Brief info here:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085106/
Detailed info here:
http://thevisitors.info/
V is a miniseries about an invasion of reptilian aliens to the planet earth, disguised to look as humans, who used cunning propaganda and plausible lies to befriend the human race, and slowly establish a tyrranical global system of power/control which was very similar to Nazi Germany. There were, of course, serious issues with the film, as there are with all similar films, which represent either a level of wishful thinking, intentional disinfo, or both on behalf of the creators of the miniseries. But there were also some very well-made parts, and aspects of the film that seem to present the reality pretty accurately.
First, some of the bad parts:
As is almost always the case, the aliens are strictly physical from another planet - no hyperdimentionality to them at all.
All the weapons the aliens use are much weaker and far less accurate than our own earthly weapons, both their hand-held weapons and their fighter-craft weapons included. They also could not aim even the crappy weapons they did have - forget about any sort of lock-on mechanism! Many other similarly silly typical "movie" things, like the fact that the aliens ever had to mingle with humans at all and establish a control mechanism, instead of just come and take what they wanted without all the political nonsense. This reminds me of all the people who say that the Grays have a deal with our US government, they give us technology and in return the government "allows" them to abduct people. Right...
Also, the fact that the rebels fought strictly with guns and weapons, which although was realistic in the movie to some degree, is entirely senseless, impractical, and would only hurt any real resistance movement in real life against both, the political control and alien control. But of course, if this planet truly ever faced an overt alien control system (as opposed to covert as it is now), many would use the example of such movies and take up arms, because that is all they know about "resistance", thanks to Hollywood, and so they'd end up shooting themselves in the foot, osit.
Sadly, at the end the human race "triumphs" against the aliens who are forced to leave - but not really. The aliens are chased away by the actions of the resistance movement who then ends up being praised by humanity, even though humanity learns absolutely nothing from the experience, just as it never does from all such similar experiences in our own history. Which means the next time this happens, it'll be the same story all over again, over and over and over. In other words, although it is not directly stated, it is essentially the same stupid dynamic that happens in practically all movies of similar type at the end:
Person 1: "Sorry I doubted you, you were right!!"
Person 2: "It's ok, I'm just glad to help"
And of course Person1 goes from initially hating/disbelieving Person2 to later praising and apologizing to him for not "believing". But Person1 NEVER bothers to stop and think just how Person2 knew everything from the start while Person1 and everyone else didn't know anything until the very end. Apparently that lesson of how to SEE is unimportant, what's important is that "we're all ok now, the evil aliens are gone thanks to you!" - end of story. THAT is what made the ending to this movie and all others similar to it, frankly depressing. The depressing part is that it reflects reality.
Because the lesson we're given is: "it's ok to assume, as long as there's a hero to fight on your behalf, and there always is!". That's probably the biggest disinfo of this entire movie, maybe even of our entire existance as a human race in general.
Now the good parts:
Great portrayal of how propaganda easily deceives masses of people who are unable to critically think, or maybe just don't want to.
Also a good example of wishful thinking on behalf of those who fall for it, and how they use plausible justifications to rationalize all that the aliens do and say.
The "freedom fighters" are called "terrorists" by the Aliens, and "rebels". Also a great example of how just referring to a group as "terrorists" instantly demonizes them in the mind of the average person, regardless of what reason the aforementioned group may have for fighting against the "establishment", or even whether that group is in fact doing anything, or even exists.
And of course, my favorite, the part where the aliens and our governments (working together) create fake terrorist attacks all around the world, then plant evidence, and frame thousands of scientists for conspiracy and terrorism. Scientists afterwards were resented like Jews in Nazi Germany, and many of them started disappearing, or being openly apprehended for suspicion of involvement in terrorist activities. And just like in real life, the terrorists in the movie have no good motive to be "terrorists" at all, it all makes no sense. Various politicians were "whisked away" into alien motherships for "safety" against the evil scientific conspirators. Additionally, severe global security measures (pretty much martial law) were increasingly used more and more, but increased slowly in order to make people adjust to each step before the next step is initiated, AGAIN just like Nazi Germany and present day US. There was also a movement created, very similar to "Hitler Youth", which had the same purpose and effect.
So for all the "nonsense" and "sillyness" and unrealism in this movie, it also had much seriousness and realism. It also portrayed human emotions very well, and because it was done in the early 80's as opposed to now, it wasn't focused on special effects as much as on the philosophical, political and interpersonal human aspects.
All in all a great miniseries, consisting of 5 two-hour episodes. The first 2 episodes were the original miniseries, the last 3 episodes were added later and are called "The Final Battle". Additionally, there was later a regular TV series with 19 episodes released before it was cancelled and left at a cliffhanger. Supposedly a remake of the original miniseries is scheduled for 2007 using all modern technology. Here's a comment from Wikipedia regarding a change midway through the series:
"The series ran for 200 minutes and was successful enough to spawn a sequel, V: The Final Battle, which was meant to conclude the story, and a television series in 1984-85 that revived it. [Series creator Kenneth] Johnson left V during the sequel but went on to work on other science fiction shows such as Alien Nation. Perhaps as a result, the sequel and TV series had less of an emphasis on historical allegory, and were more action-oriented." Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_(TV_series)
In other words, out of the 5 episodes, the last 3 were more action oriented, the first 2 being more political, historical, and philosophical.
Among other places, you can find "V" miniseries on Amazon.com
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085106/
Detailed info here:
http://thevisitors.info/
V is a miniseries about an invasion of reptilian aliens to the planet earth, disguised to look as humans, who used cunning propaganda and plausible lies to befriend the human race, and slowly establish a tyrranical global system of power/control which was very similar to Nazi Germany. There were, of course, serious issues with the film, as there are with all similar films, which represent either a level of wishful thinking, intentional disinfo, or both on behalf of the creators of the miniseries. But there were also some very well-made parts, and aspects of the film that seem to present the reality pretty accurately.
First, some of the bad parts:
As is almost always the case, the aliens are strictly physical from another planet - no hyperdimentionality to them at all.
All the weapons the aliens use are much weaker and far less accurate than our own earthly weapons, both their hand-held weapons and their fighter-craft weapons included. They also could not aim even the crappy weapons they did have - forget about any sort of lock-on mechanism! Many other similarly silly typical "movie" things, like the fact that the aliens ever had to mingle with humans at all and establish a control mechanism, instead of just come and take what they wanted without all the political nonsense. This reminds me of all the people who say that the Grays have a deal with our US government, they give us technology and in return the government "allows" them to abduct people. Right...
Also, the fact that the rebels fought strictly with guns and weapons, which although was realistic in the movie to some degree, is entirely senseless, impractical, and would only hurt any real resistance movement in real life against both, the political control and alien control. But of course, if this planet truly ever faced an overt alien control system (as opposed to covert as it is now), many would use the example of such movies and take up arms, because that is all they know about "resistance", thanks to Hollywood, and so they'd end up shooting themselves in the foot, osit.
Sadly, at the end the human race "triumphs" against the aliens who are forced to leave - but not really. The aliens are chased away by the actions of the resistance movement who then ends up being praised by humanity, even though humanity learns absolutely nothing from the experience, just as it never does from all such similar experiences in our own history. Which means the next time this happens, it'll be the same story all over again, over and over and over. In other words, although it is not directly stated, it is essentially the same stupid dynamic that happens in practically all movies of similar type at the end:
Person 1: "Sorry I doubted you, you were right!!"
Person 2: "It's ok, I'm just glad to help"
And of course Person1 goes from initially hating/disbelieving Person2 to later praising and apologizing to him for not "believing". But Person1 NEVER bothers to stop and think just how Person2 knew everything from the start while Person1 and everyone else didn't know anything until the very end. Apparently that lesson of how to SEE is unimportant, what's important is that "we're all ok now, the evil aliens are gone thanks to you!" - end of story. THAT is what made the ending to this movie and all others similar to it, frankly depressing. The depressing part is that it reflects reality.
Because the lesson we're given is: "it's ok to assume, as long as there's a hero to fight on your behalf, and there always is!". That's probably the biggest disinfo of this entire movie, maybe even of our entire existance as a human race in general.
Now the good parts:
Great portrayal of how propaganda easily deceives masses of people who are unable to critically think, or maybe just don't want to.
Also a good example of wishful thinking on behalf of those who fall for it, and how they use plausible justifications to rationalize all that the aliens do and say.
The "freedom fighters" are called "terrorists" by the Aliens, and "rebels". Also a great example of how just referring to a group as "terrorists" instantly demonizes them in the mind of the average person, regardless of what reason the aforementioned group may have for fighting against the "establishment", or even whether that group is in fact doing anything, or even exists.
And of course, my favorite, the part where the aliens and our governments (working together) create fake terrorist attacks all around the world, then plant evidence, and frame thousands of scientists for conspiracy and terrorism. Scientists afterwards were resented like Jews in Nazi Germany, and many of them started disappearing, or being openly apprehended for suspicion of involvement in terrorist activities. And just like in real life, the terrorists in the movie have no good motive to be "terrorists" at all, it all makes no sense. Various politicians were "whisked away" into alien motherships for "safety" against the evil scientific conspirators. Additionally, severe global security measures (pretty much martial law) were increasingly used more and more, but increased slowly in order to make people adjust to each step before the next step is initiated, AGAIN just like Nazi Germany and present day US. There was also a movement created, very similar to "Hitler Youth", which had the same purpose and effect.
So for all the "nonsense" and "sillyness" and unrealism in this movie, it also had much seriousness and realism. It also portrayed human emotions very well, and because it was done in the early 80's as opposed to now, it wasn't focused on special effects as much as on the philosophical, political and interpersonal human aspects.
All in all a great miniseries, consisting of 5 two-hour episodes. The first 2 episodes were the original miniseries, the last 3 episodes were added later and are called "The Final Battle". Additionally, there was later a regular TV series with 19 episodes released before it was cancelled and left at a cliffhanger. Supposedly a remake of the original miniseries is scheduled for 2007 using all modern technology. Here's a comment from Wikipedia regarding a change midway through the series:
"The series ran for 200 minutes and was successful enough to spawn a sequel, V: The Final Battle, which was meant to conclude the story, and a television series in 1984-85 that revived it. [Series creator Kenneth] Johnson left V during the sequel but went on to work on other science fiction shows such as Alien Nation. Perhaps as a result, the sequel and TV series had less of an emphasis on historical allegory, and were more action-oriented." Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_(TV_series)
In other words, out of the 5 episodes, the last 3 were more action oriented, the first 2 being more political, historical, and philosophical.
Among other places, you can find "V" miniseries on Amazon.com
