Unidentified flying objects have been prominently featured in movies, TV and radio shows during recent years, but the subject has gotten a real boost with the early success of "Independence Day."
In fact, this year has marked a trend in television programming, with both UFO science-fiction shows and serious news programs about unidentified flying objects, with "Nowhere Man" and "Nova" leading the way. Even local radio programs have keyed on UFOs.Here's a look at some of the highlights of UFOs in the broadcast media.
Radio:
- "Ground Zero," hosted by Clyde Lewis (Sundays, 4-7 p.m. on KCNR, AM-1320), deals primarily with unexplained happenings, such as UFOs, ghosts and Bigfoot. Station general manager Scott Mahalick said there's been a tremendous response to the show, which also offered a $10 million cash prize for anyone who could land a UFO in the station's parking lot last March.
- "Paranet Continuum," with Michael Corbin, a national program, follows "Ground Zero" on KCNR, airing 7-8 p.m. on Sundays. During a recent show, the author of "Ghost of the Air," a UFO investigation, was interviewed. Listener calls are encouraged, and Utahns frequently phone in.
- "Dreamland," with Art Bell, is broadcast Sundays from 8-11p.m. on KCNR and is heard on nearly 200 U.S. radio stations. This show examines a wide variety of unexplained happenings.
Television:
- "Nowhere Man," Mondays at 9 p.m. on UPN (KJZZ, Ch. 14), had an episode in which Thomas Vale
was supposedly abducted by aliens.
- "X-Files," Fridays at 8 p.m. on Fox (KSTU, Ch. 13) routinely deals with aliens.
- Ch. 13's Fox News, 9 p.m. nightly, started a "Utah X-Files" in May, highlighting unexplained events periodically during its hourlong newscast.
- A 1995 episode of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (Sundays at 5 and 10 p.m. on Ch. 13) dealt with three characters crash-landing in Roswell, N.M., in 1947 as a fictional explanation for the famous alleged UFO incident.
- "Sightings," a syndicated program, which airs Saturdays at 4 p.m. on Ch. 2 (KUTV), is in its second season. Hosted by Tim White, it is billed as a definitive source for UFOs, the spirit world and similar phenomena. Air times and dates vary.
- The public television series "Nova" (Sundays at 6 p.m. on Ch. 7; Saturdays at 5 p.m. and Thursdays at 8 p.m. on Ch. 11) recently aired a special "Kidnapped by UFOs?" show, which examined claims of alien abductions.
- "Paranormal Borderline" (Tuesdays, 8 p.m., Ch. 14) is a new show that premiered in March about unexplained phenomena, hosted by "Star Trek: The Next Generation" actor Jonathan Frakes.
- Cable's A&E Channel aired "Where Are All the UFOs?" recently, a special that suggested arguments about unidentified flying objects are like religious debates - nothing is going to change anyone's mind. Actor Michael Dorn of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" narrated the program about early UFO claims, including the Roswell, N.M., and Mt. Rainier incidents.
- A number of other TV programs, such as "Unsolved Mysteries," "Beyond Reality" and "Extraordinary," have reported on possible UFO sightings and encoun-ters.
- "The PSI Factor," a new syndicated show chronicling the paranormal and hosted by Dan Aykroyd, will debut in the fall (locally on KTVX, Ch. 4).
Videos:
A collection of episodes of the TV series "Sightings" (1993-1995) has been released by Paramount Home Video for $14.95 each.
Movies:
- "Fire in the Sky" (1993): D.B. Sweeney stars in this based-on-fact tale of an Arizona lumberjack who disappears for five days, supposedly abducted by a UFO.
- "Communion," (1989): Christopher Walken has the principal role in this movie about alien encounters, that's billed as nonfiction.
- "The UFO Incident" (1975): James Earl Jones stars in this early movie about UFOs.
- "The Arrival," starring Charlie Sheen, opened in May and is still in local theaters. "Independence Day" began its record-breaking run July 2 and industry insiders say it may rival "Jurassic Park" as one of the biggest moneymaking movies of all time. "Mars Attacks!" from director Tim Burton (the first two "Batman" movies) and starring Jack Nicholson in two roles, is set to open in November. And a number of additional alien-invasion movies are scheduled for 1997.
Publications:
There are several UFO-related publications out there, including "UFO Magazine," available for $18 a year by calling 800-836-6381, and "UFO World News Report," which is $19.95 annually, 800-830-9830.
Other:
This year's Bicknell, Wayne County, International Film Festival, July 26-27, has a UFO theme, with movies about UFOs and people who claim to be actual UFO abductees.