God Against Us: Alien Spaceman Jesus, the World Trade Center Attack and More

GOD AGAINST US: ALIEN SPACEMAN JESUS, THE				told him this is impossible. A not very bright academic
THE WORLD TRADE CENTER ATTACK AND MORE				in SIMON (1979) is prevailed upon to impersonate a
Alvin Miller				spaceman. After a period of rigorous mental
(1986)				brainwashing and physical conditioning, Simon comes
My second, newest article:				to believe that he actually is an alien. He uses
At my site: TABLE OF CONTENTS				equipment that interrupts regular television
PREFACE				broadcasts when he periodically wants to deliver
CHAPTER ONE: A PLAUSIBLE TIMETABLE				messages. Similarly, in RIDERS OF THE STORM
CHAPTER TWO: A FIRST LOOK AT NORMAN O.				(1986), riders on a bomber interrupt TV broadcasts.
BROWN				Woody Allen's ZELIG (1984) features a schizophrenic
CHAPTER THREE: THE MEDIA MESSIAH, OR				chameleon who supposedly hobnobbed with the
LOOKING FOR JESUS ON				leading political figures of the thirties. In the PURPLE
TV				ROSE OF CAIRO (1985), also by Woody Allen, a
CHAPTER FOUR: THE MESSIAH RETURNS				larger than life hero steps out of the screen in a
APPENDIX: THE SECRET RAPTURE				movie theater and into the squalid life of a New
BIBLIOGRAPHY				Jersey housewife. CREATOR (1985) has a loony
FILM LIST BY DATE				college professor who is attempting to resurrect his
FILM LIST				dead wife. The students he recruits for the project
FILM SERIALS				are lectured on the Big Picture.
PREFACE				Numerous other films with similar themes are listed in
What do you call a crazy spaceman? - - An Astronut.				the bibliography, but, due to space limitations, I won't
What follows is a nearly word for word online version				give further examples here. Men play god in the
of my Ã‚Â©1986 booklet WEIRD				movies, but do they in real life? I point to such
ESCHATOLOGY: AN ALTERNATIVE VIEW OF THE				research as genetic engineering, or the 'star wars'
SECOND COMING (ISBN 0-9616435-0-1; Library of				project (laser weapons, beam projectors, etc.) These
Congress Call Number BT823.M55 1986). By the time				devices were first predicted in science fiction, but
you finish this, you may conclude that this particular				always accompanied by warnings we conveniently
peculiar interpretation of the Book of Revelation				ignored that to develop them would be to court
should be relegated to the teachings of				disaster. Further, I will shortly point out that while
self-appointed cranks, crackpots, prophets of doom				these films depict physical devices, such actual
and various other assorted fanatics. But perhaps,				equipment is unnecessary to produce the effects
even so, your own view may be clarified when you				depicted.
read this. The first chapter deals with theology and				As for the entertainment industry, we pour multiple
may be slightly dull, but fasten your seatbelt, as I will				billions into it year in and year out. For what we pay
get more and more weird ahead (in terms of any				we get back entertainment, but additionally, we also
interpretation you have seen before). Note that I				get back social engineering that we didn't necessarily
make use of mostly unobtainable texts and obscure				ask for. I am by no means suggesting a conscious
films. Lack of access to these sources should not				conspiracy or deliberate plot by Hollywood. The
impede your understanding of what follows. Also, to				fundamental problem is again expressed by McLuhan
emphasize the ostensibly momentous issues I am				- the medium is the message. In other words,
dealing with here, I capitalize the subject phrases I				inherent in the nature of the images produced by the
discuss.				media is a latent potential for subversion and
CHAPTER ONE				ultimately destruction.
A PLAUSIBLE TIMETABLE				From this point to the end of the chapter, I will again
Are you a Christian? Do you believe in the Second				take up the list with which I began this chapter. Upon
Coming at some future date? Is it legitimate to				completing the listing, I said each term was related to
construct timetables for these future events?				the term Mass Psychosis. I now claim we have
Rhetorical questions such as these right off the bat				already had several actual episodes. The first, in late
may well put you off. A major difficulty is that no				August 1973, lasted nearly two weeks. It occurred
consensus as to when and in what sequence these				during the Watergate period and was done primarily
predicted events must take place. This topic has				by the 'hippies'. The April 1983 event occurred during
always been a particular source of schism and				the time of the American embassy bombing in
polemic. I will be proposing specific dates as				Lebanon. The October 1983 event occurred during
numerous have in each generation before me. And as				the time of the Marine barracks bombing in Lebanon.
many have been before me, I can be refuted by the				The most recent event was the broadcast made
mere passage of time.				while the Tower of Babel 9-11 attack (World Trade
The majority view espoused by most evangelicals is				Center) was simultaneously taking place. These
pretribulational premillennalism, which I only partially				broadcasts lasted only a day or so each and were
agree with. I will point out that part of this view is in				done by a remnant handful of people.
fact based on a historical novelty that only traces				What is the Invisible Rain like when it is falling? A
back to the nineteenth century. What I mean here is				person walking down the street may stop for a
that in terms of the glacially slow movement of				second, look around quizzically (what the #$*!),
theology (remember that the canon was finalized				perhaps sniff the air, and then continue on. You've
some two thousand years ago), the majority view is				lived through it - you tell me what it's like.
a relatively recent innovation.				A few comments to wrap up the chapter. These
I prefer a distinctly minority position, which would be				events should not be referred to as a Flood, because
called multiple-rapture postmillennialism. The				of God's promise in Genesis that there would be no
postmillennial position holds that many of the				more Flood. The New Testament imagery is always
predictions made in the New Testament, including				fire. I hold Margaret MacDonald's Secret Rapture
those of the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24, Mk 13, Luke				innovation of the nineteenth century correct, since
21), were accomplished in the early Christian era, and				we now have hindsight on these (multiple) events.
their past fulfillment limit's the future events to be				There may or may not be more before the Messiah
expected. There exists one school, represented by,				returns. After all, no one can predict the weather.
for example, Max King and Timothy James, which				CHAPTER FOUR
holds that each and every prophecy of the entire				THE MESSIAH RETURNS
New Testament was accomplished during the early				I'll begin with another list:
Church age. However, I feel this view neglects				THE SPACE COWBOY THE SKY MARSHAL OF THE
proper consideration of the Book of Revelation.				UNIVERSE SKY KING KING OF THE ROCKET MEN
Postmillennialism is also sometimes referred to as				STARMAN THE LOST PLANET AIRMAN THE MAN
preterism, which implies that the text is allowed to				FROM INNER SPACE THE MORON FROM OUTER
speak without exegesis. Thus, when Jesus				SPACE THE DIVINE IDIOT THE MAN WITH A
repeatedly predicts the Kingdom within a generation,				THOUSAND FACES THE MIRROR MAN THE
I do not write off the statement as a mistake or				INVISIBLE MAN THE THIN MAN THE OMEGA MAN
excess of enthusiasm. Instead, I draw up a timetable				THE MYSTERY MAN THE MAN WITH THE POWER
that shows the Kingdom beginning a generation after				THE MAN WITH THE POISON MIND THE MEDICINE
the Crucifixion. Then, when John of Patmos says the				MAN THE RAINMAKER THE FERTILITY KING
Millennium starts at this date of the beginning of the				WILD-EYED CHAMELEON THE JOKER THE
Kingdom, I duly go to my chart (at the end of this				DEMOLITION MAN BIG BROTHER
chapter) and set the Thousand Year Clock ticking.				Let me ask a few rhetorical questions. Are we
There was in fact a specific date a generation after				perhaps involved in a real life version of the children's
the Crucifixion - the pivotal date of A.D. 70. This was				game King of the Mountain in order to pick out the
the historical date of the Fall of Jerusalem, which is				Messiah? Consider the paranoid schizophrenic with
not a particularly prominent date in more mainstream				delusions of grandeur or possibly what is diagnosed
discussions. This is the date of the First Resurrection				as a messianic complex. What has this to do with the
in the terminology of John of Patmos that begins the				Messiah? Am I suggesting the Messiah will be merely
Millennium.				a madman? Let me define a fairy or Peter Pan. A
What happened in A.D. 70? After a lengthy siege by				fairy is chronologically and physiologically an adult but
the Roman legions, Jerusalem was ransacked and				has refused to assume an adult identity (ego) and
leveled. To the secular eye, as detailed by Josephus				has refused to take on adult responsibility. A fairy
in THE JEWISH WAR in gory detail, the scene was				more or less never outgrows the omniscience,
one of mass destruction in which not even the				omnipotence and sense of wonder possessed by the
Temple was spared. But to the spiritual eye, as				infant, and inhabits fantasy mental worlds in
Russell's PAROUSIA demonstrated more than a				preference to the real world. Again, I ask, what has
century ago, these events were the fulfillment of the				this to do with the Messiah?
Olivet Discourse and the return of Jesus and His				I took a brief look in the preceding chapter at some
conquering armies in the clouds to inaugurate the				of what I felt were candidate messiahs being put
spiritual reign with the saints and martyrs. Other				forward by the movie industry. I wonder if we might
sources listed in the bibliography including Chilton's				be getting practice for recognizing the actual Messiah
PARADISE RESTORED espouse this view. Chilton				when He returns. I feel such practice may well be a
nominated Jerusalem as the Whore of Babylon and				good idea, since; for one thing, the Messiah won't be
Rome as the Beast. (Note added 2006: In my 1986				riding the White Horse this time (that was done in
Timetable I followed Chilton. I have since reversed				A.D. 70). Neither do I expect to see a flying saucer
my opinion. I now see Rome as the Whore and				descending from the skies to a world capital.
Jerusalem as the Beast.)				I suspect it will be an Incarnation in the manner that
I need to stop for a moment to consider the				occurred at Bethlehem. At that time, only the Wise
question of the dating of the Book of Revelation.				Men and a handful of others could discern the
The presently accepted date for the appearance of				Messiah. One dictionary definition of blasphemy is for
the Book of Revelation is A.D. 95. If this is the				a mortal to name himself a god. I feel there could
correct date, the fulfillment of the predictions made				well be an early period when the Chosen One is
so far would be merely a matter of hindsight. I				accused as a blasphemer or the Antichrist. A
recommend John A. T. Robinson's examination of this				considerable period of time may elapse before He is
question in REDATING THE NEW TESTAMENT.				acclaimed Lord of lords and King of kings.
Robinson cites extensive internal and external				At any rate, once the Messiah is actually recognized,
evidence for moving the date of the Book of				it will then become a situation of "when the saints go
Revelation back to the A.D. 70 timeframe. Further, he				marching in". In whichever country He first appears,
traces the standard A.D. 95 view back to a single				the Messiah and a motley crew of followers will walk
source. This source is a statement by Irenaeus that				into the capital city and take power. You say you
the Apocalypse first appeared "toward the end of				want to be in that number? I suggest you think
Domitian's reign." This statement is ambiguous and				carefully about it. To the secular eye this will be a
may even be merely mistaken. Other sources listed in				Fool's Parade or Goon Squad made up of Snake
the bibliography (including Chilton and James) accept				People (Marching Morons) - the actual 'meek' who will
an earlier date.				then inherit the earth. I repeat - do you want to be
The Book of Revelation represents a significant				in that number?
amplification of the preceding Gospels and Epistles.				How, you may object, will a mere handful of such
Here the concept of the Millennium is introduced for				people be able to take over a major capital city? The
the first and only time. The timetable presented by				context is important here. We are dealing at this
John of Patmos extends forward to the future				point in time with a nation under siege internally and
Judgment Day and the establishment of the New				externally, soon to fall. Numerous other portentous
Jerusalem, thereby completing the New Testament				dire events will be occurring simultaneously that will
Canon.				dilute the significance of the central event. The World
Turning to the time period of the Millennium, lasting				Trade Center attack, 9-11, was just the inaugural
approximately from A.D. 70 to A.D. 1070, the starting				event of a coming series of catastrophes. We are on
point was the spiritual event, the Parousia, as detailed				an accelerating descending slope. God is against us
by Russell and Chilton. But secular historians looking				now for our Godless Wicked ways. This will be
back at this time period as a whole have labeled it				confirmed by the disasters coming ahead predicted
the Dark Ages. More recently this verdict has been				here.
tempered by the demonstration of the development				Initially the Messiah will assume actual secular political
and technical progress that occurred in the Middle and				power in order to obtain the objective of reinstating
Far East during these years. But it does remain true				theocracy - an archaic form of government long
that for Western Civilization, primarily Western				abandoned and forgotten by Western nations.
Europe for these years, these were times of				Looking again with secular eyes, whether considered
unprecedented barbarism and ignorance. During these				from the political left or from the political right, the
times the blood of countless martyrs was spilled in				government will be a de facto fascist government -
belatedly laying down the Roman Empire and				no matter what label is ostensibly applied to it. To
establishing the Church. Violence was the order of				provide an example of the type of events that will
the day and sugarcoating or rose-colored glasses are				be taking place, if, and I cannot overemphasize the
unnecessary. The First Resurrection was an event of				hypothetical, if this occurs in Washington, DC, the
mass destruction and the Kingdom or Millennium was				Constitution and the Bill of Rights will be abolished and
an era of barbarism. In other words, it is not an				both Houses of Congress dissolved. I find this idea
accident or coincidence that the fulfillment of the				unpalatable, and I feel none of the sources I have
prophecies was apocalyptic. Instead, there is an				mentioned would find this palatable, nor would you. I
important principle to remember here, since I will				do not believe these events will occur in the actual
point out that Judgment Day will also be mass				Jerusalem, but, as I have indicated, one of the major
destruction and the New Jerusalem to follow will				Western capitals, which will then become a platform
appear to secular eyes again be relative barbarism. I				for world domination.
will take up these thoughts again in later chapters.				W. Reich in the forties prior to even the advent of
Why didn't Judgment Day begin about A.D.1070 with				national TV took a look at popular culture in THE
the end of the Millennium? Historically, many of the				MURDER OF CHRIST. He was acutely aware of the
people living then did expect to see the Messiah				possibility of fascism, having had direct experience
return. I answer instead that this was the date when				with the mass movements of the twentieth century
Satan was unbound for his season. Here I part				of both the left and the right. What would be his
company with many of the sources listed in the				verdict now, some sixty years later? Many science
bibliography. They prefer to see the Millennium as an				fiction films have dramatized a fascist takeover. Are
indeterminate period extending potentially thousands				they a prototype for future real events?
of years with Satan loosed for his season only				The evolutionary stages the government will undergo
shortly prior to the Second Coming. They see the				can be expressed in the Marxist schemata. The first
Church still in the Millennial period expanding and				phase corresponds to the dictatorship of the
consolidating its gains to ultimately convert the entire				proletariat (rule by the meek). Then begins the
world immediately prior to the Advent. On the				transition period to the withering away of the state
contrary, I hold that John of Patmos really meant a				and the classless society or New Jerusalem.
time period of approximately one thousand years,				Theologians have previously published outlines of the
and that Satan has been at work sowing his evil. I				analogies between Marxist mythology and Christian
admit that the season has now lasted nearly a				eschatology. And the return of the Messiah will
thousand years in its own right. One consolation is				actually fulfill Marx's predictions, as well as those of
that this extended period is finally about to come to				John of Patmos simultaneously. During the transition
a close. Satan has been quite busy from my point of				period, it will be a matter of being forced to do
view during the last centuries. Examples of his				without various items we now take for granted. The
infamous work would be such events as the				entire entertainment industry will be dispensed with -
Renaissance, the Reformation, the				television broadcasts, movies, rock music, etc. Much
Counter-Reformation, the Inquisition, the				of the high technology of the West will be
Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution on down to				abandoned. We will cease constructing aircraft,
the contemporary horrific mass movements. I could				rockets and probably even automobiles (do only
be accused of being a feudalist or an obscurantist				angels have wings?) This will be accomplished with
here. However, I do not look back to the Kingdom				only a minimum of objection because the Messiah will
so much as forward to the approaching New				rule with a Rod of Iron as the Book of Revelation
Jerusalem. At this point in time I feel we are reaching				predicts. He will be a combination Joe Stalin, Jim
the low point of the curve descending to Hell,				Jones, Adolph Hitler and Ayatollah Khomeni rolled into
immediately prior to the Messiah's return.				one. Amos in the Old Testament correctly prophecied
Thus, I teach hellfire and damnation, as do most of				the gnashing of teeth and tribulation that would come
the right wing evangelists who hold the premillennial				with the Day of the Lord.
view. But, as I have said, the postmillennialists of the				Is Western Civilization about to officially end? Are we
bibliography, who are also uniformly conservative for				and our descendants to become almost exclusively
the most part, place much less emphasis on this				concerned with physical survival, staying alive? Don't
aspect.				go outside to watch the skies for the Advent. Merely
I am also in agreement with the premillennialists with				stay tuned to your TV set and start paying more
respect to the Rapture. Historically, for eighteen				attention. Have I seen one too many science fiction
centuries the Rapture was taken as essentially				movies? Or is the show you never expected to see
simultaneous with the Advent. This is detailed by,				ABOUT TO BEGIN?!APPENDIX
among others, MacPherson in THE GREAT RAPTURE				Brief excerpts from Margaret MacDonald's 1830
HOAX and Kimball in THE RAPTURE: A QUESTION				Secret Rapture prophecy:
OF TIMING. MacPherson demonstrates that the				It was first the awful state of the land that was
nineteenth century so-called Scotch seer Margaret				pressed upon me. I saw the blindness and infatuation
MacDonald in 1830 introduced the pretribulational				of the people to be very great. I felt the cry of
Rapture - a temporal separation of a Secret Rapture				Liberty to be just the hiss of the serpent to drown
from the Second Coming. This introduction was a				them in perdition. It was just 'no God', ----
theological novelty or innovation. MacPherson traces				I saw the people of God in an awfully dangerous
the concept from its introduction through the				situation, surrounded by nets and entanglements,
nineteenth century figures Darby and Scofield to the				about to be tried, and many about to be deceived
mainstream electronic evangelists of today. I have				and fall. Now will THE WICKED be revealed, with all
said that I accept the multiple-Rapture view, which is				power and signs and lying wonders, so that if it were
a variation of the pretribulational Rapture. I agree,				possible the very elect will be deceived.
based on the work of my sources, that this view				PARTIAL BIBLIOGRAPHY
had its origins only in the nineteenth century. I will				Chapter One.
indicate why I hold that view in the last part of				The following titles are examples of conservative
Chapter Three.				postmillennial and amillennial views as opposed to the
I should note that because I take a preterist				standard premillennial view.
perspective, I place less emphasis on seeing the				Bray, John L., THE MILLENNIUM - THE BIG
events that occurred with the First Resurrection				QUESTION?
exactly duplicated on Judgment Day. For example,				Chilton, David, PARADISE RESTORED: A BIBLICAL
Nero was clearly the Antichrist for A.D. 70, but I				THEOLOGY OF DOMINION.
don't necessarily expect to see a new Antichrist prior				Brunner, Constantin, OUR CHRIST: THE REVOLT OF
to the Second Coming. If forced to, one could select				THE MYSTICAL GENIUS (1921 - published 1990).
from many twentieth century candidates for this				James, Timothy A. THE MESSIAH'S RETURN:
post. Similarly, I don't expect to see the coming				DELAYED? FULFILLED? OR DOUBLE-FULFILLMENT?
events occurring at the actual Jerusalem this time. I				Jones, R Bradley, THE GREAT TRIBULATON.
predict in Chapter Four they will more likely begin in				Kik, J. Marcellus, AN ESCHATOLOGY OF VICTORY.
one of the advanced Western nations.				Kimball, William R., THE RAPTURE: A QUESTION OF
Beginning with the next chapter, I will be using				TIMING.
apparently incongruous sources, such as left wing				King, Max, THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY.
sources from the sixties. I will delve into films and the				Lewis, Arthur H., THE DARK SIDE OF THE
media in general. These sources I will bring up are				MILLENNIUM.
relevant to the issues of this chapter. So far I have				Logston, Robert, THE END-TIMES BLOODBATH.
outlined a plausible but not mainstream view of				MacPherson, Dave, THE GREAT RAPTURE HOAX.
Christian eschatology. From this point forward, as				Robinson, John A. T., REDATING THE NEW
promised, expect the view presented to be 'weird'.				TESTAMENT.
CHAPTER TWO				J. Stuart, THE PAROUSIA (1887).
A FIRST LOOK AT NORMAN O. BROWN				Stevens, Ed, WHAT HAPPENED IN 70 A.D.
It is a tale				Terry, Milton, BIBLICAL HERMENEUTICS.
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury				Chapters Two-Four.
Signifying nothing.				Brown, Noman O., CLOSING TIME (1973).
-Shakespeare				______________, LOVE'S BODY (1966).
There is a good possibility you have never heard of				Campbell, Joseph and Robinson, H., A SKELETON KEY
Norman O. Brown or come across any of his writings.				TO FINNEGANS WAKE (1944). Gutkind, Eric, THE
His books are now a generation old and partly out of				BODY OF GOD: FIRST STEPS TOWARD AN
print. Perhaps certain of the issues he raised have				ANTI-THEOLOGY (1966-Horizon Press).
become moot with the passage of time.				Harrington, M. THE POLITICS AT GOD'S FUNERAL:
I think when his books originally came out Brown was				THE SPIRITUAL CRISIS OF WESTERN
taken as merely a sexual radical. I say merely here in				CIVILIZATION (1983)
the sense that Brown would not be under discussion				Hyde, Lewis, TRICKSTER MAKES THIS WORLD
if I felt that was solely what he was about. A				(1988).
superficial reading of his cryptic, aphoristic style				Joyce, James, FINNEGANS WAKE (1939).
indeed does give this impression. However, the actual				Reich, Wilhelm, THE MURDER OF CHRIST: THE
subject of two of his books, LOVE'S BODY (1966)				EMOTIONAL PLAGUE OF MANKIND (1966). Robinson,
and CLOSING TIME (1973) was religion. Of the two				Paul A., THE FREUDIAN LEFT: WILHELM REICH,
books, CLOSING TIME is currently out of print but				GEZA ROHEIM, HERBERT MARCUSE (1969). Roheim,
necessary for a complete picture. With these two				Geza, MAGIC AND SCHIZOPHRENIA (1955).
books Brown actually solved the mysteries of religion.				____________, ANIMISM, MAGIC AND THE
Am I here claiming that if you comprehend these				DIVINE KING (1930). Sontag, Susan, "The imagination
books you will have all your questions answered on				of disaster." AGAINST INTERPRETATION AND
religion? Yes, that is indeed what I am claiming. Brown				OTHER ESSAYS (1966). Tausk, Victor, "On the origin
did get all the way to the inner sanctum. If you are				of the 'Influencing Machine' in schizophrenia" (1933).
able to solve Brown's puzzles, you will simultaneously				Tindall, W., A READER'S GUIDE TO FINNEGANS
solve the mysteries of religion. I say this fully aware				WAKE (1969).
that Brown's erudition makes this a monumental task.				Verene, D., KNOWLEDGE OF THINGS HUMAN AND
If I have piqued your curiosity, and you decide to				DIVINE: VICO'S NEW SCIENCE AND FINNEGANS
take a look at Brown, the best procedure might be				WAKE (2003).
to look at some other sources as a preliminary. It's all				FILM LIST BY DATE (PRIMARILY SCIENCE FICTION)
there in Brown in plain English, you understand, but				A partial list of relevant and valuable film titles. No
you may have more success by circling in from the				studios are given. Especially significant films are
periphery. One good out of print source from the				preceeded by an *
same time period is Eric Gutkind's THE BODY OF				*EVAN ALMIGHTY (2007) (sequel to BRUCE
GOD: FIRST STEPS TOWARD AN ANTI-THEOLOGY.				ALMIGHTY. God commands Evan to build an Ark)
This book is also written in an aphoristic style.				THE INVISIBLE (2007) AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
Comparing the title of this book with LOVE'S BODY				(1996) CLICK (2006)
will give you a clue to start you on the road to				STRANGER THAN FICTION (2006)
solving Brown. Looking from the philosophical side,				BEWITCHED (2005)
Michael Harrington's THE POLITICS AT GOD'S				CHICKEN LITTLE (2005) ('The sky is falling!)
FUNERAL astutely asks all the right questions. The				*CONSTANTINE (2005)
best book ever written on Jesus is Constantin				V FOR VENDETTA (2005) THE DAY AFTER
Brunner's OUR CHRIST: THE REVOLT OF THE				TOMORROW (2004)
MYSTICAL GENIUS (1921). Here's an interesting				ELLA ENCHANTED (2004)
sentence from the book: "There he hung, the				FAHRENHEIT 9/11 (2004)
blasphemer of God and slander of the most noble				THE FINAL CUT (2004) (madman must die to save
men, the poor malicious fool, the incorrigble wretch,				others)
the whoreson and whore monger, the swindler, the				THE FORGOTTEN (2004)
liar, the secucer." The so-called radical Freudians, in				THE LOST SKELETON OF CADAVRA (2004)
general, such as Marcuse, Reich and Roheim in				THE MACHINIST (2004)
addition to Brown, are pertinent.				THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST (2004)
There isn't space for an exegesis of Brown. Instead				*SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMMOROW
I'll outline a central idea - the importance of the Primal				(2004)
Scene. For the uninitiated, the Primal Scene is what				WHAT THE #$*! DO WE KNOW!? (2004)
Dad and Mom did in the bedroom. Now even Freud's				*BRUCE ALMIGHTY (2003) ('Armageddon outta
disciples had difficulty seeing the significance of the				here!')
Oedipal Primal Scene and repeatedly attempted to				*NORTHFORK (2003) (has an Ark,a Flood and
revise their master. Perhaps the best way to get an				recording angels)
inking of its significance is to set up a confrontation				SPIDER (2003) (madman)
between the Joker (the little 'castrated' clown				CLOCKSTOPPERS (2002) (mass psychosis)
portrayed by Brown) and you. Put yourself in the				DON'T SAY A WORD (2002)
following scene as a male:				FINAL (2002)
You are standing on the outskirts of the big, modern				FRAILTY (2002)
city where you live as the Joker approaches.				HEARTS IN ATLANTIS (2002)
The Joker begins, "You know, stranger, I've been				THE IMPOSTER (2002)
doing a lot of traveling lately and have seen several				K-PAX (2002)
cities, including this one. I must say I don't like what				LILO AND STITCH (2002)
I've been seeing at all. In every town the residents				NO SUCH THING (2002)
use elaborate locks on their doors and seen to be				THE RING (2002)
afraid to get outside on their own sidewalks at night.				SIGNS (2002)
One minute they use each other's bodies as pleasure				ZOOLANDER (2002)
objects, and the next they sue each other at the				A BEAUTIFUL MIND (2001)
slightest provocation. I see noise, confusion, mayhem				CHICKEN RUN (2000)
and worse at each turn. I can't think of a thing that				END OF DAYS (1999)
happened in Sodom that hasn't happened here many				GLADIATOR (1998)
times over. Tell me, when you first came here was				THE MATRIX (1998)
the city the same as it is now?"				*THE SIXTH SENSE (1998)
You reply, "More or less it was, indeed."				WHAT DREAMS MAY COME (1998)
The Joker says, "This town is a hard place to try to				MEN IN BLACK (1997)
make a living in. Life is so hectic, there is such a				INDEPENDENCE DAY (1996)
constant rush and din, that I sometimes believe I'm				MARS ATTACKS! (1996)
really caught in a nightmare and will wake up at any				*PLEASANTVILLE (1996)
moment. This is no place to try to start a family or				FORREST GUMP (1994)
to raise a child. There's no place for the kids to play				*STARGATE (1994)
here. You know, although I've had plenty of				DROP DEAD FRED (1991) THE RAPTURE (1991)
opportunities to unzip my pants and pull out my gun				THE FISHER KING (1990)
here, I just haven't felt right about it and so far				THE HANDMAIDS TALE (1990)
decided to keep my pants zipped up. But I see by				LOOSE CANNONS (1990)
the ring on your finger that the situation here				SPACED INVADERS (1990)
apparently didn't deter you. You had the same				EARTH GIRLS ARE EASY (1988)
opportunity, after all, to look around and see what				BEETLEJUICE (1988)
was going on. But I see that no matter what you				BIG (1988)
saw, you weren't about to stay away. You had to				RAINMAN (1988)
have it. I admit that I am only a Fool. But I ask you -				THEY LIVE (1988)
who's the better man?"				*WINGS OF DESIRE (1988) (angels)
You: (Speechless).				FIELD OF DREAMS (1987)
The Joker resumes, " Because I care about the evil I				*MAKING MR. RIGHT (1987)
see and you don't particularly care, you end up with a				PRINCE OF DARKNESS (1987)
child to carry on your line, and I don't. I ask you,				REAL MEN (1987)
which man has the greater love?"				THE BOY WHO COULD FLY (1986)
You finally speak, "Before I punch you out, do you				FLIGHT OF THE NAVIGATOR (1986)
have anything more to say? - Any last words?"				RIDERS OF THE STORM (1986)
The Joker ignores this and pauses a moment to scan				BETTER OFF DEAD (1985)
the distant skyline. He then points a finger at the				CREATOR (1985)
tallest skyscraper, rising in the mists - a source of				LIFEFORCE (1985)
civic pride known to all residents (and an indisputable				*LEGEND (1985)
phallic symbol). The Joker turns and asks, "How? -				MORONS FROM OUTER SPACE (1985)
that building there - Tell me how that modern Tower				MASS APPEAL (1985)
of Babel was constructed? No, let me answer the				MY SCIENCE PROJECT (1985)
question. It was constructed by men who at some				THE PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO (1985)
time or other unzipped their pants. Not that a single				REANIMATOR (1985)
one of them was ever forced to you understand. It				REAL GENIUS (1985)
is after all a voluntary act. Now I ask you to consider				STARMAN (1985)
for a moment with me what would have happened if				WEIRD SCIENCE (1985)
not one of these same men had ever unzipped their				BROTHER FROM ANOTHER PLANET (1984)
pants at all - not even one single time. How much of				THE DEAD ZONE (1984)
what you see around here now would still be here? I'll				DREAMSCAPE (1984)
answer - not a bit of it would here, including the				GHOSTBUSTERS (1984)
building I just pointed to. I've been wondering these				THE LAST STARFIGHTER (1984)
days why we put up with the perpetual nightmares				THE LONELY GUY (1984)
here that we go through to get these massive				THE NATURAL (1984)
monuments constructed. If we could just get all the				NIGHT OF THE COMET (1984)
women under control, we could sit around all day and				RED DAWN (1984)
drink beer and play cards."				REVENGE OF THE NERDS (1984)
You reply, "Leave it to a shiftless ne'er-do-well to --"				SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES (1984)
The Joker interrupts, "What we really need here is a				TERMINATOR (1984)
King - the absolute biggest Fool we can find with the				TESTAMENT (1984)
largest member. I think you may agree that I am the				*ZELIG (1984)
perfect candidate for this job, as I'm absolutely no				KRULL (1983)
good for anything else."				THE MAN WITH TWO BRAINS (1983)
The pair glare at each other, ready to fight.				VIDEODROME (1983)
Let me make the important point about this tale that				*ROCK AND RULE (1982)
the 'you" of the dialogue could just as well be the				THE SENDER (1982)
Joker's father as anyone else - not a single line of the				ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK (1981)
preceding would need to be changed. (In the original				SCANNERS (1981)
tale of Oedipus meeting his father at the crossroads,				*THE LATHE OF HEAVEN (1980-PBS)
the pair had been separated and there was a disguise				ALIEN (1979)
and neither seemed to recognize the other, at least				*BEING THERE (1979)
consciously.) If the 'you' of the narrative were indeed				CAPRICORN ONE (1979)
the Joker's father, the Joker would then literally be a				THE LAST WAVE (1979)
son of a gun. This would also make the Joker on his				*SIMON (1979)
mother's side literally an S.O.B.				HOLOCAUST 2000 (1978)
In the dialogue that took place at the Temptation of				STAR WARS (1977)
Christ (Matt. 4:1-11, Mk. 2:13, Luke 4:1-13), Jesus				CARRIE (1976)
rejected Satan's offer of the kingdoms of this world.				THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH (1976)
Brown says we are indeed in Satan's kingdom, i.e.,				THE OMEN (1976)
Hell, especially in the big cities. Jesus will one day				A BOY AND HIS DOG (1975)
accept dominion over the earthly kingdoms, but only				*THE DEVIL'S RAIN (1975)
on Judgment Day when His enemies have been				THE STEPFORD WIVES (1975)
made into footstools. When He does return, He will				WIZARDS (1975)
bring the keys to Hell and to Death. This implies that				FLESH GORDON (1974-X)
a massive restructuring of present urban life - our				YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (1974)
man-made Hell - will begin at this point.				THE EXORCIST (1973)
To change the subject, if you have an interest in				THE HOLY MOUNTAIN (1973)
James Joyce, you should examine the excerpts				HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER (1973)
Brown has collected in CLOSING TIME. Joyce either				JESUS CHRIST, SUPERSTAR (1973)
imitates (or himself actually is) the insane. The WAKE				SOYLENT GREEN (1973)
is from start to finish nothing but the gibberings of a				THE SPOOK WHO SAT BESIDE THE DOOR (1973)
madman. FINNEGANS WAKE is a textual Rorschach				THE WICKER MAN (1973)
test, by which I mean that in its voluminous pages,				WESTWORLD (1973)
any phrase you are looking for before you open the				ZARDOZ (1973)
book can likely be found. But all the excerpts Brown				A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971)
has assembled taken together conclusively				FOOLS' PARADE (1971)
demonstrate that Joyce 'cracked' religion, i.e., that all				THE LAST PICTURE SHOW (1971)
the answers were set down in the WAKE. In other				THE OMEGA MAN (1971)
words, Brown demonstrates that Joyce earlier				*THE RULING CLASS (1971)
pioneered the same trail in that Brown found. I don't				THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS (1971)
want to go beyond fair use and start quoting text,				WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
so I'll stop.				(1971)
CHAPTER THREE				CAPTAIN NEMO AND THE UNDERWATER CITY
THE MEDIA MESSIAH: LOOKING FOR JESUS ON TV				(1970)
Let me start with a lengthy list:				*THE MAGIC CHRISTIAN (1970)
PURPLE RAIN COLORED RAIN GREEN RAIN FAIRY				THIS STUFF'LL KILL YA! (1970)
RAIN INVISIBLE RAIN BLOWING THE WIND				THE RAIN PEOPLE (1969)
REAPING THE WHIRLWIND IDIOT WIND WEATHER				CHARLY (1968)
WAR REICHIAN ORGONE RADAR LOVE THE CALL				MARS NEEDS WOMEN (1968)
LONDON CALLING THE BIG BROADCAST WEIRD				NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968)
RADIO PLANET WAVES BLOWING THE HORN				PLANET OF THE APES (1968)
SOUNDING THE TRUMPET MIND WAR FAIRY GOLD				THE POWER (1968)
FAIRY BLIGHT FAIRY BASEBALL FAIRY BOWLING				FAHRENHEIT 451 (1967)
WALLS TUMBLING DOWN BALLOON GOES UP THE				THE FLIM FLAM MAN (1967)
LONG GOODBYE THE BIG SHOOTOUT THE LAST				DR. GOLDFOOT AND THE GIRL BOMBS (1966)
ROUNDUP DROPPING THE VIALS THE POWER AND				KING OF HEARTS (1966)
THE GLORY FIRE AND BRIMSTONE THE FLOOD				DR. GOLDFOOT AND THE BIKINI MACHINE (1965)
TWINKLING OF AN EYE THE RAPTURE THE				A THOUSAND CLOWNS (1965)
SECRET RAPTURE MARCHING MORONS DROPPING				*CHILDREN OF THE DAMNED (1964)
THE BIG ONE THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL				DR. STRANGELOVE: OR, HOW I LEARNED TO STOP
THE MACHINE STOPS THE FINAL SOLUTION THE				WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB (1964)
ELEPHANT BURIAL GROUNDS THE ROAD TO				THE LAST MAN ON EARTH (1964)
HOLOCAUST TIMEBOMB TICKING OVER SODOM				SEVEN DAYS IN MAY (1964)
LAYING THE DEVIL DOWN RADIO SILENCE LIGHTS				THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963)
OUT SHUTTING IT DOWN TURNING IT OFF				LORD OF THE FLIES (1963)
PULLING THE PLUG PUNCHING THE DELETE				THE NUTTY PROFESSOR (1963)
BUTTON THE SCREEN GOES DARK CLOSING TIME				THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962)
JUDGMENT DAY SIGNING OFF NIGHTFALL THE BIG				THE MUSIC MAN (1962)
SLEEP				REPTILICUS (1962)
"Whom the gods would destroy, they first drive				WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND (1962)
mad" I'll ask some questions about this list to clarify it.				ATLANTIS, THE LOST CONTINENT (1961)
At first sight, looking over this by no means				MASTER OF THE WORLD (1961)
exhaustive list, it appears we need to get out our				ON THE BEACH (1960)
umbrellas (or perhaps a degree in meteorology). The				PSYCHO (1960)
first question to ask is: How many of these phrases				*VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED (1960)
have you ever come across before? Try to think				THE WORLD, THE FLESH AND THE DEVIL (1959)
where, if anywhere, any of these phrases can be				ATTACK OF THE 50-FOOT WOMAN (1958)
found. After thinking it over, you might decide that				*THE BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS (1958)
some show up in literature, some may be from the				HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (1958)
Bible, but many of them come from the media.				I MARRIED A MONSTER FROM OUTER SPACE
The next question about the list would be: by				(1958)
grouping all these phrases together as I did, did I thus				THE MAGICIAN (1958)
intend to imply that each phrase is identical or				NOT OF THIS EARTH (1957)
synonymous with each other phrase in the list? No,				THE COURT JESTER (1956)
they are interchangeable in only a few cases, but				FORBIDDEN PLANET (1956)
they are interrelated. What then do the phrases have				GIANT (1956)
in common? My answer is that all bear a direct				GODZILLA (1956)
relationship to a single phrase:				INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956)
MASS PSYCHOSIS				THIS ISLAND EARTH (1955)
This particular phrase, Mass Psychosis, you are				GOG (1954)
probably less likely to have come across. Mass				INVADERS FROM MARS (1954)
Psychosis is the actual meaning of the Fundamentalist				IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE (1953)
doctrine of the Secret Rapture.				THE LOST PLANET (1953)
Now I'm sure if one had the opportunity to interview				*MEET MR. LUCIFER (1953)
rock star Prince and ask him what he meant by				THE WAR OF THE WORLDS (1953)
Purple Rain that he would not immediately reply, "a				MY SON JOHN (1952)
codeword for mass psychosis." Similarly, Bob Dylan				RADAR MEN FROM THE MOON (1952)
wouldn't be inclined to say, "When I sang about Idiot				RED PLANET MARS (1952)
Wind, I meant mass psychosis." I would instead				ZOMBIES OF THE STRATOSPHERE (1952)
expect convoluted explanations involving literary				CAPTAIN VIDEO, MASTER OF THE
metaphors, etc., if I received any reply at all.				STRATOSPHERE (1951)
Incidentally, I mentioned Prince deliberately since				*THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951)
there was controversy about his 'explicit ' lyrics when				THE MAN FROM PLANET X (1951)
his songs came out. I note that his critics had nothing				WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE (1951)
at all to say about the other dimension of his songs I				D.O.A. (1950)
am pointing to here - Judgment Day by 1999, etc.				*THE NEXT VOICE YOU HEAR (1950)
Here I want to stop discussion of the list and return				ROCKETSHIP X-M (1950)
at the end of this chapter with more comments. Let				THE INSPECTOR GENERAL (1949)
me briefly return to the general topic of the media.				KING OF THE ROCKETMEN (1949)
By media I mean all the conduits by which paid				THE THIRD MAN (1949)
entertainment reaches us - film, radio, television, etc.				NIGHTMARE ALLEY (1947)
Because television has such a voracious appetite, I				THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE (1947)
will be using the term media and TV more or less				THE PURPLE MONSTER STRIKES (1945)
interchangeably. Think of how TV, in order to fill each				COBRA WOMAN (1944)
and every hour, gobbles up the output of the other				THE LODGER (1944)
media, from films to stage plays to even rock music				NONE BUT THE LONELY HEART (1944)
in the form of music videos. Some of us are logging				I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE (1943)
in nearly a third of our lives glued to out sets these				DON WINSLOW OF THE NAVY (1942)
days. As a baby boomer, I teethed on TV and took				I MARRIED A WITCH (1942) THE DEVIL
its pervasive influence for granted. But, after decades				COMMANDS (1941)
of exposure we have now had, I feel it is time we				THE MALTESE FALCON (1941)
should begin a serious examination of the media. Its				*FLASH GORDON CONQUERS THE UNIVERSE (1940)
influence is probably considerably greater than literary				BUCK ROGERS (1939)
sources today.				DAREDEVILS OF THE RED CIRCLE (1939)
Already by the sixties we had the McLuhanesque				THE PHANTOM CREEPS (1939)
dictum that the medium is the message. This idea is				*THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939)
that the content is not particularly important, but				FIGHTING DEVIL DOGS (1938)
rather the existence and ubiquitousness of the				FLASH GORDON'S TRIP TO MARS (1937)
medium itself is the most significant fact.				THE MAN WHO COULD WORK MIRACLES (1937)
Let me look at media criticism in terms of increasing				TIM TYLER'S LUCK (1937)
level of profundity. At the lowest, most abysmal				TOPPER (1937)
level, the media are seen as providing harmless				THE DEVIL DOLL (1936)
entertainment. But the billions of dollars we dump into				FLASH GORDON (1936)
the media demonstrate that much more is going on.				THE INVISIBLE RAY (1936)
Slightly better is the extreme right wing evangelical				THINGS TO COME (1936)
view that TV and films are the devil's picture book				UNDERSEA KINGDOM (1936)
and rock music is the devil's music. This approach has				THE LOST CITY (1935)
the virtue of being factually correct, but has fallen on				MURDER BY TELEVISION (1935)
increasingly hard times as all but the diehards have				*THE PHANTOM EMPIRE (1935)
capitulated and joined in the media cacophony				GABRIEL OVER THE WHITE HOUSE (1933)
themselves. Massive blocks of radio broadcast time				THE INVISIVIBLE MAN (1933)
and entire cable networks are devoted to selling				KING KONG (1933)
Jesus sandwiched in between the ads for soap and				FRANKENSTEIN (1932)
used cars.				ISLAND OF LOST SOULS (1932)
Slightly more discriminating is the idea that TV is a				M (1931)
boob tube and rock music is subversive trash, and				BLUE ANGEL (1930)
exposure to one or both may permanently warp				METROPOLIS (1926)
your brain. Is the ultimate objective to produce a				THE LAST LAUGH (1924)
race of mindless, godless, zombie giants (the return				*THE CRAZY RAY (aka PARIS QUI DORT) (1923-Fr.)
of the "men of renown" of Genesis as described by				THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI (1919)
Brown in CLOSING TIME)?				FILM LIST
What indeed keeps us mesmerized by the flickering				ALIEN (1979)
images hour after hour? Why are so many of us				ATLANTIS, THE LOST CONTINENT (1961)
couch potatoes - practically frozen into stone				ATTACK OF THE 50-FOOT WOMAN (1958)
statues? What are we really watching? The answer				A BEAUTIFUL MIND (2001)
from Norman O. Brown is that we are seeing the				BEETLEJUICE (1988)
Oedipal Primal Scene reenacted night after night in				BEING THERE (1979)
endless repetition with slight variations. You object, "I				BETTER OFF DEAD (1985)
beg your pardon. I watched a game show followed				BEWITCHED (2005)
by a situation comedy last night." What we are really				BIG (1988)
doing here is paying performers to put on the only				BLUE ANGEL (1930)
show we want to see.				A BOY AND HIS DOG (1975)
Finally, at the highest level of criticism, we also				THE BOY WHO COULD FLY (1986)
simultaneously get the final verdict on the media. We				THE BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS (1958)
are watching Jesus get crucified night after night in				BROTHER FROM ANOTHER PLANET (1984)
excruciating detail, although we may not be				BRUCE ALMIGHTY (2003)
consciously aware of it. After decades of this, I think				THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI (1919)
it is likely to catch up with us some day. In other				CAPRICORN ONE (1979)
words, the lurid violence and evil we see depicted in				CAPTAIN NEMO AND THE UNDERWATER CITY
the media may eventually come to us in real life.				(1970)
In spite of the blanket condemnation of the last				CARRIE (1976)
paragraph, I'm going to turn around and list some				CHARLY (1968)
movies. Ideally you should stay away. But the payoff				CHICKEN LITTLE (2005)
is going to come to us all, whether or not we				CHICKEN RUN (2000)
individually may or may not have watched. In the				CHILDREN OF THE DAMNED (1964)
meantime, perhaps we can use the opportunity to				CLICK (2006)
study both the overt and the subtle techniques being				CLOCKSTOPPERS (2002)
employed.				A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971)
The primary genre to keep an eye on is science				COBRA WOMAN (1944)
fiction. As Susan Sontag said in the sixties, this is the				CONSTANTINE (2005)
genre of apocalypse and mass destruction. Typically,				THE COURT JESTER (1956)
as in the prototype FRANKENSTEIN (1932), a man				THE CRAZY RAY (aka PARIS QUI DORT) (1923-Fr.)
attempts to appropriate the prerogatives of God				CREATOR (1985)
(technically blasphemy) and reaps madness and				THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW (2004)
disaster. These are rigidly moral parables where				THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951)
retribution is swift and sure.				THE DEAD ZONE (1984)
Look, for example, at Rene Clair's THE CRAZY RAY				THE DEVIL COMMANDS (1941)
(1923) from the infancy of the industry. The				THE DEVIL DOLL (1936)
elements that were to become cliches with decades				THE DEVIL'S RAIN (1975)
of continuous repetition were already present. A mad				D.O.A. (1950)
scientist invents a ray machine he constructs inside				DON'T SAY A WORD (2002)
the Eiffel Tower that turns the inhabitants of Paris				DROP DEAD FRED (1991) DR. GOLDFOOT AND THE
into stone statues. An aircraft initially out of range of				BIKINI MACHINE (1965)
the ray lands, and the passengers are astonished				DR. GOLDFOOT AND THE GIRL BOMBS (1966)
when they disembark. One worthwhile principle of				DR. STRANGELOVE: OR, HOW I LEARNED TO STOP
criticism is to pay particular attention to the message				WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB (1964)
of film titles. In this example, the title might bring to				DREAMSCAPE (1984)
mind such questions as: "did the title mean the				EARTH GIRLS ARE EASY (1988)
inventor was crazy? Or did the ray have crazy				ELLA ENCHANTED (2004)
effects? Or did the ray drive people crazy, implying				END OF DAYS (1999)
that to turn people to stone is to drive them mad?"				ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK (1981)
A quite similar theme is presented in THE VILLAGE				EVAN ALMIGHTY (2007)
OF THE DAMNED (1960) and its sequel THE				THE EXORCIST (1973)
CHILDREN OF THE DAMNED (1964) (what questions				FAHRENHEIT 451 (1967)
do these titles bring to mind?). This time a mysterious				FAHRENHEIT 9/11 (2004)
influence seals off an entire village, the perpetrators				FIELD OF DREAMS (1987)
in this case being invading aliens. Here, as in THE				FINAL (2002)
CRAZY RAY, a geographic area is temporarily				THE FINAL CUT (2004)
circumscribed. The females are impregnated by the				THE FISHER KING (1990)
aliens and subsequently bear children with glowing				FLESH GORDON (1974-X)
eyes and mysterious powers. This aspect of the film				FLIGHT OF THE NAVIGATOR (1986)
echoes the tale in the Book of Enoch of the fallen				THE FLIM FLAM MAN (1967)
angels who descended to earth to mate with the				FOOLS' PARADE (1971)
women and to teach forbidden arts.				FORBIDDEN PLANET (1956)
Let me quickly note a few relevant characteristics of				THE FORGOTTEN (2004)
paranoid schizophrenia as described by, for example,				FORREST GUMP (1994)
Norman O. Brown, Geza Roheim or Victor Tausk. The				FRAILTY (2002)
patient believes evil entities such as aliens from				FRANKENSTEIN (1932)
another world are secretly conspiring to do him harm.				GABRIEL OVER THE WHITE HOUSE (1933)
The patient may believe his enemies are employing				GHOSTBUSTERS (1984)
physical equipment such as beam projectors against				GIANT (1956)
him. He is subject to seeing hallucinations or hearing				GLADIATOR (1998)
voices attempting to guide his actions against his will.				GODZILLA (1956)
In THE NEXT VOICE YOU HEAR (1950) normal radio				GOG (1954)
broadcasts are interrupted for short periods each				THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963)
night, and the cast seems to hear a message. This				THE HANDMAID'S TALE (1990)
message seems to be more or less the Sermon on				HEARTS IN ATLANTIS (2002)
the Mount. Was this the voice of God? If not, what				HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER (1973)
was it?				HOLOCAUST 2000 (1978)
Another frequent theme in science fiction is the				THE HOLY MOUNTAIN (1973)
nomination of candidate (false) messiahs. I say false,				HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (1958)
since we are merely watching actors playing a				I MARRIED A WITCH (1942) I MARRIED A
fictional role. A real life prototype of these characters				MONSTER FROM OUTER SPACE (1958)
if found would not automatically thereby be a				I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE (1943)
messiah. An example is THE MAN FROM PLANET X				THE IMPOSTER (2002)
(1951), which has an alien who is trapped and needs				AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH (2006) INDEPENDENCE
earthly assistance.				DAY (1996)
THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951) (note				THE INSPECTOR GENERAL (1949)
the title) offers another false messiah. An alien				INVADERS FROM MARS (1953)
descends in a saucer, takes on the interesting name				INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956)
of Mr. Carpenter, is killed and resurrected three days				THE INVISIBLE (2007) THE INVISIBLE MAN (1933)
later, etc. In the case of this film, the extensive				THE INVISIBLE RAY (1936)
analogies were conscious on the part of some of the				ISLAND OF LOST SOULS (1932)
production people and were taken from the novel on				IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE (1953)
which the film is based.				JESUS CHRIST, SUPERSTAR (1973)
In the BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS (1958) an				KING KONG (1933)
alienpossesses a scientist, who then embarks on a				KING OF HEARTS (1966)
mad quest to rule the world. It's my all time favorite				K-PAX (2002)
movie. He has the power to shoot airliners out of the				KRULL (1983)
sky with his eyes while lauging maniacally. He causes				THE LAST LAUGH (1924)
megaton exposions with no visible weapons in his				THE LAST MAN ON EARTH (1964)
scheme for world domination. He's also a sex fiend.				THE LAST PICTURE SHOW (1971)
Ingmar Bergman's THE MAGICIAN (1958) presents a				THE LAST STARFIGHTER (1984)
rather dyspeptic false messiah from a traveling				THE LAST WAVE (1979)
carnival show. The messiah of WHISTLE DOWN THE				THE LATHE OF HEAVEN (1980-PBS)
WIND (1962) (note the title) is a fugitive mistaken				LEGEND (1985)
for Jesus when discovered in their barn. When				LIFEFORCE (1985)
apprehended and frisked, he stretches his arms to				LILO AND STITCH (2002)
form a cross. THE FLIM FLAM MAN (1967) is a petty				THE LODGER (1944)
con artist living by his wits. CHARLY (1968) is				THE LONELY GUY (1984)
mentally retarded until chemically transformed into a				LOOSE CANNONS (1990)
supermind. In THE RULING CLASS (1971), the				LORD OF THE FLIES (1963)
candidate is an apparent psychopath. THE OMEGA				THE LOST SKELETON OF CADAVRA (2004)
MAN (1971), a remake of THE LAST MAN ON				M (1931)
EARTH (1964), (note the titles) offers another ersatz				THE MACHINIST (2004)
messiah. In ZARDOZ (1973), the messiah figure is a				THE MAGIC CHRISTIAN (1970)
barbarian.				THE MAGICIAN (1958)
SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW				MAKING MR. RIGHT (1987)
(2004) has as the villan a man in his grave named				THE MALTESE FALCON (1941)
German Toden Kopf (Death's Head). He has arranged				THE MAN FROM PLANET X (1951)
to have a new Noah's ark built. As so often, the villan				THE MAN WITH TWO BRAINS (1983)
is the secret hero, because here Sky Captain actually				THE MAN WHO COULD WORK MIRACLES (1937)
destroys the Ark! HOLOCAUST 2000 (1978) (note				THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH (1976)
the prediction in the title) presents the spectacle of				THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962)
Kirk Douglas wildly running up and down the Middle				MARS ATTACKS (1996)
Eastern oilfields proclaiming the Ten Horns, etc. from				MARS NEEDS WOMEN (1968)
the Book of Revelation. The messiah of THE LAST				MASS APPEAL (1985)
WAVE (1979) is an aboriginal witch doctor. In BEING				MASTER OF THE WORLD (1961)
THERE (1979), a simple-minded gardener who can				THE MATRIX (1998)
barely tie his bootlaces and happens to be named Mr.				MEN IN BLACK (1997)
Gardiner impresses the President as a sage. At the				MEET MR.
end of the film he walks on water since no one has

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