German title: Andere Wahrheiten
translation: Other Truths
French title: Le Seigneur Du Magma
translation: The Lord Of Magma
Italian title: Dov'e' la verita
US Airdate: March 12, 1996
writer: Darin Morgan
director: Rob Bowman
STARRING:
David Duchovny as Special Agent Fox Mulder
Gillian Anderson as Special Agent Dana Scully
Guest Cast:
CHARLES NELSON REILLY as Jose Chung
WILLIAM LUCKING as Roky
JASON GAFFNEY as Harold
SARAH SAWATSKY as Chrissy
JESSE VENTURE as 1st Man in Black
LARRY MUSSER as Detective Manners
ALEX DIAKUN as Dr. Fingers
TERRY ARROWSMITH as Air Force Man
ANDREW TURNER as CIA Man
MINA MINA as Dr. Hand
ALLAN ZINYK as Blaine
MICHAEL DOBSON as Lt. Schaeffer
JAAP BROEKER as Yappi
A WRITER'S ATTEMPT TO GET AT THE TRUTH OF AN ALIEN ABDUCTION LEADS HIM INTO A MAZE OF
CONFLICTING STORIES, WHERE EVEN SCULLY AND MULDER FIND THEMSELVES DUPED.
When writer Jose Chung interviews Dana Scully for a book about alien abductions, he
asks her about a case involving two teenagers who claim to have been abducted while out on
a date. Were they really abducted, or are they lying? If they were carried off, who took
them: extraterrestrials or very human conspirators? The victims' and witnesses' stories
grow increasingly confused, as even hypnosis reveals deeper and deeper layers of deceit
and manipulation. Is the Air Force engaged in an ongoing coverup of covert intelligence
operations, using UFOs as camouflage? Or is that yet another elaborate lie told to
discredit witnesses of real abductions? Who are the mysterious Men In Black who warn
witnesses against spreading the word--and why do they look so familiar? One of the most
bizarre X-Files of all twists and turns as witnesses contradict one another, Mulder
discovers strange visitors in Scully's bedroom, and Scully dissects an alien body. In the
end, it is up to writer Jose Chung to reveal it all in his book--unless he, too, is part
of an elaborate conspiracy on the part of the military-industrial-entertainment complex...
Notes
Where to begin with this Darin Morgan gem?! Okay, the title
refers to the book that author Jose Chung is writing, "From Outer Space". Now
where do we go? :-) Reports have it that the original title was to be "Eth
Snafu" with the first word being a purposeful misspelling of the word
"the". I think it was confusing enough as is right?
The opening shot certainly looked like the "Imperial Star Cruiser" opening of
"Star Wars", but then we find out it's not alien at all. Just the beginning of
our lesson in perceived realities.
The "alien" Lord Kinbote's name comes from the character David Kinbote in
Vladimir Nabokov's book "Pale Fire." The book is supposedly about how reality
depends upon who is perceiving it.
The town Klass County, is named for UFO debunker Philip J. Klass, whose book "UFOs
Explained" states that "No single object has been misinterpreted as a 'flying
saucer' more often than the planet Venus."
Robert Vallee, Jack Schaffer and Sergeant Hynek all share their names with authors who
have written books on UFOs, Robert Schaffer, Jaques Vallee, and Allen Hynek. The last two
worked together on the book "The Edge of Reality: A Progress Report on UFO's".
One of Mr. Chung's earlier works, "The Caligari Candidate", is a reference to
two different movies on mind control. "The Manchurian Candidate", where a
brainwashed soldier is manipulated into believing in alternate versions of reality by
political enemies and "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari", a German silent movie also
dealing with mind control and an evil hypnotist.
Jose shows Scully an alien autopsy movie "Dead Alien: Truth or Humbug" which
sounds a lot like "Alien Autopsy: Fact or Fiction", a Fox TV broadcast that The
X-Files has made references to before. And of course the word humbug must refer to the
episode "Humbug". The music that plays during the video is also a different,
lighter version of the familiar X-Files theme by Mark Snow.
Roky Crickenson, the witness to the kids' abduction, seems to be named for Roky
Erickson, the psychedelic lead singer for the 13th Floor Elevators who later formed a band
called 'Roky Erickson and the Aliens'.
Another "Space: Above and Beyond" reference with Blaine wearing the show's
t-shirt. This episode aired the same night that David Duchovny made a guest appearance on
"Space.." and is a nod to writer Darin Morgan's brother, Glen Morgan, who
co-created the show. This same episode of "Space.." has a reference to Clyde
Bruckman as a character watches an old movie of his, but that's another show!
Blaine has an 'I Want to Believe' poster just like Mulder's, but the words 'Want to'
have been covered, leaving just the words 'I Believe'.
The pseudonym Jose uses for Mulder, Reynard Muldrake, is taken from the French word for
"fox", "renard".
Detective Manners is named for producer Kim Manners, with the other joke being, of
course, he has no manners, bleeping all over the place!
Two other references we picked up on: the mashed potatoes mountain in the diner looks
just like the one from "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and all that pie
just has to be a reference to "Twin Peaks". As you may know, Duchovny played a
transvestite on the show.
The biggest surprise cameo had to be Alex Trebek and there's a good chance he was on to
torment Duchovny yet again about his Jeopardy appearance.
At the end, we're told that Roky has relocated to El Cajon, California, which is where
Darin and Glen Morgan were born and raised.
Personal notes: If you've read through this episode guide, you'll note that I'm a HUGE
Darin Morgan fan, the man can do no wrong in my book, so keep this in mind as you read my
comments. The story, such as it is, is told from various points of view and left some
viewers completely lost and frustrated, but not this xphile, I loved it. The group I
watched with could barely hold down our drinks, we were laughing too much.
When the credits were leaked to the press before this ep aired, we all went,
"Charles Nelson Reilly?! Isn't he dead?!" But what a delight he turned out to
be, sheer joy exuded from him on-screen and this appearance apparently woke up the rest of
Hollywood, 'cause he's now hot stuff. This is a classic episode and another personal
favorite.
Quotes
____________________
(after Scully gives him a compliment on his books)
Chung: "And here I was thinking you were just some ... brainy beauty. Now I find
out that you also have ... good taste."
Scully: "What made you decide to write a book about an alien abduction if you're
not that interested in the subject yourself?"
Chung: "Actually? It was my publisher's idea. At first I was reluctant, until I
realized that I had an opportunity here to create an entirely new literary genre ... a
non-fiction science fiction. Now, see, that gimmick alone will guarantee it's landing on
the best-seller list. In short, to answer your question? Money."
Scully: "Ok, just as long as you're attempting to record the truth ..."
Chung: "Dear God, no! How can I possibly do that?"
Scully: "She was suffering from what my partner calls "missing time".
She recalled nothing of the previous night nor how she had arrived at her present
whereabouts. Her body exhibited signs of physical abuse and all of her clothes were on
inside out and backwards."
Chung : "Have I had my share of mornings like THAT! But, these are the
characteristics of someone who has ... do you prefer the term "abductee" or
"experiencer"?
Scully: "Actually I prefer neither, but my partner uses abductee."
Chung: "My preference is for the other. I've just had a ... little alien
experience, as opposed to, I've just been abducted!"
Chung:"When I was doing research for my book "The Caligarian Candidate
..."
Scully: "One of the greatest thrillers ever written."
Chung: "Oh ... (he chuckles) Thank you. I was, uh ... interested in how the
C.I.A., when conducting their MK-Ultra mind control experiments back in the '50s, had no
idea how hypnosis worked."
Scully: "Hmm."
Chung: "Or what it was."
Scully: "No one still knows."
Chung: "Still, as a storyteller, I'm fascinated how a person's sense of
consciousness can be ... so transformed by nothing more magical than listening to words.
Mere words."
(During his interrogation, Harold recalls being trapped in a small cell, Chrissy passed
out at his feet ... and an alien in the next cell)
Harold Lamb: "What do you want with us?!"
Mulder: "How did the alien respond?"
Harold: "Well ... all he did was ..."
(we see the grey alien in Harold's flashback. He raises his hand to his mouth ... and
starts smoking a cigarette. Harold stares at him in amazement. Chrissy awakens and looks
over at the Smoking Alien)
Chrissy: "What, what's happening?"
Harold: "Don't worry, it'll be okay. I'm here to protect you. I'll never let
anything happen to you."
(The roof of the cell suddenly slides open, a bright light illuminates the cell and we
hear the tremendous roar of Lord Kinbote in the background. Chrissy screams as she's
"sucked" out of the cell through the roof. The door snaps shut, her screams
drift off and we cut back to the interrogation room)
Mulder: "What was the other alien, the gray, what was it doing during all
this?"
Harold: "He was just ... talking."
Mulder: "Telepathically?"
Harold: "No. In english. He just kept saying the same thing over and over
again."
(cut back to the Smoking Alien, rocking back and forth with his head in his hands)
Smoking Alien: "This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not
happening. This is not happening ..."
Harold: "Would you shut up already? (the roof of his cell suddenly slides open
again, he's sucked out as we hear Lord Kinbote roar) No! No!" (the doors slam shut)
Smoking Alien: "This is not happening. This is not happening."
Scully: "Harold ... did you and Chrissy engage in consensual sexual intercourse
that night?"
Harold (looking away nervously): "If her father finds out, I'm a dead man."
(it's now later, Harold's gone)
Mulder: "He said it happened before the abduction. So what if they had sex?"
Scully: "So we know that it wasn't an alien who probed her. Mulder, you've got two
kids having sex before they're mature enough to know how to handle it."
Mulder: "So you're saying that all this is just a case of sexual trauma?"
Scully: "It's a lot more plausible than an alien abduction, especially in light of
their contradictory stories."
(Det. Manners shoves the door open and bursts in)
Det. Manners: "Hey! I just got a call from some crazy bleep-head saying he was an
eyewitness to this alien abduction. Do you feel like talking to this blank-hole?"
(Roky Crikenson is relating his tale to Mulder and Scully. A mysterious visit from a
man dressed in black ... looking a lot like Jessie Ventura)
First Man In Black: "No other object as been misidentified as a flying saucer more
often than the planet Venus."
Roky Crikenson: "Really? (oddly, we are now in the present, Roky in the same
position at his desk, Mulder and Scully back in the room) That was when I realized
something was weird."
Scully: "At which point?"
Roky: "See, normally, if two strangers drive into my garage, I tell them to get
the hell off the property. But this time, I didn't! It was like I was in a trance or
something."
Mulder: "What did these men look like?"
Roky: "Usually, I'm really good with faces, but this time, all I can remember is
how they were dressed. They were ..."
Mulder: "All in black?"
(Roky stares at him, looks over at Scully, then slumps in his seat, disappointed,
staring at Mulder)
Roky: "How'd you know that?!"
Mulder: "Since the '50s, people who have had close encounters have reported
subsequent visits by these unearthly men in black."
(Scully looks as if this is all totally ridiculous. We hear Jose Chung's voice talking)
Jose Chung: "But you know, myths about men in black garments ... (the scene cuts
to the X-Files office, present day) ... have been recorded throughout history in many
different cultures. The Celtic legends are filled with trickster men in black and how
anyone who encounters them becomes enchanted."
Scully: "Unfortunately, I'm not sure that modern reconstruction of ancient fairy
tales lends any more credence to Roky's testimony."
(scene cuts back to Roky's garage as the MIB steps out of the car and starts to walk
slowly towards Roky, very menacing)
1st MIB: "Even the former leader of your United States of America, James Earl
Carter Jr., thought he saw a UFO once ... (he looks down at Roky's document, titled
"The Truth About Aliens by Roky Crikenson") But it's been proven he only saw the
planet Venus."
(Roky grabs the document, clutching it to his chest and leaning his chair back, as far
away from the MIB as he can get)
Roky: "I'm a Republican."
1st MIB: "Venus was at its peak brilliance last night. You probably thought you
saw something up in the sky other than Venus, but I assure you, it was Venus."
Roky: "I know ... (Roky sits up, the MIB shoves him back down) ... what I
saw." (The MIB leans in towards Roky as he talks, scaring the heck outta him)
1st MIB: "Your scientists have yet to discover how neural networks create
self-consciousness, let alone how the human brain processes two-dimensional retinal images
into the three-dimensional phenomenon known as perception. (The MIB stands and holds his
arms up in disbelief) Yet you somehow brazenly declare seeing is believing? (The 2nd MIB
now walks over to Roky, his face shaded from the audience) Mr. Crikenson, your scientific
illiteracy makes me shudder, and I wouldn't flaunt your ignorance by telling anyone that
you saw anything last night other than the planet Venus, because if you do, you're a dead
man." (He gets in the car, somehow the 2nd MIB is already in the passenger seat)
Roky: "You ... can't threaten me."
1st MIB: "I just did."
(He rolls up the car window, the garage door opens and the car whips out of the garage
backwards the same way it arrived, far too quickly for a normal car. Roky stares in
disbelief. Then, it seems as if no time has passed, but we're back to Mulder and Scully in
Roky's room. He hands the document to Mulder)
Roky: "This is what they wanted me not to show anyone. Now, if you'll excuse me, I
have to go pack." (Roky gets up from his chair)
Mulder: "If we have any more questions, where can we find you?"
Scully: "In short, Roky showed signs of being what is known as a fantasy-prone
personality."
Chung: "Agent Scully, you are so kind ... He's a nut! I read his manifesto!"
Scully: "How did you get a copy?" (He pulls out the document)
Chung: "One was sent to my publishers. I don't know what was more disturbing ...
his description of the inner core reincarnated souls sex orgy ... or the fact that the
whole thing is written in screenplay format."
Scully: "It definitely was peculiar."
Chung: "Well, surely, your partner didn't believe any of it?"
Scully: "Wh, wh, well, Mulder's had his share of peculiar notions. He's not
inclined to dismiss anything outright. (cut to the motel room, Scully's cross-legged on
the bed and Mulder's in the chair) Mulder, you're nuts!"
Blaine Faulkner: "I know how crazy this is going to sound, but ... I want to be
abducted by aliens."
Jose Chung: "Why? Whatever for?"
Blaine: "I hate this town. I hate ... people. I just want to be taken away to
someplace where I ... I don't have to worry about finding a job."
Chung: "So you were out in the field that night?"
Blaine: "Looking for UFOs. (scene cuts to a wooded area. Blaine walks through the
tall underbrush, carrying a flashlight. Blaine and Chung talk over the scene) There had
been some recent sightings in that area, so I was just hoping to stumble across one.
(Blaine yells and falls flat on his face as he trips over something) Now, I've read every
book ever written about UFOs and aliens, not because I had to, but because I wanted to.
(Blaine looks back at what he tripped over, puts on his glasses and shines his flashlight
on it. He gasps, tries to struggle to his feet and crawls off backwards) I should've known
to just go get my video camera then instead of notifying the proper authorities." (He
runs off. Later, he watches as a black car, very similar to the MIB's one, pulls up next
to a police car)
Chung: "What was wrong with doing that?"
Blaine: "Because the proper authorities showed up with a couple of men in black.
(The MIBs, actually Mulder and Scully, get out of their car, carrying flashlights, and
slowly walk towards him) One of them was disguised as a woman, but wasn't pulling it off.
Like, her hair was red but it was a little too red, you know? And the other one ... the
tall, lanky one ... his face was so blank and expressionless. He didn't even seem human.
I, I think he was a mandroid. (Blaine turns around, frightened. Mulder indeed shows no
emotion as they approach the dead grey alien's body) The only time he reacted was when he
saw the dead body."
Mulder: "Whooooeee!" (a "girlie", high-pitched shriek)
Det. Manners: "Yeah, that's a bleeping dead alien body if I ever bleeping saw
one."
Scully: "Wrap it up."
Officer (to another officer): "You got him?"
(They start to wrap him up. Det. Manners, Mulder and another officer walk away. Scully
looks at Blaine, then grabs him by the collar. Blaine gasps as the flashlight is shone in
his face)
Scully (threateningly): "You never saw this. This didn't happen. You tell anyone,
you're a dead man."
(in the diner, Mulder talks to the cook behind the counter and eats a heck of a lot of
sweet potato pie!)
Mulder: "You ever experienced a period of "missing time?" (he takes a
big bite of pie. Later, the cook replaces the empty plate with another piece of pie on a
plate) You ever had the suspicion that you've been abducted by aliens? (another piece of
pie arrives) Have you ever found a metal implant in your body? (the cook shakes his head,
Mulder digs into another piece of pie) Have you checked everywhere?"
(Mulder finally comes to Jose Chung's office to talk to him)
Mulder: "Don't write this book. You'll perform a disservice through a field of
inquiry that has always struggled for respectability. You're a gifted writer, but no
amount of talent could describe the events that occurred in any realistic vein because
they deal with alternative realities that we're yet to comprehend. And when presented in
the wrong way, in the wrong context, the incidents and the people involved in them can
appear foolish, if not downright psychotic. I also know that your publishing house is
owned by Warden White, Incorporated ... a subsidiary of MacDougall-Kesler, which makes me
suspect a covert agenda for your book on the part of the military-industrial-entertainment
complex."
Jose Chung: "Agent Mulder, this book will be written. But it can only benefit if
you can explain something to me."
Mulder: "What's that?"
Jose Chung: "What really happened to those kids on that night?"
Evidence of extraterrestrial existence remains as elusive as ever, but the skies will
continue to be searched by the likes of Blaine Faulkner, hoping to someday find not only
proof of alien life, but also contentment on a new world. Until then, he must be content
with his new job. Others search for answers from within. Roky relocated to El Cajon,
California, preaching to the lost and desperate. Seeking the truth about aliens means a
perfunctory nine-to-five job to some. For although Agent Diana Lesky is noble spirit and
pure of heart, she remains, nevertheless, a federal employee. As for her partner, Reynard
Muldrake... that ticking timebomb of insanity... his quest into the unknown has so warped
his psyche, one shudders to think how he receives pleasures from life. Chrissy Giorgio has
come to believe her alien visitation was a message to improve her own world, and she has
devoted herself to this goal wholeheartedly. Then there are those who care not about
extraterrestrials, searching for meaning in other human beings. Rare or lucky are those
who find it. For although we may not be alone in the universe, in our own separate ways on
this planet, we are all... alone.
<Ariane-> sam le plus gentil de tous
<sam> oui
<zif> ?? sam
<nioubie> sam == méchant de niveau 2 (c eb ki m'a tout appris)
<sam> pfff, c'est un fake
<sam> suffit de voir à qui appartient le bot pour se rendre compte que c'est un coup monté
<zif> ?whoset sam
<nioubie> sam set by sam!sammy@sam.via.ecp.fr-#linuxfr Anonymous