‘After Earth’: the alien/UFO connection

By Robbie Graham Silver Screen Saucers

Alien design for After Earth (2013)

 

M. Night Shyamalan’s upcoming sci-fi survival movie After Earth features an elaborate back-story unhinted at in its trailers involving multiple extraterrestrial species.

io9.com reports that After Earth’s recently-released companion book United Rangers Corps Survival Manual reveals an intricate fictional historical narrative leading up to the events of the film.

“Turns out, there are aliens in this movie,” writes io9’s Meredith Woerner, “lots of them. Different species, in fact, which sound infinitely more interesting than a boy with a spear in the woods.”

Woerner then lays out the approximately 1000 years of events that constitute the movie’s back-story:

“1908 - An alien ship crash lands in Russia. All collective world governments then keep this discovery a secret basically forever. (But they let smarties like Nikola Tesla and Albert Einstein play with the remains).

2012 - NASA announces that they've invented WARP ENGINES. By secretly tapping into the alien spaceship's knowledge of the universe's "dark energy." Tah Dah!

2071 - 2072 - Earth is all GTFO, humans. No one can live here anymore, because it's poison for us, so 750,000 survivors leave on ARKS (one is named the Asimov). The Arks were created thanks to additional information pulled (over the years) from the downed spacecraft.”

 

After Earth (2013)

Here, then, we have yet another blockbuster movie borrowing liberally from modern UFO-conspiracy lore, central to which are ideas relating to UFO crash retrievals and top secret efforts to reverse-engineer alien technologies. Although the Roswell Incident of 1947 is most commonly associated with such ideas, Shyamalan has here chosen to reach further back into UFO history – specifically, to the Tunguska event of 1908, which involved a massively powerful and mysterious explosion in what is now Krasnoyarsk Krai in Russia. Officialdom attributes the explosion to a large meteoroid or comet fragment, but UFO researchers have long theorized that an alien craft may have been involved. Clearly this theory holds great appeal for Shyamalan, whose big-budget movie will now push the Tunguska event further into popular culture, albeit in a fantastical context. 

After Earth hits cinemas May 31, 2013. For the rest of the movie’s long and complicated back-story, head on over to io9.com.

 

 

 

J.J. Abrams quizzes astronaut on alien life (video)

UPDATED: 23 May, 2013

Thanks to Alejandro Rojas at OpenMinds.TV for going that extra mile in seeking out the actual video chat between NASA and the cast and crew of Star Trek Into Darkness discussed but not shown in the original reporting of this story.

 

 

 

The previously “unnamed” astronaut referred to by Alice Eve on Jimmy Kimmel Live turns out to be Michael Fincke. Joining him in the Google Hangout was Kjell Lindgren at the Johnson Space Center and Chris Cassidy aboard the International Space Station.

Director J.J. Abrams (who also wrote and directed the UFO movie Super 8 in 2011) was unable to participate in the live event. His “alien” question to the astronauts was posed in a pre-recorded video. Abrams said:

“I wish I could be there, but I couldn’t attend, so I am doing this very important question on video, which is the following. I talked to an astronaut once who told me on one of his missions he actually did see something really strange that he couldn’t explain that made him believe in extraterrestrial life, and my question to you is. Have either of you ever seen anything that made you believe that, or something you couldn’t explain or couldn’t understand, that you didn’t really necessarily share with the public, but that you want to share with us now? Thanks”.

Fincke replied:

“That was a great question from J.J., we get that question a lot. We all want to know, ‘are we the only ones out there?’And Star Trek helps us imagine what it could be like if there were other creatures, other people, other species. I spent a whole year in space, 381 days, but it is only 240 miles up, so that’s not very far in cosmic terms. So we think as we go farther out, and into the universe, we might find something out there that we don’t know about. I have never seen anything, maybe Kjell will on his mission, but I think as we go farther out, with the inspiration we get from you guys making these great feats of imagination and excitement, the movies that you make,  inspire us to be our best as human beings on planet earth.”

Star Trek Into Darkness writer and producer Damon Lindelof then commented, “What a great answer. Mike, can you confirm you have not been taken over by aliens? It felt a little too polished.”

Fincke replied, “No, I have done this before and I am an American human being who loves being part of our space program, and we all look up to you guys to inspire us.”

“Now we know something is seriously wrong,” said Lindelof.

 

 

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ORIGINAL REPORT

 

By Robbie Graham Silver Screen Saucers

British actress Alice Eve is convinced that NASA is hiding information about alien life. During a recent interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Eve – who co-starred in Star Trek Into Darkness and Men In Black 3 – described taking a trip to NASA’s Johnson Space Flight Center in Houston, Texas last Thursday, where she and her Trek co-stars Chris Pine and John Cho, as well as the film’s writer Damon Lindelof and its director J.J. Abrams, made a Skype call to an unnamed astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

"That was definitely the coolest thing we've done,” Eve told Kimmel, adding that her director had once spoken to an astronaut who believed he had seen alien life. Eve continued:

“J.J. asked this question [to the ISS astronaut], 'So have you seen alien life?'... and the response that these guys at the NASA base gave us... was so rehearsed and so clear that they had seen (aliens).”

“Interesting,” Kimmel replied. “So you believe that there’s a party line that they’re given and they kinda have to regurgitate it?”

“Well, I don’t know. I’m not saying I believe that...” Said Eve. The actress then leaned in toward her host and whispered in his ear: “but I believe that.”

 

Eve's comments begin at counter reading 1:12 in the video below...

 

 

 

New 'Star Trek' film taps into UFO lore

By Robbie Graham Silver Screen Saucers

SPOILERS AHEAD

Rumbled: Kirk and McCoy flee alien tribespeople in Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

 

Cinemagoers who have seen the new Star Trek movie, Into Darkness, can no doubt recall its colourful opening sequence in vivid detail. No sooner are our bums on seats than do we find ourselves thrust into the brilliant crimson forests of an alien world, watching breathlessly as Captain James T. Kirk and Doctor Leonard McCoy flee a primitive humanoid tribe.

The Starfleet officers are in disguise so as to prevent the tribespeople from seeing their human (i.e. alien) faces and shattering their embryonic philosophical and religious paradigm. Kirk and McCoy are, as any Trekkie will appreciate, seeking to uphold their prime directive: to avoid at all costs any overt interference with the internal development of an alien civilization – especially one that is “barely out of the stone age” and which views its own culture as the center of the universe.

 

Alien culture shock: Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

This idea of non-interference between alien cultures is one that is frequently discussed in the UFO and scientific communities. Many scientists consider it entirely plausible that any advanced extraterrestrial civilizations in our galaxy would likely seek to avoid drawing the attention of inhabitants of more primitive worlds for fear of sparking religious, economic and political chaos, or even civilizational collapse. And this, say many in the UFO community, is why ET has not yet landed on the White House lawn.   

Over the years, numerous alleged contactees have claimed that benevolent space folk have actually saved humanity from destruction on several occasions throughout history by quietly preventing potentially catastrophic natural disasters. Certainly there have been a great many instances when UFOs have been sighted over areas of geophysical significance – particularly active volcanoes. 

 

 

It is fitting, then, that Star Trek Into Darkness explores these UFOlogical ideas in its opening scenes. The reason Kirk and McCoy (and also Commander Spock) are on the alien planet in the first place is to attempt to covertly prevent the eruption of a super volcano that would wipe-out the fledgling civilization. The starship Enterprise is hidden from the aliens’ view beneath hundreds of feet of water off the coastline as Kirk and McCoy attempt to blend in with the natives.

Things don’t go according to plan, however, as not only are the two astronauts rumbled, but their starship is witnessed by the awe-struck tribespeople in all its splendour rising majestically from the ocean. We know in that moment that their civilizational path has been dramatically altered as, soon after, they begin drawing and worshipping a crude pictogram of the Enterprise. Ancient Astronaut theory, anyone?

As if these UFOlogical allusions weren’t sufficient, the fictional alien planet of our discussion is actually called ‘Nibiru.’ As anyone familiar with the work of Zecharia Sitchin will know, Nibiru is a theoretical planet that passes by Earth every 3,600 years, allowing its inhabitants – the Annunaki – to interact with humanity. According to Sitchin, these beings were the first gods worshipped by Man.

These filmic nods to UFOlogy should come as little surprise when we consider that the screenwriters for Star Trek Into Darkness are Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, and Damon Lindelof. Between them, these men have written and/or produced the likes of Transformers, Cowboys and Aliens, and Prometheus – all of which owe a heavy debt to UFO literature. Indeed, Orci, for one, has made no secret of his personal interest in the UFO subject. In July, 2011, the screenwriter was asked by The Wrap if he believed in aliens. He replied in the affirmative and added: “I think the evidence clearly indicates that the government's lying about what the hell’s going on.”

It’s unclear at this stage whether or not these same writers will be onboard for the next instalment of the Star Trek franchise, but, if they are, it’s a fair bet that their fascination with UFO lore will continue to serve as inspiration in their exploration of the Star Trek universe.

First full trailer for 'Europa Report'

By Robbie Graham Silver Screen Saucers

Check out the first full trailer for the upcoming sci-fi thriller Europa Report, which is described by Comingsoon.net as “a unique blend of documentary, alternative history and science fiction thriller [which] follows a contemporary mission to Jupiter's moon Europa, to investigate the possible existence of alien life within our solar system.”

Developed in close collaboration with NASA, JPL, SpaceX and other leaders in the scientific community, Europa Report “imagines the next step in manned space exploration and is based on recent scientific discoveries and theories.”

The film is due for theatrical release on August 2, and will be available On Demand from June 27.

Directed by Sebastian Cordero, Europa Report stars Sharlto Copley, Michael Nyqvist, Daniel Wu, Anamaria Marinca, Christian Camargo and Karolina Wydra. The film features music by Bear McCreary (Battlestar Galactica, The Walking Dead).

Man of Propaganda

By Robbie Graham Silver Screen Saucers

'Man of Steel' teams up with US National Guard

SOLDIDEROFSTEEL.COM

When the government and the entertainment industry maintain an intimate working relationship and co-produce media products specifically tailored to promote the tools of war and boost military recruitment, we call it what it is: propaganda. At least, that's what we call it when practised by countries such as North Korea, China, Russia, Iran, etc.

In America, 'propaganda' is something practised by other countries. In America, the symbiotic relationship between the entertainment industry and every branch of the military is just 'good business'. And besides, it can't be propaganda if they're advertising their own relationship, right?

Of course, it's not just the National Guard who are trying to recruit Superman fans -- the US Air Force also 'wants you!'. In exchange for the Pentagon’s right to edit the movie’s script and monitor its production, the superhero movie has been granted access to USAF facilities and hardware in order to cut its production costs. Most notably, Man of Steel will showcase the USAF's $400 billion F-35 Joint Strike Fighter which is currently grounded due to flight difficulties. Reuters reported last year that the final cost of the F-35 program might be as much as $1.5 trillion dollars(!).

According to Wired, the Pentagon’s Hollywood Liaison, Phil Strub is remaining tight lipped as to whether or not the F-35 actually interacts with Superman in the new movie, but, notes Wired, “it gets the troubled aircraft program in the same sentence as the four-color symbol of truth, justice and the American way.”

Here are just some of the movies which have been produced in collaboration with the US Department of Defense in the last decade...

2013 Man of Steel
2012 Battleship
2012 Act of Valor
2011 Transformers: Dark of the Moon
2011 Battle Los Angeles
2010 Iron Man 2
2009 Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
2008 The Day the Earth Stood Still
2008 Eagle Eye
2008 Iron Man
2007 I Am Legend
2007 Transformers
2006 Flags of Our Fathers
2006 United 93
2005 The Great Raid
2005 Stealth
2005 War of the Worlds
2003 American Valor
2003 Rain
2003 The Core

'Ender's Game': first trailer

Silver Screen Saucers

Summit Entertainment has released the first trailer for Ender's Game, the hotly anticipated big screen adaptation of Orson Scott Card’s bestselling sci-fi novel...

The film – which stars Asa Butterfield, Ben Kingsley, Harrison Ford, Hailee Steinfeld, Abigail Breslin, and Viola Davis – hits theaters and IMAX on November 1. It’s plot reads as follows:

“In the near future, a hostile alien race called the Formics have attacked Earth. If not for the legendary heroics of International Fleet Commander Mazer Rackham (Ben Kingsley), all would have been lost. In preparation for the next attack, the highly esteemed Colonel Hyrum Graff (Harrison Ford) and the International Military are training only the best young minds to find the future Mazer.

Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield), a shy but strategically brilliant boy, is recruited to join the elite. Arriving at Battle School, Ender quickly and easily masters increasingly difficult challenges and simulations, distinguishing himself and winning respect amongst his peers. Ender is soon ordained by Graff as the military’s next great hope, resulting in his promotion to Command School. Once there, he’s trained by Mazer Rackham himself to lead his fellow soldiers into an epic battle that will determine the future of Earth and save the human race.”

UFO movie news round-up (6 May, 2013)

By Robbie Graham Silver Screen Saucers

‘Europa Report’ concept art

Check out these three new pieces of concept art for the upcoming sci-fi thriller Europa Report, which is described by Comingsoon.net as “a unique blend of documentary, alternative history and science fiction thriller [which] follows a contemporary mission to Jupiter's moon Europa, to investigate the possible existence of alien life within our solar system.”

 

 

Developed in close collaboration with NASA, JPL, SpaceX and other leaders in the scientific community, Europa Report “imagines the next step in manned space exploration and is based on recent scientific discoveries and theories.”

The film is due for theatrical release on August 2, and will be available On Demand from June 27.

Directed by Sebastian Cordero, Europa Report stars Sharlto Copley, Michael Nyqvist, Daniel Wu, Anamaria Marinca, Christian Camargo and Karolina Wydra. The film features music by Bear McCreary (Battlestar Galactica, The Walking Dead).

‘Men in Black 4’ planned

 

A fourth Men in Black movie is being planned, according to The Wrap. No plot details are forthcoming, and there’s no word yet on who will star, but the script is being penned by Oren Uziel, the writer behind the upcoming The Kitchen Sink, which Deadline.com describes as a “genre collision about the unlikely alliance between a high school-aged vampire, zombie and human as they try to save their town from invading aliens.”

‘Man of Steel’ backed by Department of Defense

 

Writing for AntiWar.com, Sean McElwee noted last week that the hotly anticipated Superman reboot, Man of Steel (which I discussed here recently in the context of UFOlogy/Exoploitics), has been backed by the US Department of Defense.

McElwee points out that, in exchange for the Pentagon’s right to edit the movie’s script and monitor its production, the superhero movie has been granted access to military facilities and hardware in order to cut its production costs. Most notably, Man of Steel will showcase the USAF’s $400 billion F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (pictured), which is currently grounded due to flight difficulties. Reuters reported last year that the final cost of the F-35 program might be as much as $1.5 trillion dollars(!).

According to Wired, the Pentagon’s Hollywood Liaison, Phil Strub is remaining tight lipped as to whether or not the F-35 actually interacts with Superman in the new movie, but, notes Wired, “it gets the troubled aircraft program in the same sentence as the four-color symbol of truth, justice and the American way.”

Robot children to feature in Disney’s ‘Tomorrowland’, no sign yet of aliens 

The Hollywood Reporter has it that Raffey Cassidy (Snow White and the Huntsman, Dark Shadows) has joined the cast of Brad Bird's oh-so-mysterious Tomorrowland (working title 1952). The cast already includes George Clooney (as an inventor) and Hugh Laurie

According to THR: “Cassidy will play a robot child that has been around for many decades, has a history with Clooney's inventor character, and reportedly knows several different fighting styles.”

Tomorrowland has been written by Damon Lindelof (Prometheus) and Brad Bird. It is set for release on December 19, 2014. The jury’s still out on whether or not aliens might make an appearance. 

“You were only supposed to blow the bloody spaceship doors off!”

 

Deadline.com reports that Michael Caine has signed on to join the cast of Christopher Nolan’s upcoming sci-fi epic, Interstellar, which is based on the work of renowned theoretical physicist Kip Thorne (who will executive produce). Caine will star opposite Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain.

Interstellar is being described as “a heroic interstellar voyage to the furthest reaches of our scientific understanding.” It’s due for a November 7, 2014 release. UFO obsessive Steven Spielberg was originally linked to the project, so it’s hoped (by me, at least) that aliens might feature in the plot.

Michael Bay’s Turtles not as “alien” as feared

 

Speaking with Moviefone recently, Michael Bay made some clarifying statements on the nature of the ‘heroes-in-a-half-shell’ in his upcoming big screen production of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

"There was that quote saying that we’re making [the Ninja Turtles as] aliens. We're not. It’s the ooze! It’s from the original source material. These are from the original writers, and I never went out to correct myself in the press. I do listen to the fans and I do want this to be authentic. I think they’re going to be really happy with this movie. When I see the digital stuff, the turtles look great."

Bay had riled TMNT fans back in March of last year by stating that his Turtles would be “from an alien race.”

Directed by Jonathan Liebesman, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles features a screenplay by Josh Appelbaum, Andrew Nemec, Art Marcum, Matt Holloway and John Fusco, and is based on the characters created by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman.

The film stars Megan Fox in the role of April O'Neil, Alan Ritchson as Raphael, Jeremy Howard as Donatello, Pete Ploszek as Leonardo, Noel Fisher as Michelangelo, Will Arnett in an unspecified role, and Danny Woodburn as Master Splinter. It is scheduled for release June 6, 2014.