I wanted to see this because of being interested in 70s films lately, and for David Bowie in the lead role.

The fans on imdb seem to like this filma lot, and I can’t really find many arguments against them either, but to me the basic premise of the thing is all wrong. It seems to be part of the general seventies doom and gloom, with the plot demonstrating the inevitability of the destruction of uniqueness and genius (alien = genius = Bowie). To me that’s all just wrong. First of all, Bowie is actually a very successful superstar musician (and artist). He did not end his career in a spiral of declining alcohol and loneliness, his wife is beautiful. Second of all, if he had done those things, he wouldn’t have ended up starting a successful music career as a last resort (as the alien in the movie does) because (a) he was and is already a pop star, and (b) the music would have been terrible, surely. Thirdly of all, the world has embraced Mr Bowie’s works, continues to do so, and did so already when he made this film. An accurate portrayal of unique genius would have shown the alien harbouring the world’s support, returning to his wife and children, saving their planet and then establishing a successful career commuting between planets as an interplanetary superstar.

People who watched this film at an impressionable age got a completely wrong idea of what being a genius is all about. However I am glad I saw this, except for the bedroom scenes, which are truly horrible. It is a good thing for the entire solar system that Mr Bowie managed to keep his clothes on after making this film. I am sorry to have to say that.