The Man Who Fell to Earth
THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH (18)
D: Nicolas Roeg
Cinema 5 (Michael Deeley & Barty Spikings)
UK 1976
140 mins
Science Fiction
W: Paul Mayersberg [based on the novel by Walter
Tevis]
DP: Anthony Richmond
Ed: Graeme Clifford
David Bowie (Thomas Jerome Newton), Rip Torn (Nathan Bryce),
Candy Clark (Mary-Lou), Buck Henry (Oliver Farnsworth), Bernie Casey (Peters)
The weird and wonderful David Bowie made his cinematic
breakthrough in this weird & wonderful science fiction cult favourite.
As an alien who arrives on earth to collect water for his own
dying planet, he adopts the name Thomas Jerome Newton and plans to make financial gains selling the secrets of alien technology so he can afford to build a spacecraft for his return voyage, but
eventually succumbs to the addictions of human sin, sex and alcohol.
The film is very much a product of its time, with the focus of
Nicolas Roeg's direction being on an artful presentation rather than a traditional narrative.
A
must-watch for Bowie fans, but it won't be enjoyed by the masses.
7/10
