The Man Who Fell To Earth - Trippy and Beautiful
Anybody who loves science fiction as much as I do should have seen this movie a long time ago and studied it closely. Yet I only recently was introduced to The Man Who Fell to Earth and was mesmerized.

For the time period it was made, it is visually incredible. The story line is also excellent considering how unbelievable the premise is. I would also state it is probably easily misunderstood because of the subtle use of cues and disjointed plot structure. But this movie cements what I already believed to be true: David Bowie is a creative genius who deserves more acclaim than he gets.

It's interesting that in a movie in which Bowie was cast, the music is very non-Bowie. I'm sure that was meant to not overshadow his performance, which is incredible. I don't want to give away too much detail, but the title kind of says it all. If I had to summarize this movie briefly, I would say it was like Starman meets E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial and Valley of the Dolls.

I will add this: please avoid the reviews with spoilers. Several comments have been made which are not totally accurate. Watch the movie yourself and watch carefully. Then you can draw your own conclusion.

Like I said, the special effects are very good, yet tastefully done for the time period. They are not overly done as some other sci-fi of the late 70s and early 80s.

We learn about Bowie's character little by little through a series of flashbacks. These definitely highten the anticipation, but they also make the story disjointed. When we do finally see what Bowie truly is, it's an incredible climax.

There's also plenty of hippie-like scenes as Bowie's character is pulled out of his shell by a very unique female character. I personally felt like her lines could have been better, but she does a good enough job.

Rip Torn's character is perhaps the biggest enigma. I suspect that the film-makers purposely left some ambiguity as to his role in Bowie's demise.

I am not surprised by those who want simple explainations all laid out for them in a movie like this. This is meant to be an unconventional story told in an artistic way. Despite what some may say, there is a great deal of beauty and profundity in the way this story is told.

The supporting cast is good, though there are definitely some characters who are given less dialogue than they deserved.

The closure of this movie definitely made me feel sad for the world and mankind in general. Draw your own conclusions, but watch carefully or you will misunderstand what is really happening.

I would say anybody who loves sci-fi and hasn't seen this should see it soon. I may have been the last guy to this party, but if there are any others out there like me definitely check this out.

Enjoy.

Brilliant, haunting evocation of alienation
Like many others, I picked this up because I'm a Bowie fan. And, wow, he is incredible in the role of the alien to falls to earth. Having seen him in this role, I can't imagine any one else who could portray this character. His alien isn't cute or adorable, like E.T. or Mork; his is a true alien in every sense of the word.

I knew nothing of the novel by Walter Tevis from which the film is adapted. But I was intrigued by the liner notes that told a bit about his life, his own sense of alienation when he moved as a child to Kentucky, how his frail size and accent made him a target for many beatings, and of his own 17 year struggle with alcholism. Undoubtably it's the depth of his personal experience that imbues the story with such resonance. Indeed, he says that the Man is not necessarily from another planet, but that it is his mindset that creates his feeling of alienation.

I went over to the Book section of Amazon to read the reviews of the book and it seems that there are some superficial differences between it and the film, but the main pain of the theme is still as poignant in each.

I would like to read the book, perhaps just to fill in some of the gaps that many reviewers notice in this film, that make it a little hard to fathom in parts. However, the fact that this film was so gorgeously made does seem to enhance the orginal story a lot. Nicholas Roeg, first a visual artist and then a cinematographer, adds a whole other layer to the story, with his splendid photography. I am no fan of science fiction at all; just the sight of folks in shiny sleek silver outfits with wierd eyes and ears makes me want to run away (I never could watch Star Wars for just that reason.) But I found the few scenes of the Man, falling, in his silver wrapper, and especially the shots of the family he left behind on the troubled planet very lovely and moving.

And, then, there is the phenomenon of the strangely beautiful David Bowie. His presence, alone, is worth the price of admission! He is a true original and gives credibility to the notion that he might just be from another planet(!) He is a reason enough to turn the book into a film.

The story, as others have told here, is relatively simple. A man, named Newton, from the planet Anthea, leaves home to come to Earth. The book gives different reasons; the film states that Anthea has had an extended drought and he hopes to send water back. He possesses advanced technological knowledge which he uses to take over a large corporation in hopes that they will build a space craft for him.

At first all goes well, due to the extraordinary skill of Newton. He hides his secret and keeps distant from any social contact. However, in a hotel in Artesia, New Mexico, he collapses in the elevator and is rescued by the hotel maid, Mary Lou (Candy Clark.) She is the perfect person to bring some warmth, if not color, to his pale cheeks: warm, cute, irrepressably friendly, and not too bright. At first I found her efforts to "humanize" the poor alien quite touching. The scene where he shows her the lake where he plans to build a house and he actually holds her hand for a few seconds is amazing. It takes them a while but they eventually have a sexual relationship, (which Roeg is not shy about showing.)

Things look good for a while--she helps him decorate the house which he has done in Japanese decor, for some reason---I guess it matches his ascetic taste. However, poor Mary Ann, shares not only her love of life, church and sex with Newton, but her taste for gin. He prefers water at first but then gives in and soon the two of them manage to consume lots and lots of it. It's really scary to see all of the empty bottles sitting around---you can see how alcoholism was truly a demon for Tavis. The film could be convincingly used as an anti-drinking document.

In time, Newton is corrupted by the pleasures of Earth and the duplicity of the Earthlings. It's a simple fable and certainly worth thinking about. I would have preferred a happier ending--something about the triumph of the human spirit or the Anthean spirit or some kind of spirit, but it's the alcoholic spirits that win, and that is truly sad.

In addition to Bowie, the rest of the cast is wonderful. Rip Torn plays a sleazy, smart guy who leaves his job teaching college, where he enjoyed the company of numerous co-eds, eager to earn a good grade (again Roeg is graphic in showing the details) to go to greener pastures to work for the company that is employing Newton. Torn's performance is easy to overlook in the brilliant company of Bowie, but he is just right in showing the affable but morally compromised man that he is. He's funny, too and the sex scenes are hilarious, especially the first one where his girlfriend's bra ends up on the photo of the professor's estranged wife and daughter. It tells us all we need to know about him.

Candy Clark is perfect as the wonderfully warm, terribly sad woman who loves her "Tommy." (Newton) Time passes and her drinking turns her from a fresh faced young girl into a puffy faced middle aged woman. She still loves life in her own way, decorates her home with Christmas ornaments and has taken up with the professor, who, for some reason wears a Santa suit, as they visit the local liquor shop. It's quite perfect. Buck Henry is here as the head of the world corp that employs Newton and he is always good, although it's a pretty lack luster role that doesn't give him a chance to really shine.

As mentioned, there are a lot of sex scenes which should please some and dismay others. It's the 70's and the vogue in film making was to show it all. I don't like a lot of gratuitious sex-for-shock-value scenes but I thought these were well done. I can't say "tasteful" because they are purposely not "tasteful" but for me, they worked.

I have the AnchorBay edition and, from what I've read here, I wish I had the Criterion edition. For one thing, there are no English subtitles on this (don't know what Criterion has) and I missed a lot of what Bowie said. So I was a little confused during the second half, although others said that certain key scenes were cut which would have better explained the scenario. I would have liked to hear the comments that Criterion offers.

This is a film that sticks with you, because of its story, its gorgeous style and especially the performances. I am tempted to give it five stars--just the terribly sad ending spoiled it for me.

Interesting take on "A man on a mission"
This one made me happy in so many directions at once. David Bowie is just an intriguing person. I really don't care what he does, I'll watch it. But he rocked this character! The story is very interesting and the whole mood of the thing is tripped out. 70's flicks seem to do that to me so factor that in. I guess this is a scifi but the drama of this man on his mission is the cool part. I thought all the actors did well with their roles. There's even smatterings of erotica thrown in to keep things moving along. Buck Henry is here too, not doing anything funny, which he's famous for, but love seeing him, nonetheless.

Puberty Blues
If something to watch this movie for, it is a rare public appearance of David Bowie's manhood.

However, is it enough for broadening even the mind only?

Ambiguity does not equal depth.
After watching "The Man Who Fell to Earth," I played the new DVD of "All About Eve." Some contrast, eh? There couldn't be any two more-different films. Unfortunately, "Eve" shows rather harshly what is so very wrong with "Man." (Hmmm...)

Remember the scene where Margo Channing is awakened at midnight by an operator announcing that her long-distance call to Bill Sampson is ready? Margo knows nothing about the call, but gradually figures out that it was scheduled by Eve Harrington.

Margo's not happy about this, and as she hangs up and lights a cigarette, her facial expressions show that she's finally starting to realize that Eve might not be a sweet ingénue but a conniving little [female canine].

Margo says not a word, but we know exactly what's going through her mind, courtesy of a talented actress. "All About Eve" is a Mankewicz talkfest, in which virtually everything is spelled out in the dialog, so this use of facial expression -- rather than words -- is surprising. But whether by word or expression, throughout "All About Eve" we are always aware of what the characters are thinking, and why.

This is the problem with "The Man Who Fell to Earth." Newton's "fall" from advanced alien to feckless, affectless alcoholic is never properly dramatized. We don't know his original mental state, nor do we see why the banality and materialism of human existence are so effective in pulling him down. The scenes that show how and why these things occur don't exist. They were never written, and the director didn't seem to think they were needed. Yet they are the sine qua non of the story.

It's true that great works of art are often open to multiple interpretations. But deliberately making a motion picture ambiguous by leaving out critical information about a character's emotional development does not add to its richness.

The plot holes are annoying. Why is Newton (what an obvious name!) prevented from piloting his space ship? Who are the people who want to take over his company? How are they able to get away with murdering the company's president? Why is Newton locked away and examined by scientists who aren't aware he's alien?

The film's lack of scientific and technical logic also rub the wrong way. Why does Newton's planet need water -- one of the most-common substances in the universe? Why doesn't Newton come to Earth in a reusable space ship? And why is Newton's first consumer product -- an instant-picture camera -- so drearily inferior to an SX-70?

Perhaps the most disappointing thing about "The Man Who Fell to Earth" is that it wastes David Bowie's beautiful performance. The supporting performers are badly miscast and seem quite out of place.

Watching "The Man Who Fell to Earth" you come away with the feeling that Stanley Kubrick would have done it a lot better. Or at least more-interestingly.

PS: I wrote this before reading the Maltin, Ebert, and Kael reviews (Cinemania '97). You might wish to compare.