One movie that’s contributed a great deal to the sci-fi genre yet remains underrated amongst general audiences is the 1976 film The Man Who Fell to Earth directed by Nicolas Roeg and starring the eclectic David Bowie. The original project was based on a novel of the same name by Walter Tevis and delivered a story that no one had ever seen before. The film reflects on the sad ridiculousness of humanity from an outside perspective and achieves this outlook via stunning visuals and surreal editing.

Basically, The Man Who Fell to Earth tells the story of an extraterrestrial, Thomas Jerome Newton (arguably David Bowie’s best film role), whose ship crashes on Earth. The point of his mission was to find water for his dangerously dry home planet, but g ets tangled in human corruption. Critics’ responses to the film were mixed at the time, with many finding the film alienating, no pun intended.

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The Man Who Fell to Earth Then and Now

     British Lion FilmsParamount+

Despite these reviews, the film became a ’70s cult classic and its acclaim only grew with an excellent reissue from the Criterion Collection. Anyone who has ever seen the film has never forgotten its impact, including the filmmakers and creators of the 2022 Paramount+ reboot Jenny Lumet and Alex Kurtzman. Kurtzman says in an interview with Gold Derby that the message from The Man Who Fell to Earth is still relevant, especially today. Kurtzman explains that “the great illusion on this planet is that communication is actually taking place. It’s not, you know, [and] those are the observations that extraterrestrial [Thomas Jerome Newton] is making."

Instead of repeating the same story, Lumet and Kurtzman’s 2022 series The Man Who Fell to Earth continues Thomas’ experience on Earth 45 years later. There is, of course, a new crash-landed alien with a desperate mission and only one intelligent human being who can help him. In a discussion with Slash Film, the creators say that the series is ultimately optimistic, despite all its sadness. Kurtzman says it is hopeful in that it “reinforces all of the things that are most beautiful about human beings and about this planet.” So how does the 2022 reboot compare to David Bowie’s original performance? Here are the main differences and similarities.

Characters in The Man Who Fell to Earth

     British Lion Films

As you might have already concluded, the 2022 Man Who Fell to Earth focuses on different characters compared to the original. The original film revolves around the extraterrestrial Thomas Jerome Newton (Bowie, in a bit of perfect casting that tapped into his ‘Ziggy Stardust’ spaceman persona), who crashes his ship in New Mexico. To rescue his home planet from a severe drought, he uses his alien science to become the highly successful and wealthy leader of a technology-based corporation, since money is needed to build a ship equipped to take water back to his home. He develops a working relationship with Dr. Nathan Bryce (a wonderful Rip Torn), his only real friend and confidant.

Along the way, he becomes romantically involved with a non-wealthy woman named Mary-Lou (Candy Clark) who introduces him to some parts of Earth including television, alcohol, and sex. Newton begins to struggle with an addiction to alcohol and television, his relationship with Mary-Lou falls apart, and he becomes a spectacle when the public discovers he is alien. From there, he is imprisoned. Roeg’s film zeroes in on Newton’s character and disturbing experience, whereas The Man Who Fell to Earth from 2022 looks at multiple never-before-seen personalities.

The reboot is a continuation but follows the mission of a different character, Faraday (played by Chiwetel Ejiofor) who is aiming to complete the goal the long-gone Newton failed. Faraday crashes much like his predecessor and instead of seeking water seeks to discover a technology that will reverse climate change both on his planet and on Earth. Faraday seeks out an expert in quantum fusion technology named Justin Falls, who is disturbed by his lack of boundaries and odd way of communicating. His intentions are actually more urgent than Newton’s in that his planet, like ours, is on its way to destruction. It is a reflection of how much more dire Earth’s situation has become since 1976.

Just As Beautiful, But Much More Hopeful

     Paramount+

Like the original, The Man Who Fell to Earth miniseries makes sure to deliver stunning visuals and emphasize both the beauty and occasional barrenness of Earth. The series is populated by empty desert landscapes and gritty terrain, perhaps emphasizing the dryness of Faraday’s planet as a corollary to the future of Earth. But despite this similarity, Lumet and Kurtzman make sure to ignite hope more than Nicolas Roeg’s melancholic adaptation.

In a discussion with Deadline, Kurtzman revealed that from the beginning of the project they “knew [they] wanted to have Faraway (at the end of the season) go back to his home planet really on a wing and a prayer.” In contrast to Bowie’s character, Faraway is optimistic and more immune to Earth’s addictions. Although he knows it’s unlikely that he can save everyone from his planet, he maintains hope.

Since its release in April 2022, the reboot of The Man Who Fell to Earth has received mostly positive reviews. While most critics agree that the show sometimes makes odd choices, they collectively praise the performances of Elijifor and Naomie Harris. Both adaptations are worth viewing for their unique take on Walter Tevis’ story, and each are wholly representative of their respective moments in culture and history, using the plight of an alien to really tell a story about the human condition. The Man Who Fell to Earth is currently available for streaming on Paramount+.