Reading Between the Lines: to perceive or detect a Hidden Meaning that is not directly expressed — behind something written or said.

Sometimes extraordinary events in SCI-FI are not explicitly spelled out for the viewer — they are “subtle” or implied; when the story at first appears to be about one thing — but is actually about something else.

In storytelling, when a person’s life seems to ‘jump’ — inexplicably from one place to another, with no memories of what happened in between — possible explanations may include: alcohol-induced Amnesia, head Trauma, Dissociative Identity Disorder, spiritual Possession or … Alien Abduction.

“Stopover in a Quiet Town” — The Twilight Zone — (1964)

After drinking too much at a party, Bob and Millie Frazier awaken in a strange bed, in a strange house in a strange town. They’re still dressed in the clothes they wore to the party but their memories are fuzzy. Bob was too drunk to drive so Millie was behind the wheel and she vaguely remembers a shadow falling over them. They soon realize that everything in the town is fake: the telephone in the house isn’t wired; the drawers and cupboards in the kitchen are only a façade; even the trees are fake. The town is deserted and Millie begins to wonder if they’re dead. They keep hearing a child laughing and begin a search. They’re not prepared for what they encounter.

Interestingly, this episode aired three years after Betty and Barney Hill were abducted by Aliens from their car one night driving home in rural New Hampshire (September, 1961) but before their story came out in the best-selling book The Interrupted Journey (1966). It was later adapted into a TV movie: The UFO Incident (1975).

MISSING TIME

In 1981, Missing Time by Budd Hopkins was the first focused study of an enigma that would come to captivate the world and challenge our understanding of the universe. The influence of this pioneering book was such that its title is now deeply embedded into the lexicon of UFO study — synonymous with that most controversial and troubling of topics: Alien Abduction.

At the time of its writing, Hopkins could not have predicted the impact of Missing Time, not only within UFOlogy, but in popular culture worldwide. The facts, stories, and theories presented herein laid the foundation for the first mainstream debates surrounding reports of human encounters with small, grey-skinned entities-non-human beings with hypnotic black eyes who came silently in the night for their own mysterious purposes. These vivid descriptions as documented by Hopkins would trigger buried memories worldwide in people from all walks of life-to the extent that the so-called “Greys” now represent the dominant cultural imagining of an Alien lifeform.

The Mothman Prophecies — (2002)

The Mothman Prophecies is an American supernatural horror-mystery film starring Richard Gere and Laura Linney, based on the 1975 book by journalist and influential UFOlogist John Keel.

The story follows John Klein (Gere), a reporter who researches the legend of the “Mothman”. Still shaken by the death of his wife two years earlier from a glioblastoma, Klein is sent to cover a news piece and inexplicably finds himself in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, where there have been sightings of an unusual creature and other unexplained phenomena. As he becomes increasingly drawn into mysterious forces at work, he hopes they can reconnect him to his wife, while the local sheriff (Linney) becomes concerned about his obsessions. (Will Patton also gives a stellar performance as Gordon Smallwood.)

In the story, Klein experiences an episode of “Missing Time” (inexplicably traveling 400 miles in less than two hours with no memory of it) and all indications are — to the astute observer familiar with this phenomenon — that he has been abducted.

In his writing, Keel used the term “ultraterrestrials” to describe UFO occupants he believed to be non-human entities capable of assuming whatever form they desire. He did not state any hypothesis about the ultimate purpose of the phenomenon other than that the UFO intelligence seems to have a long-standing interest with interacting with the human race

The film claims to be based on actual events that occurred between November 1966 and December 1967 in Point Pleasant, as described by Keel — and has since gained a cult following.

HIDDEN MEANING

The Forgotten — (2004)

In New York, Telly Paretta (Julianne Moore) has been under the psychiatric care of a doctor for months, the therapy to help her deal with the grief associated with losing her nine year old son, Sam, one of 6 children in a plane which disappeared. Slowly, incidents make it seem like Telly is losing her grip on the past, until one day all physical evidence of Sam ever existing disappears. Her husband, Jim (Anthony Edwards) and Dr. Munce (Gary Sinise) try to explain to her that her therapy is to help her get over the delusion that she had a son. As Telly alone goes on a search for evidence to prove the existence of Sam, the only person she is eventually able to convince is Ash Correll (Dominic West) an ex-Hockey player whose daughter was also one of the missing children.

Telly: “Do you ever feel like somebody–?
Something’s watching you?”

Ash: “Like surveillance?”

Telly: “No, l mean that sometimes people are … taken.
We hear that.”

Ash: “What are you talking about?”

Telly: “Abduction.”

One other person they’re able to convince of there ever having been a Sam and Lauren is NYC cop, Ann Pope (Alfre Woodard). Pope believes that 2 people having the same delusion is not a coincidence, and must decide who she can or cannot trust in the matter … to uncover the Truth.

Outer Range — (2022)

Outer Range is an American SCI-FI neo-Western TV series created by Brian Watkins and starring Josh Brolin, Imogen Poots and Will Patton.

In Episode 1 (“The Void”) Royal Abbot (Brolin) awakens on his Wyoming family ranch, unaware that his life is about to change forever. He does the rounds on horseback, heading out into the pasture — where he hears strange noises; ominous rumbles, then returns home — surprised to discover that it’s later than he thought. Royal has inexplicably lost two hours of “Missing Time”. That night, another ominous groan echoes across the pasture, and the Abbots receive a mysterious phone call from neighboring rancher Wayne Tillerson (Patton) who warns “Something is coming.”

The next morning, as Royal and son Rhett try to account for missing cows, they are caught off-guard by the arrival of a woman named Autumn (Poots), who wants to camp on their land (and can pay handsomely for it). Later, searching alone in the West pasture, Royal encounters a bizarre giant hole in the ground, with strange particles swirling around. When he inserts his hand, flashes to the future cause him to race back home.

The whole family are gathered, and together they learn from acting Sherriff Joy that the FBI are going to stop looking for Rebecca (son Perry’s missing wife), who disappeared more than nine months ago. Concerned about the strange hole, Royal heads out to warn Autumn, who broaches the subject of selling the ranch, offering upwards of 6 million to take it off his hands. “Do you have any secrets you want to share?” She says, with a mischievous smile that has layers of deception to it.

Already at odds with the Tillersons over a land dispute (Wayne wants the West pasture) things only get worse that night, when Tillerson brother Trevor gets into a fight with Perry outside the local bar — and dies.

Rhett and Perry drive back to the ranch, Trevor’s body in the back of the truck. Royal decides to protect his family by covering it up — so he rides off with Trevor on horseback, headed for the West pasture. The Tillersons search for Royal, but he drops Trevor’s body deep into the bowels of this mysterious hole before they can find him.

A blinding light from behind reveals Autumn’s arrival with a flashlight. She wants to know what’s going on, having witnessed the act — and talks about the Greek God Kronos. Apparently this hole is the manifestation of a tear between Heaven and Earth. Autumn promises to keep it a secret … before pushing Royal into the hole.

And that’s only the beginning! You may have to watch the entire series more than once to grasp its many SCI-FI layers — but it’s totally worth it.

[Interesting TRIVIA: Viewers have drawn parallels between Outer Range and “The Phantom Tollbooth” — a movie title that appears on the town theater marquee in episode 3. While the show is set in present day, this live-action/animated fantasy film came out in 1970 (produced by Chuck Jones with many voice talents, including Mel Blanc) — based on a classic 1961 children’s book by Norton Juster. In the story, Milo, a bored young boy, unexpectedly encounters a magic tollbooth — that transports him to the once prosperous, but now troubled, Kingdom of Wisdom. Both stories explore the fantastical and unexplainable!]

So … be on the lookout for “Between the Lines” SCI-FI — when extraordinary events point to Hidden Meaning that’s implied but not directly spelled out.

It may be your best clue to what the story’s really all about!

***

Outer Range | Official Trailer — (click on image)

A diverse transformation is underway in the genre of Science Fiction — with expansive storytelling that challenges all of us to broaden our perspective. While it has always been thought-provoking, in recent years SCI-FI has come to represent a wider variety of People from unexpected Places … exploring concepts like Racism, Underdogs and Connectedness.

RACISM

Racism: the false belief that different Races possess distinct characteristics, abilities, or qualities … which make one Inferior (or Superior) to another. While the victims in a SCI-Fi story may be Mutants or Aliens or Robots, the message is the same — even when we don’t actually talk about race.

X-Men — (2000)

X-Men is an American film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The story depicts a world where an unknown proportion of people are mutants, possessing superhuman powers that make them distrusted by normal humans. It focuses on mutants Wolverine and Rogue as they are brought into a conflict between two groups with radically different approaches to bringing about the acceptance of mutant-kind. Professor Charles Xavier struggles to achieve a peaceful coexistence between mutants and humans, hoping that the gifted students of his institute will use their powers for good. Meanwhile, his old friend and super-human antagonist, Magneto, leads the the Brotherhood of Mutants, preparing for war against humanity.

UNDERDOGS

Underdog: a person with little status in society; thought to have little chance of winning a fight or contest. When we suddenly “see the world” through the eyes of someone considered insignificant (or outside our comfort zone) it appeals to our curiosity — and often generates a sense of empathy.

Slash/Back — (2022)

Slash/Back is a Canadian Inuit SCI-FI film directed by Nyla Innuksuk. Set in Pangnirtung, Nunavut, a remote community, this story follows four teenage girls who shoot and kill a strange attacking polar bear. One of them, Maika, discovers an Alien artifact that appears to drain blood from dead bodies and then occupy their Skin, attacking the girls. Unable to reach their parents at a social dance, the girls must fight back, using what they know about hunting — to drive away the energy from the Alien artifact into the sky and save their community. Later when things return to normal, Maika is asked by news reporters about what happened. Her only response: she’s a hunter.

CONNECTEDNESS

Connectedness: the realization … arrived at through Science, Philosophy and Spirituality: that everything is CONNECTED. The process of enlightenment can enable us to see beyond our immediate subjective view (that human beings, born into separate fortunes, are destined to compete against one another). If humanity hopes to survive, we must evolve … to work together, for the good of all.

SCIENCE has observed (according to its “Big Bang” theory of creation) that the entire universe and all its contents were contained within a single point of infinite density and zero volume.

PHILOSOPHY has reasoned, as far back as Parmenides (b.506 BC — a Greek philosopher who came before Socrates) that the universe is a unified whole within which all things exist.

SPIRITUALITY reveals … through Hindu texts “the unity of the mind and the world”, in the Buddhist principle of “Oneness” (on a primeval level of existence, there is no separation between ourselves and our environment) and Christianity’s “duality of the cosmos”: in Christ, God becomes man, manifested on Earth in human form, thus the two become One.

Cloud Atlas — (2012)

Cloud Atlas is an epic SCI-FI film based on the 2004 novel by David Mitchell with multiple plots occurring during six eras in time. The story jumps between eras, spanning hundreds of years, until each storyline is resolved. Writings from characters in prior storylines are found in future storylines. Characters appear to recur in each era, but change relationships to each other. Slaves or abusers often change roles, suggesting a connection between souls through the ages. Throughout the film, several people say, “Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb, we are bound to others. Past and present. And by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future.” The main message: Every person matters, every decision has consequences.

PEOPLE IN UNEXPECTED PLACES

Diverse stories are now coming from People in unexpected Places that might not have always been part of the mainstream community. This broadens their appeal … to SCI-FI fans around the world.

Black Panther — (2018)

Black Panther is an American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. In the story, T’Challa is crowned king of the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda following his father’s death. He is challenged for the throne by an old enemy named Killmonger, who plans to abandon the country’s isolationist policies and begin a global revolution. This puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life.

3 Body Problem — (2024)

3 Body Problem is an American SCI-FI TV series based on the Hugo Award–winning Chinese novel by Liu Cixin. In the story, Ye Wenjie is an astrophysicist who sees her father beaten to death during a struggle session in the Chinese Cultural Revolution. She is conscripted by the military because of her scientific background and is sent to a secret military base in a remote region. Her decision at the base to respond to contact from an Alien planet has implications for a group of scientists in the present day, forcing them to face humanity’s greatest threat.

Thus we have entered, through Expansive SCI-FI, a more inclusive era of storytelling. The time has come for all of us to broaden our perspective — to explore thought-provoking ideas from a wider variety of People in unexpected Places. Why? Because all Life on Earth — and everywhere in the Universe — is CONNECTED.

From every point of view that matters … Scientifically, Philosophically, and Spiritually speaking, we are all part of the same reality.

In other words … we are ONE.

***

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The history of SCI-FI owes a debt of gratitude to Trailblazing Women — who have left an indelible mark on the genre, challenging stereotypes and pushing boundaries — stretching back to the 19th century.

FEMALE AUTHORS
Despite facing great obstacles, Female Authors have proved to be a huge creative force in SCI-FI.

Mary Shelley (Frankenstein, 1818) — written at the age of 18, this classic tale introduces some of the most popular SCI-FI archetypes, such as the “mad scientist” and the “creature”.

Anne McCaffrey (The White Dragon, 1978) — one of the first Science Fiction books to appear on the New York Times Best Seller list. She was also the first woman to win the Hugo and Nebula awards. Best known for her long-running Dragonriders of Pern series.

Octavia E. Butler (Kindred, 1979) — the first African-American woman to gain prominence as a major SCI-FI writer, she transcended the genre conventions by addressing racial injustice, women’s rights, and political issues. She once said, “I began writing about power because I had so little.”

STAR TREK
Star Trek has a rich history of empowering Women, both on-screen and behind the scenes.

D.C. Fontana: Episode: “Journey to Babel” (1967)
In this pivotal episode, Fontana introduced Spock’s parents and delved into Vulcan culture. She wrote 11 episodes of TOS, creating several classic Alien species in the process including the Andorians. The first woman to have a producer credit for any of the Trek series, Fontana continued to be involved through the first season of TNG, as associate producer for 12 episodes.

Jean Lisette Aroeste: Episode: “Is There No Truth in Beauty?” (1968)
A librarian without any connections to the industry, she decided to try her hand at writing an episode of Star Trek (and the studio actually bought it!) It beautifully encapsulates Vulcan philosophy: “Infinite diversity in infinite combinations.” — emphasizing the beauty of diversity.

Nichelle Nichols — hailed all frequencies as Lt. Uhura on Star Trek from 1966 until her final appearance in 2022. Uhura was capable and smart on the Enterprise — where her race and gender were mere footnotes in Gene Roddenberry’s optimistic vision of the future. Her portrayal of a black woman in a leadership role was groundbreaking, and she inspired generations of viewers.

ON THE BIG SCREEN
The type of strength Women exhibit — in outer space or some parallel universe — usually involves more brains than brawn.

Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) — Alien (1979)
Ripley is an iconic character who starts off hunted by brutal creatures before evolving into a militaristic warrior. Her emotional depth and intelligence challenge preconceived notions about femininity.

Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) — Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
In “Terminator 2: Judgment Day”: Sarah, initially pursued by malevolent forces, transforms into a fierce protector. Her maternal instincts and tactical prowess set her apart.

Dr. Ellie Arroway (Jodie Foster) — Contact (1997)
A brilliant scientist pondering questions of faith, science, and otherworldly life, Dr. Arroway defends her beliefs to skeptical male politicians and scientists.

Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) — The Hunger Games (2012)
Katniss battles for her life in a dystopian ceremony before becoming the ultimate freedom fighter. Her strength, resourcefulness, and determination make her a powerful female protagonist.

Professor Louise Banks (Amy Adams) — Arrival (2016)
A linguistics expert, Banks leads an elite team of investigators when gigantic spaceships touch down in 12 locations around the world. As nations teeter on the verge of global war, she and her crew must find a way to communicate with the extraterrestrial visitors.

BEHIND THE SCENES
The forgotten Woman who designed The Creature From The Black Lagoon.

The terrifying movie monster could both swim and walk on land. He had long claws, webbed hands and feet, scales and a dorsal fin. His round, fishy head had bulging eyes and layers of wavy gills.

First captured on film in 1954, the elusive Creature — and Milicent Patrick, the woman who designed him — are now the focus of a book: The Lady from the Black Lagoon.

Born in 1915, Patrick was skilled visual artist. After attending art school, she became one of the first women animators at the Walt Disney Studios. Her pastel chalk artwork was featured in the 1940 movie Fantasia — a winged creature in the sequence “A Night on Bald Mountain.”

Her boss at the Universal monster shop, a man named Bud Westmore, told her that she “could not take credit for it”. He was so jealous of all of the attention she was getting that he fired her. As the head of the studio’s makeup department, it’s his name on the movie’s credits, as was the custom. (Sadly, she never worked behind the scenes in Hollywood ever again.)

SCI-FI would not be the same without Traiblazing Women — whose creative imaginations and artistic talent have given us some of the most memorable characters in TV and Movie History.

The future may just be Female after all.

***

click on image link to see YouTube video

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FIRST CONTACT in SCI-FI depicts the first meeting between Humans and Extraterrestrials —
a life-changing event, to say the least. Hollywood storytellers have explored many scenarios … ranging from friendly collaboration to conflict and fear(invasion). Realistically, the arrival of Aliens on Earth may also be compared to encounters in the natural world — between native and invasive species.

HOLLYWOOD STORYTELLING

The Day the Earth Stood Still — (1951)
An Alien (Michael Rennie) lands in Washington, D.C. and tells the people of Earth that they must live peacefully or be destroyed as a danger to other planets.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind — (1977)
Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss), an Indiana electric lineman, finds his quiet and ordinary daily life turned upside down after a close encounter with a UFO, spurring him to an obsessed cross-country quest for answers as a momentous event approaches.

2010: The Year We Make Contact — (1984)
In this masterful sequel to 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), a joint USA-Soviet expedition (led by Roy Scheider & Helen Mirren) is sent to Jupiter to learn exactly what happened to the “Discovery” and its H.A.L. 9000 computer.

The Abyss — (1989)
A civilian diving team (headed by Ed Harris & Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) is enlisted to search for a lost nuclear submarine and faces danger while encountering an Alien aquatic species.

Star Trek: First Contact — (1996)
Star Trek: First Contact depicts humanity’s first meeting with an Alien culture, the Vulcan race, in Montana on 5 April 2063, after the passing Vulcans’ attention is attracted by the detection of the energy signature from scientist Zefram Cochrane launching humanity’s first warp flight.

Contact — (1997)
Dr. Ellie Arroway (Jodie Foster), after years of searching, finds conclusive radio signal proof of Extraterrestrial intelligence, sending plans for a mysterious machine.

Arrival — (2016)
A linguist (Amy Adams) works with the military to communicate with Alien lifeforms after twelve mysterious spacecraft appear around the world.

REAL WORLD ENCOUNTERS

In the real world, of course, “First Contact” with Extraterrestrials has already happened … many times to people around the globe, in encounters stretching back to at least 1947. Anyone familiar with the work of serious UFO investigators like Budd Hopkins, David M. Jacobs, Linda Moulton Howe and Richard Dolan is well acquainted with the phenomenon of ALIEN ABDUCTION.

It is our greatest hope, as authors of THE SURVIVAL TRILOGY — Inspired by Real Events — that more storytellers and filmmakers will strive to do the same.

To anyone who has not already seen it, we highly recommend the recent documentary from j3Films: “Extraordinary: The Revelations” — currently available on Amazon Prime.

FIRST CONTACT between Humans and Extraterrestrials — in SCI-FI or Reality — can open the door to a kind of Enlightenment … that forever changes our understanding of who we are, and our place in the universe. Storytellers have tried to prepare us. Investigators and Eyewitnesses tell us that Aliens are already here.

Sooner or later, we’ll All know … exactly what that means.

***

The term Time Warp refers to an anomaly, discontinuity, or distortion of Space that is believed to occur in relation to the flow of Time. In SCI-FI, it is often used to describe a phenomenon where people from one time period travel to another. These stories can enlighten us about Historical Events, open a door to possibly Change the Future, or teach us about the Futility of trying to do so. Some of our favorite examples include:

The Terminator — (1984)

The Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is a relentless, unemotional killer cyborg sent back in time from 2029 to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), whose unborn son will one day save mankind from extinction by Skynet, a hostile artificial intelligence in a post-apocalyptic future. Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn) is a soldier sent back in time to protect her.

After systematically killing women of the same name found in a telephone directory, the Terminator finds Sarah Connor in a nightclub, but Reese rescues her. The pair steal a car and escape, with the Terminator in pursuit, while Reese explains why Sarah’s survival is important to the future of humanity. When Reese is killed, Sarah must face off against the Terminator in a factory showdown, where she lures it into a hydraulic press, crushing and finally destroying it.

Months later, Sarah, visibly pregnant, travels through Mexico, recording audio tapes to pass on to her son. At a gas station, a boy takes a polaroid picture of her, and she buys it. It is the exact photograph that John will one day give to Reese. The gas station owner comments that there is a storm coming, and Sarah replies that she knows, alluding to humanity’s future war against Skynet.

The film’s success led to a franchise consisting of sequels, a television series, comic books, novels and video games. Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) — widely considered by fans to be the best of the series — is the only film to garner attention at the Academy Awards, with six nominations and four wins.

Back to the Future — (1984)

In Back to the Future, teenager Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) lives in California with an alcoholic mother and meek father in 1985, and fears he will be like them. That night, Marty’s eccentric scientist friend, Emmett “Doc” Brown, (Christopher Lloyd) unveils a time machine built from a modified DeLorean, powered by stolen terrorist plutonium. After Doc inputs a destination time of November 5, 1955 (the day he first conceived his time travel invention), terrorists arrive to gun him down. Marty flees in the DeLorean, inadvertently activating time travel when he reaches 88 miles per hour.

Arriving in 1955 with no plutonium, Marty convinces a younger Doc that he’s from the future, but the only source available in 1955 capable of generating enough power for time travel is a lightning bolt. Fortunately a flyer from the future documents an upcoming lightning strike at the courthouse. As Marty’s siblings begin to fade from a photo he is carrying, Doc realizes Marty’s actions are altering the future, jeopardizing his existence. With time running out, Marty must find a way to set things right with his parents at a high school dance, join Doc at the courthouse, and reach precisely 88 miles per hour in the De Lorean to make contact with electricity from the lightning strike — to get back home.

Back to the Future is now considered by critics and audiences to be one of the greatest SCI-FI films and among the best films ever made. In 2007, the United States Library of Congress selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry.

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home — (1986)

In Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Admiral Kirk and the former crew of the USS Enterprise return to Earth in 2286 to face trial for their actions (to rescue Spock’s resurrected body from the Genesis planet and restore his consciousness in Star Trek III). They find the planet in grave danger from an Alien probe wreaking havoc with Earth’s oceans, attempting to contact now-extinct humpback whales. The crew must travel back in time (via a slingshot maneuver around the Sun), hoping to find whales who can answer the probe’s call.

Arriving on Earth in 1986, the crew finds their ship’s power drained and must hide it (a Klingon Bird of Prey) in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park using its cloaking device, splitting up. Kirk and Spock attempt to locate humpback whales, while Scott, McCoy, and Sulu construct a tank to hold the whales for a return to the 23rd century. Uhura and Chekov must find a nuclear reactor, whose energy leakage can be collected and used to re-power the Klingon vessel.

Returning to Earth’s future, their ship loses power due to the Alien probe and crash-lands into the waters of San Francisco Bay. Once released, the whales respond to the probe’s signal, causing it to reverse its effects on Earth and return to the depths of space. As the crew later faces judgement before the Federation Council, Kirk is demoted to the rank of captain and returned to the command of a starship: the newly christened USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A).

Well received by critics, fans, and the general audience, the film was dedicated to the crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger, which broke up 73 seconds after takeoff on the morning of January 28, 1986.

The Time Machine — (2002)

In The Time Machine (adapted from the H.G. Wells 1895 novel), Dr. Alexander Hartdegen (Guy Pearce), is an inventor teaching at Columbia University in 1899 New York. After a mugger kills his fiancee Emma (Sienna Guillory), Alex devotes himself to building a time machine that will allow him to travel back in time to save her. In 1903, he travels in the completed machine back to 1899 and prevents her murder, only to see her die again, killed by frightened horses from a street carriage.

Alex begins to realize that any attempt to save Emma will result in her death through other circumstances. He travels to the New York Public Library in 2030 seeking answers, then again to 2037 where he is knocked unconscious, traveling forward 800,000 years before reawakening. Nursed back to health by Mara (Samantha Mumba) a primitive human survivor (known as Eloi), he tries to rescue her when she is taken underground by primitive cannibals (known as Morlocks). In the end, Alex decides to sacrifice his Machine, destroying it to save Mara and defeat the Morlocks, ensuring a brighter future for the Eloi, finally accepting his own fate.

Set in New York City instead of London, the film contains new story elements not present in the original novel (nor the 1960 film adaptation), including a romantic subplot, a new scenario about how civilization was destroyed, and new characters such as an artificially intelligent hologram (Orlando Jones) and an intelligent Morlock leader (Jeremy Irons).

Looper — (2012)

In Looper, 25-year-old Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) works for a Kansas City crime syndicate in 2044 as a “looper” assassin, managed by a man from the future known as Abe (Jeff Daniels). Since future tracking systems in 2074 make it impossible to dispose of bodies undetected, the syndicate sends enemies back in time to be executed. To hide connections to the syndicate, loopers who survive until 2074 are sent back and killed by their own younger selves, referred to as “closing the loop.”

Joe’s friend Seth (Paul Dano) comes to see him after failing to kill his future self. Old Seth escaped after warning Young Seth that a person called the “Rainmaker” with lethal powers would overthrow the five major bosses and close all loops. Joe’s next target arrives as his older self, but with his face uncovered and hands unbound. Old Joe (Bruce Willis) knocks him out and escapes. Trying to protect his future life, Old Joe hopes to track down and kill the “Rainmaker” as a child.

Young Joe locates Sara (Emily Blunt) the boy’s mother on a farm and, when Old Joe’s attempt to kill the boy is blocked by Sara, Young Joe makes a fateful choice. He realizes that orphaned and traumatized with lethal powers, the boy will grow up to become the “Rainmaker”. Young Joe commits suicide, erasing Old Joe’s existence, saving Sara and hopefully preventing future disaster.

THE SURVIVAL TRILOGY

As authors, we created The Survival Trilogy (inspired by real events) to explore our connection to Alien Life throughout Human history, and what it means for the future of Humanity.

Book 1 A GLEAM OF LIGHT explores Native American Mythology as UNA, half-Hopi bureaucrat from D.C., is summoned to Hopiland. Her connection to the white man’s world makes her uniquely qualified to help solve a mystery linked to an ancient discovery, as she tries to reconnect with her roots and cultural identity.

Book 2 THE DRAGON’S GLARE explores Asian American Mythology with UNA on special assignment to investigate unexplained violence in Chinatown, New York City. She discovers a deep-seated cultural connection with Tibetan immigrants as Ancient Chinese wisdom battles a threat from Ancient Evil.

Book 3 BEYOND THE WORLD explores African American Mythology as UNA, stranded on her honeymoon adventure in Yosemite, uncovers a UFO mystery that leads to an Alien Conspiracy. Together with Explorer’s Club teens from the Kikuyu Tribe, she tracks down the source of strange events and fights to save humanity.

By linking Ancient Mythology from diverse cultures with present day Reality, the TRILOGY reminds us that our Past, Present, and Future are all connected — with Life elsewhere in the universe.

Time Warped SCI-FI reminds us that any attempt to distort the flow of Time — even with good intentions — can potentially lead to disaster. Of course, the very act of Changing the Past, if it ever happens (or has already) would alter the historical record — including all Present living memory.

So … we might never know.

***

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In SCIFI, “Saving the World” can mean preventing cosmic Destruction (like asteroid collision), future Doom (like genetic extinction) or Conquest (by Aliens or Artificial Intelligence). The key question: How will Humanity respond? The best examples tell stories about people believing in one another, choosing the right priorities, and casting differences aside.

Independence Day — (1996)

Independence Day, (also promoted as ID4) brings us a very real threat in the form of a hostile Alien takeover. The film focuses on disparate groups of people who converge in the Nevada desert in the aftermath of a worldwide attack by a powerful Alien race. With people from other nations around the world, they launch a counterattack on July 4 — Independence Day in the United States.

It’s one thing for cities to be leveled by a series of gravitational shifts, and uncontrollable fault lines beneath the Earth’s crust, but there’s just something about Will Smith saying “welcome to Earth” before punching an Alien in the face that simply has mass appeal.

Unlike most films of its kind, ID4 offers a healthy amount of comedic relief with great-looking special effects — like the White House getting blown up by an Alien Destroyer — that show us how devastating an attack of this scale would be if it were to ever happen in real life.

Deep Impact — (1998)

Deep Impact is an American SCI-FI Disaster film, described by astronomers as being scientifically accurate. It deals with global catastrophe on the government level, and the individual level. When planet Earth is threatened with an Extinction Level Event (E.L.E.) in the form of a newly discovered comet, there isn’t a lot of time to figure out how to save humanity from doom.

Determined to prevent social chaos, U.S. President Tom Beck (Morgan Freeman) freezes all wages and all prices, invoking martial law. An ambitious space mission to knock the comet out of Earth’s path is only partially successful and a lottery is used to choose the small number of humans who are expected to survive.

The film shines in its depiction of key characters who willingly sacrifice their own safety for the sake of others — including a selfless reporter who gives up her seat on an evacuation helicopter to a colleague and her young daughter, and a brave group of astronauts who make all the difference.

The Last Mimzy — (2007)

The Last Mimzy, loosely based upon the 1943 SCI-FI short story “Mimsy Were the Borogoves” by Lewis Padgett, tells the story of a scientist in the distant future — who sets out to avert an ecological disaster (that dooms mankind to extinction) by sending a small number of high tech devices that resemble toys back in time to modern day Seattle — where they are discovered by two children: Noah and Emma Wilder.

Emma relates a dire message from Mimzy: Many Mimzys were sent into the past before her, but none of the others were able to return to their home time, because they lacked an “engineer” like Noah, and now Mimzy, the last one the scientist was able to send back, is beginning to disintegrate.

To save the future, Mimzy must acquire a sample of uncorrupted human DNA to correct the damage done to DNA by ecological catastrophes. The FBI do not believe them, so Noah and Emma use their powers to escape. Mimzy absorbs a tear from Emma, which contains her DNA. Via the time portal which Noah constructs using the toys, Mimzy returns to the future.

2012 — (2009)

In 2012, an impending disaster threatens humanity from the inside of planet Earth’s core — inspired by the Maya Long Count Calendar, which suggests a series of earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions will destroy the Earth.

Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) is a self-published author who works during the day as a chauffeur. Upon taking his children, Noah and Lily, to Yellowstone National Park, they find that the location has not only been dried up, but also blocked off by government officials.

It doesn’t take long for a series of catastrophic events to throw the entire world into a state of turmoil, and Earth’s inhabitants to desperately seek out safety in the form of massive Arks that can withstand the natural disasters that are destroying the planet from inside out.

In one dramatic scene, American geologist Adrian Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor), part of the U.S. government’s team on one of the Arks (and a fan of Jackson’s optimistic view of humanity in his book Farewell Atlantis) convinces world leaders NOT to abandon throngs of people on the dock before their departure — bringing them on board.

Interstellar — (2014)

In Interstellar, the name of the game isn’t necessarily saving Earth, but rather finding a new planet for humans to live on if it can’t be saved. This Christopher Nolan film bends time and space as Joseph Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) and his team of astronauts seek out a new home planet by traveling through a wormhole near Saturn.

What separates it from other films: its ability to bend time and space without ever losing the plot. In some instances, years pass in a matter of minutes. In other words, even though Cooper and his crew only experience a short passage of time on their mission, decades are passing on Earth’s surface.

The story raises a number of questions about our perception of Time and Space … and our Fate. In the end, the most powerful Force in the universe — the one that enables Cooper to connect with his daughter (Jessica Chastain) far away and communicate the all-important data needed to complete vital calculations that make it possible to save humanity — is LOVE.

Save the World SCI-FI tells stories about how we might respond to threats like cosmic Destruction, impending Doom or Alien Conquest. It offers, at its best, HOPE for the Future — through shining examples of people believing in one another, choosing the right priorities, and casting differences aside — to save Humanity.

We need to believe that somehow, in the face of impossible circumstances … Someone will find the Courage to do what is Right.

Take heart. That person could be YOU.

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