Magonia Supplement - No 18 - 1999 08

Magazine Overview

MAGONIA Monthly Supplement, Issue No. 18, dated August 1999, is a publication focused on interpreting contemporary vision and belief, with a particular emphasis on UFO phenomena and its cultural representation. The issue features an editorial, several articles, a literary criticism section, a letter to the editor, and a section on 'Dodgy Literary Criticism'. The cover headline is 'UFO COMEDY'.

Editorial

The editorial dismisses the belief in UFO crashes, stating that all such stories are distorted accounts of mundane incidents, lies, or fantasies, and guarantees that no alien spacecraft have crashed.

Bruce Gentry, Serial Filler by Martin S. Kottmeyer

This article delves into the early cinematic appearance of flying saucers in the 1949 Columbia serial 'Bruce Gentry - Daredevil of the Skies'. Contrary to the common belief that Mikel Conrad's 'The Flying Saucer' (1950) was the first, Kottmeyer highlights Gentry's earlier use of a flying saucer. The serial, based on a comic strip, is described as a conventional action-adventure with chases, fights, and abductions. The plot involves the hero, Bruce Gentry, trying to rescue a Doctor Benson abducted by a villain called 'The Recorder' who is perfecting flying saucers for use as a superweapon.

The saucer itself appears in only four episodes and is depicted as remote-controlled, featuring rabbit-ear antennae and a mad scientist's spark ladder. Its technical details include references to 'platinite' and 'element 99'. The article notes that the saucer's appearance and the electronic malfunctions in Gentry's plane when the saucer approached were likely influenced by contemporary UFO reports and earlier spy films, rather than actual UFO cases.

The saucer's design is described as a domed disc with a stationary dome or turret, a circular porthole, and a spinning outer section. The filmmakers did not use models but a cartoon drawn over live action, a technique later reused in other serials like 'Atom Man vs. Superman' and 'Blackhawk: Fearless Champion of Freedom'.

Kottmeyer suggests the Gentry saucer reflects period beliefs, including the idea of great speed and atomic power, and draws parallels with the Gorman dogfight and the Mantell crash. The antennae are linked to 1947 sightings. The electronic failure is seen as a detail likely borrowed from spy films rather than a reflection of actual UFO cases, as EMP effects were not widely known before 1962.

Despite its landmark status as the earliest cinematic exploitation of the saucer mythos, the article concludes that the serial is predictable and offers little entertainment value beyond its historical significance.

UFO COMEDY by Nigel Watson

This section reviews Keith Wright's award-winning film 'Where's Bingo Betty?', which tells the story of Bill Harrison's search for his wife, allegedly sucked up into a UFO. The film is described as a tongue-in-cheek take on Arthur C. Clarke's 'mystery' programmes, with a reporter spending a day with the abductee's husband. The husband describes the object that took his wife as a 'large Yorkshire pudding tin'.

Wright's approach blends science fiction and horror with other genres, particularly enjoying the humour found in profound ideas brought down to earth by ludicrous reality. The film's visual effects, like those in his previous work 'Aquaoid', are achieved through simple means. 'Where's Bingo Betty?' was shot in 8 hours and edited over 22 weeks, and is praised for its pacing and affectionate portrayal of characters, with darker elements adding tonal contrast.

The article notes that British SF film and TV often make fun of the genre, contrasting it with the more optimistic US output. British ufologists are also described as puzzled by the 'gung-ho' beliefs of their US counterparts.

LITERARY CRITICISM

Lust in Space: A Review of British Science Fiction Cinema, edited by I.Q. Hunter

This review discusses the perception of British science fiction movies as inferior to Hollywood productions, often seen as low-budget, poorly acted, and lacking vision. The review highlights how British SF films often dealt with alien invasions by undermining traditional values and stereotypes, similar to how they treated the Nazis. The power of science and Empire waned, leading British SF to merge with horror.

A significant theme explored is the 'alien women cycle', where female aliens invade the rational 'man/machine' world, bringing emotion and sexuality. This is linked to post-WWII anxieties about women's roles. Films like 'The Perfect Woman' (1949) are discussed, where a robot woman represents a male ideal. Other examples include 'Devil Girl from Mars' (1954), where the female alien seeks Earth men for sex slaves, and 'The Sexplorer' (1975), featuring a female alien exploring London's sex industry. The review also touches upon Tobe Hooper's 'Lifeforce' (1985) as a modern iteration of this theme, where the female alien's passion can be destructive.

The article further examines how British SF films, post-Ridley Scott's 'Alien' (1979), often portrayed the alien/feminine as a monstrous 'other' to be restrained or destroyed by masculine force. The essays in 'British Science Fiction Cinema' are seen to reveal riches in British pulp SF movies, reflecting social and cultural concerns about class, gender, nationality, fantasy, and origins.

LETTER

This letter, from Gareth J. Medway, London, responds to Christopher Allan's identifications of UFO cases. Medway argues that most rational explanations, like the ETH (Extraterrestrial Hypothesis), are non-falsifiable. He contends that while some explanations might be true, many false ones are presented as proven facts, making ufology largely untestable and of questionable merit, except for entertainment value.

Medway uses the Adamski case as an example, questioning how people were persuaded to believe in a spaceman when one witness later stated they couldn't really see anything. He suggests that Adamski might have been talking to someone at a distance, and the book misleadingly implied a UFO sighting. This contrasts with the Walton case, where witnesses claimed to see the craft itself.

DODGY LITERARY CRITICISM

Tim Matthews expresses anger over a review by Andrew Dennis of his book 'UFO Revelation' in 'Fortean Times'. Matthews claims Dennis did not read the book and inaccurately alleges that the book suggests all unexplained sightings are tests of secret military prototypes. Matthews clarifies that his book is concerned only with UFO sightings potentially attributable to military aircraft activities.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue consistently critiques the more credulous aspects of ufology, particularly concerning UFO crashes and early cinematic portrayals. The editorial takes a firm skeptical stance. Martin S. Kottmeyer's article meticulously analyzes the historical context and cinematic techniques of early UFO films, demystifying their portrayal. Nigel Watson's review of 'UFO Comedy' highlights a British tendency towards skepticism and humor in SF. The literary criticism section examines how British SF cinema reflected societal anxieties, particularly regarding gender and the 'alien woman' trope, often with a critical or cautionary undertone. The letter to the editor reinforces the theme of skepticism by questioning the falsifiability and ultimate value of UFO explanations. The 'Dodgy Literary Criticism' section further engages with the critical analysis of UFO-related literature, focusing on accuracy and misrepresentation.

The overall stance of the magazine appears to be one of critical analysis, historical contextualization, and a healthy dose of skepticism towards unsubstantiated claims within the UFO and science fiction genres, particularly when they intersect with popular culture and media.