MovieChat Forums > The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976) Discussion > One of the best sci-fi movies ever

One of the best sci-fi movies ever

posted 15 years ago by gavbrown01
52 replies | jump to latest

I have been fascinated with this movie ever since I saw it over 30 years ago. I consider it to be in the top 5 of sci-fi movies ever made. Why?

-It's a great sci-fi story: A man appears in the desert one day, walking to civilization. In short order he becomes the head of a scientifically advanced corporation. He seems to have a mission to build a spaceship. Is he an alien? We see flashes of a seeming alien culture. Are these his memories? What is his purpose? Although the special effects are not flashy, they are entirely appropriate to adult tone of the movie - they work.

-It's a great mystery: Nothing is explicitly stated, we learn almost everything through inference. Everything is there which you need to know, but you have to pay attention.

-It's a great love story: the Earth girl who falls in love with him is one of the most touching characters I've seen. At the same time attracted to him personally and repelled by his alienness, she retreats into alcoholism at times, but always comes back to her Tommy.

-It's got pathos: the ultimate reason the story works is the main character, Tommy. Played by David Bowie, in the role of a lifetime, the alien character is a man in love who is on a rescue mission to save the one he loves. Trapped in a world of aliens, he struggles mightily to build the spaceship to save his family, but ultimately fails because he is discovered and caught by the government. He is not so alien that he can't relate to human beings: he does have human friends, and even a measure of human love.

[–] NormaDesmond6 15 years ago

Beautifully put-gavbrown01

[–] kingofthecastle 15 years ago

I enjouyed reading your comments. It has actually been 33 years since I last saw the movie, but it was unforgettable for me. I would be interested to know what you think of my concept of this movie. I have thought that it is a suggested biography of who Howard Hughes was. The whole desert setting and beng captured in a Las Vegas hotel. I will need to get a copy of this and watch it again. It has been too long.

[–] cabal-16 15 years ago

there are a few people in history who just are outstanding by the pure talent and abilities they have, they can be compared well as aliens, leonardo, einstein, hughes,...the name newton really seems like a chosen pick to this idea

[–] dropdown1 15 years ago

wonderful analysis of the film--I'm going re-watch it.

As another member pointed out, it works amazing well as both an alien/sci-fi story and as a Howard Hughes/troubled genius allegory. Keep in mind, Bowie's character doesn't start seeing his "alien family" until he starts drinking.

Check out Theresa Russell's comments on the Criterion DVD to "Bad Timing" when she talks about how alienated Nic Roeg felt after the success of "Walkabout" and "Don't Look Now" in UK. He went from being a "nobody" to the director everyone wanted a piece of.

[–] gavbrown01 14 years ago

I saw the Leonardo DiCaprio HH flix and of course everyone has some concept of him as the strange recluse who died with a lot of weird habits. Not sure I connect him to this movie, tho I see why others might see parallels.

[–] nephihaha 13 years ago

Definite parallel with Howard Hughes, although it was really autobiographical... Walter Tevis who wrote the novel based it on a childhood full of illness (after a move from San Francisco to Kentucky) followed by an adulthood of alcoholism.

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It's not "sci-fi", it's SF!

[–] DukeTogo1300 15 years ago

It is quite possible to like both. I do, and you should too. Everyone should like the exact same list of movies.

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My favorites:
http://www.imdb.com/user/ur7568922/lists

[–] gavbrown01 14 years ago

I am bad! I posted this a year and a half ago and never came back to participate in any follow-up conversation which I obviously could have had. I'm going to spend more time on imdb following up with my posts. Thanks for the nice comments. I'll add two things to the conversation: I read Stanislaw Lem's Solaris and have seen both the Soviet-era (70s) movie version of it and the Clooney version - neither came close to the power of the book, I thought, which in my estimation was a rumination on the nature of intelligence (was the planet intelligent or some kind of natural phenomenon? or perhaps, something more deep). 2) I just posted on the discussion board for the movie Hackers, another of my favs.

[–] rgcustomer 13 years ago

I also enjoyed what they did with some of the shots. For example, early on when Newton is looking out over a city, we tilt up and look at the Orion constellation, which then starts falling and transforming into fireworks. It's a beautiful picture.

[–] gavbrown01 13 years ago

I don't recall this scene, I'll look for it when I see the movie again!

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[–] cokoholicar 13 years ago

troll

[–] ewaf58 10 years ago

Neither do you.

[–] nephihaha 13 years ago

It's about corruption... Newton is more or less a fallen angel, who is destroyed by humanity, rather than a fallen angel setting out to destroy humanity, like Satan.

It's also a brutal satire on big business, and hypocrisy of capitalism.

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It's not "sci-fi", it's SF!

[–] gavbrown01 13 years ago

Interesting interpretation! You have a point!

[–] WarpedRecord 13 years ago

Beautifully put, Gavbrown01! This would certainly be in my Top Five for sci-fi, and possibly even be No. 1. Honestly, I'm not even sure this is really sci-fi because it's more a meditation on loneliness. Regardless, it's beautifully filmed and skillfully acted.

Unfortunately, this film came out at the end of a era for the genre, when cerebral films like this would be replaced by space epics, and characters and story would surrender to special effects. I'm glad it's at least getting a 35-year rerelease. I'd love to see this on the big screen again.

[–] gavbrown01 13 years ago

Thanks! I'll look for the re-release!

[–] rolotomasi_70-398-336619 12 years ago

Fantastic!
The innocence, and imagination...
The corruption.... the sacrifice..
the new mexican backdrops...
In some ways TMWFTE does share similarities with Tarkovsky's 'Solaris', but, stylistically, it is a world apart...
Roeg's film seems altogether more human, more loving... Nevertheless, they both share a similar theme, that is, to stir the mind and to move the soul...

[–] ewaf58 10 years ago

Good review - I've put some postings on this thread trying to defend it. It almost seems like some 'critics' on here were disappointed because an alien spaceship didn't appear at the climax - rescue David - collect water and zap all the bad guys.

[–] WarpedRecord 10 years ago

Thanks very much. It seems the definition of science fiction has become quite limited in the post-"Star Wars" era. This film is not easily classifiable, but I think science fiction would be an essential part of the description. Frankly, spaceships and light sabers bore me, and I love that Nicolas Roeg takes a more nuanced approach here, showing the alien that may exist in all of us.

[–] ewaf58 10 years ago

Yes it can't be specifically defined because it is so rich in just about everything and I agree with Roeg's nuanced approach.

A reviewer from 'Time Out' has suggested that it should no longer be seen as a cult classic - rather a classic.

If we are ever visited I doubt it will be by beings in huge spaceships blowing up everything in sight - but possibly a scout ship looking for resources although unless there is cheap and practical way of traveling light years I think it's highly unlikely any aliens will ever be coming our way.

So as we may have to make do exchanging holiday snaps let's hope they do their best to look presentable.

By the way the 1987 TV film was just terrible.

[–] WarpedRecord 10 years ago

I haven't seen the 1987 TV movie, and I didn't even know there was one until now. That's probably a good thing.

[–] ewaf58 10 years ago

Hi - yes it's on here with a rather generous 5.5 Out of interest two actors from the Star Trek Franchise appear in it - Wil Wheaton and Robert Picardo.