History Film / TheManWhoFellToEarth

* ReclusiveArtist: Newton definitely counts in-universe--he rarely goes out in public and leaves the day to day operations of the company to Farnsworth. {{Justified}} as he wants to escape detection ("My life is not secret, but it is private.").

In 2022, [[Series/TheManWhoFellToEarth a sequel TV series]] started on Creator/Showtime, airing a season of 10 episodes so far.

* NonhumanLoverReveal: {{Gender flipped}} and {{deconstructed}}. When Thomas reveals his true form to Mary-Lou-long after they've consummated their relationship (their lovemaking, it should be noted, requires him to be in his human disguise)-she is horrified and repulsed. Thus, their already-troubled relationship is further damaged.

* NowWhat: Unlike the novel, the DownerEnding here also qualifies as this. After all, [[spoiler: Thomas failed in his mission and lost everything important to him. But he still has money and his drinking won't kill him any time soon; he could have centuries left to go]]. So...''now what?''
** [[MindScrew Somewhat]] answered in ''Lazarus''. [[spoiler: Things don't get better.]]

* ShoutOut:
** A still from this film was used as the album cover of ''Music/StationToStation'', Bowie's first album after finishing ''The Man Who Fell To Earth''. Another still from this movie was used for the album cover of ''Music/{{Low|DavidBowieAlbum}}'' too.
** ''WebVideo/BrowsHeldHigh'': Oancitizen reviewed the entire film in rhyme, set to melodies from famous Bowie songs. It's quite an achievement and funny at the same time!

''The Man Who Fell to Earth'' is a [[TheSeventies 1976]] [[ScienceFiction sci-fi]] film directed by Creator/NicolasRoeg, based upon the novel of the same name by Walter Tevis (of ''Film/TheHustler'' fame). It stars the thin, other-worldly Music/DavidBowie as the thin, other-worldly Thomas Jerome Newton in his first major film role.

* PopStarComposer: Some of the score is the work of John Phillips of The Mamas and the Papas. The original plan was for Bowie to write the score, and he was working on it with Paul Buckmaster, but for various reasons it was not used and-save for a bit of backwards bass that appeared on ''Music/LowDavidBowieAlbum'''s "Subterraneans" the following year -- has never been released to the public.

** A still from this film was used as the album cover of ''Music/StationToStation'', Bowie's first album after finishing ''The Man Who Fell To Earth''. Another still from this movie was used for the album cover of ''Music/LowDavidBowieAlbum'' too.

Upon release, the film received mostly positive reviews and went on to both be nominated for the Golden Bear at the 1976 Berlin International Film Festival and win the 1977 UsefulNotes/SaturnAward for best actor. In the years since, its stature has only grown, becoming a cult favorite and a must-watch for Bowie fans; alongside ''Film/MerryChristmasMrLawrence'', it is widely considered one of the best films the musician starred in, and rivals ''Film/{{Labyrinth}}'' for the position of Bowie's most iconic film.

* NonActorVehicle: For Music/DavidBowie.

Upon release, the film received mostly positive reviews and went on to both be nominated for the Golden Bear at the 1976 Berlin International Film Festival and win the 1977 Saturn Award for best actor. In the years since, its stature has only grown, becoming a cult favorite and a must-watch for Bowie fans; alongside ''Film/MerryChristmasMrLawrence'', it is widely considered one of the best films the musician starred in, and rivals ''Film/{{Labyrinth}}'' for the position of Bowie's most iconic film.

Upon release, the film was released to mostly positive reviews and went on to both be nominated for the Golden Bear at the 1976 Berlin International Film Festival and win the 1977 Saturn Award for best actor. In the years since, its stature has only grown, becoming a cult favorite and a must-watch for Bowie fans; alongside ''Film/MerryChristmasMrLawrence'', it is widely considered one of the best films the musician starred in, and rivals ''Film/{{Labyrinth}}'' for the position of Bowie's most iconic film.

In late 2015 ''Lazarus'', a musical stage play {{inspired by}} the source novel debuted off-Broadway. It was written by Enda Walsh and...David Bowie, who didn't appear in the show but contributed several new songs to it, as well as new versions of songs from his catalog. Creator/MichaelCHall played Thomas in the world premiere staging, which was one of the last works Bowie realized in his lifetime -- his final public appearance was at the show's opening night.

''The Man Who Fell to Earth'' is a [[TheSeventies 1976]] [[ScienceFiction sci-fi]] film directed by Creator/NicolasRoeg, based upon the novel of the same name by Walter Tevis (of ''Film/TheHustler'' fame). It stars the thin, other-worldly Music/DavidBowie as the thin, other-worldly Thomas Jerome Newton.

The film centers around an extraterrestrial who journeys to Earth after his planet experiences an intense drought, determined to find a way to ship water to it. As he amasses a fortune with a variety of high-tech inventions, intending to use the money to build a ship that will solve his planet's problem, he embarks upon a love affair with a simple girl named Mary-Lou, which is nice, [[TheMistress one supposes]]. Thomas also ends up starting a love affair with television and alcohol, which is a lot less nice, one supposes. To reveal any more would delve this into spoiler city. Let's simply say the ending is... sad.

In late 2015 ''Lazarus'', a musical stage play InspiredBy the source novel debuted off-Broadway. It was written by Enda Walsh and...David Bowie, who didn't appear in the show but contributed several new songs to it, as well as new versions of songs from his catalog. Creator/MichaelCHall played Thomas in the world premiere staging, which was one of the last works Bowie realized in his lifetime -- his final public appearance was at the show's opening night.

* CelebrityParadox: An ad for ''Music/YoungAmericans'' is visible in the record store at the end of the film; nobody comments on the fact that Thomas looks exactly like [[Music/DavidBowie the guy]] who recorded that album.

* InnocentAliens: Thomas=the central tragedy of the story is his loss of innocence as he lives among humans.

''The Man Who Fell to Earth'' is a [[TheSeventies 1976]] [[ScienceFiction sci-fi]] film directed by Creator/NicolasRoeg, based upon the novel of the same name by Walter Tevis. It stars the thin, other-worldly Music/DavidBowie as the thin, other-worldly Thomas Jerome Newton.

* {{Zeerust}}: The alien tech Thomas brings to Earth, such as self-developing camera film and a music player that uses little spheres instead of vinyl records, comes off as this now.

* HotForStudent: Dr. Nathan Bryce teaches some extra credit lessons to some of his female students...

* LimitedSpecialCollectorsUltimateEdition: Creator/TheCriterionCollection [=DVD=] is flush with extras, including (as mentioned above) a paperback copy of the source novel. This was also one of the first four Criterion Blu-Ray releases.

A [[TheSeventies 1976]] [[ScienceFiction sci-fi]] film directed by Creator/NicolasRoeg, based upon the novel of the same name by Walter Tevis. It stars the thin, other-worldly Music/DavidBowie as the thin, other-worldly Thomas Jerome Newton.

!!''The Man Who Fell To Earth'' provides examples of:

* OldFlameFizzle: In the final act, [[spoiler: Nathan arranges for Mary-Lou to stay with Thomas in his prison suite. But she's visibly aged and he hasn't since they last met-yet another difference between them. They enjoy a wild sexual tryst but no longer ''love'' each other, so they break up]]. A {{justified}}, {{downplayed}} case.
* OminousMultipleScreens: {{Justified}}, in that Thomas can actually pay attention to all of the screens.
* PopStarComposer: Some of the score is the work of John Phillips of The Mamas and the Papas. The original plan was for Bowie to write the score, and he was working on it with Paul Buckmaster, but for various reasons it was not used and-save for a bit of backwards bass that appeared on ''Low'''s "Subterraneans" the following year -- has never been released to the public.

** A still from this film was used as the album cover of ''Music/StationToStation'', Bowie's first album after finishing ''The Man Who Fell To Earth''. Another still from this movie was used for the album cover of ''[[Music/LowDavidBowieAlbum Low]]'' too.

* LimitedSpecialCollectorsUltimateEdition: TheCriterionCollection [=DVD=] is flush with extras, including (as mentioned above) a paperback copy of the source novel. This was also one of the first four Criterion Blu-Ray releases.

A [[TheSeventies 1976]] [[ScienceFiction sci-fi]] film directed by Nicolas Roeg, based upon the novel of the same name by Walter Tevis. It stars the thin, other-worldly Music/DavidBowie as the thin, other-worldly Thomas Jerome Newton.