Plot: What’s it about?
When you think of alien invasion you might think of laser beams or mass destruction, but how many of you envision corporate takeovers and business deals? When Thomas Jerome Newton (David Bowie) lands on this planet disguised as a human, he has some serious business to attend to and the fate of his entire home planet hangs in the balance. You see Thomas needs to locate immense amounts of water and then formulate a way in which to transport this water back to his own planet, where droughts have left them on the verge of extinction. Thomas comes from a very advanced planet in terms of technology so he knows what he has to do, but he lacks the funds he needs to make it all happen. He decides to use his knowledge of advanced technology to start his own business, which he thinks will earn him the billions he needs to construct the ship for his return home. But business isn’t that easy and Thomas has to deal with cutthroat businessmen around every corner. Add in a dash of romance and love and Thomas finds himself between a rock and a hard place…
This is a strange film that has found a rather large following as the years have passes and I am proud to count myself among their numbers. I don’t think this movie will appeal to most traditional science fiction fans, but those interested in a more offbeat alien tale will want to check this one out. The visuals are well known and admired for good reason, this is a visually powerful film that few can equal. I will discuss this more when I get to the director’s info later on, but I will say this one is worth watching once just to see how good it all looks. This is a very unusual film that involves some downright bizarre events and characters, but I think it all comes together well in the end which is what counts. The sex scenes might drive some more conservative viewers away from the film, but if you can handle some nudity you’ll be just fine. Fox Lorber has issued this title on a bare bones disc, but it does look and sound good, which is what counts. I recommend this a rental to first time viewers, but fans will want to add this to their collections right away.
This film was directed by Nicolas Roeg, whom many feel is willing to sacrifice substance for style. I will say some of his films could use some work in terms of storyline exploration and character depth, but I don’t think his movies ever suffer that much because of his visual inclinations. Roeg knows how to make a visual splash and this shows in almost all of his films, including this one. While some of Roeg’s other movies have powerful visuals also, I think this film has the most stunning visuals as the sets, costumes, and camera all forge together to create an incredible world. As I mentioned above you should view this film just to see how striking it is, if for no other reason. If you want to see more of Roeg’s cinema I recommend Walkabout, The Witches, Hotel Paradise, and Two Deaths. The lead in this film is played by David Bowie who is perhaps best known for his musical career, though he has been in several movies. Bowie (Labyrinth) looks the part and is able to pull off a more than adequate performance here. I was also very pleased with the performance of Candy Clark (American Graffiti, Cool As Ice) who had terrific chemistry with Bowie. The supporting cast includes Buck Henry (The Real Blonde, To Die For), Bernie Casey (In The Mouth Of Madness), and Rip Torn (Men In Black, Trial and Error).
Video: How does it look?
The Man Who Fell To Earth is presented in a 2.35:1 widescreen transfer, which is not enhanced for widescreen televisions. This is the best this film has ever looked and though I wish this was an anamorphic transfer, I noticed few compression hiccups. The colors appear vibrant with no signs of bleeding and flesh tones look natural and consistent. The contrast is consistent and sports deep shadows and an acceptable level of detail at all times.
Audio: How does it sound?
This release uses the original mono track which provides an adequate experience, though some scenes would sound tremendous in a full surround mix. The music is spooky and sometimes unsettling and it sounds great in this mix, no distortion at all. The effects sound as good as mono allows, which means good but not that good. The dialogue is crisp and clean and shows no signs of volume or separation issues.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This release contains some talent files and that’s all.
