IMDb > The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)
The Man Who Fell to Earth
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The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
6.7/10   5,800 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?

Up 2% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

Nicolas Roeg

Writers:

Paul Mayersberg (writer)
Walter Tevis (novel)

Contact:

View company contact information for The Man Who Fell to Earth on IMDbPro.

Release Date:

26 May 1976 (Netherlands) more

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Drama more

Tagline:

You have to believe it to see it

Plot:

Thomas Jerome Newton is a humanoid alien who comes to Earth to get water for his dying planet. He starts... more | add synopsis

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations more

User Comments:

Brilliant Sci-Fi more (80 total)


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
more
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Additional Details

Runtime:

139 min | Sweden:119 min (cut version)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1 more

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo


Fun Stuff

Trivia:

At one point Mary-Lou shouts to Tommy, "Tommy Can You Hear Me?" which is a reference to the The Who's rock opera Tommy (1975) and the song of the same name. more

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Newton opens the cabinet mirror in the bathroom we can briefly see the reflection of a crew member. more

Quotes:

Mary-Lou: You know Tommy, you're a freak. I don't mean that unkindly. I like freaks. And that's why I like you. more

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) more

Soundtrack:

Love is Coming Back more


FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
40 out of 49 people found the following comment useful.
Brilliant Sci-Fi, 13 March 2004
10/10
Author: Nix Garthim from CA, USA

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).

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Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
THE RING AT THE START OF MOVIE needley
Significance of Last Scene? strangerthanjimmy
One of the worst movies I've seen esakshaug
Enough Sex? mattqatsi
One of the best sci-fi movies ever gavbrown01
What is the movie on TJN's tv with Nick Adams dogma_789
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