In Praise of Stephen Bassett and the Citizen Hearing on Disclosure

By Robbie Graham Silver Screen Saucers

Driven: Political activist Stephen Bassett

 

Between April 29 and May 3, up to forty researchers and military/government witnesses will testify to the reality of the UFO phenomenon and extraterrestrial visitation before former members of the United States Congress and Senate. This is the Citizen Hearing on Disclosure. It is the brainchild of political activist Stephen Bassett. 

As a researcher with a pro-ETH (Extraterrestrial Hypothesis) stance, I have always respected and supported Bassett’s work. His White House ‘We the People’ petitions were widely criticised by pundits in the UFO community, either for failing to bring about UFO Disclosure, or on the grounds that Disclosure is simply unachievable through public pressure. Such criticisms are myopic and defeatist.

In fact, Disclosure was never an immediate objective for Bassett’s White House petitions. His petitioning was successful in its elicitation of an historic response from the Obama Administration on the UFO/ET issue, for capturing the attention of international news media, and, in turn, for encouraging many people outside of the insular UFO community to consider the reality and implications of official UFO secrecy.

Bassett’s goal is to bring about Disclosure not through one explosive revolutionary act, but through a continuing series of high-profile but always respectful actions – be they in the form of petitions or press conferences – which serve constantly to remind those few in the corridors of power who hold the key to UFO secrecy that the public, although more often than not distracted by the trappings of everyday life and the inanities of modern culture, are ever savvy to the machinations of their ‘Truth Embargo’, and that our deep desire for Disclosure (in one form or another) grows stronger with each passing year. It’s a constant call for accountability and an essential reminder from the public to the UFO policy makers: “We’re watching you, and we’re waiting.”

Whether or not you agree with Bassett’s particular brand of UFO activism, whether or not you like the witnesses he presents at his press conferences or if you approve of the specific phrasing of his petitions, there can be no denying that his efforts in this field have raised popular awareness of the UFO/ET issue considerably in the 21st Century. Indeed, I would argue that Bassett has done more than any of his detractors in UFOlogy and Exopolitics – perhaps more than anyone ever – to directly encourage the mainstream media to more thoughtfully engage with one of history’s most important and misunderstood subjects. If he has not always been entirely successfully in this endeavour, it is not for lack of trying. And he has tried at his own considerable financial cost.

Stephen Bassett is a driven man. Whether he succeeds in ending the Truth Embargo remains to be seen, but he will never give up. I’m not a saluting kinda guy. But, Steve Bassett, I salute you.

 

 

 

Superman in the age of Disclosure

By Robbie Graham Silver Screen Saucers

Alien in custody: Man of Steel (2013)

 
Superman is, of course, an alien – his origin story has been presented at length in literary form, and the superhero’s small screen outings (Lois and Clark and Smallville) took time to explore his extraterrestrial heritage. However, no movie has attempted to distil the Superman narrative to its conceptual essence: first contact with extraterrestrials. No movie, that is, until Man of Steel – the upcoming Superman reboot from 300 director, Zack Snyder.

“He’s an alien,” the film’s writer David S. Goyer, told Empire magazine recently. “If the world found out he existed it would be the biggest thing to happen in human history.” When tackling the iconic character of Superman, then, it seemed only natural to Goyer that “if Superman really existed in this world, first of all this story would be a story about alien contact.” 

 

General Zod prepares to invade in Man of Steel (2013)

 

The idea of extraterrestrial Disclosure being central to the new Superman story is also hinted at in the latest trailer for Man of Steel, which includes dialogue like “You’re the answer to ‘are we alone in the universe?’”, as well as references to humanity being unprepared for the revelation of Superman’s existence. Add to this flashes of the alien Kal-El himself in the custody of the US military and apocalyptic shots of what appear to be extraterrestrial spacecraft attacking American cities, and it’s clear that Superman’s latest incarnation owes at least a few strands of its DNA to UFOlogy and Exopolitics.

Indeed, as was pointed out recently by Red Pill Junkie (RPJ) over at the Daily Grail, a new viral video for Man of Steel calls to mind (perhaps intentionally) a bizarre UFOlogical happening from the 1970s.

The video shows Superman’s alien nemesis, General Zod —played by Michael Shannon— delivering a message to mankind... “You are not alone”:

 

 

 

RPJ writes:

“To any seasoned UFO buff, this should immediately [remind] you of the infamous Vrillon transmission, broadcast on the Hannington transmitter of Southern Television in the United Kingdom for six minutes at 5:10 PM on Saturday November 26, 1977. Vrillon claimed to be a representative of the Ashtar Command, and his message is consistent with the typical 'space-brotherly' tone of peace & a call to disarmament.”  

 

 

 

Although many people have dismissed the Vrillon transmission as a hoax, the identinty of the alleged hoaxer has yet to be discovered. It is generally agreed that successfully hijacking the signal of a major TV station (ITV’s Southern Television) would have required considerable technical know-how.

It is notable that, while Superman traditionally has come to us wearing the bright cloak of fantasy, Snyder and Goyer’s vision of the Kal-El story is grounded much more firmly in our own reality. Speaking to Bleeding Cool recently, Man of Steel’s visual effects supervisor Joe Letteri said the film is a “re-envisioning of the story of Superman leaving his homeworld and coming to this new one,” and that Snyder had “abandoned a lot of the pretence that was in the comics.”

“They’re sticking to realism as much as possible,” says Letteri. “Fantastic elements are still there but a lot of it that been trimmed back to make it feel as though this actually happened.”

Just how far the ‘realistic’ Man of Steel takes its Disclosure theme remains to be seen. Keep an eye on its continuing viral marketing campaign and catch the Man of Steel himself when he lands in theaters on June 14.

 

 

 

Five new alien-themed TV projects in development at SyFy

By Robbie Graham Silver Screen Saucers

SyFy is developing 10 new sci-fi TV projects, five of which will explore contact and conflict with alien life. Io9.com reports that, in addition to Defiance, Syfy is currently working on ambitious small screen projects including: 

Ringworld

“A story about human explorers traveling to the farthest reaches of space to investigate an alien habitat the size of one million Earths. They crash-land and discover ancient civilizations, miraculous technology, and a possible salvation for Earth.”

Apparently, Syfy considered making a Ringworld miniseries nine years ago, with a different crew. It is now being developed as a four-hour miniseries. The story is based on Larry Niven’s books.

Childhood's End

Also being developed as a mini-series, based on Arthur C. Clarke’s classic novel, Childhood’s End will see a peaceful alien invasion of Earth by the mysterious Overlords, whose arrival brings all human conflict to an end, turning our planet into a near-utopia.

Upstream Color director Shane Carruth told io9.com he loved Clarke’s book for its unique take on an alien invasion: “even the victims don’t know that they’re victims. It’s a closed loop of a story, to have a race show up and provide everything, and that's the way that they conquer, in a way that nobody would ever recognize or resist.”

The miniseries will be executive produced by Michael DeLuca (The Social Network).

Infinity

“This one starts out with an alien ‘armada’ appearing near Pluto. Earth sends the only interstellar ship we have, created by a billionaire industrialist out of secret alien technology we discovered in the 1960s. But after the ship engages the alien fleet, it falls into a wormhole and winds up in deep uncharted space, searching for a way home.”

Orion

 

Coming to us via Alphas writers Ron Milbauer and Terri Hughes, this series will focus on the character of Orion, “a female relic hunter who tracks down valuable items in space, while also trying to piece together her own mysterious past. And meanwhile, the human race is in the middle of an intergalactic war with an alien race. Orion has special abilities, but she can't decide whether to use them to save herself, or to find the hidden artifacts that could save the human race (no guesses which one she'll choose).”

High Moon

 

In which the nations of Earth start establishing colonies on the Moon to exploit its valuable natural resources — only to discover “a new form of life,” causing chaos to break out on the lunar surface.

High Moon is to be Executive Produced by Bryan Fuller (Pushing Daisies). The pilot has been written by Jim Danger Gray (also Pushing Daisies).

Cattle mutilations... coming soon to a cinema near you?

By Robbie Graham Silver Screen Saucers

 

A Colorado-based production company is seeking funding for a feature film about the animal mutilation phenomenon. Currently being pitched through the crowdfunding website Kickstarter.com, Out There... is described as follows:

“Vic and Jonet are two stoner coeds at CSU-Pueblo who have just moved from the dorms into the only gated community in town. They have a tendency to tell crazy stories, convincing themselves and some of their friends there are monsters in Runyon Lake and ghosts in Bonforte Hall. Their best friends – four guys who never know just how much of the girls’ wild conspiracies they should believe – mostly think Vic and Jonet are just a couple of crazy stoners.

Then, people start disappearing, and cows show up skinned and still breathing! The girls come up with a thousand different theories as to what's causing the strange events... But even the girls couldn't have made up an ending as terrifying as what's really Out There...”

Concept trailer...

 

According to the film’s writer/director, BonnéBartron (whose uncle co-wrote the Bigfoot movie Harry and the Hendersons), Out There... will feature “actual UFO and Cattle Mutilation sites” in Colorado, as well as “actual mutilation photos and mutilated specimen samples,” which were donated to the filmmakers by UFO researcher/investigator Chuck Zukowski, who also collected and processed the samples.

On his UFOnut website, Zukowski writes:

“When I found out about this project... I contacted Bonné and offered my assistance to help her develop the animal mutilation sequence so it appears as real as possible. My intention is to raise public awareness [of] this strange phenomenon by educating the public, showing them what’s actually involved with these cases.”

Bartron says her team at Angry Puppy Productions wants to keep their movie “as real as possible” and is keen to point out that “all of the locations in the film are actual locations in southern Colorado. We'll be shooting the majority of the film in Pueblo, Colorado Springs and Woodland Park.”

The onscreen mutilations will be realized using “old school techniques, like real blood effects, props and dummies,” but with some “new school technological upgrades! We're excited to be making this movie as tactile as it is freaky!” says Bartron.

 

Bartron is seeking to raise $200 thousand to shoot her movie, which is intended for international distribution. “It was originally funded by two different producers at different times,” Bartron says, “but... circumstances put the pause button on us... so, this time we decided to bring it to kickstarter.com and put it in the hands of the people! We need each and every one of you to make this movie happen, putting in even a single dollar will get us all that much closer to making this movie the way it's intended to be! Authentically different!”

To support Out There... visit the movie’s Kickstarter page and like it on Facebook.

 

Related:

Linda Moulton Howe: When Hollywood Wanted 'A Strange Harvest'

Coming soon: UFO Truth Magazine

By Robbie Graham Silver Screen Saucers

A new online UFO publication is headed our way this summer. Edited by recently-retired UK police detective and veteran UFO researcher Gary Heseltine, UFO Truth Magazineis an 84 page bi-monthly colour Ezine that will feature regular columns by UFO researchers from around the world, including Peter Robbins (USA), AJ Geveard (Brazil), Roberto Pinotti (Italy), Suzanne Hansen (NZ), Lt Col Ret. Julio Chamorro Flores (Peru), Pia Knudsen (Denmark), and Richard D. Hall (UK), among others. The magazine will also feature a regular column by yours truly, providing exclusive content on UFO-themed movies and TV shows. Additionally, Heseltine has promised guest contributions from the likes of Grant Cameron, Robert Salas, and Stephen Bassett.

"I believe this is the strongest list of regular columnists for a UFO magazine anywhere in the world," says Heseltine, who makes no apologies for his publication's strong support of the Extraterrestrial Hypothesis: "I will state without reservation that this magazine is for people who believe that some UFO reports represent extraterrestrial contact (in its many forms) with mankind and the Earth. The bottom line is that this magazine will be for people who are proud to say, "I believe that UFOs and ET are real."

Heseltine has also promised to set aside "one third of all monies raised through monthly and yearly subscriptions for UFO research and causes." Initially this money will be used as a funding mechanism for British UFO conferences, but Heseltine hopes that, in time, money generated by his magazine may also be used "to support genuine researchers around the world in the form of grants."

Heseltine has stressed that he is "not doing this to make pots of money," but because he cares "passionately about this subject" and wants "to secure a financial structure for British Ufology and support the subject worldwide."

Heseltine believes his magazine will have international appeal and is excited about its online format: "There has never been a better time for a quality online UFO Magazine. People used to hate reading off computer screens but with the development of smartphone and tablet technologies people are now happy to do so."

The first issue of UFO Truth Magazine will be published at the end of June and will be free. Thereafter it will cost £4 (or your national currency equivalent). All transactions will be online through Paypal.

As a special deal, people who opt for a yearly subscription package before June 16th will receive six issues for the price of four, i.e. £16 (or currency equivalent).

The website for UFO Truth Magazine will launch fully later this month.

Video: Gary Heseltine discusses UFO Truth Magazine with Richard D. Hall (begins at counter reading 4:46)...

 

Hollywood & UFOs on 'Spacing Out' (video)

Silver Screen Saucers

UFO movie news round-up (5 April, 2013)

By Robbie Graham Silver Screen Saucers

Disney to remake ‘The Black Hole’

 

The Hollywood Reporter has it that Walt Disney Pictures is to remake its 1979 sci-fi epic The Black Hole, which followed the exploratory craft U.S.S. Palomino on its long journey back to Earth after a fruitless 18-month search for extraterrestrial life.

In the original movie – a shameless star wars rip-off featuring some of the most inert fight scenes ever committed to film – the crew of the Palomino stumbles across a supposedly lost ship, the U.S.S. Cygnus, which is stationed near a black hole. What the crew find onboard the Cygnus is as ‘wondrous’ (read as ‘boring’) as it is ‘terrifying’ (read as ‘really, reallyboring’).

Though the 1979 version of The Black Hole was alien-less, don’t be surprised if the remake throws in an ET element, especially as Disney has hired Jon Spaihts (Prometheus, The Darkest Hour) to rewrite the original story.

Joseph Kosinski, (Oblivion), is attached to direct. No release date yet.

‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ concept art

Geek Zenith has uncovered four pieces of concept art for Marvel’s upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy, which is scheduled for release August 1, 2014...

 

‘Transformers 4’ to shoot in China

 

In addition to filming in Chicago and Michigan, Paramount Pictures has announced that Michael Bay’s upcoming Transformers 4will shoot partially in China. According to an official press release:

“China Movie Channel, under the State Administration of Radio Film and Television (SARFT), will cooperate with Paramount in broad-based support of the production of the film in China.

The parties also intend to cooperate in a number of other areas related to Transformers 4, including the selection of filming sites within China, theatrical promotion, and possible post-production activities in China as well as casting of Chinese actors and actresses in the film.

This agreement represents the first time that China Movie Channel will work with a western studio in the production of a major motion picture.”

For more info on the Transformers 4 production arrangement, see here.

‘The Host’: reviews, plus comments from director

The new body-snatching alien movie The Host has received appalling reviews from critics, scoring just 10% on RottenTomatoes.com.

Manohla Dargis of the New York Times calls The Host “Dopey, derivative and dull... a brazen combination of unoriginal science-fiction themes, young-adult pandering and bottom-line calculation.” CNN’s Tom Charity criticized the tween movie for being played “with maximum solemnity,” while having “no discernible humor and minimal excitement.”

Total Film, meanwhile, slammed The Host for its dismal storytelling and “general disregard for narrative structure and pacing.”

A poorly executed movie, then, but one with an interesting premise, nevertheless. The director of The Host, Andrew Niccol, told io9.com recently that the underlying message of his film is one of coexistence:

“For me the message is… Can we coexist with each other? And even with a species from another planet. For me that's what it is, coexisting.

One of the things that attracted me to this particular story is the ambiguity of it. Which is of course a dirty word in Hollywood, because they just want either good or evil. I was just intrigued by the [question of], are these aliens really the enemy? Because they're so often portrayed as the enemy. And in this story the context is, what if they're better for the world than we are? I kind of liked that, because of course [the aliens in The Host] have ended wars and famine. They're much kinder to each other and they've healed the planet. All we lose is our free will, but it's our free will that makes this place what it is in the first place.”