Spielberg's "Disclosure Day" pre-release Speculation

[Todd Feinman]

I just didn't understand the reason you alluded for using your real name. Like you I witnessed an actually extraordinary sightings of UFOs and whatnot in the night sky, afterwards my county reported it in their official website. But sorry, I won't come back to it again here at all, it's already been once briefly discussed on an old Metabunk's thread.

If you are up to it, you can always email it to me. Suppose I could search for it here, too.
<edit> Found it.

 

[Todd Feinman]

I wouldn't ever take this man seriously, at all. But as it seems, people take his words for granted whenever it's convenient for them.

We'll have to see what kind of documents get uploaded. Unless he is just lying / breathing.

 

[Z.W. Wolf]

Chased by government agents in black cars... natch. Couldn't it be some other color for a change? Maybe a nice British racing green, or a cheerful sunny yellow?

Isn't this cliche descended from bad guys in black cowboy hats?

Review from two respected movie critics

Now suddenly they're on the run, pursued by agents from the National Security Agency. The movie has to employ the last refuge of movie making hacks, the boring car chase.

When I saw all that, this movie has just, as you say, plugged into the last refuge of the hack. Which is the chase scene. The helicopters and the black cars and the machine guns. This stuff is so old. Spare us. This Christmas, please, my gift, spare us, for next year, at least one formula chase scene.

Spoiler: Which respected movie critics?

I cheated. That's Siskel & Ebert reviewing My Fellow Americans in 1996.

 

[Mendel]

Isn't this cliche descended from bad guys in black cowboy hats?

Vampires.

 

[JMartJr]

Isn't this cliche descended from bad guys in black cowboy hats?

Maybe, but I suspect the fact that government motorcades and such tend to be e black cars may also play into it,

President Obama's motorcade in a visit to Baghdad, https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/photos-and-video/photos/motorcade

President Donald J. Trump's motorcade heads back to the White House from the Trump National Golf Club,
https://time.com/4761742/donald-trump-security-costs-government-reimbursement/

 

[purpleivan]

I think there's a fairly longstanding trope of government agents (good or bad) riding around in black SUV's. For example in the TV series Fringe (2008) many of the core characters were FBI agents, who did this.

I think it's part of a more general "security people" (government or private) use black SUV's, quite possibly derived from the Secret Service using them for presidential protection, as pointed out by @JMartJr .

 

[Z.W. Wolf]

You never know what a Message Board thread will get fixated on. This time it's the black cars trope rather than the much more important issue of movie hacks resorting to the boring car chase, which was so worn out in 1996 that Siskel & Ebert went into an impassioned rant about it.

 

[Z.W. Wolf]

And let's talk about recycled Spielberg material...

Great stuff in 1971. Especially in a made for TV movie. At the time, TV was a shared experience. Lots of conversation about this movie the next day at El Modena High School.



Sadly worn out in 2026

I know... It's homage...

Well, not homage. "It's Fan service."

No it's not. It's lazy and sad.

"You just don't get it, do you? Steven-Bashers are going to bash."

I don't even know if "Steven" put this element into the movie. Or did someone else? Doesn't matter. Fan Service is stark raving hackery no matter who does it. Is it Steven-bashing to criticize Spielberg toadies?

"Well, it wasn't put in as 'Fan Service', you Steven-Basher you. It's just..."

Retread?

 

[Hevach]

I have a hard time putting the word "fan service" on a scene from a 1971 TV movie of the week based on a Playboy article that barely even got a home video release. I feel like at that point the only fan being serviced is Spielberg himself.

 

[Z.W. Wolf]

I feel like at that point the only fan being serviced is Spielberg himself.

Interesting idea. Toadies are going to toady.

The first (but not last!) time I heard the term "Steven-Basher" was on an obscure radio show for L.A. area Science Fiction Fans - Hour 25. The subject that night was the TV show Amazing Stories. The guest was someone who worked on the show.

At some point the infamous and widely derided Cartoon Wheels episode was discussed. (Actual title: The Mission)

Super dramatic narration

The lives of ten men rest in the power of one. And... now.. The impossible is about to happen.

Spoiler: Literal Spoiler Warning in case you want to watch The Mission

A guy draws wheels onto a cartoon of their B-17, and cartoon wheels really appear. The guy trapped in the ball turret is saved!

Jesus.

This guy defended this awful thing, and derided people who automatically deride Spielberg stuff just because they want to be cool iconoclasts (or something). You know. "Steven-Bashers." There couldn't possibly be any rational reason to criticize something, anything, that came from the mind of "Steven".

The thing that got me... It was clear that this toady separated the people of this Earth into one of only two possible categories. Jesus, man. Get a life. It's swell to be a Spielberg apprentice. But being a toady/worshipper/fanboy, whatever you choose to call it, is something else.

I don't blame Spielberg himself. I don't think he encourages people to become toadies. They do it to themselves.

 

[Jay Y]

Interesting idea. Toadies are going to toady.

The first (but not last!) time I heard the term "Steven-Basher" was on an obscure radio show for L.A. area Science Fiction Fans - Hour 25. The subject that night was the TV show Amazing Stories. The guest was someone who worked on the show.

At some point the infamous and widely derided Cartoon Wheels episode was discussed. (Actual title: The Mission)

Super dramatic narration

Spoiler: Literal Spoiler Warning in case you want to watch The Mission

A guy draws wheels onto a cartoon of their B-17, and cartoon wheels really appear. The guy trapped in the ball turret is saved!
View attachment 89773
Jesus.

This guy defended this awful thing, and derided people who automatically deride Spielberg stuff just because they want to be cool iconoclasts (or something). You know. "Steven-Bashers." There couldn't possibly be any rational reason to criticize something, anything, that came from the mind of "Steven".

The thing that got me... It was clear that this toady separated the people of this Earth into one of only two possible categories. Jesus, man. Get a life. It's swell to be a Spielberg apprentice. But being a toady/worshipper/fanboy, whatever you choose to call it, is something else.

I don't blame Spielberg himself. I don't think he encourages people to become toadies. They do it to themselves.

I was an actual child when I saw this repeated but remember thinking it was quite sweet. I suspect I conflate it also with 'Memphis Belle' which was released around that same time.

 

[purpleivan]

At some point the infamous and widely derided Cartoon Wheels episode was discussed. (Actual title: The Mission)

You say that the episode "the Mission" is "much derided", but it has the equal highest rating on IMDB for any episode for season 1 of Amazing Stories at 7.6/10. Even the highest rated episode of season 2 only made it to 7.7/10.

However, I do admit that the "cartoon wheels" would have been divisive. I've always loved cartoons, so I didn't mind it, even if I felt it was a bit silly.

 

[Z.W. Wolf]

You are right.