Tag Archives: David Bowie

Saturday Matinee: The Man Who Fell to Earth

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“The Man Who Fell to Earth” (1976) is a British science fiction film directed by Nicolas Roeg, written by Paul Mayersberg, and based on Walter Tevis’s 1963 novel of the same name. David Bowie (in his first feature film role) stars as an extraterrestrial who crash lands in New Mexico while on a mission to save his home planet. Going by the name of Thomas Newton, he soon meets Oliver Farnsworth (Buck Henry), Mary-Lou (Candy Clark) and Dr. Nathan Bryce (Rip Torn), who become his closest allies. Due to personal and professional betrayals, Newton’s secret is revealed and he’s captured by a government agency. While imprisoned he’s subject to tortuous medical tests which break his spirit, replacing his more “alien” personality traits with those of a modern American.

In Philip K. Dick’s novel VALIS, fictionalized versions of Dick and K. W. Jeter become obsessed with Valis, a film starring musician Eric Lampton. This plot element was based on Dick and Jeter’s real obsession with The Man Who Fell to Earth.

Watch the full film here: https://m2m.tv/watch/the-man-who-fell-to-earth/films

 

Rest in Peace, David Bowie

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Today like many others, I was saddened to hear the news that David Bowie passed away yesterday from liver cancer. He was not only an innovative and influential rock star but a hero to generations of alienated youth. Bowie’s otherworldly presence elevated films he starred in such as The Man Who Fell to Earth, The Hunger, Labyrinth, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, and The Prestige while his music was the soundtrack to iconic scenes in films as diverse as Cat People, Christiane F., The Falcon and the Snowman, When the Wind Blows, The Night is Young (aka Bad Blood, Mauvais Sang), The Lost Highway, The Martian, and countless others. David Bowie was a one-of-a-kind artist and will truly be missed.

 

The video for the title track of Blackstar, his final album which was released on Bowie’s 69th birthday three days ago.

Saturday Matinee: When the Wind Blows

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“When the Wind Blows” (1986) is a British apocalyptic drama directed by Jimmy Murakami based on the 1982 graphic novel of the same name by Raymond Biggs. Peggy Ashcroft and John Mills provide the voices of Hilda and James, an elderly couple whose previously happy and peaceful life in Sussex is shattered by nuclear war. The film is comparable to Grave of Fireflies in terms of themes and emotional impact and is notable for it’s soundtrack featuring David Bowie and Roger Waters and innovative animation technique combining hand-drawn images, live-action and stop-motion camera work.