Saturday, 7 February 2015

The Man from Earth

Like many of my age, I watched a lot of films & I've always had a soft spot for low-budget works from unknown directors; because these kind of films are always underrated & doesn't deserve the widespread popularity that they should. One of these films is the science fiction film, "The Man from Earth." Although it was released in 2007, I had only watched it for the first time in last December, after digging through the Internet in search of a thought-provoking film.

Screw the 8/10 rating IMDB rating. Look at how cool the poster design is!

The film is about John Oldman, a man who has recently quit his teaching position at a university after 10 years of service without any reason at all. When confronted by his friends, for the first time in his life, he reveals to them who he actually is - an ageless caveman. As the movie progresses, what starts out as a hypothetical anecdote turns into a furious & aggressive debate about life, history & religion.

Other supporting characters include John's colleagues; each of them holds an expertise in a scientific field, just like John.

What I love most about this film is that it is only made on a micro budget of $200,00 & yet for the whole 90 minutes, the film still manages to captivate throughout the whole seating. Oh, there's another thing too: just like the 1957 classic, 12 Angry Men, the whole film is set mostly in John's living room & there is no flashbacks between the conversations - the viewers are going to have to rely on their own imaginations (admittedly, mine could use some polishing). The writing, the directing, the cinematography, & the acting are all done very well; so why the hell isn't Hollywood funding more for this kind of films puzzles me.

Their most prolific actor is Tony Todd & this guy is mostly associated with low-budget horror films

I don't want to spoil this film for you but personally, I highly recommend you to take a look at it because it explores on a lot of possibles & "what ifs?". Seriously, what if John's tale is unknowingly based on a true story from this real world we live in? 

Then again, John could've been a real ass trying to hide for who he truly is.

However, I have to warn you: the film touches heavily on sensitive & controversial subjects so if you feel like giving it a try, just remember to keep an open mind throughout the whole sitting.

You may need to try a little bit harder.

*all images belong to their respective owners*



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