A Few Words About A few words about...™ The Man Who Fell to Earth (Lionsgate) -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

Nicolas Roeg's The Man Who Fell to Earth is an interesting sci-fi trip, starring David Bowie and Candy Clark, with support from Buck Henry and Rip Torn.

Based upon the novel by Walter Tevis, it's not for a film for everyone. Far more accessible, and also based upon his work are The Hustler and The Color of Money.

Lionsgate, like Criterion (their release is now out of print) both offer the un-cut version of the film.

Both have numerous extras, but Lionsgate's product can be purchased as a non-collectible, at a normal cost.

Bottom line.

If you love the film, and have the Criterion, you might wish to add the new release for it's additional extras.

If you already have the Criterion, and don't feel the need to be all-inclusive, no need to add, unless you desire to sell your Criterion version, and possibly purchase a new car.

A quality product all-around, and superb for those who missed the older release.

The packaging of Lionsgate's version is a bit odd. It's a hard paper outer shell, which holds a standard Blu-ray case, alongside which is a formed hard paper insert which holds a small paperbound book, still and extra materials. Once you remove it, returning it to its housing is a bit like herding fish.

Image - 5

Audio - 5

4k Up-rez - 5

Pass / Fail - Pass

Recommended

RAH

 

[Angelo Colombus]

Great film and a fine performance by Bowie. I did buy the Criterion dvd box set so I might get this new Blu-ray.

 

[Powell&Pressburger]

I don't agree with the image score of this transfer. If you have the Criterion Blu compare the sequence when Rip torn exits the college buildings and goes to his car. The amount of blown out whites and lack of detail are astonishing. There are times when this transfer probably lacks less detail than a DVD.

I understand if you don't own the Criterion blu this is the way to go but I wouldn't sell off my Criterion blu and replace it with this. True the Criterion isn't perfect but this LionsGate / Studio Canal has more cons than pros.

I blind bought this Studio Canal UK version and aside from a great looking box set package the BLU Ray movie disc is a coaster.

 

[The Drifter]

The underrated '70's sci-fi film The Man who fell to Earth is amazing, even though I find it Roeg's least "accessible" film for me - and, I don't mean that as a criticism, but more of a compliment. Even if you pay close attention, some things are still hazy. The passage of time is a very obvious theme in the film, but it's left intentionally unclear exactly how many years have passed from beginning (when the alien lands on Earth) to the end - is it 20 years? 30 years? It seems like things here are intentionally left ambiguous.

Spoiler: SPOILER

The sequence when the lawyer & his assistant were both thrown out of the skyscraper window was quite brutal & unexpected, not least of which because it was somewhat unclear why this was done...I'm guessing it had something to do with corporate espionage.

Spoiler: SPOILER

The ending scene with the David Bowie alien drinking on the restaurant/bar patio was a fitting end to the character & the film; despite all of his riches, with the passage of time & a rough life, he ended up a broken husk & a shade of his former self.

This was one of those Roeg films where the storyline/plot seemed secondary to the surreal tone/vibe the film was trying to convey.

The "true" appearance of the alien & his family reminded me quite a bit of the Martian aliens in the excellent late '70's TV mini-series The Martian Chronicles (based on the Ray Bradbury book of the same name).

 

[Nathan_H]

(Anxiously awaiting reviews of the new UHD edition coming out soon.)

 

[Powell&Pressburger]

(Anxiously awaiting reviews of the new UHD edition coming out soon.)

Whats crazy is the LionsGate / Studio Canal Blu editions were fried. Blown out whites. It was insane how bad those discs looked. It made the Criterion BLU even better looking.

So I’m very curious what the upcoming 4K UHDs will be like. I’m a bit worried. But fingers crossed.

 

[JoshZ]

Whats crazy is the LionsGate / Studio Canal Blu editions were fried. Blown out whites. It was insane how bad those discs looked. It made the Criterion BLU even better looking.

So I’m very curious what the upcoming 4K UHDs will be like. I’m a bit worried. But fingers crossed.

Agreed. I know that the post was six years ago, but I'm frankly baffled by RAH's positive review of the Lionsgate Blu-ray, which was dramatically inferior to the older Criterion transfer. Less detail, blown-out contrast, weirdly bleached colors. It looked awful.

I expect the UHD will be the same master.

 

[Nathan_H]

That's depressing me. Hopefully the scan was okay and someone just messed up the mastering of the blu ray, if that is the case.