MovieChat Forums > The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976) Discussion > One of the worst movies I've seen

One of the worst movies I've seen

posted 17 years ago by esakshaug
76 replies | jump to latest

I'm usually in to strange movies like this. I love David Lynch, and I don't have any problems with artistic freedom, but this was just bad, bad, bad.

The actors were mediocre,
The effects were laughable,
The lighting made it look like a home-movie,
The Cuts were confusing and didn't make any sense a lot of the time,
and the structure of the screenplay was so bad it took me an hour to figure out what the hell was going on? (very confused about the aliens on the "desert-tram" and what the plot was all about),
The adaptation I hear is not good (I haven't read it though).
Also, what the hell was the point with Rip Torn's sex-scenes? They had no relation to the story at all?

You may call me stupid, but both me and my (history/language teacher-)girlfriend was baffled by how terrible this film was. I would like to point out that it had potential. I'm really looking forward to the remake.

PS. I'm Norwegian, don't pick on my English skills :)

[–] gorguruga 12 years ago

I've just finished watching this for the first time 5 minutes ago and I have to agree it was very disappointing. It was strange in a way that it kept me watching for 2 hours just waiting for something to happen. But it was more of a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.

The good points perhaps are that the atmosphere, some music and some of the visuals were occasionally decent, the acting wasn't that bad, it's just the movie didn't really go anywhere. I came away thinking ultimately that I'd just wasted 2 hours of my time.

I'm guessing that the reason the movie has been rated so highly is largely because of David Bowie fans who don't want to fault anything he's involved with. Ultimately it's misleading that the IMDB score for the movie is currently 6.7 when probably 4.5 would be a fairer and more realistic number for this film.

[–] acceberbex 12 years ago

I've just watched it for the 2nd time (both late at night I'll admit) but I still had to go online to figure out what was going on.
I too feel like I've wasted 2 hours of my life waiting for the film to end so I could go and figure it out!

I'm also a huge Bowie fan so I don't want to fault it, but it just didn't do anything for me. I don't think the acting was necessarily bad - I just didn't get the plot, didn't get who was who and the constant flicks between people/alien, past and present etc threw me totally

[–] Errington_92 12 years ago

Don't think The Man Who Fell to Earth deserves such a bad reputation. Bowie did well in portraying Newton's vulnerability and the critique of societies' influential aspects and vices bringing down Newton. Though at times the narrative could be vague.

"I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not".

[–] JellyFish19 11 years ago

The plot synopsis alone is interesting, but the adaptation of it is just a boring and irritating mess. I guess "Walkabout" is the only Roeg film I truly enjoy, and I don't even know why. Perhaps it felt like a spiritual experience, this felt like some joke from the editing room.

[–] ewaf58 11 years ago

"Walkabout" is the only Roeg film I truly enjoy, and I don't even know why

Jenny Agutter?

[–] sheywhat 11 years ago

This* is one of the best science fiction movies ever made. I'd put it in a Top 25 Best Sci-Fi list.

*I'm talking about the "director's cut". However, I would like to say that, to reflect the truth of both films, the one released in theaters should be called The Man Who Fell To Earth the studio cut and the other film should simply be called The Man Who Fell To Earth. This is due to the fact that Roeg gave the film to the studio finished and complete (his version showed in European theaters) and the studio made it incomplete by slashing twenties minutes from it to make it more friendly for the prudish American audience.

[–] ewaf58 11 years ago

I agree this is a great film - I went to see it as a teenager back in 1976 (In the UK so it was the full version).

What the original poster of this thread doesn't understand is that it is a multi-layered film rich in imagery. The music is great too.

I really love the time travel sequence when David's car becomes visible to a group of early farmers.

I found the ending unbearably sad.

[–] gorguruga 11 years ago

It is one of the worst sci-fi movies I've seen too. In a nutshell, it's rubbish.

[–] peter_t_2k3 11 years ago

I wanted to like this film but it just didn't work for me. It had some great visuals but the plot got confusing and a lot of stuff seemed to be there just to look good rather than to serve a purpose. I suppose I'm not a massive fan of surreal films and didn't really know what to expect with this film but I found it seemed to drag and left me with a headache.

[–] Morbius_Fitzgerald 11 years ago

The effects were laughable,

For 1976 they looked pretty good.

Anyway thats your opinion, I actually liked this movie. Sure it has its problems but it certainly has its merits too.

Although one of worst movies you've ever seen? I respect you think its bad but you ain't seen *beep* yet.

"I have always valued my lifelessness."

[–] Korios 11 years ago

I think the film is deliberately nonsensical, not out of incompetence. If it was out of incompetence at least a few parts would make sense; here everything is totally vague and blur. I agree that high school plays usually have better actors than this film. Particularly the quarrel scenes between Thomas and his girlfriend(?) were repulsive.

Fanboy : a person who does not think while watching.

[–] milstar 10 years ago

With some movies I feel greatly ambivalent toward them. Such as "The Long Kiss Goodnigh". And this. Like it constantly draws me in and then rejects. When I watched this I felt that all the time. Sure, it's nicely photographed, edited (I like intercutting) and intriguing storyline. On the other hand, level of bizzarity, gratitous sex (almost pornographic), and acting is unconvincing. It's long and almost with no plot.

Remake would be nice, but done is distinct manner from this film.

[–] symphony-130-33438 9 years ago

i agree with the OP

[–] Just_Jimmy 9 years ago

I also agree with the OP (not because I'm also half Norwegian, the other have being Swedish should make me want to troll him hahahhaha)

I've tried on a number of occasions to enjoy this film, it just goes no where and it makes me laugh the people that defend it just because they want to be so alternative and artsy. Instead of bashing someone's opinion and saying they just don't get it, why don't you tell us all why it was so amazing and not why it wasn't horrible. I understand you enjoyed it and are offended that people think it either doesn't go anywhere and it's horrible, but tell my what makes this so amazing.

[–] ewaf58 9 years ago

I don't think you're able to understand the film. It is constantly moving forward (by years) in time as the characters (except Bowie) grow older. I guess you didn't even notice the timeslip sequence either.

It's about corporate manipulation and use of an individual (wherever that individual may come from). You probably failed to spot the corporate men watching even when he first landed.

You simply do not have the ability to understand subtexts within a film and are just viewing it at one level. Please don't write anymore opinions and leave this site or stick to the Transformer franchise.

Thank you. And if this post angers you - then that was my intention.

[–] Just_Jimmy 9 years ago

hahahahahhaa....another holier than though film student who thinks they are the only one that understands film, and can't come up with an original reponse when someone constructively criticizes a movie he/she enjoys.

Please refrain from using plagiarized phrases, like the stale "transformers" retort that you kids are using these days it makes you look ever the fool. You are not special. You're not a beautiful and unique snowflake. You're the same decaying organic matter as everything else.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] DaveBowman2001 (518) 7 years ago

Nice and concisely said.

[–] michael-abatemarco 9 years ago

The bashing goes both ways. People explain what it is they like or love about it and get labeled art fags for their trouble. BFF and others do a fine job explaining it here in response to the OP: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074851/board/thread/42752421

Here's another: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074851/board/thread/129119221 Look around and you may find that people do explain their love for this film.