The Man Who Fell to Earth

As a humble visitor to this planet, Thomas Newton brings with him inventions from his own world and sets about building an empire with the idea of making money. Lots and lots of money. Why he needs this is uncertain until later in the film, where we learn the story of his dying world and his desire to save it.

As his empire grows, Newton meets a girl of humble means in a hotel and they fall in love. In time he falls prey to alcohol and lust and inevitably succumbs to all the accoutrements of power granted him. Believing no one but two close friends know the truth, his original ideals of saving his world begin to slide away from him as he struggles to hold onto them among the detritus of our world. Then, as all he has built is at its strongest and his plan looks like attaining fruition, nothing is as it seems.

But then, neither is he.

As a film, The Man Who Fell to Earth is a searing indictment of our world and our civilisation. Newton’s humble character slowly becoming riddled with the plagues of our modern society is almost heartbreaking to watch; his growing alcoholism and increasing distance from Mary-Lou, the simple girl he meets in a hotel. The world ages around him as his empire grows, yet he progresses slowly and surely forward, ageless and always with the intent of rescuing his family far away. However, even the noblest of intentions are prone to deceit and decay, and even as he fights to save his world, he is himself sinking in the abyss of ours.

This film creates a picture perfect snapshot of human society and one that reflects badly upon us as part of it. Shaped by our own creations, we are sluggish and weak, fighting feebly for power to the individual, while harshly held up against Newton’s indivisible selflessness toward his own people. And so the corruption of Newton’s ideals is all our doing; our social graces that constrict and smother; the raging civil war within us that both fights for a place in the sun, yet beats it out upon receipt. It’s a harsh portrait and bittersweet in the telling, but a clever analogy to humanity itself.

"Get out of my mind, all of you! Leave my mind alone!"

The Man Who Fell to Earth is an amazing film, still as relevant today as it ever was. The singular reflections of Newton about humanity are delivered without malice, but instead as humble observations without rancour. His eternal patience in a world that is threatened by his presence is as affecting in its aloofness as in its marked difference from our own. Perhaps even lost on all of us as our society maintains its headlong rush into a technological future.

Immaculate is the word, without question. This is a magnificent quality of picture with extremely limited film artefacts. Delivered in 2.35:1 and 16:9 enhanced, the full cinematic aspect ratio is maintained and brings the picture to awesome life. Colours, while being in that '70s semi-washed out state, are still crisp and clear. Shadow detail is good, though some blacks tend to look the slightest bit green on occasion. This is about the only failing and is certainly not prevalent throughout. Flesh tones (and there’s a lot of ‘em) tend to be a little pallid on Mr Bowie (of course), but for everyone else they look natural enough.

I am absolutely astounded a film from 1976 can look this damn good. In fact, I’m willing to bet it’s the best this film has ever looked. A stunning picture quality without parallel.

Dolby Digital stereo is all we get here and this a little unfortunate considering the content. However, that being said, there is little surround sound could do to enhance much of the film experience. There are the occasional rocket shots or whatever, and the gunfire bedroom scene is something to see and hear, but for the most part this is a dialogue movie. And on that subject, the dialogue is all well spoken and clear without any horrible static or whatever involved. Bowie’s accent is deliciously portrayed and is effectively one of the highlights of the audio. The scene in church where he is learning to sing is quite something as well.

Sound effects are fine, though we may miss the surround for them, as noted above. The gunshots are mostly stock effects but they don’t go on and on like some running gunfights in other films and they suit the weirdness of their scenes anyway.

The music throughout the entire film is, quite simply, perfect. Well suited to each scene and evenly balanced atop dialogue or sound effects, the music fills the soundscape nicely and only dominates where intended. There is a nice blend of tracks and score plus a liberal sprinkling of Gustav Holst’s Mars – The Bringer of War from the Planets Suite. All up, a killer sound deal, regardless of it only being stereo.

Just a few, but all are worthy inclusions. They all appear on the main menu, so there’s no need to change menus to get at them. The first is some 24 minutes of interviews and discussions on the making of the film in a documentary type format. Entitled Watching the Alien, this is fascinating viewing. Delivered in 4:3, it includes some great poster art from various films of the day and before, plus interesting information about casting with relatively recent interviews with cast and crew. There’s a nice discussion about Bowie’s Low album, which was the first music cut for the film, but finally removed. This is an affectionate look back at the film and a very interesting piece indeed.

Then there’s the good old trailer which runs for 2:22 at 2.35:1 with 16:9 enhancement - we love it when they enhance the trailer, it shows someone cares about us, the consumers. Finally, there are DVD-ROM documents which, according to the case, are pages from the original theatrical campaign brochure.

So not a huge package, but the recent doco is an extra special treat that truly supports the film well.

The Man Who Fell to Earth remains a classic of science fiction and I imagine it will for a long time to come. That other science, humanity itself, is the one explored here through the yellow eyes of a visitor to our world and one that sees us in our miasma of true colours.

David Bowie is excellent as the man who fell - Thomas Newton - as are the supporting cast of brave souls who seem to get their gear off at any given opportunity for a bit of bedroom antics. Some of the scenery and photography is superb and the DVD transfer treatment is simply magnificent.

For fans, this rates alongside other classic '70s science fiction like A Clockwork Orange, Fahrenheit 451 and 1985s Brazil as drawing an interesting portrait of the human race and the folly of pursuing technology while forgetting about people.