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   5,816 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 23% 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
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
1 win & 3 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(7 articles)
Ground Control to Duncan Jones, Director of Moon
 (From Vanity Fair. 8 June 2009, 9:45 AM, PDT)
Blu-ray Review: The Man Who Fell to Earth (Criterion Collection)
 (From Rope Of Silicon. 28 December 2008, 11:05 PM, PST)
User Comments:
Bowie At His Best more (81 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

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
Jim Lovell ... Himself (Commander of Apollo 13) (as Captain James Lovell)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Claudia Jennings ... Peters' Wife (uncredited)

Debbie Letteau ... Professor's (Nathan Bryce's) Daughter (uncredited)
Terry Southern ... Reporter at space launch (uncredited)
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Directed by
Nicolas Roeg 
 
Writing credits
(in alphabetical order)
Paul Mayersberg  writer
Walter Tevis  novel

Produced by
Michael Deeley .... producer
Si Litvinoff .... executive producer
John Peverall .... associate producer
Barry Spikings .... producer
 
Original Music by
John Phillips 
Stomu Yamashta 
 
Cinematography by
Anthony B. Richmond 
 
Film Editing by
Graeme Clifford 
 
Production Design by
Brian Eatwell 
 
Set Decoration by
Simon Wakefield (uncredited)
 
Costume Design by
May Routh 
 
Makeup Department
Ellis Burman Jr. .... special makeup effects artist
Linda DeVetta .... makeup artist
Martin Samuel .... key hair stylist
 
Production Management
Roy Stevens .... production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Kip Gowans .... assistant director
 
Art Department
Ron Downing .... stand-by prop
Tom Raeburn .... property master (as Tommy Raeburn)
 
Sound Department
Alan Bell .... dubbing editor
Desmond Briscoe .... electronic sound effects
Robin Gregory .... sound recordist
Bob Jones .... dubbing mixer
Colin Miller .... dubbing editor
Terry Sharratt .... boom operator
Michael Ellis .... sound editor (uncredited)
 
Visual Effects by
Harrison Ellenshaw .... special photographic effects
 
Stunts
Richard Graydon .... stunt coordinator (as Dickie Graydon)
Matthew Norris .... stunt double: David Bowie (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Martin Evans .... gaffer
Gordon Hayman .... camera operator
Harry Jackson .... best boy
David James .... still photographer
Derek Suter .... electrician
Michael Thomas .... electrician
 
Casting Department
Jeanne Swain .... casting: New Mexico
Alan Swain .... extras casting (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ola Hudson .... suits of Mr.Bowie
Mike Jarvis .... wardrobe master
Janet Tebrooke .... wardrobe mistress
 
Editorial Department
Rodney Glenn .... first assistant editor: film
Melinda Rees .... assistant editor
 
Music Department
John Phillips .... musical director
 
Other crew
Gregg Champion .... production assistant
Terence Churcher .... location manager
Marilyn Clarke .... production coordinator (as Sue Merry)
Ronald Cook .... production accountant
Susanna Merry .... continuity
 

Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
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
Certification:
Norway:18 (1976) | New Zealand:R18 | Iceland:12 | Netherlands:12 | UK:18 | Argentina:16 | Australia:R | France:-12 | Sweden:15 | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Finland:K-16
Filming Locations:
Alamogordo, New Mexico, USA more
Company:
British Lion Film Corporation more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Candy Clark, with a large black hat strategically pulled low over her face, played Thomas Jerome Newton in one scene while David Bowie was ill and unavailable to work the day it was shot. more
Goofs:
Continuity: Newton only touches the plate once and there's only one plate of cookies, but when they were in the air, we can see two completely different lifting moments. more
Quotes:
Mary-Lou: What are they like, your children?
Thomas Jerome Newton: They're like children. Exactly like children...
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in On the Edge of 'Blade Runner' (2000) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
Mandala more

FAQ

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
30 out of 42 people found the following comment useful.
Bowie At His Best, 7 April 2004
8/10
Author: whitestreet from Borlänge, Sweden

So, you thought Alan Yentob's "Cracked Actor" or perhaps D.A. Pennebaker's "Ziggy Stardust: Motion Picture" was the perfect pictorial rendering of David Bowie and his life in the '70s?

Oh no!

It's in this, Nicolas Roeg's 1976 master-piece, the real Bowie reveals himself. The rock star's perfect in his interpretation of Thomas Jerome Newton, alien castaway turned resigned and bored capitalist super-star. Mainly because this was were Bowie were at in the mid-'70s. It's not acting. It's Bowie's mere presence. He was an earthling just as alien as his character.

"The Man Who Sold The World" is a rather depressing, and strange, tale of a man who comes to our planet to raise money to help his own world dying from drought. All he really want is to get home to his wife and kids on that doomed planet. But instead he falls for the mortal sins (sex, drugs, music, television).

The film's beautiful, sad, scary and somewhat pretentious. It's sci-fi when it's human.

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Message Boards

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One of the worst movies I've seen esakshaug
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One of the best sci-fi movies ever gavbrown01
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