This movie is only interesting as a curiosity piece, if you've ever wondered what an 80's labotomized version of the sad and meaningful Walter Tevis novel would look like. Start by replacing Bowie's Thin White Duke with a Tom Hanks Busom Buddy knock-off, and throw in Beverly D'Angelo and Wesley Crusher as her troubled, but deep-down loving son. Don't bother coming up with any believable visual style for the movie, just re-use some of the old Buck Rodgers in the 25th Century sets off the studio backlot Finally, but most importantly, replace the actual theme of the book (how the Visitor falls to human faults and shortcomings) with positive pap about restoring the Beverly D'Angelo and Wil Wheaton relationship. I'm almost certain this movie was shot as a pilot for a TV series, where the Visitor brings his son back to Earth, and every week, they learn how troubled and illogical, yet ultimately redeeming mankind is. Kind of like My Favorite Martian, but a little more serious, like The Great American Hero. This would have been classic shlock had it been picked up.
Review of The Man Who Fell to Earth
