A cult-classic science fiction film is hailed as a “masterpiece” by fans and is streaming now in the UK. The Man from Earth (2007) stars David Lee Smith as John Oldman, a university professor who is moving on from his role at the institution and is thrown an impromptu leaving party by colleagues.

During the send-off he makes a startling claim about his true identity. The film was directed by Richard Schenkman and written by Jerome Bixby, a short story writer and scriptwriter who worked on the original series of Star Trek and The Twilight Zone.

Bixby was said to to have completed the script on his deathbed, and the film was released posthumously. It was reportedly made with a micro-budget of $200,000 and shot over little more than a week.

One fan wrote on Rotten Tomatoes said it is “my top favourite movie ever”, adding that every scene “was amazing”, with “beautiful” dialogue and chemistry between the characters.

“The story is a masterpiece. Highly recommended to watch.”

Another, who also gave the film five stars wrote: “Such a wonderfully acted, and fantastically written film.”

A third said: “The concept was intoxicating and I feel all the better for having seen this gem.

“This film defies the big budget blockbusters. This a must watch movie. Go on. Thank me later.”

A fourth added: “Science, philosophy and religion are all explored deeply in this very sophisticated film. It’s a little movie, but contains greater meaning and leaves more of an impact than 99% of most billion-dollar blockbusters.”

The film has a 100% score from five reviews on the site’s Tomatometer, which reflects the percentage of approved critics who have given it a positive score.

It also has a strong 7.8/10 score based on IMDb, based on user reviews.

The Man from Earth is streaming now on Amazon Prime.