Sci-Fi Saturday: The Flying Saucer
Week 24:
Film(s): The Flying Saucer (Dir. Mikel Conrad, 1950, USA)
Viewing Format: Streaming on Amazon Prime
Date Watched: 2021-12-04
Rationale for Inclusion:
This week we enter the 1950s, where we will stay for a long, long time. For this survey my partner and I watched 62 films made between 1950 and 1959, and that was with omitting accessible and applicable titles either due to repetition of theme, or not having the bandwidth for yet another critically unremarkable, low budget sci-fi film.
A question we regularly asked ourselves whilst watching the films of this decade was, "Had Sputnik happened yet?" Since Sputnik I didn't launch until 4 October 1957, the answer was usually, "no." Given the emphasis on space travel and exploration in this decade's movies, it was hard not to have the timeline of the Space Race in mind as context.
A different real life event would influence sci-fi in the 1950s, and for decades to come: the Roswell Incident, wherein some believe a crewed extraterrestrial spacecraft crash landed in Roswell, New Mexico in late June of 1947, and the United States government covered up the incident. The mythmaking event, however, was just one of multiple flying disc sightings that summer, which would form the modern foundation of unidentified flying object (UFO) and alien lore.
The first feature film to feature a flying saucer would come out 3 years later, in 1950: The Flying Saucer (Dir. Mikel Conrad, USA). The independent film was produced, directed and starring Mikel Conrad, who claimed to have footage of actual flying saucers that he obtained in Alaska in the winter of 1947 while filming Arctic Manhunt (Dir. Ewing Scott, 1949, USA). This footage, however, did not make it into the final cut of The Flying Saucer, despite Conrad's claims.
Reactions:
This was the perfect film to start the 1950s with. The plot concerns Cold War espionage around Soviet spies versus American agents trying to obtain control of a flying saucer being developed by an American scientist in the remote Alaskan Territory. (Alaska would not be promoted from U.S. territory to state until 1959.) No extraterrestrials come into play, just new, human created technology. Like Loss of Sensation (Гибель сенсации, Dir. Alexandr Andriyevsky, 1935, USSR), the narrative turns on a scientist's dreams for his invention being superseded by politics.
For being an independent B-movie, The Flying Saucer is a decent film. Its production values are respectable, including visual effects, even if it may lean too hard on b-roll of Alaska to pad its 75 minute running time. The story is engaging even though none of its components achieve icon status.
In context, and as a historical curiosity, The Flying Saucer is worth a watch, but when it comes to watching a sci-fi film of the 1950s there are so many better options.
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the midwest states aesthetic moodboard as created by me
Wisconsin- I put in hyperpop, candycore and that Wisconsin was what boosted modern music or something along those lines, the Swiss bc of the hat and bc Wisconsin is the Swiss cheese capitol and the state flower in the middle
South Dakota- South Dakota is done! sd is home to 175 species of butterflies and sd has the country's largest music festival and i used a bit of glowwave, crowcore and more green academia
North Dakota- nd grows more sunflowers than anywhere else, it also produces more honey and there's a world record for the most snow angels made, and you guessed it it's in nd
ohio- the nfl was invented in Ohio, Ohio is known as the Duct Tape Capital of the World, and Cleveland, Ohio was the first city to be lighted electrically in the world and I used webcore and glowwave
Minnesota- 3 million cows live in MN; Besides Alaska, Minnesota has more wolves than any other state, and Minnesota has over 3 times more white-tailed deer and the aesthetics I used are lunarpunk and Midwest Gothic
Michigan- Michigan has an estimated 65,000 inland lakes and ponds, Due to the long shoreline, Michigan needed many lighthouses to guide passing ships, so Michigan has the highest number of lighthouses in the country, The state is also home to Kellogg's and the aesthetics i used are forestpunk and frogcore
Illinois- The first Aquarium opened in Chicago, Softball began in Chicago, about ¾ of the area of Illinois consists of farms and the aesthetics i used are dreamcore and cottagecore
Indiana- first i had to sneak in the music man movie in this moodboard, the Jackson 5 Long before Hollywood and the music industry got a hold of them were in the small town of Gary, IN with their stepping and soulful voices, Hammond, Gary, and South Bend, and Vincennes Indiana all had ufo sightings but it was called an "airship" bc this was before ppl came up with ufo and the rare color i used aureolin and i used beige
Nebraska- NE is Nature’s hot spot, Kool Aid was Invented in Nebraska, i used vibrant academia and indie kid
Kansas- I forget that the wizard of oz takes place in Kansas, and don't be fooled Kansas's state flower is the wild sunflower, and two nicknames for the state is the sunflower state and the wheat state and the aesthetics i used are rainbowcore and rollerwave
Missouri- Missouri is known as the Cave State, Missouri has the largest beer producing plant in the country and St. Louis is called the Gateway to the West and the aesthetics i used are plant mom and naturecore
Iowa- Twenty-five Percent of Iowa is Generated by Wind Power, Iowa is the Largest Corn Producer in America, the red delicious red apple originated in Peru, Iowa and the aesthetics I used are mushroomcore and Midwest Emo
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Close Encounters of Demonic Kind: The Truth Behind Alien Abductions
Close encounters with alien entities have been a subject that has consistently captivated the public’s attention.
Reports of encounters with extraterrestrial creatures have become a cultural obsession, from eerie kidnappings to odd nighttime sightings. Shows like Fire in the Sky, The Fourth Kind, and The X-Files depict terrifying reenactments of alleged incidents, imprinting them on our collective psyche. But what if there’s more to these encounters than just extraterrestrial curiosity? What if these contacts are not the result of distant aliens, but of a more sinister and spiritual reality?
The theory that extraterrestrial encounters may be integrally related to demonic possession is not new, but it is frequently marginalized. It’s either too spiritual or not complicated enough to interest those who are always looking for a “new thing.” However, a remarkable pattern that cannot be ignored is shown when the data, testimonials, and commonalities between these incidents are examined. In their 1992 book The Facts on UFOs and Other Supernatural Phenomena, Drs. John Ankerberg and John Weldon explore the connections between UFO sightings and spiritual deception, providing a glimpse into the spiritual warfare that may lie behind these encounters.
Are these alleged experiences with extraterrestrial entities merely the product of an overactive imagination, verifiable contact with extraterrestrial life, or something else entirely? The solutions might contradict our preconceptions, make us reevaluate how we perceive the world, and strengthen our confidence in the Creator, who gives us authority over all devils:
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Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you (Luke 10:19 KJV).
This is a journey of discernment, a quest for truth, and an investigation of the invisible spiritual battlefield. It is a call to identify the true enemy, empower ourselves with God’s Word, and maintain our composure in the face of supernatural lies.
The manifestations depicted in “close encounter” stories are remarkably similar to descriptions of demonic possession and spiritual oppression documented throughout Christian literature. The paralysis, manipulation, fear, and spiritual unrest mirror symptoms described by exorcists and spiritual warfare experts.
Respected Christian academics and theologians have investigated the relationship between extraterrestrial encounters and demonic possession. Dr. Michael Heiser explores the historical foundations of spiritual deceit in his book Reversing Hermon: Enoch, the Watchers, and the Forgotten Mission of Jesus Christ, published in 2017. The com- parisons between the tales in Nome, Alaska, and the biblical notion of demonic creatures is astounding and too similar to be ignored.
Abduction stories serve as sobering case studies into spiritual war- fare. The evidence, the testimonies, and the spiritual consequences all point to a reality that goes beyond just an interest in aliens. Could it be that the people who experienced these encounters were engaged in a spiritual conflict with demonic forces rather than being held captive by aliens?
Alien Abductions & Demonic Oppression
There is a recurring and unsettling trend in the accounts of people being abducted by supernatural beings from their beds, cars, or peaceful forest pathways. As mentioned before, those who claim to have been abducted often exhibit symptoms that are eerily similar to those of others who have experienced demonic oppression. Paralysis, inability to cry out or move, and an overpowering sensation of dread and panic are all experienced by victims of demonic attack and alien abduction alike. They talk about lost time, experiences that seem both real and dreamlike, and a sense of being mistreated by forces they can neither comprehend nor fight. People who have experienced such spiritual assaults describe being unable to move or talk, as well as intense fear that goes beyond normal apprehension or trepidation. The similarities are too obvious to ignore.
Another aspect that connects these two occurrences is that of manipulation and deception. Many abductees report feeling duped or manipulated by the aliens they interact with. In John 8:43-45 (KJV), satan is called the father of lies:
Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
Another place where the distinction between the extraterrestrial and demonic dissolves is in the physical and spiritual anguish that accompanies these abductions. Physical aches, nightmares, and a persistent feeling of spiritual disturbance that follows them long after contact are all described by abductees. Demonic oppression victims frequently speak of long-lasting bodily and spiritual ramifications, which is evidence of the significant influence these experiences can have.
The well-known UFO researcher Dr. Jacques Vallée offers a fascinating viewpoint on these linkages. In his book, Passport to Magonia: From Folklore to Flying Saucers from 1969, Vallée examines the connections between contemporary UFO sightings and past claims of encounters with extraterrestrial life. His comparisons bring out the spiritual aspects of the situation even more, connecting the modern and the mystical. Both alien abductions and demonic oppression involve deception, manipulation, and fear. This points to a fight that goes beyond the physical world.
The overlapping of these two events calls into question the conventional view of alien encounters. It encourages us to view these encounters as representations of an invisible, spiritual conflict rather than merely a physical contact with extraterrestrial beings. In fact, we might be more accurate by calling them interdimensional instead of extraterrestrial. This is perfectly in line with what the Bible teaches about these fallen entities.
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