Somewhere along
this very long cinematic journey, we mentioned that a rare copy of the Great
Britain press book for "U.F.O." dropped into our hands (well, that
is, after I paid handsomely for it many years ago), and its appearance
surpassed the more readily available American version. In fact, we were able to extract and scan a
considerable amount of information for this blog from the English press book.
Because the two
press books evidenced subtle differences, maybe audience reactions reported by
the press in each country could be expected to differ as well -- and, at least
in this instance, one did. Having had an
opportunity to read numerous reviews, particularly from the USA, regarding the
film's 1956 premiere, I noticed that some were polite, others relentlessly
negative and still others showered praise upon the new movie in town.
However, I don't
recall an American review quite like that offered by England's New Scientist
of November 22, 1956, in which a staff physicist for the publication admits
being (with my apologies to James Bond fans) shaken more than stirred
following a session at a London movie theater.
Like every good skeptical scientist, the unnamed physicist found reasons to attack the film's uninspiring "blah" aspect (read as: the acting and progression sucked) in depth
-- but then, as imparted by the writer quoting his impression: "And yet it is
uncomfortably convincing."
Apparently
drawing upon press book material, as the review briefly spreads out details
about the famous 1952 Washington, D.C. UFO pursuit and the Montana and Utah UFO
films, the New Scientist article also manages to throw in a little
commentary disparaging the British Air Ministry's negative attitude about the
UFO phenomenon. The B.A.M. may not
be impressed publicly with UFOs in the fifties, "however," states
the writer, "Unidentified Flying Objects revives doubts."
The very
existence of this little piece from a scientific publication which dares to
admit a staff physicist's mental shape-shift regarding UFOs -- in the 1950s
yet, when the mere thought of a scientist taking "flying saucers"
seriously could elicit potential career-killing ridicule -- causes us to wonder
how many other scientists throughout the world were impressed by Clarence
Greene and Russell Rouse's movie -- though remaining so in utter silence. Forever.
(Author Barry Greenwood, recent contributor to the
monumentally documented and impressive volume, UFOs and Government: A Historical Inquiry, kindly passed
the New Scientist gem along for today's entry.)
