Monday, June 27, 2011

Dan Aykroyd Unplugged on UFOs

Dan Aykroyd Unplugged on UFOs; documentary, USA, 2004; D: David Sereda, S: Dan Aykroyd, David Sereda

David Sereda interviews comedian and parapsychology fan Dan Aykroyd about his view on UFOs. Aykroyd talks about having once seen a UFO himself, about whether aliens are benevolent or malevolent, if their power source has a downside just like nuclear energy, why the government is not willing to admit the news to the public and how his UFO show was canceled whereas he saw a suspicious Man in Black on 42nd Street. Throughout, clips are played showing UFO tapes; the bizarre and ambiguous '87 Ronald Reagan speech in front of the General Assembly of the United Nations; and Gordon Cooper talking about his encounter with flying saucers.

Author David Serada once had a chat with Dan Aykroyd and was subsequently so fascinated by his views on UFOs that he decided to re-stage the whole event and film him with cameras. The result is an interesting "documentary" that will mostly please people inclined towards aliens, UFOs and social effects on the phenomenon (whether it is real or not), which is appropriate and adequate, just like Hercule Poirot will mostly please crime fans and Harry Potter will mostly please sorcery fans, whereas some footage presented is quite surprising, especially when Paul Hellyer, former Canadian Minister of defence, states on a conference that "UFOs are as real as airplanes in the sky". Numerous video footage of flying saucers will also cause awe (most memorably the NASA infrared tape of a strange, glowing sphere passing by in the space, which has a radius of over a mile). Unfortunately, the presentation is bloated by including footage of confirmed fraud Billy Meier, as well as some off-topic conversations and omissions, without any criteria or review process. All in all, "Unplugged" is an ostensive debate and offers (light) food for thought.

Grade:++

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