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The Man Who Fell to Earth

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The Man Who Fell to Earth is a daring exploration of science fiction as an art form. The story of an alien on an elaborate rescue mission provides the launching pad for Nicolas Roeg's visual tour de force, a formally adventurous examination of alienation in contemporary life. Rock legend David Bowie, in his acting debut, completely embodies the title role, while Candy Clark, Buck Henry, and Rip Torn turn in pitch-perfect supporting performances. The film's hallucinatory vision was obscured in the American theatrical release, which deleted nearly twenty minutes of crucial scenes and details. The Criterion Collection is proud to present Roeg's full uncut version, in this exclusive new director-approved high-definition widescreen transfer.

Special 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

ALSO AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY

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I work at Blockbuster and was looking up the price for the Anchor Bay release of this and came upon a new Blockbuster part number with a Criterion/HMV barcode number attached to it at 39.95 price point. Has anyone heard anything about Criterion acquiring the rights to this film? (I know they did Walkabout, so they have an association with Roeg).

Criterion released "Man Who Fell To Earth" on LD. Unfortunately, Anchor Bay failed to get the commentary track with Roeg and David Bowie.

Out of curiosity, two questions:

1. How do you know it's a Criterion/HVE barcode (which is what I assume you meant rather than an HMV code)?

2. Any idea how to check for others films?

Otherwise, I'd be interested in seeing what else Criterion could bring to this film. Other than repurposing the commentary track (which included Bowie, Roeg and Buck Henry) and some of the behind the scenes information (deleted scenes and script excerpts), I can't think of anything else that might be done.

I work at Blockbuster and was looking up the price for the Anchor Bay release of this and came upon a new Blockbuster part number with a Criterion/HMV barcode number attached to it at 39.95 price point. Has anyone heard anything about Criterion acquiring the rights to this film? (I know they did Walkabout, so they have an association with Roeg).

I used to work at Blockbuster...if I remember correctly, each computer listing like this should have a release date. Next time you go to work, check what the release date is.

This would jibe with Mulvaney telling someone on this forum (forget who) that Criterion was planning on releasing some science fiction films this year.

Does Blockbuster even carry Criterions? It's been a couple years since I've patronized a Blockbuster but I seem to remember their not carrying unrated DVDs which, with Criterion, includes almost every one of them.

Would a name like "Blockbuster" ever carry our beloved spines? I'm surprised if this dvd comes out. Anchor Bay has a good special edition out. I rather see Performance get a spine.

Doctor Sunshine wrote:Does Blockbuster even carry Criterions? It's been a couple years since I've patronized a Blockbuster but I seem to remember their not carrying unrated DVDs which, with Criterion, includes almost every one of them.

The one I worked at certainly carried unrated DVDs; if they didn't, they wouldn't be able to capitalize on the "Unrated and Out of Control" fad. As for Criterions, it had Seven Samurai, Black Orpheus, Yojimbo, Sanjuro, The Seventh Seal, The Last Temptation of Christ, Royal Tenenbaums, and I'm sure a few others I'm not remembering, in addition to a bunch of Home Vision releases.

cinephrenic wrote:Anchor Bay has a good special edition out.

It's a good release, with a gorgeous transfer (among the best I've seen for a 70's film) and numerous remastered sound options, all the way up to DTS-ES 6.1. But it is not a good special edition, as it is the lightest 2 disc set I own. Trailers, stills, screenplay, and a 20 minute featurette. The Criterion LD had a commentary from Bowie and Roeg, among other things, and I would love to see that carried over to DVD.

But there's a unrated and then there's unrated. Take the "unrated" American Pie, for example, listed as 14A on Blockbuster's website. In Hollywood terms unrated is a marketing gimmick. Anyway, point taken, The Man Who Fell to Earth is possible but still improbable.

Blockbuster carries unrated titles but not NC-17. This is why you can rent Desperate Living but not Pink Flamingos.
The one by me has Samurai I and Samurai III and some others but not Samurai II.

If Anchor Bay were to release The Man Who Fell To Earth today, I'm sure that it would have the Criterion LD commentary, a la, their Halloween 25th Anniversary DVD.

I seriously doubt that AB have licensed the film to Criterion. I'd love to see it happen, though, as it is one of my favourite science fiction films. Amazing use of Panavision by the great Anthony Richmond, excellent performances, all handled with verve by Roeg, who I have great admiration for.

solaris72, wrote:

This would jibe with Mulvaney telling someone on this forum (forget who) that Criterion was planning on releasing some science fiction films this year.

Which sci-fi films would be likely candidates?

I can definitely see Anchor Bay licensing it to Criterion. They licensed Time Bandits and Dead Ringers to them after they already had their own versions on the shelves. A company the size of Anchor Bay won't be using Criterion owned commentary tracks like they did for Halloween with just any film. Criterion doesn't part with those things lightly, and I'm sure AB paid out the ass for it.

It would make the most financial sense for Anchor Bay to license the title to Criterion now. Their current version has likely done most of what it was going to do in terms of sales. By licensing it to Criterion, they collect a licensing fee and possibly royalties on each new copy sold, thus making a previously dead title financially viable again. Half the people who bought their version the first time would buy the Criterion too.

All of that being said, Anchor Bay's rights could possibly be expiring soon. Who knows how long they signed up for? Fox Lorber had it before them. Am I crazy, or did "Mulvaney" reply to somebody that they "hope to release more Roeg in the future"? If that's the case, I can't imagine what else it could be. Warner is working on their own special edition of Performance, and doesn't want anything to do with Criterion anyway.

re: "more Roeg" in the future, I wonder if Bad Timing might be a possibility? I'm not sure who holds the U.S. rights, but I'm pretty sure it's never been released on home video in any format here.

BuzDivine wrote:I work at Blockbuster and was looking up the price for the Anchor Bay release of this and came upon a new Blockbuster part number with a Criterion/HMV barcode number attached to it at 39.95 price point.

To take this back to square one, its probably worth experimenting with this information source. If your still reading, BezDivine, try looking up a couple other Criterion probables - maybe Ugetsu, Naked, Angel At My Table, 49th Parallel, My Night at Maud's, This Sporting Life, or Ran. I'm guessing none of these will show up, but it would be vedddddy interesting if any did.

dadaistnun, wrote:

I wonder if Bad Timing might be a possibility? I'm not sure who holds the U.S. rights, but I'm pretty sure it's never been released on home video in any format here.

Yeah, I feel that the considerably underrated, Bad Timing, would be a more likely candidate if indeed, "more Roeg" is coming from Criterion. Indeed, it has never had a U.S. home-video release and the non-anamorphic UK R2 isn't that great.

I watched Bad Timing as part of their Z Channel weekend deal. Very underrated film that I'm surprised isn't more known about. Sadly Sony/MGM owns the rights. I know that my friend would be very glad if Criterion put out a better version of Man Who Fell. She is a very big Bowie fan and said that the 2 disc Anchor Bay version wasn't worth the $25 thats she paid at the time for it. If Criterion does put out another version it would be cool if they not only but out the uncut version, but also pointed out what was cut in the first version of the film.

THX1378, wrote:

If Criterion does put out another version it would be cool if they not only but out the uncut version, but also pointed out what was cut in the first version of the film.

I believe that the Criterion LD had a feature that covered the various cuts.

I believe that the Criterion LD had a feature that covered the various cuts.

It would be good if they ported it over or maybe they talked about it in the commentary track. I know that the uncut version runs about 30 minutes longer than the version that first came out in the US. I think that every version that has came out after the first theatrical release *even the first VHS and BETA versions from RCA home video* is the uncut version.

I think he just made an over-you-header. WHy would he already have the August releases? That's the point.

Let me understand this... the entire source of speculation about this title comes from a Blockbuster catalog? I used to work at Blockbuster. Most of their information is either wildly inaccurate or just flat-out wrong. For amusement, I used to read the movie descriptions on their amaray inserts. They're great: in approximately 3 sentences, they either completely misrepresent the film, list actors who don't appear in it, or misspell someone's name. Information they print has about as much weight and reliability as a drunken Star Wars fanboy claiming he partied with George Lucas after the Louisville, Kentucky premiere of Revenge of the Sith.

It is a folder that Criterion sends out every month to retailers. On the inside it has the spine numbers and titles. Until now it only went up to Pickup On South Street. The new one which i received today has #303 as Bad Timing, and #304 as The Man Who Fell To Earth. It also has #301 as An Angel At My Table, directed by Jane Campion.

It also has #301 An Angel At My Table. On a side note i have a bunch of these folders i was going to get rid of. I usually give them to people i trade with, but i have alot of them. I also have alot of the HVE folders. I would rather give them to members here, than to others elsewhere. PM me if interested.

TechNoir wrote:It also has #301 An Angel At My Table. On a side note i have a bunch of these folders i was going to get rid of. I usually give them to people i trade with, but i have alot of them. I also have alot of the HVE folders. I would rather give them to members here, than to others elsewhere. PM me if interested.

I kept mine but they just sit in my desk, I just tossed them!

This is awesome news.

I wonder what disc 2 of The Man Who Fell To Earth will contain? As far as I know, there has never been a full documentary on Roeg's career, so this would be a great extra.

Jeff wrote:I can definitely see Anchor Bay licensing it to Criterion.

Here's hoping that Criterion will get access to Anchor Bay's Herzog properties some time in the future on a similar basis.

Oh, who am I kidding, it'll never happen. Ever.

Could we possibly get some scans up? More info on price, etc...

cinephrenic wrote:Could we possibly get some scans up? More info on price, etc...

after your "notorious" fake scan, no-one trusts them anymore. :p