British Council Logo UK Films Database
Project Detail

The Man Who Fell to Earth

Synopsis

Crash-landing on Earth from his dying planet, an alien humanoid travelling by the name of Thomas Jerome Newton (David Bowie) uses his superior intelligence to build a vast business empire. As he takes on, and beats, every US corporation people can only guess his true purpose – to save his dying world from agonizing death by drought. Newton’s ageless fall from grace, as he becomes prey to lust, alcohol, business rivals, and the US Government, makes 'The Man Who Fell To Earth' not only a bitingly caustic indictment of the modern world but also a poignant commentary on the loneliness of the outsider. A science-fiction cult classic.
Official Selection Berlinale 2016 - Berlinale Special – Tribute to David Bowie

Details

Year
1976
Type of project
Features
Running time
139 mins
Director
Nicolas Roeg
Producer
Michael Deeley, Barry Spikings
Executive Producer
Si Litvinoff
Editor
Graeme Clifford
Screenwriter
Paul Mayersberg (script), Walter Tevis (novel)
Director of Photography
Anthony B. Richmond
Production Designer
Brian Eatwell
Composer
Musical Director: John Phillips; With music by: Stomu Yamashta
Principal cast
David Bowie, Rip Torn, Candy Clark, Buck Henry, Bernie Casey
Costume Designer
May Routh

Genre

Horror Drama Fantasy Sci-Fi

Categories

Fiction

Production Status

Complete

Sales Company

StudioCanal (FR)

Juliette Hochart
Head of International Library Sales
1, place du Spectacle
92863 Issy-Les-Moulineaux
Cedex 9
France

Page updates

This page was last updated on 12th May 2025. Please let us know if we need to make any amendments or request edit access by clicking below.

Suggest amendments

See also

You may also be interested in other relevant projects in the database.

Puffball Puffball

Director: Nicolas Roeg

Year: 2008

Powerful forces are unleashed when a young architect becomes pregnant after moving to an isolated and mysterious valley to transform a ruined cottage. And when the neighbouring farmers take against the unborn child, it’s her very survival that is threatened.

Action Drama
They're Gone! They're Gone!

Director: Marcus Flemmings

Year: 2026

In a near-future Britain that has deported all “non-British” people, a timid teenage boy hides the last Black woman in the country - then risks everything by bringing her to sing a well-known 2000’s RnB song at his 2000’s RnB-loving fascist father’s wake.

Comedy Drama Horror
director and assistant with actress bloking the scene Nobody's Daughters

Director: Juan Pablo Bedoya

Year: 2026

Santo is a respected religious clockmaker and moneylender in his village. He exploits families in debt by using charm and kindness. When they cannot repay him, he persuades them to send their underage daughters to work as maids to pay off the debt. Ultimately, he sexually enslaves them and throws them out on the street when they become pregnant. His latest victim is Cira, an 11-year-old blackberry picker whose mother has pawned their home and land. After Santo's death, Maria Luisa, one of his victims, with the help of Fernando, his childhood friend and lawyer, fights for justice. After a long court battle, justice has finally been served, but not for everyone. Based on a real story.

Drama