Original subtitles

Ezekiel saw the wheel.

This is the wheel he said he saw.

These are unidentified flying objects that people say they are seeing now.

Are they proof that we are being visited by civilizations from other stars?

Or just what are they?

The United States Air Force began an investigation

of this high strangeness in a search for the truth.

What you are about to see is part of that 20-year search.

How did you ever find this place?

It's one of my favorite places to hide.

Yeah, and if anything should go wrong with the car,

we've got a two-mile walk back to civilization.

That's what I like about you, Ellie. You're all romance.

Hey, you guys. It's getting late, huh?

We just got here.

Mr. Gatlin?

I'm Lieutenant Carmichael, Public Information Officer. Lieutenant. Sergeant Fitz. How

are you, Lieutenant?

Sergeant.

Welcome to Collins Air Force Base, gentlemen. I've arranged quarters for you.

After lunch, I'd be happy to brief you on the sighting.

Thanks, Lieutenant. It's a little early for lunch.

I want to get out to the far city as soon as possible. Check out the site.

I understand, sir.

You can change right here in the hangar, the ready room,

and I'll draw a car from the motor pool. Very good.

Is the area been secured, sir?

Right, Sergeant. The local police had a dozen men

out there within a couple hours after the report.

How far to Forest City? Well, it's about 100 miles, but it's thruway driving,

so it shouldn't take you more than two hours.

We want to stop by the high school and talk to the students

who made out the report before we get to Siding.

Well, you know, sir, I think you may be wasting your time on this thing.

Why do you say that?

Well, you know how teenagers are. Maybe they got bored,

thought they'd stir up a little excitement.

And you think it might be a hoax, sir?

Well, it looks that way to me.

But you're from Blue Book.

You're the experts. We'll run it down.

Sometimes when kids have too much money, too much time on their hands,

life can be very unchallenging.

And that's when the trouble begins.

About a year ago, we found our vice principal's

compact car in the second floor chemistry lab.

A couple months ago, some adventuresome clowns, I call them,

released a bunch of small hot air balloons with baskets filled with red paint.

It took weeks to clean that up.

And now this.

In other words, you don't believe these young people saw anything?

You know, I get a feeling that you're building up a case for these boys.

Do you really believe that they saw a flying saucer?

Come in. It's probably the boys now.

Boys, this is Major Gatlin, Sergeant Fitz.

Hello, fellas.

How are you doing?

They're with Project Blue Book.

This is Jerry Daniels and Clay Munson.

Now, boys, you'll recall our last conversation in this matter?

Yes, sir.

The Major's going to ask you some questions,

and how you answer them will not only reflect upon you,

but upon your school and your parents as well.

Do I make myself clear?

Yes, sir.

Mr. Mathis, before we start, we'd like to see the area beside him,

and it would be helpful if the fellas could go along with us.

Could you arrange that for us?

Well, class will be over in a few minutes anyway.

I suppose it'll be all right.

Thank you for your time, sir. Pleasure meeting you. Major,

I just don't know what you expect to find at this so-called landing site.

Simple, Mr. Mathis. What really happened out there. I don't know about you all,

but I'm as hungry as a bear.

Good day, gentlemen.

Thank you.

What would you like?

I'll have a hamburger and chocolate malt.

Me too.

Hamburger and a cup of coffee, please.

Burger's fine, and I'd like a double vanilla malt.

Would you like regular, super, or super colossal burgers?

Super colossal's fine.

You must be hungry from there.

Tell us about your sighting.

How can you use the tape recorder, Sergeant?

It's for our use only.

To make sure we get it all down in your words, the way it happened.

Oh.

If you'd rather, we won't use it. I'll take notes.

No, that's okay with me.

All right, tell us what you saw last Friday night. First off,

tell us where it happened.

Well, I know it's going to sound pretty dumb.

I mean, it's so crazy. I wouldn't have believed it myself if I hadn't been there.

Don't worry about it. Just tell us in your own words.

Okay.

There's this little dirt road I found off Highway 20. It goes through Parker Woods.

Nobody ever uses it.

I figured it'd be better than Mill Road. That's where all the kids go.

It's more private, you know what I mean?

Well, Clay and I went there last Friday night with Marcy and Ellie.

I guess it was about 11.30.

We had just parked when we saw this bright reddish-orange light.

What is that? That noise is awful. Jared, please,

let's get out of here. Wait a minute.

What for? Let's go! Hey, Clay, do you believe what we're seeing?

What do you think it is?

I think it's a flying saucer. Oh, Jerry, please,

let's go, let's go. Are you kidding?

This is the chance of a lifetime. Come on, you guys,

it can't be more than a couple hundred yards from here.

Jerry, wait a minute. I'm not leaving this

car. Me neither. Okay, you girls wait here.

Sir, would you lock the car, please? The keys are in

there. If anything happens, just take off, okay?

It really is a flying saucer.

Of course it is.

Have you ever seen anything like it in your life?

Do you think it's some kind of a code? I don't know.

Maybe they're trying to signal somebody.

Who?

Maybe they know we're here.

Maybe they can tell.

Why would they want to signal us?

I don't know.

Come on, let's get back to the car. Wait a minute. Let's see what happens.

I don't want to wait. I don't want to see what happens,

because it might happen to us.

Come on, let's go, Jerry.

Wait.

Let me think a minute.

Do you notice something?

What?

The crickets.

They've stopped.

Yeah.

I don't hear anything.

What do you say we get closer and get a better look?

We don't have any choice if we stay.

I've never seen anything like that in my life.

Looked like a giant teacup upside down on a huge plate.

I heard about flying saucers before. Read about them, you know.

I sure didn't think I'd ever see one.

Aside from the experience itself, were you affected in any other way?

Well, how do you mean, Major?

Did you have any side effects? Anything physical? Well,

I skinned my knee pretty good when I fell, that's all.

No, sir, I feel okay physically.

I did that night, except for the weird feeling of seeing that thing.

We'd like to have the full names and addresses of

the two girls you were out with Friday night.

Are you going to talk to them too?

Oh, I don't know how much they saw. They stayed in the car.

Well, I can tell you this.

Their folks are pretty sore at it.

We were pretty late getting home.

You didn't go straight home after the incident? No, sir.

We drove around for a while, talking it over.

Here you are, gentlemen.

Okay, man, let's put a quick end to this starvation diet.

You know something?

I'm not really hungry anymore.

Me neither.

Coogan, Forest City Police. Can I help you, gentlemen? I'm Jake Gatlin.

This is Herrick Pitts, Project Blue Boat.

Hi. Been expecting you. I'm Charles Hamlin with the Forest City Outlook. Hello.

How are you?

Well, we've kept it pretty well restricted.

Thank you, Lieutenant. Let's get her here.

We're fairly isolated out here, but when a story like this gets out,

they're going to be coming from miles around.

Sightseers, you know.

You boys want to wait here? This won't take too long. Major,

I'd like to talk to you for a minute and ask a few

questions if it's all right. Sure, go ahead.

How does the Air Force feel about this particular sighting?

You think those kids dreamed it all up?

That's why we're here, Mr. Hamlin.

Well, what's your opinion, just off the top?

We try not to give opinions off the top. We check out all the information first,

just like you do before you print a story, right?

Just as soon as we've completed our investigation,

we'll be happy to give you a full briefing. Fair enough?

Fair enough, Major.

Look at this depression. There's two more just like this one.

Taking any measurements?

Just about two.

Diameter of impression, 36 inches.

Depth?

Depth of impression, 3 inches.

Let's get a penetrometer reading.

Hand me a plastic bag.

Here you go.

And it makes the soil structure slightly granular. More clay than sand.

The lab will tell us for sure. 8,000 times 3.

Well, check the other two depressions, and if they read 8,000,

Hey, Major, that tree.

Something got to it all right.

Pretty good pop to shear off a branch like that.

Sassafras tree, usually when they break, they splinter into a thousand pieces.

This is a fairly clean break.

Almost like it'd been cut through. Took a pretty good force to do that.

Take a look at this fresh.

It's like molten glass, doesn't it? Yes, sir.

It'd take a lot of heat to turn the sand in this soul of glass if that's what it is.

It's glass, so the next thing to it takes over 3,000

degrees Fahrenheit to turn sand into glass.

Looks like a popular place to camp out.

Lieutenant?

Yeah?

You had any weather in this area recently?

What do you mean, Sergeant? Heavy rain, thunderstorms.

No, the weather's been beautiful the last month or two.

What were you thinking, lightning?

No, sir, not anymore.

Give me your tape.

What do you read?

20 feet even.

All right.

Let's get some pictures and get everything to right path as soon as possible.

You got everything you need, Major? Just about. Take another 15 minutes.

We'd appreciate it if you'd maintain security in the area for another two days.

Sure. No problem.

Where'll you be staying while you're here in Forest City? Oak's Lodge,

over on South Columbia Drive. You know, I question those kids myself.

And I gotta say that their story certainly leaves a certain amount to be desired,

don't you think? You did speak to them, I assume.

We have. Yeah, it's pretty wild, huh?

Unreal!

I told old Ham here that I thought they were probably

watching television and going to the movies too much.

I don't imagine you've had time to read our local gazette.

But along with the police department here, we've got it down as a hoax. That's so.

And you know more than we do. Oh, come on now, Major.

You've got to know that it's a complete hoax.

I'll tell you what we know so far.

The top of one of your trees has been sheared off as though it were sawed.

Three indentations in the earth, and they measure 36 inches around,

three inches deep. We figure we take a combined weight

of 26,000 pounds to create those impressions.

A fourth larger circular indentation with evidence

of molten glass in and around the perimeter.

Just exactly what are you saying, Major?

If it's a hoax, somebody went to a hell of a lot of trouble.

I guess that takes care of everything. The courier just left with all the samples.

You should have them tomorrow morning.

Right.

Put a rush on it. We like the results as soon as possible, okay?

Right, and thanks.

Some mashed potatoes left in the container.

Nothing better than cold mashed potatoes.

Good evening, Sergeant. When did I come in? Not at all.

How are you, Mr. Hammond?

Confused, I'm afraid. I've got something here that I think will interest you.

Here, take a look at them.

Where'd you get these?

A guy dropped them by my office about an hour ago. Lives over in West Forest.

That's in a neighboring county about five miles from here.

Did he give you the negatives?

No, just the prints.

He wants us to run them and then put them on the wires.

You have the man's name and address?

Yeah, it's right around the envelope. I figured you'd want them.

We'll take a run over there tomorrow morning.

Well, what about all of this, Major? I mean,

how do we figure it now? How do you mean?

Well, according to Hadley, that's the guy that dropped off the photos,

according to him, he says this proves the boy's stories without a doubt.

How's that?

Hadley claims he took those pictures last Friday night.

I've told Marcy a dozen times not to park in out-of-the-way places with boys.

And I'm surprised that you, Ellie, your father's told you the same thing.

I understand your concern, Mr. Corning,

but the girls seem to be the only witnesses so far to the sighting,

and we'd like to ask them some questions.

What sighting?

You don't believe all that stupidity.

We'd like to hear what the girls have to say about

the incident last Friday evening. Suit yourself.

I'm going to have a drink.

I've listened to this fairy tale over and over.

Come on, honey.

All right, you want to tell us what you saw?

Well, we really didn't see too much.

Just a bright reddish-orange glow.

It was weird.

It came out of the sky and landed out in the woods someplace.

We never got out of the car.

We didn't know what it was.

How were the boys when they got back to the car?

They were dirty, and their clothes were kind of torn.

And they were out of breath, like they'd been running or something.

You wouldn't believe us if we told you. Jerry,

what was that thing and all that noise we heard? Come on, start.

Jerry, what was it? Tell us. We'll tell you later. Come on, Jerry.

We've got to get out of here.

We drove around for a while until Jerry and Clay

calmed down enough to tell us what happened.

Did you believe their story?

Yes.

Well, at least we did that night.

But after Marcy and I talked it over the next morning, well, I don't know.

What changed your mind?

Well, it's just that everything seemed so weird, you know?

Yeah, like something out of a flick.

But you did see the reddish orange light.

We saw that all right.

Only now I'm not even sure.

How do you mean that?

Well, sometimes it's easier just to forget

about something than to try to explain it, you know?

I guess what we're trying to say is that

What my dad says. A fairy tale.

I figured they'd send somebody out here sooner or later.

Glad you're here.

Stu Hadley. Hello, I'm Jake Atlin. This is Harry Fitz. How are you?

Good, how are you?

Well, you've seen the pictures.

Yes, sir.

What'd you think?

Very interesting.

Very interesting?

Come on, guys, that's a flying saucer if you've ever seen one.

The reporter over at the Forest City Outlook said those

pictures ought to be in every paper in the country.

I'm sure they will, when he releases them to the wire services.

You mean he hasn't released it yet?

No, sir, not yet. We asked him to hold up on it for a while.

Well, I don't understand why you did that.

In fact, I'm not sure you have the authority to do that, am I right?

Mr. Hadley, would you mind telling us exactly

how you happened to take these pictures?

Oh, I get it. You think I faked them.

No, sir, we didn't say that.

But we would like to determine the validity of the photographs.

Sure, I can do that.

I got nothing to hide, you know.

It was last Friday night.

I was up at Crystal Lake duck hunting, got there about 4 a.m.

Anyway, on the way back, I decided to take a shortcut,

Highway 20 through Whitesburg, borders right along Parker Woods.

Funny thing is, though, I wasn't scared.

Not during the time it was there. I just had to get a picture. That's all.

But then after it left, my hands started shaking.

It was quite an experience.

You people are downright non-believers, aren't you?

Yes, I usually carry a camera with me because like

millions of other people, I enjoy taking pictures.

How is it that these are black and white photos?

I thought not everybody used color these days.

Well, I'm experimenting with sunrises right now,

and black and white film happens to be quicker than color,

so that's what I use for the effect I want to get.

Do you have the negatives?

Yes, I have the negatives. Would it be all right if we borrowed them?

What for? You've got the prints right there.

Yes, sir, but we'd like to send the negatives to

our laboratory at Wright-Patterson for analysis.

I'll get them for you.

I'd like to borrow the camera, too, if we can, Mr. Hadley.

That's in the truck glove compartment. Do me

one favor, will you? Keep the lens cap on it.

That's a brand-new German lens, and it's very expensive,

and I don't want it scratched, okay?

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

I'll get the negatives.

Thanks. We'll get these back to you as soon as possible.

And when you do, Major, I think an apology would go along with it.

A very large apology.

Because you really make a guy feel like a criminal.

Look, Mr. Hadley, if these negatives check out,

they might prove more useful in more ways than you know.

What if they don't?

Then no apology is necessary, is it?

¶¶

Major, can I speak to you for a minute?

I was wondering if you got any results back from your lab. Not yet.

We expect to hear something about tomorrow.

How long have you fellows been working on this

job, investigating UFOs? A handful of years.

As you probably had a look at a few hundred cases, huh?

Is this one a hoax?

What's your gut feeling about it? One thing about gut feelings we found, Lieutenant.

Sometimes they turn out to be just gas.

Yeah, well, I was asking this for a reason, though, Major.

I'm getting a lot of pressure from downtown. They wanted a rest mate in this case.

Those two boys, Jerry and Clay.

Why? For what reason?

Well, because the people in this community are

getting a little fed up with teenage pranks,

and I can't say that I blame them.

It's very aggravating and very expensive,

and it keeps the police department from being

able to work on other more important cases.

But we don't know that what we're dealing with is a prank.

Yeah, but we don't know that it isn't.

I'm sorry, I'm afraid we're going to have to make a stand in this case.

The people here just want to make an example of those two boys. Well,

it's your story, Lieutenant.

Just make sure you're not doing the right thing for the wrong reason.

Boys, I have patiently listened to your story.

I find it totally incomprehensible.

Jerry, you've been here before. I let you off with a reprimand.

I can only assume that you chose to ignore it.

This time I want you both to be aware that we

will no longer tolerate these juvenile antics.

What we do here today will set an example for

the other young people of this community

as to what they can expect if they persist in creating this malicious mischief.

This court fines each of you $15 and sentences you

to four weekends of cleanup work in Parker Woods,

where you chose to create this grand deception.

Your Honor, may I approach the bench?

State your name and your interest.

Jay Catlin, Major, United States Air Force. I'm here on government business.

Good to see you, Major. Thank you, Your Honor.

Sergeant Fitz and I have been investigating circumstances surrounding this case.

As of this point in time,

we've been unable to make any determination as to the validity or non-validity

of the reported sighting of an unidentified flying object.

We respectfully petition that the court delay execution of the sentence until

our laboratories have the opportunity to fully analyze all the evidence.

Major, are you telling this court that there is a possibility

that a flying saucer actually landed in Parker Woods?

All we're saying, sir, is that it's premature to label the sighting a hoax.

I see.

How much time would you need?

At least 48 hours, Your Honor.

All right, Major.

The United States Air Force is hereby granted 48 hours from this date.

Execution of this sentence will be delayed until Thursday, November 21, at 4 p.m.

Court is recessed until 2 o'clock.

Major Gatlin.

Thank you. Thanks a lot. Don't thank us. You've got a reprieve, not a pardon.

Yeah, well, we know that, but we want to thank you anyway.

Okay.

All right.

Major Gatlin, we represent the Forest City High School Science Club.

We wonder if we could talk to you for a minute? Sure, go ahead.

We think that Jerry and Clay are getting a rough deal.

We really believe they did see something, that it wasn't a prank, you know.

Go on.

Well, what we'd like to do is conduct our own investigation of the landing site.

Maybe we could help Clay and Jerry. As it stands now,

the police won't even let us in the area.

We appreciate you wanting to help,

but we're trying to preserve that location out there in case we have to double back.

Well, if there's anything we can do, we'd be glad to help. Thanks.

We'll keep that in mind.

Oh, one more thing, Major.

When you do reach a conclusion on Clay and Jerry's UFO sighting,

Could you come to the school and tell our science club?

Would that be possible, sir?

We'll try, if we have the time.

You do know why, don't you? No, why?

Because we know that Jerry and Clay aren't lying,

and we want the whole school to know.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you.

Can you remember when you were that young?

Yes, sir, sure do.

Hadn't been that long ago.

We did things a little different six miles when we took a girl out on a date.

How was that?

We parked in the peach orchards.

That way if things got kind of dull, there was always something to eat.

THE END

You were right about that soil out there, sir. It tested highly granular.

And the weight factor proves out. The lab figure's 27,300 pounds.

No sign of radiation in the area.

You come across the report on that broken tree out there, sir?

No. You got it there?

Yes, sir, I do.

Anything?

Yes, sir. Seems I made a mistake when I whiffed that bark out there.

You did? Yes, sir.

Seems that wasn't a sassafras tree.

What was it?

Pecons, sir.

But they're long-grained and brittle.

They break the same way, sir.

Obviously.

That's correct. And you want to know what the trouble was?

You can't smell tree bark?

No, sir.

I had a slight cold, and I didn't know it at the time.

Okay.

Did you see this yet?

What's that, sir?

Listen, the Parker Woods glass sample under analysis

proved to be an example of very primitive glass,

unlike the type manufactured today.

This type of material cannot be factored from known elements utilized

in the making of glass as we know it in this century.

It defies analysis comparison to present-day technologies,

suggests reexamination of site to determine beyond reasonable doubt.

This substance could not be propulsion residue. A machine that's propelled by glass?

Or one that leaves behind a byproduct of crude glass.

Sir, is it possible that we might be the first

to find out what we've all been looking for?

Positive physical evidence?

You want to know the truth?

Yes, sir.

I don't know.

Sergeant. Mr. Hamlin.

I appreciate you calling me, Major. We're about to leave for Hadley's place.

I thought you might like to go along. Oh, thank you.

I would.

What's your opinion?

Do I send those photos to the wire services?

We'll let you be the judge.

Hey, Hamlin, how are you?

Shane, turn that off. Good jazz, huh? Yes, sir.

Excuse me, sir. I left your camera out in the car. Okay. Well,

I've already gotten two calls from New York papers just from the Outlook story.

They're pretty anxious back there to print my pictures. They may still want to.

What do you mean, still want to?

Let's go over a few things, Mr. Hadley.

What kind of things?

Oh, I get it.

You probably want to bury those pictures in your files.

You don't want to create a panic.

That's it, isn't it?

I hear the Air Force has got a ton of stuff

like this that they just don't dare release.

You're closer to being right about that than you know.

Let us show you something. Let's take a look at this first picture. You know, sir,

this is a very good picture of the saucer, since there is no point of reference,

nothing to compare the object with, you know, to determine its size.

Notice anything strange in this photo, Mr. Hadley?

Right there, you know what that is?

It looks like an imperfection in the negative to me. Yes, sir.

You're right about that.

Let's look at this next photo.

This is a blow-up of the imperfection, as you call it.

This picture represents a magnification blow-up.

What you see there is really not an imperfection,

but rather one of God's created perfections, a sycamore leaf.

Well, I don't know how in the world that could have got in the negative.

We do, sir. You put it there.

Now let's look at this last photo.

We dug into this particular negative with a system

that we refer to as dense overlay filtration.

I never heard of that.

No, sir, but the military has.

Comes in handy for locating military troop concentrations at night.

Take a look, sir.

What you see there is really a clear indication of a strand

of monofilament used to suspend the flying saucer.

That, coupled with a sycamore leaf, which gives us positive scale,

tells us exactly what your UFO was and is.

We don't know for sure what kind of rig you used,

but it could have been a stepladder or a tall, inverted L-scaffold.

And this, sir, is your flying saucer.

And you do have a sycamore tree outside your garage.

Tell me, why, Hadley?

Why? Because I love kids.

My wife and I can't have any, and she doesn't want to adopt any.

When a kid gets in trouble, I care.

Those two boys who were involved in the sighting, Jerry Daniels, Clay Munson,

you were trying to help them?

I guess the Irish put it best. Just the great fool of the world I am.

Hiya, Major!

Sergeant!

Hiya, Ham!

I'm glad I caught up with you.

I've got something important.

I don't know where you are in that sighting investigation,

but I thought I overheard you say something about

glass out there at Parker Woods the other day. Am I right? Yes, sir.

The blue-colored material around the large depression out there.

I thought so.

Well, I don't know what this means,

but I'm going to turn this over to you for whatever it's worth.

What you got, Lieutenant?

I was talking to my father the other night. He's in his 70s.

And he's kind of a Forest City historical buff. Well,

he's the one that put me onto this. So I went down to the city planning office,

and I pulled a copy of this plot for you. Because this is proof, if you need it.

Proof of what?

Of the existence of a factory that stood on almost exactly

the same spot where that UFO was supposed to have landed.

Now they closed that plant down in 1896. Tell us it was a glass factory.

How'd you guess?

We have the final results of the tests from our lab at Wright-Patterson,

and we've been asked to share those results with you.

Mr. Mathis was generous enough to provide us with the time.

Sergeant Pitts? The three smaller indentations, so-called landing pod impressions,

were certain that no tool created those depressions.

The penetrometer and soil compaction analysis indicates

an object of over 27,000 pounds rested there.

Oh, great. Am I to understand that

These boys actually saw a UFO,

and that you Air Force people believe that something

from outer space actually landed in those woods?

Let me clarify that, sir.

We believe that Jerry and Clay did not manufacture the evidence that was found.

We believe they did see something.

We do not know exactly what. Major Gatlin, what about the broken tree,

the soil depressions, and the blue glass? Now,

wouldn't that be considered evidence? Proof?

You're partially right.

Those elements do exist, but we cannot prove what caused them,

and we cannot disprove their existence.

In what category would the Air Force put this particular sighting, Major?

It will be officially listed as an unknown.

Want me to drive?

Yes, sir. You do the flying, I'll do the driving.

I always like my engineer well-rested and relaxed. I'm going to take you to the car.

They're gone.

They're gone.

You don't think we should have told them?

Something I'll never forget.

Will you?

Nope.

Come on, let's go, Jerry.

What do we do now?

They know we're here.

Let's make a run for it. We stay here and they're sure to get us.

Come on.

And we shouldn't have told them.

Nope.

Why?

What's the game?

They wouldn't believe us.