The
Man Who Fell to Earth DVD (Criterion) Bad Timing DVD (Criterion)
British director Nicolas Roeg is being celebrated with the Criterion
Collection releases of his sci-fi classic The Man Who Fell
To Earth and his sexual obsession thriller Bad Timing.
David Bowie stars in The Man Who Fell to Earth as Thomas Jerome
Newton, an alien who comes to Earth to save his decaying planet
and makes millions off of future technology to see his hopes shatter
under the influence of conniving businesses. Roeg’s innovating
editing and all around trippyness went on to influence countless
other filmmakers. The film is presented in its full, uncut version
with commentary by Roeg, David Bowie, and co-star (and great writer
himself) Buck Henry. The second disc includes interviews with
practically everyone who was involved in the film, including co-stars
Candy Clark (American Graffiti) and Rip Torn (Freddy
Got Fingered), and Walter Tevis, the author of the book on
which the movie was based. Criterion shows tremendous respect
for him (and for DVD fans) by including a new paperback version
of The Man Who Fell to Earth, specifically designed for
the DVD, in addition to the 28-page liner booklet that’s
paired with disc one. If you are fan of Roeg, Bowie, or great
heady science fiction, then prepare to be wowed.
Bad Timing was Roeg’s follow-up to The Man
Who Fell to Earth, and
the psychosexual drama shows a director who wasn’t afraid
to explore different genres. Roeg, already a semi-legend for directing
Walkabout and Don’t Look Now (not to mention
his relatively unheralded cinematography for Richard Lester’s
Petulia and Roger Corman’s The Masque of the
Red Death), met his wife, actress Theresa Russell, on the
set of Bad Timing. She plays Milena Flaherty alongside
Art Garfunkel’s Dr. Alex Linden in the tale of Cold War
sensual obsession. The film is beautifully shot and all of the
performances are impressive, especially those of an almost unrecognizably
thin Harvey Keitel and pre-Raiders of the Lost Ark Denholm
Elliott. Bad Timing’s soundtrack includes Billie
Holiday, Tom Waits, and The Who. The DVD features new interviews
with Roeg and Russell, deleted scenes, a trailer, and a 28-page
book which relates intriguing details in on everything from Art
Garfunkel’s real-life tragedy to Bad Timing’s
troubled domestic distribution. (www.criterionco.com)
The Man Who Fell to Earth: 9 Blips out of 10
Bad Timing: 7 Blips out of 10
and
the psychosexual drama shows a director who wasn’t afraid
to explore different genres. Roeg, already a semi-legend for directing
Walkabout and Don’t Look Now (not to mention
his relatively unheralded cinematography for Richard Lester’s
Petulia and Roger Corman’s The Masque of the
Red Death), met his wife, actress Theresa Russell, on the
set of Bad Timing. She plays Milena Flaherty alongside
Art Garfunkel’s Dr. Alex Linden in the tale of Cold War
sensual obsession. The film is beautifully shot and all of the
performances are impressive, especially those of an almost unrecognizably
thin Harvey Keitel and pre-Raiders of the Lost Ark Denholm
Elliott. Bad Timing’s soundtrack includes Billie
Holiday, Tom Waits, and The Who. The DVD features new interviews
with Roeg and Russell, deleted scenes, a trailer, and a 28-page
book which relates intriguing details in on everything from Art
Garfunkel’s real-life tragedy to Bad Timing’s
troubled domestic distribution. (