Horror Movie Reviews
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Title: Jerome Bixby's The Man from Earth (2007) |
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Review of Jerome Bixby's The Man from Earth
- On a cold night in a remote cabin Professor John Oldman (David Lee Smith of CSI: MIAMI) gathers his most trusted colleagues for an extraordinary announcement: He is an immortal who has migrated through 140 centuries of evolution and must now move on. Is Oldman truly Cro-Magnon or simply insane? Now one man will force these scientists and scholars to confront their own notions of history religion and humanity all leading to a final revelation that may shatter their world forever.John Billingsley (STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE) William Katt (THE GREATEST AMERICAN HERO) Ellen Crawford (ER) and Tony Todd (CANDYMAN) co-star in this provocative final work by Jerome Bixby renowned as one of the greatest science-fiction authors of all time.Starring: John Billingsley William Katt Ellen Crawford David Lee Smith Tony ToddSystem Requirements:Length: 87 mins Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: SCI-FI/FANTASY/FANTASY UPC: 013131546699 Manufacturer No: DV15466
Product Description
- Based on renowned sci-fi author Jerome Bixby's final 1998 manuscript, Man From Earth is the long-awaited film adaptation in which Professor John Oldman (David Lee Smith) attempts to convince his fellow faculty members that he is 14,000 years old. Shot almost entirely inside Oldman's cabin as he's about to leave his friends and career, the film's dialogue consists of philosophical chatting about the possibility and ramifications of his alleged birth during the Upper Paleolithic era. As his faculty peers are all anthropology, biology, religion, and philosophy scholars, the conversation levels remain high throughout. Oldman's friend Harry (John Billingsley) is well versed in multiple religions as well as in science, while Gruber (Richard Riehle) is invited to the house mid-story to evaluate Oldman's psychological state. Edith (Ellen Crawford) is the Christian voice, considering the religious repercussions of Oldman's assertion. All the while, Oldman's love interest, Sandy (Annika Peterson), remains quietly contemplative and most capable of believing that he doesn't visually age and has seen epochs and historical eras come and go. Humorous scenes, such as when his friends discover a Van Gogh painting wedged into the back of his pick-up truck, keep the story flowing, though eventually heavy-handed conceptualism does make the film sluggish. Similar to some great episodes of The Twilight Zone, Man From Earth does pose enough grand questions about life and death that urge viewers to wonder if such a man could plausibly exist, and if so, what his fate would be. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of this story is its fusion of spirituality and science by providing viewers a scenario in which proof is impossible, in a world where high value is placed on concrete evidence. –Trinie Dalton
Amazon.com
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Comments for Jerome Bixby's The Man from Earth
- Posted on 2008-10-13
Captivating sci-fi at its best
In my book, good science-fiction happens when a writer changes one little fact we all take for granted, but keeps the rest of the world more or less constant. As you have no doubt read from the other reviews, the thing being changed in this movie is that one man born in the stone age doesn't age. Or is it all a hoax? After all, he can't prove it.
This little change takes us on a wild ride (well as wild as half a dozen characters sitting in a room talking can be) through history, academia, philosophy, and religion. If you want action, this is not your movie, as it basically is a theater play. Also, if you take anything anyone says about Christianity as a personal insult, you may want to steer clear.
But if you enjoy discussing what ifs with friends late at night over a glass of Johnny Walker Green Label you will love this movie. I did.
Score: 5
- Posted on 2008-10-09
Man from earth
No thrills, no slight of hand, just a interesting spin on the oldest questions on the planet. Not intended to shake your faith, but a slight tug at the blinders we all seem to wear.
Score: 4
- Posted on 2008-10-02
If you want to attack Christianity, please start by doing your homework
The movie started with an interesting premise, something that many of us have wondered: what would it be like to have lived through many eras and witnessed the march of the civilizations. However, midway through the movie, the whole story became a farce, when Jerome Bixby decided to turn an interest premise into an attack on religion and Christianity in particular. Being a PhD student in Biblical studies, I was divided between irritation and laughter about the lack of basic knowledge of biblical events and ancient history. Jerome Bixby did not do his homework and is ignorant of the subject matter. Even secular scholars of religion would laugh at his farfetched historical reconstructions.
one would expect someone who lived in the middle of events related to Jesus and the first century world to exhibit a certain understanding of the events that is beyond a reader digest or introductory treatment of Jesus life, words and actions. However, the Jesus of the movie was limited by the author's surface knowledge of facts and body of knowledge related to the historical Jesus. He was as true to the historical context of Jesus as Xena and Hercules TV shows were faithful to Ancient Rome and Greece. Perfect for your average couch potato, but a source of laughter for those acquainted with the subject matter.
Because Science fiction was nothing but a vehicle for his ideological crusade; the lack of historical accuracy and failure to understand basic aspects of Christian origins undermined the philosophical case he tried to make against Christianity.
If Bixby's John/Jesus can so easily fumble the facts about himself (being the one at the center of what is arguably the most important person in all human history since after all, all history is viewed in relation to Jesus-Christ as being before or after Him) how credible is his whole story?
Score: 1
- Posted on 2008-09-26
Magical
A wonderfully written and acted tour de force. The twists, when they start, are gut wrenching. And to think, the only action is around a couch!
I have watched and re watched this many times. It is magical!
Score: 5 - Posted on 2008-09-24
Interesting but Ignorant
Starts of very interesting but becomes the usual anti-Christian propaganda by misrepresenting scripture, history and truth. Would appeal to humanist one-world order types. Those with historical knowledge will find the blatant propaganda offensive.
Score: 1
