The Man Who Fell to Earth

In an eerie coincidence, Filmstruck, in its last week of existence, is featuring films of Nicolas Roeg, who just happened to die right when it started. I've only seen one Roeg film, The Man Who Fell to Earth, so I thought I'd end my Filmstruck experience by watching the Roeg films on hand.

I started by watching The Man Who Fell to Earth again, which I must have seen in college. I find that I'm old enough that watching films all these years later is like watching them for the first time--I remembered almost nothing, except a nude scene by Candy Clark.

The film was David Bowie's acting debut, and he is a perfect choice to play a man from another planet, as his persona at the time (this film was from 1976) had people questioning whether he was indeed human or not. He is not an accomplished actor here, but that almost suits the role better than a pro, as he is supposed to be a man out of his element.

Calling himself Thomas Newton (certainly an homage to Edison and Isaac, and perhaps a nod to Major Tom of "Space Oddity") Bowie has come from a planet that is in a severe drought. He needs to raise the money to transport Earth's abundant water supply to his home planet. He starts by getting a patent lawyer (Buck Henry) to build a corporation based on his advanced scientific knowledge (but of course, our own digital technology outpaces the space alien's). Soon Bowie is holed up like Howard Hughes in a New Mexico hotel, watching numerous televisions at once, where his only contact is with a hotel maid (Clark) who dotes on him, but also teaches him human vices, like drinking booze.

With the aid of a cynical chemistry professor (Rip Torn) Bowie builds his spaceship, but the government (I think) detains him and probes him and studies him, and he becomes a useless alcoholic.

The Man Who Fell to Earth is fairly long and contemplative, not going anywhere in a hurry. The editing is abrupt and makes the story hard to follow--I'm still not sure who Bernie Casey was working for. And, while I'm not complaining, it has some gratuitous sex scenes. Casey is shown with his wife, the gloriously naked Claudia Jennings, and Torn has a backstory of being a professor who likes to sleep with his students. I'm not sure what this adds to the story.

Clark is somewhat embarrassing as Mary-Lou, who calls Bowie Tommy (there are lines lifted from rock songs, which I don't think is coincidental, such as when Clark bangs on the door crying, "Tommy, can you hear me?") She received an Oscar nomination for American Graffiti, but after this film she faded into obscurity. I saw her signing autographs for money at a Chiller Expo about twenty years ago, I have no idea what's she doing now.

The Man Who Fell to Earth is not boring, but it's not exactly gripping. It's more a curiosity than a great film. You should see it, but be wide awake when you do.