After World War II, reports of UFO sightings increased, culminating in the 1961 claim by New Hampshire couple Barney and Betty Hill that they were taken aboard an alien spacecraft and examined before being released. In 1952, "Project Blue Book" was launched to try to determine if there was intelligent life out there, and if aliens were trying to contact us. Using Steven Spielberg's classic 1977 film Close Encounters of the Third Kind as a touchstone, this Smithsonian Channel-aired documentary looks at scientific facts, wild theories, and sheer speculation regarding whether a case can be made for extraterrestrial visitations. Along the way, numerous theories are analyzed to explain claims of alien abduction—ranging from swamp gas to recovered memories. Alleged alien "encounters" are divided into types, with the third being actual contact with aliens. One question everyone wants to know is, if aliens are truly visiting us, are their intentions friendly or not? In Spielberg's E.T. and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the aliens were friendly; in War of the Worlds, not so much. But with at least 100 billion planets in the Milky Way galaxy, chances are good that intelligent life exists elsewhere. Meanwhile, the SETI radar program (dramatized in the Jodi Foster film Contact) continues to scan the skies. Offering a solid mix of science and entertainment, this is recommended. [Note: The Real Story: Scream is also available.] Aud: P. (S. Rees)
The Real Story: Close Encounters of the Third Kind
(2011) 45 min. DVD: $14.99. Smithsonian Channel (avail. from most distributors). SDH captioned. ISBN: 978-1-5317-0229-8. Volume 33, Issue 1
The Real Story: Close Encounters of the Third Kind
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