the constant images of Thomas' family back on his home planet. Shown as flashbacks or cuts to the present time, they are always in a barren desert clearly suffering from the heat and dryness of the planet. Thomas represents their only hope and they keep awaiting his return, but due to humanity's response to him - capturing him and studying him - a return home seems incredibly unlikely. This makes these images take on a truly tragic meaning with them being lost lines of connection to his old world that will never be rekindled in the future.

The film's most prominent themes are its pro-conservation and anti-corporate themes. The former is explored via the company founded by Thomas. Replacing major polluters with patents that give him control over their products, he sets out to recycle and reuse all products his company sells. The film celebrates the natural green of the world with Thomas building a home where nobody lives to be surrounded by water and grass. Of course, this is because of the state of his planet. Decimated by a lack of water, he has come to Earth to find a solution for his people. Representing what will happen if we do not step up our game and preserve the Earth, Thomas' journey to Earth is one out of desperation as he seeks a way to rescue his people and family from certain death. Unfortunately, the studying done to him renders him incapable of delivering any solutions to his people and leaves him as an involuntary prisoner of Earth and his human form. Raising awareness to the issues surrounding pollution, the film equally critiques companies. The companies he takes over are ones who may not have a great environmental record and then he is captured by business rivals and the government for study after having his trust betrayed. The film portrays the companies as the antagonists in this one and while that is hardly unique and a bit too on-the-nose, it does work and shows that the greatest danger to the environment is posed by corporations that cut corners left and right.

That said, The Man Who Fell to Earth did not work entirely for me. It is far too long, the acting is fine but nothing special, and it can be a bit too surreal and distant at times to truly evoke pathos. That said, it is a highly unique and innovative film that explores worthy themes with a captivating story to boot. Nicolas Roeg infuses the film with great style and finds a way to uniquely tell a simple "alien comes to Earth" story without devolving into cliches or action sequences. Impressive stuff, but it is simply not a film that entirely clicked for me on an initial watch.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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pb_ee1Sep 11, 2011

A very, very, very weird movie (and I mean it). The summary says it all: this is ART. But art that was made more than 40 years ago doesn't always age without any hurt. The movie navigates between sex (a lot), the story and some scenes thatA very, very, very weird movie (and I mean it). The summary says it all: this is ART. But art that was made more than 40 years ago doesn't always age without any hurt. The movie navigates between sex (a lot), the story and some scenes that are so totally bizarre that you will certainly laugh of it. The movie expresses some ideas but in a way that clearly shows the limitations of the special effects of that time: the first few minutes demonstrates it perfectly. Whereas it is understandable that effects couldn't be as good in 1976 as what we are used to see nowadays, the movie unfortunately got really old since it was released. The spectator is most of the time not transported, ideas are indeed presented in an old fashioned way that doesn't work anymore. The Man Who Fell to Earth isn't the worse movie of all times however. The acting of David Bowie is transcendent and the criticism of the society, that doesn't accept differences, is well done. But it's probably the weirdest movie that you will ever see.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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KenRDec 5, 2018

Waited a long time to see this concoction but should have waited longer. In typical 70s shapeless style it tells the story of an alien who comes to earth looking for water to save his dying planet, sounds okay ay...that’s where it stops. ThisWaited a long time to see this concoction but should have waited longer. In typical 70s shapeless style it tells the story of an alien who comes to earth looking for water to save his dying planet, sounds okay ay...that’s where it stops. This is virtually a remake (or copy) of a number of cheap 50s B pictures with sexed up porno scenes and pseudo ‘social comment’ added (compared to this – some of the cheap 50s shows actually come off better) Looking like a bigger budget backyard movie complete with clumsy ZOOOM lens shots and vague jumbled editing - this leaves the trained eyed viewer feeling seasick and longing for a little ‘studio professionalism’ to come along & save the day. No wonder the studio turned it away when the first cut was presented to them! - I can’t say the ‘directors cut’ helps enough to save it. If you study the main plot it’s simply preposterous and it seems this could also be why the movie makers spent so much time padding it out - with outlandish sex scenes and beat-you-over-the-head ‘consumerism /corporate greed’ messages...in an attempt to add some sort of depth --sorry, that didn’t quite work either-- Many folk love to ‘analyse’ this type of hodgepodge and can create all manner of excuses and meaning based on film school and festival ‘intelligence’ (maybe the book was better?). Love it or hate it, there’s basically not much more.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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alejandro970Feb 19, 2017

Uncanny David Bowie is one of his iconic roles: a humanoid alien looking for water. Sci-fi experiencde with some taste to social critic. Long life for Ziggy Stardust.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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Station2StationOct 9, 2014

A compelling art film that still holds up to this day. Showing us the sins of violence, sex, greed, and corruption, The Man Who Fell to Earth does not hold back on moral and social issues. The cinematography is amazing, the story isA compelling art film that still holds up to this day. Showing us the sins of violence, sex, greed, and corruption, The Man Who Fell to Earth does not hold back on moral and social issues. The cinematography is amazing, the story is intriguing and the acting is surprising. I mean, I wasn't sure if David Bowie was going to be able to carry a movie like this, but he was great. His performance of a detached, icy humanoid alien was one of the most fascinating aspects of this film. In conclusion, if you are into complex, challenging sci-fi movies, then I highly recommend The Man Who Fell to Earth.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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slashtheMar 21, 2016

Alas, this movie hasn't aged well. The concept is brilliant and Bowie is an excellent choice for the alien. He's let down by a weak script. The corporate bad guys are cartoons, and the screed against television is overly familiar. So muchAlas, this movie hasn't aged well. The concept is brilliant and Bowie is an excellent choice for the alien. He's let down by a weak script. The corporate bad guys are cartoons, and the screed against television is overly familiar. So much could have been done with an alien-visits-earth premise, which makes this film even more disappointing.

Recommended for hardcore fans only. For sci-fi buffs interested in offbeat alien visitation, I'd go with Brother From Another Planet first.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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DawdlingPoetNov 25, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is very much an arty/indie film - an understandably quirky one at that. I think David Bowie was the right person to play such a, pardon the pun, alien character. Its pretty light in dialogue. The flashbacks/dream sequences were certainly a bit bizarre, with albino aliens and caravans(?!). I did like the shots of sunsets in desolate/barren areas though. This is the kind of film I imagine may have been thought of while dabbling in some recreational drugs perhaps?.

Thematically, its partly, if not mainly, about isolation I think. I suppose you could say it foretold of the day of TV channel overload - the scene with the main character, Thomas, winceing at the various TVs showing their various programmes, hit a slight nerve with me (think - too much to take in at once(!)). The landscapes are nice to look at via the shots taken outside the limo, in which Thomas usually travels in. One piece of dialogue I quite liked was when someone asked Thomas in an accusatory tone - 'are you Lithuanian?'.

Yes, I'd recommend this film but only if you know what it is and your in the right mood for it, if that makes sense?.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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