A while ago I read Mark Pilkington's book Mirage Men, which tells the story of him and John Lundberg travelling around the United States to interview and research UFO disinformation, specially that involved with the former special agent Richard Doty, of the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigation - AFOSI. The book is a masterpiece in conspiracy, UFO and investigative Journalism, far from being a traditional I Want To Believe-style of work, but a critical but still hopeful view on the UFO Community and government agencies.
Like the book, the documentary (also written by Pilkington), never gives any real answers. It's actually quite close to what I would call an object film on this particular subject. You get a very close look upon the tragic Paul Bennewitz story, where several government agencies - on of them involving the above mentioned Doty - more or less brainwashed Bennewitz into believing he communicated with aliens, something which lead him to be taken to psyciatric care during the last part of his life. We also get to know what happen behind the William Moore "scandal", where Moore - a recognized author, lecturer and UFO expert - came out during a MUFON conference that he's actually been part of a disinformation campaing conducted by the government. Interesting stuff indeed.
Even if the doc is far from as detailed and packed with information as the book, it's an extremely interesting look at these people - from the believers to the skeptics to folks like Doty, who's work has been to spread false information, but still claims he know aliens is on our earth the government have contact with other civilizations. He's a very straighforward personality, clear and concise - but a lot more complex than what meets the eye.
Don't expect any answers, which kinda makes it more intersting. A conspiracy theorist would say Mirage Men is just apart of a big conspiracy - either to claim there's UFO's but the government is hiding this fact by spreading fake UFO information to ridicule the UFO commuity or to say that there's no UFO's because what they're doing is to keep secret the military experiments conducted all over the country...which might be connected to aliens anyway. Or it's just nothing, to tell us there's nothing out there.
In the book Pilkington mentions a strange hovering aircraft they filmed close to a military airbase. That footage seems to be in this doc, but without any comment at all. What's that about? Why? Is that also part of a disinformation campaign? The thought of course crosses your mind while seeing that footage, but in the end it might just be a real mirage, out in the blazing sun. One of those mirages that wants us to believe stuff and create discussions. Just like I did know.
So maybe I'm a part of the conspiracy? Who says it's not Richard Doty behind this blog? I don't know. Or do I?
"The book is a masterpiece in conspiracy, UFO and investigative Journalism, far from being a traditional I Want To Believe-style of work, but a critical but still hopeful view on the UFO Community and government agencies."
I have never read it so no nothing about this, but some UFO
believers claims that the government are spreading disinformation......wether you believe them or not is another question.
"A conspiracy theorist would say Mirage Men is just apart of a big conspiracy - either to claim there's UFO's but the government is hiding this fact by spreading fake UFO information to ridicule the UFO commuity or to say that there's no UFO's because what they're doing is to keep secret the military experiments conducted all over the country...which might be connected to aliens anyway. Or it's just nothing, to tell us there's nothing out there."
Interesting approach to the subject.
"So maybe I'm a part of the conspiracy? Who says it's not Richard Doty behind this blog? I don't know. Or do I?"
ahhahahhahah...careful young man, start to think like that and you will end up in the asylum(no, not the production company)in strait jacket.
Good review and thanks.
Posted by: Megatron | April 13, 2014 at 22:48