Prot(Pronounced like "float") arrives via a beam of light in New York's Grand Central Station is arrested for odd behavior after he offers aid to a mugging victim. He is evaluated, unsuccessfully medicated, and finally treated by Dr. Mark Powell as delusional. during his stay in the hospital, he helps many of the patients heal themselves, always insisting he is going to leave on a specific date. Powell is convinced that the date marks a trauma and that prot will become violent or self destructive when he doesn't go back to K-Pax. He goes to great lengths to heal what he sees as a man in pain. Not going to spoil the ending, but the atmosphere of the movie, the lone piano playing wistful music and the use of light beams and lens flares is incredibly appropriate for setting the mood.
Prot led me to a much earlier emissary, invited here by the message included in our Voyager 2 space probe. He is the unnamed protagonist of Starman
He arrives to fighter planes and a missile, shooting down his craft in northern Wisconsin, clones himself some human camouflage in the form of Jenny Hayden's dead husband and has her take him down to Arizona to rendezvous with his ride home. Along the way they fall in love, while hounded by furies from the U.S. government. His tools that help him along the way are seven "Miracle Spheres" that allow him to do pretty much anything.
In terms of miraculous abilities, you have to love Paul, of the film of the same name
Where most aliens are on a different level than us, exuding a moral superiority borne of their higher level of evolution... Paul is "earthy". He's rude, crude, and socially unacceptable. He seems to have three tricks, Camouflage(as long as he can hold his breath) healing, where he briefly takes on the injury of another, and the ability to convey the knowledge of his people at a touch. He takes a road trip with Graeme, Clive and Ruth to rendezvous with his ride home at devils tower in Wyoming, pursued by U.S. Government agents and others. He also claims to have consulted on a large number of Sci-Fi movies, while locked up in a research facility.
And when you talk about aliens with earthy desires, it doesn't get much earthier than the trio from Earth Girls Are Easy
Mac, Zeebo and Wiploc Aren't here for science...they are here to get laid. Maybe an oversimplification, but this 1980's musical romp, inspired by Julie Brown's song is fun, colorful and has Geena Davis at some of her comedy best. Valerie is wholesome, adorable, a little clumsy, and in a bad relationship when the three hapless explorers accidentally crash into her pool and her life. Their special alien ability? A "love touch" that brings ecstasy. Here is a video someone did of the original song.
I touched upon this theme briefly here. These movies show a common theme, highlighting Man's(the species) greed, avarice and paranoia, but also Man's capacity to learn, to care for beings not of his own kind...our curiosity and our empathy. A sort of a warning mixed with hope. It seems we imagine one of two scenarios- the Aliens come in force, and are the aggressors, or one alien comes here and we are the antagonists.
As to how we would actually treat an alien emissary? Would he (or she)walk among us like a god, As does Kal El of Krypton or Thor of Asgard, or would they hide among us in fear of what we might (and probsbly would) do? I would like to think I would welcome a peaceful emissary, but who is to say I haven't already met one and never knew?
K Pax is an all time favorite of mine.
ReplyDeleteMine too
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