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. With so much on the line for himself, Thomas works hard to make things work, though it isn’t as easy as he expected. As such, 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 passed 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. But this is not all visuals, as the story is interesting and the performances are terrific. Bowie is great in his feature film debut, while the supporting cats is also quite good. This is a very unusual film that involves some very 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. I mean, we’ve all seen naked bodies in movies and real life, so I doubt most folks would be overly offended here. Fox Lorber issued this film a ways back and while the video was decent, the rest of the disc was lackluster. Now however, Anchor Bay has released this deluxe two disc version, which shines in all respects. So whether you’re a first timer or a fan with the previous edition, this new two disc set is highly recommended.
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 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. The previous Fox Lorber disc was also in widescreen and while I was pleased with the video at first, I wasn’t impressed for long. I mean, it looked decent enough, but other studios were doing much better work with material from the same time period, so I was convinced a better treatment was needed. And now we have that improved effort thanks to Anchor Bay, who have worked their usual magic on another cult classic. The print is much cleaner than its ever looked on home video, which means the excellent visuals are on full showcase. The colors are better than ever also, with improved depth and texture, though the hues are still a little subdued, as intended. The black levels are refined and well balanced, since grain never gets too thick. This is a dynamic presentation, one that allows the movie to be as visually potent as it was intended to be.
Audio: How does it sound?
As they’ve done a lot of late, Anchor Bay has crafted a couple of new audio presentations, in Dolby Digital 5.1 EX and DTS ES. Now, some of these cutting edge soundtracks on older films come off as brash and unnatural, but as with most of the remixes found on Anchor Bay discs, both of these tracks sound terrific. The tone of the original soundtrack remains in place, but the added surround presence enhances the experience. So the surround presence is natural and effective, never forced in to the mix, which is great news. Even with the new mixes however, this material isn’t going to replace your demo disc, but then again, it shouldn’t be expected to. The music is alive and immersive here, while dialogue is clean and never prone to problems. As usual, the DTS option offers a slight edge, but both tracks are top notch efforts. I commend Anchor Bay for another superb audio treatment, so here’s to many more down the road.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The second disc of this set houses the extras, which aren’t bountiful, but its a better assortment than on Fox Lorber’s disc, to be sure. The main attraction is a twenty-four minute featurette that’s loaded with interviews, with participants including director Nicolas Roeg and star Candy Clark, as well as other crew members. No sign of Bowie however, which is certain to disappoint the film’s fanbase. Even so, this is a nice featurette with some informative interviews, so fans will be pleased. Other supplements found here include some television spots, talent files, poster artwork & still photos, and the film’s theatrical trailer. I do wish there would have been some chance to port over the excellent commentary track from Criterion’s laserdisc, but you can’t win them all, I suppose.
