In this sense, he really does fall, Icarus-like, to Earth.
Surrounded by temptations, hes dragged down to the level of the mortal sinners around him.
I quite the way Roeg leaves so much unsaid, an increasingly rare technique in movie making these days.
Apparently immortal, Newton remains unchanged as those around him age.
The time period the film covers could actually be quite epic.
On an aesthetic level, Roegs film has suffered mixed fortunes.
But, then again, is this the point, perhaps?
Like Newton himself, Roeg indulges in lengthy, portentous scenes where characters simply stare into the middle distance.
That said, the sex and boozing all serve a necessary function in Newtons sorry story.
