Through adversity to the stars

The 1976 film The Man Who Fell to Earth was an ambitious project by director Nicolas Roeg, which starred Candy Clark, Rip Torn, Buck Henry, and rock legend David Bowie in his first lead role. While the premise was interesting and thought-provoking — an alien from a drought-stricken planet travels to Earth in search of water — it was truly the acting genius of David Bowie that won audiences over. A year after the death of David Bowie and just over 40 years since the movie’s premiere, self-proclaimed “cultural archaeologist” Taschen has created a beautiful tribute to the man and the movie in its photobook of the same name. Featuring stills and behind-the-scenes images by unit photographer David James, as well as an introductory essay based on an exclusive interview with him, the 480-page, hard-cover book provides some real-life context to the mind-stretching visual experience that is The Man Who Fell to Earth and that was David Bowie.

Photos: Taschen