The Man Who Fell to Earth Returns
A cult classic is back on the big screen, with David Bowie starring as an alien who comes to Earth in search of a solution to his planet's drought. This 1976 film has gained a loyal following for its surreal imagery and thought-provoking themes.
Dir: Nicolas Roeg
Cast: David Bowie, Rip Torn, Candy Clark, Tony Mascia, Buck Henry, Bernie Casey, Adrienne La Russa, Claudia Jennings
139 mins · 1976 · United Kingdom, Netherlands Antilles · Cert 18 · English
IMDb 6.6/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 79% · Metacritic 81/100 · TMDB 6.5/10 · Trakt 65%
Awards: 1 win & 4 nominations total
The Man Who Fell to Earth (50th Anniversary)
12 Nov 2026
Vue Cinema Thanet - Westwood Cross
The Man Who Fell to Earth has received widespread critical acclaim, with scores of 79% on Rotten Tomatoes, 81/100 on Metacritic, and 6.6/10 on IMDb. Directed by Nicolas Roeg and starring David Bowie, Rip Torn, and Candy Clark, this 1976 British science fantasy drama film tells the story of an alien who must pose as a human to save his dying planet. The film follows Thomas Jerome Newton, a humanoid alien who travels to Earth to find a way to ship water back to his planet, which is suffering from a severe drought.
As Newton navigates human society, he becomes embroiled in a world of greed and corruption, threatening his mission to save his planet. With its thought-provoking themes and surreal imagery, The Man Who Fell to Earth is a film that challenges its viewers to think critically about the world around them. The film's use of advanced technology and its exploration of human vices and corruption have made it a cult classic, with a loyal following among fans of science fiction and fantasy.
The Man Who Fell to Earth will be screened at the Vue Cinema Thanet - Westwood Cross, Cross, on Thursday, 12 November 2026. Tickets are with the button beside the article. This 50th-anniversary screening is a unique opportunity to see this classic film on the big screen, and fans of David Bowie and science fiction will not want to miss it.
Stills
What viewers say
saundrew · 7/10
This movie screams '70s art film. Part of that makes it a great watch, while the other part of it gets a bit annoying. I kind of like the concept of not knowing all the details of his alien heritage until we get to know him better. He just kind of starts where he fell, and we watch his plans unfold. The most interesting aspect (and the reason I own this) is watching David Bowie in his first big acting role. Quite frankly, he shows his skill…
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gazz1e · 9/10
Bit of a weird one this. While watching it I found it quite difficult to keep track of the time, as it kept jumping into the future from one scene to the next. There was also the odd unexplained thing - such as Mr Newton seeing old fashioned farmers in a field (and them seeing his car). Most things got resolved with a check to Wikipedia. I usually rate a film depending if it makes a lasting impression on me (if I can remember it the following…
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seeyoshirun · 2/10
Aside from one or two moments of lovely imagery, this is a fascinatingly bad film, with a meandering storyline that is left unmoored among a group of performances that are all either underdone (Bowie, rest his soul) or comically overdone (Clark).
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Blackburdtx · 6/10
I like the plot of the movie and the ambition of the writers, but it does not deliver. I suspect the actors and all the other people involved with the production got in their own way. David Bowie's acting performance is amateur level. All in all this watches like a B movie, which had a great trajectory in the beginning and then falls apart in the weirdest of ways. It might be worth watching just for the weirdness and unique things on it's own…
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miguelreina · 7/10
[Filmin] The birth of The Thin White Duke. Sex and science fiction. A psychedelic journey through the caverns of human vices. Not even an alien can avoid succumbing to the pleasures of money, alcohol and drugs. '70s aesthetic that's both vintage and wildly modern. It improves when he is faithful to the book and skids in the attempt to emancipate from it. David Bowie's music isn't there, but Stomu Yamash'ta's is, as hypnotic as the film itself.
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CinemaSerf · 6/10
Very much a vehicle for David Bowie, this is otherwise a rather derivative and unimaginative story of an alien ("Newton") who arrives on Earth, naked and penniless. He is tasked with trying to find a way to save his own doomed planet, but quickly discovers that he has skills! He can make money, and money buys nice things; it buys nice sex; it gives him power... All of these pleasures distract him from the purpose of his visit. Can he refocus?…
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