Your first UFO documentary? Here's mine

[Creepy Green Light]

I had books starting in 1979. But I believe I saw this in '81, and soon after bought it. It's been all downhill from there

 

[Burnt State]

I had books starting in 1979. But I believe I saw this in '81, and soon after bought it. It's been all downhill from there

That one is a classic as are all the 70's UFO Chariots of the Loch Ness Bermuda Triangle Bigfoot God Monster movies from that childhood era of wonder and possibility. What's great about UFO's Are Real is the argument made across the movie with Stanton's scriptwriting. This movie is a proclamation - it had an impact on me as well. It conjured up some pretty interesting possibilities especially when combined with all the Chariots of the Gods lore that was permeating North American culture at the time.

After hearing Rod Serling and Nimoy and Clark all going on about these damn Nazca lines, well just how long have they been here you asked yourself? These 70's paranormal media works consolidated the quest for me. What followed, with the Alien Autopsy bunk, was the reduction of UFO to sideshow circus status that only the X-Files and Chris Carter could personally rescue. He gave UFO's a kind of climax not seen since Close Encounters exploded all over the screen.

UFO's Are Real has that low budget reality feel to it all that made it undeniable, formative content. It's great to see Ted Philips get so much attention all in one single movie and there's a very interesting interview with Mike Rogers & Travis Walton in Snowflake, with scenes of Travis chainsawin' the forest down - no wonder that Earth Goddess UFO zapped him. There's some interesting trace evidence material that combines with a large chunk of abduction material. It's convincing stuff, at least it had me riveted all through that time period. It's strangeto look back with a skeptical eye and see what are now known fakes or faerie rings.

I hear what you are saying about the whole downhill thing though, as the more time spend on the material the more you can't help but get more critical about it IMHO. I haven't felt that sense of youthful saucer awe since I first saw The Portal, the documentary about Hessdalen - easily a modern classic. Wish we had a string of docs like that, those paradigm shifting experiences, as we had back in the 70's.

 

[Burnt State]

The Outer Space Connection 1975 was what laid the groundwork for me.