12 surreal ’70s films that pair perfectly with The Man Who Fell to Earth

If you are a sci-fi fan, chances are you have already watched The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976) — but make no mistake, this one is not just another sci-fi movie.

The movie offers us an atmospheric journey into human alienation and where that leads one. Directed by Nicolas Roeg and starring David Bowie, The Man Who Fell to Earth recounts the tale of Thomas Jerome Newton, an alien who crashes onto Earth. Apparently, Newton’s planet is running out of water and resources. The movie explores key themes of capitalism, existentialism, and alienation as Newton navigates his time on Earth.

The film is structurally fragmented, hypnotic, and thematically bold, making it one of the most popular entries from the ’70s sci-fi movie archives. What makes the experience of watching The Man Who Fell to Earth so unique is the way it blends surreal imagery with a sense of emotional vacuum. The Man Who Fell to Earth also boldly blurs the lines between reality and dream, sanity and madness, human and machine. If you just finished watching The Man Who Fell to Earth and are wondering what to stream next, this comprehensive list will give you 12 options to choose from!

Disclaimer: This list consists of the writer's opinions solely.

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12 surreal ’70s films that pair perfectly with The Man Who Fell to Earth

(1) Stalker (1979)

This 1979 surreal sci-fi movie was directed by Andrei Tarkovsky, renowned for exploring surreal and spiritual themes in his films. The Zone centers around a mysterious guide who takes two men into a forbidden area — and what happens next will make you squint your eyes and double-check reality. Like The Man Who Fell to Earth, this film deals with surreal scenes, but here you also get some physics-bending concepts.

If you enjoyed watching Roeg's The Man Who Fell to Earth, you may enjoy streaming this next.

Access this via Amazon Prime Video.

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(2) Eraserhead (1977)

Under David Lynch's masterful direction, this movie takes you through a bleak industrial world while exploring themes of fatherhood, bodily horror, and reality slipping through the cracks — an anxiety-fueled tale featuring Nance. He is a father who has been left to care for and survive with a deformed child in a desolate industrial landscape.

This movie will give you that '70s feel and a surreal viewing experience, just like The Man Who Fell to Earth.

You can stream this movie on MUBI.

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(3) The Holy Mountain (1973)

The Holy Mountain is a 1973 Alejandro Jodorowsky-directed movie that recounts the tale of a thief who journeys into the mountains with a mystical alchemist. Along with them, there are seven other elites. Some of the characters represent tarot cards — for example, the thief himself represents the Fool of Swords.

Wondering what you’ll get? Well, if you decide to watch this, you are in for a ride! Expect full-on esoteric chaos with masterful cinematic direction.

If you loved watching The Man Who Fell to Earth, you can watch this next on Cultpix.

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(4) Phase IV (1974)

Phase IV (1974) is the only film from Saul Bass, a legendary graphic designer. The tale is a quiet and chilling depiction of alien intelligence — but here, alien intelligence doesn’t come from above, but from beneath our feet. You get to see how ants start to evolve and form patterns that defy human understanding. As the movie explores this in obsessive degrees, so do the minds of scientists, who slowly start experiencing paranoia.

What makes this movie so remarkable is the minimal dialogue and hypnotic visuals. If you loved the fever dream of The Man Who Fell to Earth, this one is for you.

You can access this via Amazon Prime Video

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(5) The Last Wave (1977)

Directed by Peter Weir, this movie recounts the story of an Australian lawyer who starts having apocalyptic visions connected to Aboriginal mythology. At the same time, he is defending an Indigenous man in court. The film explores themes of spiritual dread and makes you squint your eyes as the lines between the real and the surreal blur.

You can watch this on Amazon Prime Video.

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(6) Solaris (1972)

Solaris is another film by Andrei Tarkovsky that deals with psychological, surreal, and mysterious events. This one is quieter but no less psychologically intense than The Man Who Fell to Earth. Released in 1972, this movie recounts the tale of Kris Kelvin, a psychologist sent to a space station orbiting a mysterious planet after something goes wrong. The film gives you a strong ’70s feel and the same kind of introspective sci-fi you find in Roeg’s movie.

It delves deep into themes of reality, spirituality, and the line between the two.

You can access this movie on MUBI or Amazon Prime Video.

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(7) The Hourglass Sanatorium (1973)

If you loved the surreal territory of The Man Who Fell to Earth, The Hourglass Sanatorium (1973) by Polish director Wojciech Has is a perfect match. The movie takes you on a dreamlike descent into an eternal, chaotic world. The story boggles the mind and makes you rub your eyes in disbelief. It follows a man who checks into a sanatorium, and from the moment he enters, time and space begin to fold in on themselves, while memories from his past manifest in disjointed fragments.

Although not strictly sci-fi, this movie still deserves a place on your list.

You can buy this on Blu-ray.

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(8) Zardoz (1974)

John Boorman’s Zardoz (1974) is one of the most widely discussed and critically examined sci-fi fantasy cult films of its era. Sean Connery boldly dons a red loincloth in a fever-dream-like post-apocalyptic world. As bizarre as it may sound, there’s more to the movie than meets the eye. Beneath the strange visuals lies a deep exploration of immortality, entropy, and myth.

Zardoz is available to stream on Tubi, Plex, and rental platforms.

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(9) World on a Wire (1973)

Fassbinder’s 1973 movie is a trend-setter in the exploration of simulation theory. The story is adapted from Simulacron-3 by Daniel F. Galouye. It begins when a cybernetics engineer starts to doubt his reality — and in doing so, his mental state begins to deteriorate. Once the crisis is set, the movie grows on you like an illusion reflected in a hundred mirrors. Its thematic depth and visual style feel strikingly modern despite being made in the ’70s.

You can access this movie via MUBI.

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(10) The Andromeda Strain (1971)

Robert Wise’s 1971 film is slightly different in tone than The Man Who Fell to Earth. It has a more clinical tone but still echoes the psychological dread of Roeg’s work. The story follows a group of scientists as they investigate a mysterious microorganism. The setting is visibly sterile, and the procedural tension gradually gives way to dread and intrigue. It may not be as surreal as a Márquez story, but its structure, pacing, and quiet disquiet earn it a spot here.

The film is available via Apple TV and Prime Video rentals.

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(11) Providence (1977)

This 1977 film, directed by Alain Resnais, is best described as a metafictional fever dream. The narrative revolves around a dying writer whose hallucinations, regrets, and imagined scenes merge into one, making reality feel obscure. Though not sci-fi in the strictest sense, its narrative mechanics, abstract treatment, and cerebral tone align it with the surrealist science fiction films of the decade.

You may access this via MUBI.

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(12) The Shout (1978)

The Shout is another '70s film that masterfully blends mysticism, madness, and speculative horror into a perfect entertainer. For those who loved The Man Who Fell to Earth, this last entry might be a perfect match.

This tale concerns a man who believes he can shout so loudly that it can kill. Yes, you heard that right! From then onwards, everything that follows in the movie will make you question reality as it becomes increasingly fluid. With its surreal tone and speculative sci-fi leanings, this film fits beautifully into the same universe of psychological exploration.

You may access this via Amazon Prime Video. You may access this via Amazon Prime Video

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