The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)

Thomas Jerome Newton is a humanoid alien who comes to Earth to get water for his dying planet. He starts a high technology company to get the billions of dollars he needs to build a return ... See full summary »

Director:

Nicolas Roeg

Writers:

Paul Mayersberg, Walter Tevis (novel)

Stars:

David Bowie, Rip Torn, Candy Clark

1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
David Bowie	...	Thomas Jerome Newton
Rip Torn	...	Nathan Bryce
Candy Clark	...	Mary-Lou
Buck Henry	...	Oliver Farnsworth
Bernie Casey	...	Peters
Jackson D. Kane	...	Professor Canutti
Rick Riccardo	...	Trevor
Tony Mascia	...	Arthur
Linda Hutton	...	Elaine
Hilary Holland	...	Jill
Adrienne Larussa	...	Helen
Lilybelle Crawford	...	Jewelery Store Owner
Richard Breeding	...	Receptionist
Albert Nelson	...	Waiter
Peter Prouse	...	Peters' Associate

Storyline

Thomas Jerome Newton is a humanoid alien who comes to Earth to get water for his dying planet. He starts a high technology company to get the billions of dollars he needs to build a return spacecraft, and meets Mary-Lou, a girl who falls in love with him. He does not count on the greed and ruthlessness of business here on Earth, however.

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Plot Keywords:

alien | water | dying planet | urinating in fear | red pubic hair | 

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Taglines:

You have to believe it to see it

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Genres:

Sci-Fi | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 May 1976 (Netherlands)

Also Known As:

El hombre que cayó a la tierra

Filming Locations:

Alamogordo, New Mexico, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$3,343 (USA) (15 July 2011)

Gross:

$83,547 (USA) (23 September 2011)

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Lion Film Corporation, Cinema 5

Technical Specs

Runtime:

139 min 119 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The music that Oliver Farnsworth is listening to in the first scene we see him in and in one of the last is Gustav Holst's "The Planets".

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Goofs

Towards the end of the movie, Newton walks through a long, saloon-like room while the camera pans back. A lamp at the upper right part of the screen moves, probably touched by the camera crew.

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Quotes

Mary-Lou: I don't love you anymore.
Thomas Jerome Newton: And I don't love you.

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Connections

Referenced in Green Lantern (2011)

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Soundtracks

"Boys From The South"
Written & Performed by John Phillips

User Reviews

Brilliant Sci-Fi

The Man Who Fell To Earth is one of the few sci-fi films that can justifiably call itself brilliant. But what makes it so brilliant, you ask? It's certainly not the story, which is merely about an alien coming to earth in order to save his dying planet. The performances are excellent, but actors alone cannot make a film brilliant. Perhaps what makes The Man Who Fell To Earth brilliant is the thing that causes people to despise it: it has no plot. That's right. It's alot like a David Lynch movie; there are bizzare characters, bizzare dialogue, and bizzare situations, but barely any trace of a followable plot. The film manages to carry a thin story with almost no plot whatsoever and be consistently interesting and entertaining throughout. On top of that, it's all stunningly photographed. There is quite a bit of sex in this movie, but the sex is done so stylistically we hardly notice how pornographic it is. For instance, in one scene near the end of the film, Bowie wields a pistol loaded with blanks like a phallus. The scene than erupts into a bizzare sex scene filled with flashing strobe lights, full frontal shots of Bowie, and the gun firing randomly off. The Man Who Fell To Earth is essential viewing(unless of course movies that are hard to follow or a naked David Bowie aren't your thing).