
Thomas Jerome Newton is an alien who has come to Earth in search of water to save his home planet. Aided by lawyer Oliver Farnsworth, Thomas uses his knowledge of advanced technology to create profitable inventions. While developing a method to transport water, Thomas meets Mary-Lou, a quiet hotel clerk, and begins to fall in love with her. Just as he is ready to leave Earth, Thomas is intercepted by the U.S. government, and his entire plan is threatened.
Directed by Nicolas Roeg, The Man Who Fell to Earth leans on a strong ensemble — David Bowie, Rip Torn, Candy Clark — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about science fiction titles of 1976.
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Inspired by Chris Marker's iconic 1962 featurette La Jetée; the year is 2073—a not-so-distant dystopian future—and the setting is New San Francisco, the scorched-earth tech-dominant police state where democracy and personal freedom have been well and truly obliterated.
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