THE DIVIDE

Part 2 James Fox's third entry into the UFO documentary genre, I Know What I Saw , makes it immediately clear just how passionate he is about bringing us the definitive movie on the subject. Prior to watching the films for this retrospective, I was unaware just how much material is shared between the films. Even despite its shaky quality, footage from 50 Years of Denial is used in both Out of the Blue and I Know What I Saw. This is far from a critique; in fact, it really helps put Mr. Fox's filmography in perspective. This isn't just a guy coming back every few years when the subject is hot and regurgitating the same old content you can find anywhere. All of these films, from 50 Years of Denial to The Phenomenon , are a part of one big project that Mr. Fox has been continuously refining over the years. Each film is a little different, and there's always plenty of new content—but the reuse and re-framing of the older content is what I find particularly fascinating; it...

Part 1 Prior to the release of The Phenomenon and I Know What I Saw before it, Out of the Blue was my favorite UFO documentary and also one that I considered the best. I believe the overall quality of the film speaks for itself. It is a vast improvement over UFOs: 50 Years of Denial : most, if not all of the information presented here remains rock-solid today. The film is still a great overview of the subject and mostly avoids tossing around speculation, one of the previous' films biggest weaknesses. Even Philip J. Corso's brief appearance avoids any mention of child-sized coffins containing alien bodies, one of his most well-known claims. Area 51 conspiracies are thankfully absent from the film as well. (https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/93122-out-of-the-blue ) Instead, the film spends a lot of time exploring the extraterrestrial hypothesis and theoretical methods of interstellar travel. To me the inclusion of things like the Drake Equation and the discussion of the theory ...

Preface James Fox's first UFO documentary, 1997's UFOs: 50 Years of Denial , aired on the Sci-Fi and Discovery Channels and appears to be a relatively amateur effort overall. All of the information contained within the film has been well-tread at this point, although there are a few gems scattered throughout. The production team mostly avoided flashy graphics and settled for a simpler presentation, which helps add to the credibility. Additionally, at least to my knowledge, most of the historical information remains accurate.  (https://www.amazon.com/UFOs-Years-Denial-Expanded-Special/dp/B000A3456M)  I don't want to spend too much time ragging on the production quality given that this was Fox's first go and I don't know anything about what went on behind the scenes. However, some of the witness interviews definitely left a lot to be desired from a technical standpoint: lack of a tripod or stable camera movement is immediately noticeable, and the sound quality is spo...

James Fox made his name in the UFO documentary scene in 2006 with  Out of the Blue , which set the standard for future films on the subject. Since then, Fox has come back every few years with a stellar new documentary that displaces his last as the most credible, up-to-date, and professionally-made. His films usually include a historical overview of the subject combined with archival footage and talking-head interviews—the latter notable for being from highly trained and intelligent observers who were previously hesitant or outright refused to go public with their stories out of fear for their reputation. These witnesses, usually ex-military service members or government employees, were the main focus of Fox's follow up film, I Know What I Saw , a collaboration with journalist Leslie Kean. I Know What I Saw remained the best UFO documentary available until October 6th, 2020, when Fox released the his next blockbuster, the hotly anticipated The Phenomenon. (https://ufocongres...