304 The Man Who Fell to Earth

Discuss releases by Criterion and the films on them. Threads may contain spoilers!
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PfR73
Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2005 10:07 pm

#101 Post by PfR73 »

I do know another language, it's simply that living in Texas, Spanish is much more useful than French. Plus, for some reason, the text on the page was not loading correctly and was filled with question marks in random places.

But thank you for your help in translating it.
Anonymous

#102 Post by Anonymous »

Review up at DVDTalk.

Looking good ... "The Criterion Collection gives The Man Who Fell To Earth it's finest home video release to date. [...] the quality of the video transfer and of the supplements on this release is top notch indeed and the inclusion of the novel that the film was based on is just the icing on an already very tasty digital cake. Highly recommended!
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Lino
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 10:18 am
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#103 Post by Lino »

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lord_clyde
Joined: Thu Dec 23, 2004 8:22 am
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#104 Post by lord_clyde »

Gordon McMurphy wrote:Clyde's correction makes even less sense! Unless he's taking the piss.
I was just giving you a hard time Annie, I've seen people born and raised in the US of A make worse errors daily.
analoguezombie

#105 Post by analoguezombie »

lord_clyde wrote:
Annie Mall wrote:So what does the "More!" is anyway?
The correct grammar is "So what DO the "More!" is anyway"
you're both wrong. What does the 'More!' mean anyway? or What is the 'More!' anyway?

would be correct expressions. When asking a question directly you can use "Do" before a pronoun such as: "Do you think...?", or "What do you think the More! means?". Do is usually used when the noun is plural such as, "Do cars go?", or "Do Atlantans bathe?". Does is used when the noun is singular. 'Does Atlanta have adequete housing?'. It is also used when the noun is qualified. "Does the car have any bullet holes?" My assumption is that you thought "More" was a plural, but in fact it is qualified by 'the' and referes to a line of text. Therefore it is singular and necessitates the use of does.
jcelwin
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 6:09 pm

#106 Post by jcelwin »

Insightful.

Thank you analoguezombie.
analoguezombie

#107 Post by analoguezombie »

just poking fun guys. I mean it's not like I'm fluent in a second language, and given all the nuances of English I'm constantly amazed at how my 'english as second language' friends are able to peform.

anyway, i got an e-mail the other day saying dvdplanet had shipped my copy of TMWFTE, I can't wait!
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daniel p
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 1:01 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

#108 Post by daniel p »

I'm interested to see a comparison to the Anchor Bay disc. I don't yet own either, and will be getting the Criterion soon, but would just like to see a comparison. I hope Gary Tooze, or at least somebody else does one. Those screenshots on Gary's review look incredible...

And, judging by reviews of the Anchor Bay, it seems the 6.1 audio isn't much chop anyway - so in the end, I'd rather watch it in it's original audio.
analoguezombie

#109 Post by analoguezombie »

I haven't seen the anchor bay release, but from everything I've been reading, this new transfer is just the best it's gonna get. I can only tell a difference when a transfer is horrible, my eye isn't so perceptive, but I own this, and I can't imagine it looking any better. without a doubt this Criterion is the release to go with.
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lord_clyde
Joined: Thu Dec 23, 2004 8:22 am
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#110 Post by lord_clyde »

I think the packaging and extras are reason enough to upgrade.

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
Criterion:
DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION DOUBLE-DISC SET FEATURES:
New, restored high-definition digital transfer, supervised and approved by director Nicolas Roeg
Audio commentary by Roeg and actors David Bowie and Buck Henry
New video interview with screenwriter Paul Mayersberg
Performance, new video interviews with actors Candy Clark and Rip Torn
Audio interviews with costume designer May Routh and production designer Brian Eatwell
Audio interview from 1984 with author Walter Tevis, conducted by Don Swaim
Multiple stills galleries, including Routh's costume sketches; behind-the-scenes photos; and production and publicity stills, introduced by set photographer David James
Gallery of posters from Roeg's films
Trailers
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Plus: Walter Tevis's original novel, reprinted specially for this release, and a 28-page booklet featuring a new essay on the film by critic Graham Fuller and an appreciation of Tevis by novelist Jack Matthews
Between the novel, commentary, director supervised transfer and multiple interviews, I think it's safe to say Criterion is the way to go on this one.
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Gordon
Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2004 12:03 pm

#111 Post by Gordon »

DVD Savant review

The transfer is astounding. The commentary is everything that a commentary should be: relaxed, informative, illuminating, humorous and totally devoid of bullshit. Beautifully packaged - even the interior of the box has wonderfully abstract images. With such triumphant precedents such as Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas; Videodrome and now The Man Who Fell To Earth, one looks forward greatly to similar, vastly improved licensed editions from Criterion. Karen Stetler produced this set, apparently, so thank you, Karen and all those at Criterion.

I love this film deeply, in case you had not guessed! More an allegorical existential study of alienation in the modern world, its social malaise, the corruption and greed of modern industry than a cheesy 70s sci-fi romp, suffused with such audacious imagery and set to a beautiful selection of songs, that its melancholy air has long haunted my memory. They don't make 'em like that anymore.
Mental Mike
Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2005 4:06 am

#112 Post by Mental Mike »

I am a little disappointed with the supplements - I was expecting some Bowie music in the film and on the bonus material - but after my first time seeing the movie and in Criterion format, I thought it was a great movie...

...I just find it a bit disappointing that Bowie did not sing!
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mbalson
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#113 Post by mbalson »

Mental Mike wrote:...I just find it a bit disappointing that Bowie did not sing!
Holy christ, you can't be serious. Where you expecting a concert film?
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Cinephrenic
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 6:58 pm
Location: Paris, Texas

#114 Post by Cinephrenic »

...I just find it a bit disappointing that Bowie did not sing!
Look for a easter egg of Bowie's singing. :shock:
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Lino
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#115 Post by Lino »

Where is that to be found exactly?
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Gordon
Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2004 12:03 pm

#116 Post by Gordon »

DVD Beaver comparison of the Anchor and the Criterion HERE

What's all this aboot a Bowie easter egg? :?
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otis
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2005 3:43 pm

#117 Post by otis »

Seems The Man Who Fell To Earth is going the way of Seven Samurai:
http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0 ... 52,00.html

Here's hoping they cast Kanye West as Newton...
BWilson
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 10:06 pm

#118 Post by BWilson »

He's in the Brother From Another Planet remake.

Does anyone have any more info on why there were no Bowie songs in the movie? I've heard that he originally was going to do the music, and that the music he made for the movie became the Low album.
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solaris72
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 7:03 pm
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#119 Post by solaris72 »

Hah! They already remade it back in 1987.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093486/combined
It was a TV movie that was originally intended as the pilot for a series. I remember reading an article by Harlan Ellison who said that they wanted him to write the pilot and some episodes, but all they wanted was a scifi variant on The Fugitive. Ellison tried to steer them in a more creative direction, but they would have none of that, so he ultimately just gave up.
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godardslave
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 8:44 pm
Location: Confusing and open ended = high art.

#120 Post by godardslave »

i just watched the interview with Paul Mayersberg and enjoyed it.

However, I noticed, like many criterion interviews, it is presented as a monologue, (in effect) that is, we do not get to here any interviewers questions or even comments or conversation. Obviously this is a deliberate editorial decision on criterion's part, but why?

I find this detracts significantly form the overall experience as the question asked or the conversational flow always shape answers given. In short, an interview is a two way dialogue, and we only hear one voice in such cases.

Anyone else have thoughts on this?
richast2
Joined: Wed Feb 02, 2005 1:49 pm

#121 Post by richast2 »

on the commentary, Buck Henry talks about a figure in American literature who wrote a couple of well-received novels (he was apparently thought to be the "great white hope of American literature") before spiralling into schizophrenia and truly believing that aliens live among us and that only he could recognize them.

Anyone know who he's talking about?
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justeleblanc
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 10:05 pm
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#122 Post by justeleblanc »

richast2 wrote:Anyone know who he's talking about?
John Kennedy Toole?
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The Fanciful Norwegian
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#123 Post by The Fanciful Norwegian »

Toole was dead before either of his novels were published.
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justeleblanc
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#124 Post by justeleblanc »

True, but both statements are not mutually exclusive.
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The Fanciful Norwegian
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#125 Post by The Fanciful Norwegian »

I dunno, it would be pretty bizarre to consider a dead man the "great white hope of American literature."
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