Spielberg's alien tale is 'Taken' to cable

cleveland.com ^ | 12/02/02 | Clint O'Connor

[scouse]

You are better versed on Speilberg than I. I did not see Close Encounters, nor did I see ET. In fact I think the only Speilberg epic I saw was Jaws. Regarding Crawford, I realize that not everybody in the military was in league with him, but when they arrested the kid as a spy I think it makes them seem like fellow travellers or enablers at least.
Having seen all episodes this far, I was disturbed by the fact that there was no retribution paid by Crawford for his heinous crimes and he died with his copybook unblemished. I realize it is only a fictional story, but if you are going to write a morality play, let's have some morality.

[js1138]

but if you are going to write a morality play, let's have some morality.

Well let's see... He lost his wife (several times), his job, his favorite son, and his life. And trust me, his other son is cruising down the wrong highway.

Although "natural justice" feels good, not every story has to include it. In fact, I would like the series better if they didn't feel compelled to include the Forest Gump, feel good civil rights hippy-dippy stuff. I know it sets the period, but it also rubs my behind the wrong way.

[scouse]

Okay js; This is my last word on the subject, but when watching this show I am reminded of an incident which happened back in the 70s.
A guy got together with some of his friends and asked them to help him write a soft-porn novel. He gave them all the outline of the story and asked each one to write a chapter quite separate from the other people.They did and the chapters were put in book form and it became quite a good seller. The name of the book was, "Naked Came The Stranger"
I never read the book, but I did read the reviews and to me watching Taken is like watching a story written by a group of people quite independent of each other. Perhaps it should be called. "Naked Came The Alien".

[vikingchick]

[Random thoughts about last night's episode]

East of Eden: yep, I see that. Definitely.

If you ever saw the opening montage for the Amazing Stories series, it's exactly like the opening montage for Taken.

The Alaska scenes started to intrigue me when they found the mummy. However, all that running around in the woods started to get tedious. But I will give them credit for finally showing the half-alien guy at the end.

I think it's a cop-out when the movie-makers say that the aliens can assume human form, because then they don't have to do any creative makeup. All they have to do is have the human-appearing 'alien' walk around stiffly, with an unemotional expression on his face.

I guess I'll stick with it too.....to the bitter end.

[spectre]

Nothing will escape your vast sci-fi knowledge, I'm counting on it, VC..grins.

And we thought Steven King plagerized his material. He's got a twin in Spieburg, me thinks :~)

About the Aliens being able to change forms. Did you catch the term "shape shifters"? I'm surprised they haven't spoken of the Reptilian Race, aka, "shape shifters". But the series is only half over. Uggh.

sw

[js1138]

You have it. Each episode in the series has a different director. Each appears to stand alone as a story.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

At one point in the first night, a woman drives around the same curve where the UFOs first appeared in Close Encounters.

I knew that stretch of road looked familiar.

[spectre]

Scoop. I think the reason I'm still watching, is because I expect some sort of a HUGE finish. Something different or unique that hasn't been thought of before.

Or maybe, when it's all said and done, I'll just throw a shoe at the TV and shout "Spielberg"!

sw

[vikingchick]

I think the reason I'm still watching, is because I expect some sort of a HUGE finish. Something different or unique that hasn't been thought of before.

That's what I'm waiting for too. Dare we to dream? Let's see what we've got so far:

hovering flying saucer (been done before),
little green/gray men (done),
inside the spacecraft (nothing new that I remember),
strange alien language printed on piece of metal (sounds familiar),
victims of aliens being probed naked in spacecraft (done),
car turning off when spacecraft hoviering overhead (check)

Correct me if I'm wrong.....

[spectre]

You forgot to list the Alien implanting a human with it's seed. And the "lapse in time" amnesia.

Other than that, you pretty much summed it up.

I can hardly wait for tonights episode...The suspense is just killing me...sigh.

sw

[spectre]

Hi Doc. Just read your post. I'm still crackin up over your fantasy of the beautiful Alien creature woman probing every orifice of yours. You certainly have a way with words, LOL.

When Crawford took out his drunk wife, if looks could have killed, HE would have been dead. What a jerk. Telling her he was sending her off to a nice, alcohol Rehab center and he killed her and his Aide instead.

WE could have written a better script...heck, we have!

sw

[johnny7]

The reason the car stalls... konks out... is because it's not maintained properly.

I've seen weird stuff in the sky and on my photos but I ain't saying they're from outer space!

Sure, I got a tiny little hole in the back of my neck that never seals but I don't call it a device!

The human eye is a lens... the brain is a computer. Between the two, what you see is what you get.

Question; How much do we know about light refraction in our atmosphere... or camera anomalies?

I would say little. When you can't explain something... the brain digs into the files for the closest thing. UFO, ghosts whatever.

[Calvin Locke]

I think it has more to do with God and Jonah. But I could be mistaken. Either that, or they really like the taste of people named Ahab, Queequeg, et al.

[BikerNYC]

Sorry I don't believe in UFO,s it's a fantasy, taken advantaged by hollywood as a propaganda.

Neither do I. But in the story, the government is the enemy.

By the way, apart from selling a story that makes them lots of money, what advantage does Hollywood have in promoting this propoganda (I assume you are saying they are promoting it as true, as opposed to just selling science fiction stories)?

[Vinnie]

It would be interesting, from a scientific point of view, if the visitors actually turned out to be bipedal, have two eyes, swing two arms, etc. Is there some imperative for this evolutionary outcome? Know what I mean?

That is something I have often thought. IF these 'grays' are for real, the similarities to humans is striking. Evolution or intelligent design, my vote is creation, the probability of two separate worlds evolving similar creatures light years apart is beyond remote.

[desertcry]

What advantage does hollywood...... It's no secret that spielberg, like the clintons and most of his hollywood pals are leftist military hating liberals. Thus he uses his movies to get cheap shots at the military and conservatives. It's as simple as that. But it's extremely revolting to me. I hope some people in FR shares this openion.

[vikingchick]

The little girl's voiceover is quite insufferable. It's like a little girl Andy Rooney. "You know how it feels when you're crossing a dark room? And you're pretty sure you won't bump into anything as you're feeling your way in the darkness?...."

"Most people have faith that things will go well in their lives. That is, until something goes wrong....."

[vikingchick]

Thus he uses his movies to get cheap shots at the military and conservatives However, he did do "Saving Private Ryan," a great war movie. Credit where credit's due. You are right though, that in other movies, he makes little swipes at the military and law enforcement, like the 60s flower child that he is.

[Mulder]

I've watched some of this series. At times, it's been pretty boring, and I've done other stuff while leaving it on in the background. I guess I'll continue to watch to see how it ends, although I wouldn't be surprised if the conclusion pushes a world government (either to fight the grays or in the name of 'world peace').

One thing I can't figure out in all these abduction movies is why the 'abductees' don't try to ambush the bastards. After all, there's nothing wrong with a space goblin that can't be fixed by a good security perimeter and a 12 guage shotgun.

At least in "V", there was lots of fighting and resistance. And they even had some hot babes in that one (Jane Badler as the alien leader and June Chatwick as her blonde bimbo sidekick). That alone was reason enough to watch "V".

[vikingchick]

Mulder!! How the heck are you? Have you signed that donor card yet?

After all, there's nothing wrong with a space goblin that can't be fixed by a good security perimeter and a 12 guage shotgun. LOL! Glad to know you haven't changed.

Yeah, everybody just stands around like statues whenever the aliens arrive. How exactly am I supposed to feel sorry for them if they don't DO something? Run, fight, kick, hide, scream, shoot.....man alive. These can't be Americans.