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Summary: Bowie was the man! Classic '70s sci-fi
Review: I don't give a darn about special features on DVDs. I haven't even bothered with the second disc of this newly released Special Edition. I want the best picture and sound quality I can find, and this Anchor Bay release trumps the previous edition on both counts. This movie looks superb, like the creme filling in a Hostess cupcake: sharp, with vibrant colors. The DTS surround mix is a gem, too. The movie is very atmospheric and not for those with a short attention span. I babysit my friend's kids, and they dozed off far before the ending (give 'em a break, it's 2 hours and 20 minutes!). But yes, you will see full frontal nudity from David Bowie and (briefly) Rip Torn. That's gotta count for something!!
Rating: 
Summary: Super-Duper Seventies
Review: You really can't get more '70s than this film by Nicolas Roeg. Made in 1976, it really captures much of the futuristic and negative aspects of 1970's thinking along with other '70s classics as "Logans Run" and "A Clockwork Orange". All of these films have a decidedly negative flair until "Star Wars" was released a year later and a new positive style of adventure was introduced in a more traditional manner. This new "Special Edition" DVD is a beautiful print - sharp focus and deep rich colors. There's hardly any grain and the soundtrack is full and rich. I'd never seen this movie look so good to be honest with you, and the dull muted VHS versions out there do not do the film justice. I never really liked this movie UNTIL I saw the DVD version that was just released. Suddenly, it took on a whole new meaning for me. I recommend this film, although a bit too "artsy-fartsy" for its good at times and certainly a bit too cerebral (it may have done well to learn a thing or two from Star Wars if it had been released just a year later). Sometimes simplicity works best and this story is anything but simple. Parts of it do work however, and Bowie gives a brilliant performance considering this was his first ever acting role in major motion picture. He looks better than he acts, but then this role needs a more interesting looking person than a well-acted one. Interesting, fascinating film that encompasses much of the attitude of the 1970's. I highly recommend it to the curious.
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Summary: This Alien Fell To Earth Without More Extras!
Review: Anyone purchasing this "Special Edition" will be getting a largely improved print than that of the Fox Lorber DVD version! True crisp, letterbox vision with a re-mastered soundtrack makes this a worthwhile investment. I'm totally amazed at this print's environment! Textures, framing even the pores of it's actors are in pristine condition. There is absolutely no aged signs of film blemishes or color distortion. Choice of how to hear it's soundtrack is in three different formats have also been included making the first disc the only "special" feature in this "edition" The second disc however is something less than "special", with a wealth of information regarding this sci-fi classic being found on the once available laser disc edition by Criterion that included a Commentary track with Nicolas Roeg, David Bowie, Buck Henry, Deleted scenes analysis with photos and continuity to costume and set design sketches, an array of promotional material and rare behind the scenes photography , it's a shame that there is nothing more here than a cheaply done PR press kit, a short 23 minute re-cap with Roeg, Clark and other principle players who discuss memories of the film like discussing a bad acid flashback and no, David Bowie is not along for the "bumpy ride". The script is accessible should you have a DVD-Rom drive, a few film stills and poster designs to a trailer gallery which perhaps is the best this disc has to offer, brings the "extras" of this disc to a pale comparison making it nothing short of a wasted piece of plastic. With that said, any fan of this film will be thrilled by the restored print and sound quality making this the ultimate DVD version of Mr. Roeg's masterpiece of "Sound and Vision".
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Summary: A film that smacks you on the side of the head.
Review: This is a great movie for the Sci-fi and lovers of alien encounters. Since it was filmed back in the late 70's it has aged surprisingly well. The plot follows a visitor Thomas Jerome Newton (David Bowie) from another planet on a well thought out survival plan to bring water back to his drought stricken planet. Early on in the film you can appreciate just how much care and planning has gone into the aliens only hope for survival, from having numerous engraved "wedding rings" to pawn to build up working capital to filing for patents on alien technology. Although there isn't a clear indication of the passage of time you get the feeling of the story spanning decades. David Bowie's character becomes more and more reclusive yet ever pushing towards his goal. The alien's plan is on track and is perhaps too successful when it draws the attention of some powerful business interests. Things start to go awry as the visitor is tempted and slowly drawn into the vices of humans. Sex and alcohol slowly and irrevocably corrupt the already isolated alien. Just when he is about to achieve his goal and thereby rescue his dying planet he is betrayed and his friends and allies are stripped from him to leave him isolated trapped more by his vices than a locked door. Here you get the impression of the advance of time, as his remaining friends grow old while he remains the same age. "The Man Who Fell to Earth" has a very isolated and depressing feeling to it. The visual impression is raw and gritty; it leads the viewer towards the plot rather than distracting them. There are some disturbing visuals in this movie like realistic vomiting but the violence in the film is used as a valid vehicle for the plot. There is also a fair sprinkling of nudity including Candy Clark, David Bowie and a full frontal nudity of a lecherous collage professor (Rip Torn) as he is seen replaying the same sex scene with numerous female collage students. "The Man Who Fell to Earth" is a film you have to pay attention to fully enjoy it and it is worth viewing a few times to get all plot devices.
Rating:
Summary: Which version??
Review: So... will this be the original uncut version I saw in the theatre? Or will this be the butchered version that's missing nearly 30 minutes of footage? I never bought the previously available DVD because I assumed it was the censored version -- was I right or wrong??
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Summary: order this one!
Review: if you haven't bought the original dvd of the man who fell to earth, the wait two months and get this one instead. it's been digitally remastered and includes (according to anchor bay)... The Man Who Fell To Earth - Feature Presentation (Disc One)
• Widescreen Presentation enhanced for 16x9 TVs
• THX Approved
The Man Who Fell To Earth - Bonus Materials (Disc Two)
• Theatrical Trailer
• TV Spots
• Talent Bios
• Poster And Still Gallery
• Watching The Alien -- An All-New 24 minute featurette
• Original Screenplay in DVD-ROM
i'm defintely waiting to get my hands on this.
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Summary: Science fiction as it oughtta be made- intelligent and eerie
Review: Well, yeah, "Star Wars" was fun and all, "Close Encounters" was trippy... But this sex'n'drugs-laden cult classic is probably the single best sci-fi film of the 1970s... At least it's the most intelligent of the lot. I first saw this movie when I was ten years old, had my mind blown, and was happy to recently discover how well it holds up. Davie Bowie (wow.) stars as a dissolute alien marooned on our primitive planet, desperately trying to get back home, where an environmental disaster looms that will decimate his world. Our world turns out to be pretty tough, too, though. At first his "Mr. Newton" plays cat-and-mouse with our economy -- placing radical new "inventions" into the consumer market, he makes zillions of dollars and becomes an unwilling celebrity. But he is soon thwarted by sinister forces and his own unsuspected weaknesses for pop culture, booze, and kinky sex. A fine parable for the diversion of '60s creativity into '70s hedonism, as well as a brilliantly realized science fiction/magic realist film noir. Plus, this film intersects perfectly with Bowie's earlier self-mythologization as the rock god Ziggy Stardust and not-so-subtle hints of his own extraterrestrial origins. Devoted Bowie fans simply have to see this movie -- fans of 'Seventies pop and trash culture will also want to drink it in.
Rating:
Summary: Not From Mars
Review: Make of this what you will... This film is about a man who leaves his home planet, comes to Earth to make a lot of money to build a spaceship in order to return to his homeplanet & help his family (in what way I'm not exactly sure). His homeworld is devoid of water. This spaceman gets sick if he travels too fast in a car, or a lift (elevator), and also his mere prescence seems to make a lot of people horny. Does this make sense? I'm not sure. But it's an interesting film.
Rating:
Summary: Strange, Beautiful, and Weird
Review: This is one of the most beautifully photographed movies ever. It has a moody, atmospheric quality that is hard to describe; almost dreamlike in places. The storyline is fairly straightforward at first, but then becomes convoluted as the movie increasingly digresses into tangential areas including a fair amount of Weird Alien Sex. The weakest aspect of the movie, IMHO, is the acting. Bowie's performance is pretty flat, while Rip Torn and Candy Clark are "over the top" a lot of the time. But if you can get past that, this movie is well worth watching, at least once, and perhaps repeatedly.
Rating:
Summary: Wait for the new release!
Review: This is one of my favorite films, and in fact I've reviewed it before. However, I did not buy the Fox-Lorber edition of the DVD, even when it was reissued at a low price, because it was not in anamorphic widescreen format. Those of us who own widescreen TVs have learned that many films are eventually re-released with enhancements. A new edition of this movie will be released from Anchor Bay in Spring of 2003. This will be a 2-disc special edition with, yes, an anamorphic transfer. I'm glad I waited. I'd recommend you do the same; even if you don't own a widescreen TV yet, you'll probably want the special edition materials and a brand new transfer.
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