IMDb plot summary: An impromptu goodbye party for Professor John Oldman becomes a mysterious interrogation after the retiring scholar reveals to his colleagues he has a longer and stranger past than they can imagine.
Directed by Richard Schenkman. Starring David Lee Smith, Tony Todd, and John Billingsley.
The Man From Earth begins with a group of academics helping their friend and co-worker move, and as they talk, he poses a hypothetical: What if he were actually an immortal caveman who's lived for millennia? Could he prove or disprove it? His friends begin a lively debate on the topic, but as time goes on, more of them begin to wonder if it's actually true. This is a unique film that absolutely reeks of super-low budget but a creative writer. It's a one-room, real-time, talky theatrical piece that often slightly missteps in its execution but in a way that feels charmingly homemade for me and my roots in minimalist theater. Seeing how the different characters react to this preposterous claim is a lot of fun, and I found myself trying to, in a sense, solve the puzzle along with them and decipher who this person was. It felt like being invited along on a thought experiment with a group of interesting people, and even if the music was cheesy and the dialogue occasionally pretentious or awkward, it was the kind of experience I don't often get from films and very much enjoyed. If anything, the film's flaws actually add to its vibe, and I had a great time with it.
How it entered my Flickchart:
The Man From Earth > Killing Season
The Man From Earth > In the Name of the Father
The Man From Earth < Network
The Man From Earth < Spencer
The Man From Earth < Shiva Baby
The Man From Earth < Erin Brockovich
The Man From Earth > Mister Roberts
The Man From Earth < Sherlock Jr.
The Man From Earth > Love's Labour's Lost
The Man From Earth < Dogma
The Man From Earth < Night Must Fall
The Man From Earth < The Substance
Final spot: #966 out of 4024, or 76%.
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