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Best Blu-ray Discs of 2008 10

by Thomas Houston on January 6, 2009 at 12:01 AM


'The Man Who Fell to Earth'

The gist: David Bowie made his film acting debut by playing an androgynous, fiery-haired being in Nicolas Roeg's 1976 experimental sci-fi movie, 'The Man Who Fell to Earth,' based on the novel by Walter Tevis. The film follows Thomas Jerome Newton (played by Bowie), an alien in search of water for his home planet, on a hallucinatory journey from fortune on Wall Street to disaster in the American Southwest. Bowie's otherworldly performance as Newton reveals the alienating, success-obsessed, television-saturated America of the 1970s.

Why it's on our list: Criterion's director-approved 1080p version of the cult classic gives new clarity and texture to the visuals, and is occasion enough to check out Bowie's commanding screen presence on Blu-ray, even if you've seen the film before. The set and costume design are unlike any film of the '70s we can think of -- the film mixes everything from Buckminster Fuller-inspired geometric spacecraft to traditional Japanese architecture and dress -- and the new Blu-ray transfer reinforces just how well Roeg uses color in every frame.

As for extras, this release doesn't add anything new, but it does gather previously available interviews, behind-the-scenes photos, commentary, and film trailers onto a single Blu-ray disc. Don't miss the commentary track featuring Bowie and director Nicolas Roeg -- the two discuss the making of the film, and you'll hear how Bowie's preliminary work on the score was shelved and later became part of 'Low,' his classic album with Brian Eno. The film, chock full of film references (watch for 'The Third Man'), is a treat for film buffs and art-house fans, and you can't call yourself a Bowie devotee without seeing the film that further defined and eerily paralleled the rock star's real-life personas.


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