Search - Chariots of the Gods/The Outer Space Connection on DVD

PIONEER PARANORMAL DOCUMENTARIES

Daniel J. Fiebiger | Portland, Oregon | 04/25/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The first film CHARIOTS OF THE GODS was based Erik Von Doniken's famous book of the same name from the early 1970s, and did well enough at the box office to put inde distributer Sun Classics International on the map. Although most of Von Doniken's "evidence" has since been disproven, the film remains the pioneering effort in the field of Ancient Alien theory, the first film to introduce the idea that we might have been the genetic spawn of off-Earth aliens, or at least the result of their genetic manipulations, and was the first time most people saw the mysterious "Nasca Lines" in Peru. The film remains important for being the first in its unique field of paranormal speculation.

THE OUTER SPACE CONNECTION was a better-made follow-up film, but was released with inadequate publicity and so didn't manage to find it's audience when it quietly hit (mostly drive-in) theaters in 1975 and the film undeservedly did poor box office. What still distinguishes this film is that the voice-over narration was the last thing "Twilight Zone" "Night Gallery" writer-genius Rod Serling managed to do before his untimely death that year. The film was also the first film to feature footage of the mysterious underwater "Bimini Wall" off the eat coast of Florida that was speculated to be partial remains of the lost continent of Atlantis, fulfilling an old and errie prediction of its discovery that year by clairvoyant Edgar Case, and was also one of the first films to investigate some of the mysterious boat and plane disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle. Other paranormal features of this film made it even more interesting than CHARIOTS and is worth collecting for this reason alone.

Both films spawned a general interest in the paranormal, and not only encouraged more Sun Classics films, but also inspired the IN SEARCH OF... Leonard Nimoy TV series of the late 70s and early 80s, and also gave the creators of THE X-FILES plenty of plot topics to draw from.

Although subsequent films have developed these topics in more detail, and with better filmmaking technology, these two films started it all, and therefore remain worth seeking out for anyone who is a completist in collecting such speculative documentary films about paranormal phenomena."

Super 70's Schlock!

G. Sapara | USA | 11/24/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Whether you believe UFO's exist or not, or if you are unsure (as I am), if you are a fan of pseudo-documentaries that take themselves way too seriously, this double feature is for you!

I remember these movies, along with Argosy magazine, and the preposterous (sometimes bordering on racist, as in "those Mayans couldn't possibly be smart enough to have built these themselves") theories they imply. Upon watching them again, they are fairly harmless and are a great way to spend a rainy afternoon.

The film quality is to be expected of fringe films of this era - sound is fine, film is a bit grainy and beat up but certainly watchable. The bonus to me is The Outer Space Connection's narration by Rod Serling. Although he is definitely slumming here, I am a die-hard Serling fan, and his presence lends an air of authority to an otherwise rediculous premise.

It gets 4 stars for nostalgic value only."

Excellent DVD !

J. CALDERON | MEXICO CITY | 01/31/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Excellent product with two remarkable films about UFO.
Is it also un invitation for visiting some remote places of our planet in search of traces of the future but in our past !!
Chariots of the gods is a classic documentary with a great text or narration and with a beautiful musical score.
Enjoy them !!!"

Seeker of truth....

DavRey07 | Salem Oregon | 09/16/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Although this is outdated material/film, it still adds piece's to the "Unknown Puzzle of life," as we know it. For the most part, even when a bad review is given I'll still observe the info./film/books/Utube lectures etc...because sometimes very small puzzle parts are understood down the line-path. I'd say, if the information is pertaining to one's interest, it doesn't hurt to spend alittle time thumbing through or fast forwarding along it...

David
"