The Man Who Fell to Earth

The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)

Timing: 2:19 (139 min)

6.5/10
585

7.085/10
6550

6.6/10
31000

All about film

Video 5

Photo 53

Actors and characters

Release date

1976-03-18

Country

United Kingdom

Production

British Lion Films, Houtsnede Maatschappij N.V., Cinema 5

Genre

Drama, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Budget

$1 500 000

Revenue

$0

Website

Director

Nicolas Roeg

Actors

David Bowie, Rip Torn, Candy Clark, Tony Mascia, Buck Henry, Bernie Casey, Adrienne La Russa, Claudia Jennings, Rick Riccardo, Jim Lovell
All actors and roles (10)

Scenario

Producer

Michael Deeley, Barry Spikings, Si Litvinoff

Operator

Anthony B. Richmond

Composer

John Phillips

Artist

Audition

Editing

Graeme Clifford
All team (33)

• Originally, director Nicholas Roeg wanted to cast popular American science fiction writer Michael Crichton in the role of the alien, attracted by his considerable height (2.06 m).
• The project to adapt Walter Tevis's original novel was initially developed with the famous Irish actor Peter O'Toole in mind.
• Writer and screenwriter Terry Southern came to the set in New Mexico simply to visit his friend, actor Rip Torn. Director Nicolas Roeg decided to take the opportunity and invited the writer to play a cameo – to appear as a reporter during the launch of a space rocket.
• In one of the episodes, Thomas Jerome Newton appears in a large black hat covering his entire face. The fact is that in this episode, the role of Newton was actually played by actress Candy Clark, because David Bowie was ill at the time and could not participate in the scheduled shooting.
• Between takes, the performer of the main role, David Bowie (1947-2016), wrote songs, drew, composed stories, contemplated an autobiography titled “The Return of the Thin White Duke,” filmed with a 16mm camera given to him by director Nicolas Roeg (1928-2018), and read – in particular, a biography of silent film comedian Buster Keaton (1895-1966). He was supposed to play Keaton in a future biopic.
• According to costume designer May Routh (1934-2022), some of the costumes worn by David Bowie were children's sizes – he was so thin.
• Director Nicolas Roeg cast David Bowie in the lead role after seeing him in the 1975 documentary “Cracked Actor.” According to Roeg, Bowie took the filming very seriously. He was never late to the set and always played flawlessly – to the delight of those around him and Bowie himself.
• Candy Clark did not actually carry David Bowie in the corresponding scene. The props department specifically devised a structure made of a skateboard and a bicycle seat, which created the illusion that the actress was carrying Bowie in her arms.
• Writer and screenwriter Terry Southern came to the set in New Mexico simply to visit his friend, actor Rip Torn. Director Nicholas Roeg decided to take advantage of the opportunity and invited the writer to play a cameo role – to appear as a reporter during a space rocket launch.