“JEROME BIXBY’S THE
MAN FROM EARTH†(Directed by Richard
Schenkman. 2007, Starz Home
Entertainment)
Longtime James Bond fans may recognize the name Richard
Schenkman, the director of this marvelous, thought-provoking independent
science fiction drama. During the 1980s,
Schenkman was the president of the James Bond 007 Fan Club (based in the USA) and
publisher of its fanzine, Bondage. Since that time, Schenkman has escaped from
Bondage to become a first rate Hollywood
and independent film director. After a
few years at MTV, Schenkman made a few small budget indies that received
critical acclaim, if not blockbuster box-office (including The Pompatus of Love, Went to
Coney Island on a Mission for God…Be Back by Five) and the hit TV-movie and
perennial holiday feature, A Diva’s
Christmas Carol.
Schenkman’s latest film was written by the late, legendary
science fiction writer Jerome Bixby (who wrote episodes for Star Trek and The Twilight Zone, among others).
This posthumous production was spearheaded by Bixby’s son, Emerson. The story concerns a small group of friends
who have come to say goodbye to John Oldman (portrayed by CSI: Miami’s David Lee Smith), who is moving house for mysterious
reasons. In a moment of possible
recklessness—or is it premeditated?—Oldman reveals to his friends that he is
thousands of years old. In fact, he says
he was a Cro-Magnon man and has somehow never aged or died. He has simply re-invented himself decade
after decade, century after century, eon after eon—to fit in with progressing
societies. At first, his friends think
Oldman (get it?—“Oldmanâ€) is pulling their legs, but as the day turns into
night, Oldman presents startling and convincing evidence of his claim.
The script is more like a stage play than a film—in fact, The Man from Earth would probably make
an excellent stage play—and there’s a lot of talking, no special effects, and
no action (except for a short struggle between a couple of characters)—but the
film is nonetheless engrossing and suspenseful.
Schenkman doesn’t need to “open up†the story—it’s all there in Bixby’s
well-crafted script. By the time the
final, shocking revelation is made, Schenkman and his cast have the audience
well in hand. I would go so far as to
say it’s one of the most intelligent
and profound science fiction dramas
that we’ve seen in a long, long time.
Smith is very good as Oldman, and the rest of the cast shine
as well (John Billingsley, Ellen Crawford, William Katt, Annika Peterson,
Richard Riehle, Alexis Thorpe, and Tony Todd).
But the true star of the piece is Bixby—and the film is a last testament
to a great writer’s career. Highly
recommended.- Raymond Benson
Visit Raymond's site at www.raymondbenson.com
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