The Fall
''The Fall'' is an ambiguous term that may refer to several concepts, events, and works across theology, mythology, literature, arts, and media. For the theological concept in Abrahamic religions, see the [[Religion and mythology]] section below. Other notable uses include:- In religion and mythology: ** The Fall of Man, the biblical story of Adam and Eve's disobedience in the Garden of Eden, introducing sin into the world
- In literature: ** ''The Fall'' (novel), a 1956 philosophical novel by Albert Camus ** Various short stories and poems titled "The Fall"
- In film and television: ** ''The Fall'' (2013 TV series), a BBC crime drama starring Gillian Anderson ** ''The Fall'' (2006 film), a fantasy adventure directed by Tarsem Singh
- In music: ** The Fall (band), a post-punk group formed in 1976 ** ''The Fall'' (album), various releases including by Johnny Cash (1969)
- In other media: ** ''The Fall'' (video game series), a 2012 platformer and its sequels ** Various comic books and graphic novels titled "The Fall"
Literature
Novels
The Fall (French: La Chute), published in 1956 by Gallimard, is Albert Camus's final novel and a cornerstone of existentialist literature.[1] Narrated in monologue form by Jean-Baptiste Clamence, a former Parisian lawyer turned self-proclaimed "judge-penitent," the story unfolds in an Amsterdam bar called Mexico-City, where Clamence confesses his life's hypocrisies to an unnamed listener.[1] Camus, a French-Algerian philosopher and Nobel Prize winner in Literature (1957), drew from his absurdist philosophy to explore themes of guilt, judgment, and human alienation, portraying Clamence's "fall" from moral superiority after witnessing a woman's suicide without intervening.[2] The novel critiques the inadequacy of traditional values and the inescapability of self-deception, culminating in Clamence's ironic vision of a universal "last judgment."[1] Critics have hailed it as one of Camus's most technically brilliant works for its innovative structure and psychological depth, influencing philosophical discourse on confession and ethics.[1] The Fall, co-authored by filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and novelist Chuck Hogan and published on September 21, 2010, by William Morrow, serves as the second installment in the Strain trilogy, escalating a vampire apocalypse narrative.[3] Del Toro, renowned for horror films like Pan's Labyrinth (2006), brings visceral imagery to the horror genre, while Hogan, known for thrillers such as Devils in Exile (2007), structures the plot's tension.[4] The novel follows epidemiologist Dr. Ephraim Goodweather and exterminator Vasiliy Fet as they combat the strigoi virus spreading from New York City across the U.S., amid societal collapse and betrayals orchestrated by the ancient vampire "the Master."[5] Key character arcs include Goodweather's moral struggles and Fet's transformation into a reluctant hero, with plot twists revealing human collaborators in the vampiric takeover.[6] Themes of survival, institutional failure, and the erosion of humanity dominate, blending action with apocalyptic dread.[5] Publishers Weekly praised its sardonic humor amid grim developments, noting how it builds anticipation for the trilogy's conclusion.[5] Kirkus Reviews commended its relentless pacing, positioning it as a pivotal bridge in the series' epic scope.[4] The Fall, the sixteenth novel in John Lescroart's Dismas Hardy series, was published on May 5, 2015, by Atria Books.[7] Lescroart, a New York Times bestselling author with over 30 novels since 1989, specializes in legal thrillers set in San Francisco, often featuring Hardy as a principled attorney navigating ethical gray areas.[8] The plot centers on the death of teenage foster child Anlya Paulson, who plummets from an overpass; Hardy and his daughter Rebecca, now an associate in his firm, defend middle-school teacher Greg Treadway, the last person seen with her.[9] As the duo investigates, they uncover suspects including Anlya's absent stepfather, a roommate involved in a call-girl ring, her troubled birth mother, and a homeless man, while grappling with courtroom pressures and family dynamics.[9] Themes of justice, foster care systemic failures, and parental responsibility underscore the narrative, blending procedural investigation with high-stakes trial drama. Publishers Weekly described it as "action-packed," highlighting its effective fusion of mystery and courtroom thriller elements. The novel received acclaim for its character-driven suspense and exploration of moral dilemmas in the legal system. The Fall by Bethany Griffin, published on October 7, 2014, by Greenwillow Books, is a young adult Gothic novel that reimagines Edgar Allan Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher."[10] The story follows twins Madeline and Roderick Usher, who return to their family's decaying Maryland mansion amid rumors of a curse causing inherited illness and madness. As Madeline narrates, she grapples with her deteriorating health, a forbidden romance, and supernatural occurrences, including her brother Ronan's obsessive protection and the mansion's sentient influence. Themes of isolation, family legacy, and the blurring of reality and nightmare dominate, with atmospheric descriptions evoking Poe's original terror. Critics praised its lush prose and modern psychological depth, though some noted pacing issues in the dual perspectives; it appeals to fans of Gothic horror and earned positive reviews for expanding Poe's tale into a full narrative of female agency and survival.[11] Among more contemporary minor works, James Preller's The Fall (2015) presents a modern youth-oriented narrative structured as interconnected vignettes through journal entries, texts, and reflections, focusing on the aftermath of bullying and its role in a classmate's suicide.[12] Written from the perspective of young protagonist Sam, who grapples with his complicity as a bystander, the story emphasizes themes of redemption and empathy, as Sam confronts the emotional fallout and seeks to make amends in his community.[12] Published by Feiwel & Friends, an imprint of Macmillan, it leverages the short-form episodic style to mirror fragmented adolescent experiences, building tension through incremental revelations rather than linear plot, and highlights bullying's subtle, cumulative impact on mental health.[13]Short stories
One of the most renowned short stories titled with variations of "The Fall" is Edgar Allan Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher," a seminal work of Gothic fiction first published in September 1839 in Burton's Gentleman's Magazine. The narrative centers on an unnamed narrator who visits his reclusive childhood friend, Roderick Usher, at the decaying Usher family mansion, where Roderick's descent into acute nervous illness and hypersensitivity to surroundings unfolds alongside the mysterious death and entombment of his sister, Madeline.[14] The crumbling mansion symbolizes the familial decay and inevitable collapse of the Usher lineage, with the structure's physical deterioration mirroring the characters' psychological unraveling, culminating in a supernatural cataclysm that engulfs the house and its inhabitants.[15] Key themes include isolation, as the Ushers are cut off from the world in their remote, storm-battered domain; the blurred boundaries between reality and the supernatural, evident in Roderick's belief that the house has sentient life and influences his mind; and the terror of inherited madness, where familial bonds become a curse rather than a solace.[16] Poe employs the short story form's brevity to build unrelenting tension through vivid sensory descriptions and a claustrophobic atmosphere, heightening the reader's dread in a single, immersive sitting.[14] This story's publication history reflects Poe's early career struggles, as it appeared in a Philadelphia periodical edited by William Evans Burton, earning Poe $20 for the submission before being reprinted in his 1840 collection Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque. Its influence on genre fiction endures, inspiring countless works in horror and psychological suspense by demonstrating how concise prose can evoke profound unease and explore the fragility of the human psyche, motifs that recur in later Gothic tales.[15] Another notable short story with "The Fall" in the title is W. Somerset Maugham's "The Fall of Edward Barnard," first published in 1921 in the collection The Trembling of a Leaf: Little Stories of the South Sea Islands.[17] The narrative, told through the perspective of Bateman Hunter, recounts his visit to Tahiti, where he discovers that his wealthy Chicago friend Edward Barnard has abandoned a lucrative career and his fiancée Isabel for a simple life with a missionary's daughter, embracing philosophical idleness over material ambition. Themes of moral and social decline, cultural disillusionment with Western values, and the allure of primitive existence are central, as Bateman grapples with Edward's "fall" from societal expectations. Maugham's concise style highlights irony and psychological insight, influencing modernist explorations of colonialism and personal transformation. The story is celebrated for its subtle critique of ambition and has been adapted in audio and dramatic forms.[18] Short stories titled "The Fall" often exploit the form's concision to intensify motifs of sudden decline—whether psychological, moral, or literal—contrasting with longer narratives by compressing character arcs into pivotal moments of crisis, thereby amplifying emotional resonance and thematic depth in genre fiction.[14] Poe's piece, rooted in Romanticism's emphasis on emotion and the sublime, exemplifies this approach in American literature.[15]Film
Feature films
The Fall (1999) is a psychological thriller directed by Andrew Piddington and written by Mike Walker.[19] Set in Budapest, the film stars Craig Sheffer as Adam Ellis, a New York writer struggling with his novel, who lives with his girlfriend Lisa (Kymberley Huffman); their lives unravel when Lisa disappears, drawing Adam into a web of paranoia involving a mysterious French woman (Hélène de Fougerolles) fleeing a former Communist agent (Jürgen Prochnow).[20] The narrative explores themes of urban alienation, betrayal, and mental deterioration through key scenes of tense encounters in the city's shadowy underbelly and strained family-like dynamics between the protagonists.[21] Released in the United Kingdom on November 27, 1998 (with a U.S. video release in 1999), it received a single nomination for the Douglas Hickox Award (Best British Director of an Independent Film) at the 1998 British Independent Film Awards but had limited box office success, with no major theatrical gross reported due to its low-budget independent production.[22] Its visual style employs gritty, realistic cinematography to heighten the sense of psychological unease, contrasting the vibrant Hungarian locations with the characters' internal chaos.[23] The Fall (2006), directed, produced, and co-written by Tarsem Singh, is a fantasy adventure film renowned for its visually opulent storytelling.[24] Set in a 1920s Los Angeles hospital, it stars Lee Pace as Roy, an injured stuntman, who captivates young patient Alexandria (Catinca Untaru) with a nested tale of five bandits seeking revenge against a tyrannical ruler, blending real-world emotional bonds with fantastical escapades featuring diverse global locales.[25] Additional cast includes Justine Waddell as nurse Evelyn and supporting roles by Emil Hostina and Jeetu Verma. Production spanned four years across 24 countries, self-financed by Singh from his commercial directing earnings at an estimated $30 million budget, eschewing digital effects in favor of practical locations like India's Chand Baori stepwell for breathtaking, painterly visuals that emphasize color, symmetry, and epic scale.[26] Premiering at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival, it received a limited U.S. theatrical release on May 9, 2008, grossing $2.59 million domestically and $3.98 million worldwide against its budget.[27] Awards include a win for Best Foreign Feature at the 2007 Amanda Awards (Norway) and nominations for three Saturn Awards, including Best Fantasy Film; its distinctive style has since garnered cult status for innovative, non-CGI spectacle.[28] The Fall (2024) is a drama film directed by Shaun Hart.[29] It stars Jocelyn Hudon as a brash amateur photographer reeling from her mother's suicide, who must confront her self-destructive tendencies and the past to find love and redemption, alongside Thomas Cocquerel, Jeremy Sumpter, and Jim O'Heir.[30] Produced by Lunar Door in the United States, the film has a runtime of 108 minutes and was released on streaming platforms on October 11, 2024.[30]Short films
Several short films titled The Fall have been produced by independent filmmakers, leveraging the format's brevity to explore themes of moral and emotional descent through minimalist narratives and innovative techniques. These works, typically under 20 minutes, often emphasize psychological tension and abstract visuals, distinguishing them from longer formats by their runtime constraints that demand concise storytelling.[31][32] One notable example is the 2013 Belgian short The Fall, directed by Kristof Hoornaert. In this 16-minute drama, a couple on vacation accidentally strikes and kills a child while driving through a dense forest, forcing them to confront the fragility of their relationship and civilized norms as they debate how to proceed. Hoornaert self-produced the film on a single day of shooting with just two actors—Geert Van Rampelberg and Natali Broods—in one primary location, highlighting the medium's potential for low-budget, intimate experimentation. The film screened at festivals including the One Reel Film Festival and Minimalen Kortfilmfestival, earning niche acclaim for its tense exploration of guilt and ethical collapse, with an IMDb rating of 7.0/10.[33][34] Another prominent entry is Jonathan Glazer's 2019 short The Fall, a 7-minute experimental piece that depicts a masked mob lynching an outsider by hurling him into an endless underground well, inspired by Francisco Goya's etching The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters. Produced with high-caliber cinematography by Daniel Landin, the film employs stark, nightmarish visuals and a frenzied crowd dynamic to abstractly probe mob mentality and societal descent into violence, culminating in a chilling cycle of pursuit. It premiered unannounced on BBC Two and later streamed on MUBI, receiving critical praise for its allegorical depth and visual impact, including descriptions as a "waking nightmare" in reviews.[35][36][37] These shorts occasionally draw visual motifs, such as shadowy descents, from longer cinematic explorations of downfall. Animation techniques appear in other indie efforts, like Desirae Witte's 2021 The Fall, a 3-minute hand-drawn piece using seasonal transitions to humorously anthropomorphize a maple leaf's literal and metaphorical fall, screened at events like the Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films.[38][39]Television
Series
The Fall is a British-Irish crime drama television series created, written, and directed (from season 2 onward) by Allan Cubitt, which originally aired on BBC Two from 28 May 2013 to 6 November 2016. The series stars Gillian Anderson as Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson, a tenacious investigator from the Metropolitan Police, and Jamie Dornan as Paul Spector, a charismatic family man concealing his identity as a serial killer targeting professional women in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Spanning three seasons and 17 episodes, it delves into the psychological cat-and-mouse pursuit between Gibson and Spector, while examining themes of gender dynamics, power imbalances, and the societal underpinnings of violence.[40][41][42] Produced by Artists Studio and filmed on location in Belfast, the series premiered to strong viewership, with its first episode drawing an average audience of 3.5 million viewers and a 15.4% share of the available audience, dominating its time slot. Critically, it holds an 85% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 62 reviews, praised for its tense storytelling and performances, though later seasons received mixed feedback for pacing. The show garnered several accolades, including nominations at the 2014 BAFTA Television Awards for Best Mini-Series and Best Leading Actor for Dornan, as well as wins at the Irish Film and Television Awards, such as Best Drama and Best Actor for Dornan.[43][42][44][45] Across its seasons, character arcs emphasize Gibson's evolving professional resolve and personal vulnerabilities, contrasted with Spector's fracturing facade as a devoted father and counselor, highlighting psychological parallels between hunter and hunted. Season 1 (5 episodes) introduces Gibson's arrival to oversee a stalled murder investigation, paralleling Spector's methodical killings and domestic life, building tension through dual perspectives on misogyny and control. Season 2 (6 episodes) escalates the manhunt following a key confrontation, delving deeper into Spector's influence over vulnerable individuals and Gibson's unorthodox tactics amid institutional pressures. The final season (6 episodes) shifts to the repercussions of capture, exploring courtroom drama, recovered memories, and ethical dilemmas in justice, culminating in resolutions that underscore the series' focus on trauma and accountability.[46][47][48]Episodes
In the British crime drama Waking the Dead, the two-part episode "The Fall" aired on January 21 and 28, 2007, as the fifth and sixth installments of season 6. The story begins when construction workers demolish a building and uncover two mummified bodies, still conjoined sexually and killed by a single bullet decades earlier, prompting the Cold Case Unit to investigate a 1970s disappearance linked to betrayal and hidden relationships within a close-knit group. Written by Damian Wayling and directed by Robert Bierman, the episode explores themes of long-buried secrets and the psychological toll of unresolved trauma, tying into the series' focus on revisiting old cases to reveal contemporary impacts. It received solid viewer reception, earning a 7.6/10 rating on IMDb from over 150 users, praised for its atmospheric tension and strong performances by Trevor Eve and Sue Johnston.[49][50][51] The American mystery thriller series Secrets and Lies featured "The Fall" as its season 2 premiere on September 25, 2016, directed by Adam Arkin and written by Barbie Kligman. The plot centers on wealthy businessman Eric Warner (Michael Chiklis), whose wife Kate dies after falling from their home's balcony during a celebration of his promotion, drawing Detective Andrea Cornell (Juliette Lewis) into an investigation uncovering family betrayals, infidelity, and corporate intrigue. This episode establishes the season's anthology-style format, shifting from the previous season's suburban setting to a high-stakes North Carolina elite world, with thematic emphasis on the rapid collapse of privilege amid suspicion and moral ambiguity. Critics and audiences noted its gripping setup, with Entertainment Weekly highlighting the "plenty more secrets and lies" in its narrative drive, though some critiqued the familiar whodunit tropes; it holds a 7.3/10 IMDb rating from 344 votes.[52][53][54] In the Canadian family sitcom Life with Derek, "The Fall" aired on September 25, 2005, as the second episode of season 1, directed by Ron Murphy and written by Daphne Ballon. The storyline follows stepsiblings Derek Venturi (Michael Seater) and Casey McDonald (Ashley Leggat) as Casey suffers a public tumble down school stairs—exacerbated by Derek's teasing—leading to her retaliation and explorations of blended family tensions, sibling pranks, and teenage social pressures. Set within the series' comedic portrayal of merged households navigating everyday chaos, the episode underscores themes of embarrassment, forgiveness, and rivalry resolution through humorous mishaps. It garnered positive feedback for its relatable humor and character chemistry, achieving an 8.1/10 IMDb rating from 32 users and contributing to the show's appeal among young audiences.[55][56][57]Music
Bands
The Fall was an English post-punk band formed in late 1976 in Prestwich, Greater Manchester, by vocalist Mark E. Smith alongside initial members Martin Bramah on guitar, Una Baines on keyboards, Tony Friel on bass, and Karl Burns on drums.[58] Smith, inspired by the Sex Pistols' performance at Manchester's Lesser Free Trade Hall earlier that year, envisioned a group that would reject conventional rock structures in favor of repetitive rhythms and angular guitar work influenced by punk and krautrock.[59] The band's live debut occurred in May 1977, marking the start of a career defined by Smith's autocratic leadership and a commitment to raw, uncompromising performances.[58] Throughout its 42-year existence, The Fall underwent frequent lineup changes, with Smith as the only constant member amid over 66 musicians passing through the group, including notable contributions from guitarists like Brix Smith Start (whom he married in 1983) and keyboardist Eleni Poulou.[60][61] This revolving door of personnel, often resulting from Smith's on-stage dismissals or abrupt firings, contributed to the band's evolving sound while maintaining a core of abrasive post-punk energy and spoken-word-style vocals.[61] The group amassed a prolific output of 32 studio albums, alongside extensive live recordings, reflecting Smith's relentless creative drive.[62] Early momentum came from the band's first John Peel Session for BBC Radio 1 in May 1978, the initial of 24 such recordings that surpassed any other artist's tally and helped cement their cult status in the UK underground.[63] The Fall toured extensively across the UK, Europe, and the United States, with key milestones including a 2010 headline slot at Glastonbury Festival, where they delivered chaotic yet captivating sets that underscored their enduring appeal.[61] These tours, often marked by logistical mishaps and interpersonal tensions, amplified the band's reputation for unpredictability.[64] The Fall exerted significant influence on the Manchester post-punk scene, emerging alongside acts like Joy Division and contributing to the city's vibrant music ecosystem in the late 1970s and beyond.[65] Smith's lyrics, drawing from British working-class life, literature, and cultural critique, offered a caustic, vernacular commentary that resonated as a uniquely English form of post-punk expression.[64][66] The band's dissolution followed Smith's death on January 24, 2018, at age 60, ending an era of innovative, if tumultuous, rock music.[62]Albums
Gorillaz's The Fall (2010) is an experimental electronic album created primarily using an iPad during the band's North American tour, capturing a sense of transience and isolation on the road with lo-fi production and themes of American highways and cultural detritus.[67] The record features Damon Albarn's vocals over sparse beats and synths, blending hip-hop, dub, and ambient elements in a raw, demo-like format that reflects the immediacy of daily recordings. Critical reception was mixed, with praise for its innovative process and intimate vibe but criticism for its uneven structure and lack of polish.[68] Standout tracks include "Revolving Doors," evoking melancholic introspection, and "Hillbilly Man," incorporating banjo samples for a folksy twist. The full track listing is:- Phoner to Arizona
- Revolving Doors
- Hillbilly Man
- The Joplin Spider
- Detroit
- Shy-Town
- Little Pink Plastic Bag
- The Speak It Mountains
- Aspen Forest
- Bobby in Phoenix (Skit)
- California and the Slipping of the Sun
- Seattle
- Groupie
- The Swamp
- Oklahoma (Skit)
- The Loser
- Chasing Pirates
- Even Though
- Light as a Feather
- Young Blood
- I Wouldn't Need You
- Waiting
- It's Gonna Be
- You've Ruined Me
- Back to Manhattan
- Stuck
- December
- Tell Yer Mama
- The Story
- In Times Like These
- Chapter I. Pain
- Chapter II. Despair
- Chapter III. Emptiness