"WATCHING THE ALIEN" D BOWIE 1976 1 / 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxxpmQ2K4hA
The Man Who Fell to Earth is a 1976 science fiction film directed by Nicolas Roeg, based on the 1963 novel of the same name by Walter Tevis, about an extraterrestrial who crash lands on Earth seeking a way to ship water to his planet, which is suffering from a severe drought.[1] The film maintains a strong cult status for its use of surreal imagery and its performances by David Bowie (in his first starring film role), Candy Clark, and Hollywood veteran Rip Torn.[2] The same novel was later remade as a less-successful 1987 television adaptation. A remake is in production, scheduled for release in 2009.
Thomas Jerome Newton (David Bowie) is a humanoid alien who comes to Earth from a distant planet seeking a way to bring water back to his home planet from Earth. His home planet of Anthea is experiencing a terrible drought.
Newton uses the advanced technology of his home planet to patent many inventions on Earth, and rises to incredible wealth as the head of a technology-based conglomerate, World Enterprises Corporation, aided by leading patent attorney Oliver V. Farnsworth (Buck Henry). Secretly, this wealth is needed to construct his own space vehicle program in order to ship water back to his home planet.
While in New Mexico, he meets Mary-Lou (Candy Clark), a cute but lonely, unloved and simple girl working as maid, bell-person and elevator operator in a small hotel. Soon, a love affair begins between the two, and Mary-Lou introduces Newton to many customs of Earth culture; amongst them church-going, fashion, alcohol, and eventually humanoid sex. However, his appetite for alcohol and television become crippling, slowly souring his relationship. His secret identity as an alien is also discovered by his intensely curious fuel technician Dr. Nathan Bryce (Rip Torn), one of Newton's few friends. He also reveals his true form as an alien to Mary-Lou, who is intensely shocked and unable to cope with this fact.
Thomas Jerome Newton (David Bowie) and Mary Lou ndy Clark) singing hymns in a churchNewton attempts to take the spaceship on its maiden voyage amongst a myriad of press exposure, but just before his scheduled take-off he is detained, apparently by the government, while operatives kill his key business partners including Farnsworth and his lover. The government, which has received the tip that he is an alien through Bryce, holds him captive in a luxury 'apartment' (constructed on a floor of a Hotel named 'Plaza') where they continuously send him through rigorous and inhumane tests, culminating in the contact lenses in his disguise being permanently affixed to his eyes due to X-rays.
Towards the end of his captivity, he is visited again by Mary-Lou, now far older, her once wholesomely pretty face and figure having been ravaged by the years, who, despite her now primarily sexual interests in Newton, ultimately realizes that the relationship between them has failed. When she leaves, Newton discovers that his 'prison' is unlocked and that the government evidently has no further interest in him, so he leaves.
Newton has ultimately failed in his mission to save his dying planet, ending up trapped on Earth - broken and lonely. Without other options, he creates a recording with alien messages, which he hopes will be broadcast via radio to his home-planet to say goodbye. Nathan Bryce buys one of these recordings and decides to meet Newton, curious to know what was on the recording; Bryce is now showing signs of old age, but Newton is still young, however he is depressed and drunken, trying with difficulty to remain stoic in the face of his defeat, no longer interested in trying to save his people.
[edit] Relationship with the novel
The screenplay by Paul Mayersberg and the resulting film are significantly different from the novel in many respects and stands more as a work on its own than a direct interpretation.[6] Several physical changes occur to the characters, most notably the appearance of Bowie's signature orange hair—in the book, Newton is described as having curly white-blonde hair. Newton is also a much more stoic character in the film, who sheds no tears despite his aggravation, frustration and torment.
The film also features changes to other characters. In the novel, the Mary-Lou character is called Betty Jo, and she acts merely as a sort of housekeeper, with no suggestion that there is any intimate relationship between her and Newton, although the film's resolution, which sees Bryce and Mary Lou become lovers, follows the plot of the novel.
Another minor change is the character of Newton's mysterious French valet, Brinnarde, who is in fact a CIA agent. In the film this becomes the incidental character of Arthur, Newton's driver.
Mazars and Deutsche Bank could have ended this nightmare before it started.
They could still get him out of office.
But instead, they want mass death.
Don’t forget that.
by erosoplier » Wed Dec 02, 2009 11:29 pm 
