Editorials
[E3 2013] What We Want From E3
The year’s biggest gaming expo is just around the corner — June 11-13 — and while we won’t be there in person, you can guarantee we’ll be covering it from the safety of our homes (I hate wearing pants, so it all works out) just as we’ve done in the past. This year is going to be the biggest yet, as Microsoft and Sony unveil more of their upcoming consoles, the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, respectively. Now, usually, this is where TJ and I would write up our predictions, but this year we’re doing things a little differently. Instead of guessing what the headlines will be that escape from the event, we’re going to discuss what we’d like to see. More after the break.
First off, the consoles.
Video games are what I’m most looking forward to seeing lots of at E3, but the consoles are important, too. When it comes to pricing, I’m hoping neither console will come with a price tag higher than $400. My guess is $349 for the PS4 and $399 for the Xbox One.
I believe the Xbox One will be the pricier console because Microsoft is pushing it more as an all-in-one device, rather than a gaming console that isn’t only about gaming, which seems to be Sony’s approach. This time around, the Kinect will come bundled with the console, so that too, is likely to kick up the price.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock — or just don’t care — you’re undoubtedly familiar with the storm of controversy that’s been surrounding the Xbox One. I imagine Microsoft is going to attempt to assuage our worries by focusing more on the video games, including fifteen exclusives they teased that will all come to the console within a year of its launch.
Unfortunately, for me, that isn’t enough. Honestly, I don’t know what they can do to reinvigorate my interest in the console outside of removing that annoying required Internet connection, letting me transfer my XBLA games to the Xbox One, and maybe keeping their greedy little hands out of my ability to trade in or loan games I purchase.
Sadly, I think Sony will unveil similar, if not identical, policies for the PS4. We won’t know until next week, but I sincerely hope that isn’t the case.
On to the vidja gaemz!
Bethesda is kicking all the ass lately, with a video game line-up that I am drooling over. The Evil Within looks incredible, Wolfenstein: The New Order looks all right — I’m still not completely sold on the reboot — and if Doom 4 is even lightly teased, my head may explode. Also, remember Endless Summer? Yeah, what’s that all about?
As for Capcom, they’re pushing Lost Planet and a slew of games I have no interest in. They have teased a big mystery reveal, which I am desperately hoping will be either Resident Evil related or Dead Rising 3. That game’s been silent for far too long.
Konami’s already revealed their games in a pre-E3 conference held last Thursday, and for me, the most exciting game was Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2. Yeah, I know they also showed more Metal Gear Solid, to which I say… meh. I think we’d be lucky to hear about something related to Silent Hill this year. I have the feeling we won’t be hearing much from that foggy little resort town for a while.
Now that Remedy has confirmed Alan Wake won’t be coming back in the near future, there’s really only one high profile horror game that I’d love to hear from, even though I’m not entirely sure it’s still in development.
That’s Guillermo Del Toro’s Lovecraftian action horror game, inSANE. It’s gone silent since its debut at the Spike VGAs back in 2010. It was originally planned to be published by the now defunct THQ for a release this year. That isn’t happening. Del Toro has full rights to the IP and he’s said he’s shopping it around to game studios. I hope everything’s all right with it, because I really wouldn’t mind seeing more of it.
I’m sure several of the more high profile indie horror games will be at the expo next week, like Daylight, Outlast, and Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs — all of which looks absolutely terrifying. It was recently announced that Daylight would be coming exclusively to the PS4, right alongside another PS4-exclusive horror game, Until Dawn. I can’t say I’m terribly enthusiastic about its support of the hugely gimmicky PS Move, but even that won’t keep me from playing a teen slasher video game. We just don’t get enough of those.
That’s what I’d like to see. Now, on to TJ!
Bring me the consoles. ALL the consoles.
I can’t say I have as negative of a look towards the Xbox One as most people now. I mean let’s be honest here, things are changing. Remember when that whole Napster debacle went down and they started releasing cds you couldn’t rip? It’s kind of like the same thing but on a more expensive level. They are trying to keep the money within the game industry and not so much to GameStops and the like. I’m more just looking towards the future of gaming on the Xbox One, as well as the PlayStation 4.
I’m hoping E3 will not be so focused on all the “negative” aspects of the systems, but more focused on the games, and the features. I’d really love to see more on how both systems work, dashboards, upgrades, and features we will be able to experience this magical holiday season.
As far as pricing is concerned, I don’t really have any guesses. I can tell you no one saw the PlayStation 3’s 600 dollar price point coming. So I don’t want to get my hopes up just yet. I’m honestly so excited for the games. Take all this bull shit surrounding the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 (If they out themselves like the Xbox) and push it aside. I’m happy we’re getting some brand new systems and games that are going to look amazing.
Oh, and about those games…..
You know what hurts? Remedy. They broke my heart in two. I want a new Alan Wake. I want it now. I HAVE TO SAVE MY WIFE, DON’T YOU GET IT?
Capcom. Unless they are giving us some kick ass Resident Evil turn around, they won’t have my attention one bit.
I’m kind of hoping Epic shows us something awesome. I really have zero interest in Fortnite. So I’m hoping they have something else in the works.
In general what I’m most excited about is seeing new games that haven’t been announced yet for the Playstation 4 and Xbox One. I mean, yes, of course I’m excited to see more about games that were already announced, but my lust for visuals can only be satiated with new new new stuff.
Adam is right. Bethesda is doing something right. They have a badass line up so far. What do I really really want? The next Fallout. We’re creeping up on 3 years this fall since New Vegas came out. What I really want is a Fallout with co-op. I might kill myself if a that came out.
I’m hopeful we’ll be able to see a lot of the indie horror games Adam has been gushing over lately.
I could go on all night about what I want to see.
Hey, Valve, Left 4 Dead 3. NOW. Don’t give me any lip about it either.
Deadly Premonition 2 needs to be made. They’re seriously sitting on a small gold mine. It makes me question what companies are thinking.
BioShock Infinite 2. LOLZ, but seriously I’m curious what Ken Levine and the crew are up to right now….
It’s way to soon, but give me Tomb Raider 2. My Game of the Year needs a sequel.
I’m itching for sequels to games I love(d). Dante’s Inferno 2. That was the best trip through hell I ever had. I think Visceral needs to take some time off from Dead Space to personally deliver me a sequel.
I think I’m done ranting, just give me awesome new stuff and awesome sequels to awesome games and I’ll be a happy camper.
Have a question? Feel free to ever-so-gently toss Adam an email, or follow him on Twitter and Bloody Disgusting.
Editorials
Before ‘The Blair Witch Project’, ‘Alien Autopsy’ Showed How Real Found Footage Could Feel
The line separating artist from con man is a lot thinner than you might initially believe. While I think we can all agree that lying for the sake of profit is actively malicious behavior, isn’t it also true that the faux documentary aspect of The Blair Witch Project is half the reason why that film became such a cultural phenomenon? After all, if there’s one thing filmmakers have in common with stage magicians, it’s that misleading and misdirecting audiences is simply part of the job.
That’s why I’ve developed a habit of mostly ignoring the moral quandaries behind many of film and television’s biggest “hoaxes” in favor of appreciating the narrative elements that drive productions like Mermaids: The Body Found and even Animal Planet’s highly underrated The Cannibal in the Jungle. However, if there’s a definitive case of a highly publicized broadcast fooling the world into taking it seriously, it has to be Fox’s infamous 1995 TV special Alien Autopsy: Fact or Fiction.
It’s been over three decades since that eerie footage first haunted television screens right at the peak of the ’90s ufology craze, and in that time, the video has taken on a life of its own. From countless parodies and references in everything from The X-Files to Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater (as well as John Dower’s recently released tell-all documentary The Alien Autopsy Scandal, which I’d highly recommend to genre fans everywhere), there’s no denying the legacy of the Alien Autopsy video. However, I rarely see the tape discussed as what it truly is: a highly convincing found footage film directed by a passionate stage magician and brought to life by masterful practical effects work.
That’s why I’d like to invite readers to join me on a deep dive into one of the most infamous broadcasts of all time in an attempt to reevaluate the footage as a fascinating narrative experience rather than a complete hoax.
The TV Special That Convinced Millions It Was Real
Ray Santilli next to Extraterrestrial replica in ‘The Alien Autopsy Scandal’
For starters, regardless of whether or not you believe that there was in fact an extraterrestrial crash in Roswell during the summer of 1947 and that some form of autopsy was performed on the victims, the producers behind the black & white recordings, Ray Santilli and Gary Shoefield, insist that their video was a “restoration.” Though I’d argue that the proper word is “remake”of genuine footage that was too damaged to air on television. That’s why the duo went on to recruit filmmaker and eccentric magician Spyros Melaris and sculptor/monster designer John Humphreys to bring their version of the autopsy to life and sell it to the highest bidder.
This is where the story of the Alien Autopsy as a narrative experience really begins. Melaris claims that his approach to the faux recording consisted of striving for extreme period accuracy in both shooting equipment and setting while also planting subtle details that would initially seem like mistakes but could later be revealed to actually fit the time period. That being said, the filmmaker was under the impression that the short would be released for free as a PR stunt, with the team later producing and selling an informative documentary chronicling exactly how the footage was faked and commenting on how easy it is to manipulate public perception with a good old-fashioned magic trick.
This obviously isn’t how things went down, and that’s likely the reason why Melaris has since distanced himself from everyone else involved with the project. Yet, no amount of behind-the-scenes drama can undermine the genuine effort that went into making the short as impressive as it is. From the sourcing of real animal organs from a local butcher to make the organic part of the creature more lifelike to the highly detailed sculpt that made use of a hollowed-out underlayer that could be filled with fake blood and assorted viscera, there’s a reason why so many Hollywood specialists are still impressed with the artistry on display here.
Of course, the believability is only half the story, as I think that the best part of the autopsy is how Melaris builds on the existing tension by obscuring certain details and often embracing the chaos of what a real examination of extraterrestrial life could feel like. The camera often goes out of focus at just the right time to make certain effects hit even harder, and we can only speculate as to what the hazmat-suited doctors are gesticulating about during the operation. There’s a real air of mystery to the whole thing that almost makes it feel like a cosmically terrifying, cursed film containing forbidden knowledge that civilians were never meant to see.
So when Fox’s Fact or Fiction brings in the specialists to comment on the film and its otherworldly subject, it’s no surprise that we end up with one of the most memorable mockumentaries of all time – albeit one where the participants are unaware that the footage they’re commenting on is basically a large-scale practical joke. A joke that the network was obviously in on, as many participants claim that the TV special cut out significant portions where guests point out that they believe the footage to be an elaborate hoax.
The Lasting Impact of the Hoax Turned Cultural Event
Regardless, I remember going to bed terrified after watching reruns of the special and thinking about the respected pathologist who claimed that the body was almost certainly inhuman, with even effects maestro Stan Winston commenting on how difficult it would be to recreate some of these visuals through practical puppetry. That’s not even mentioning Jonathan Frakes’ dramatic hyping up of the disturbing imagery as if he was talking about the tape from The Ring, with his spooky demeanor here likely being responsible for his later role as the host of Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction a few years later.
Personally, I’d argue that the Alien Autopsy phenomenon had just as much of an impact on me as a horror fan as The Blair Witch Project, a film that was almost certainly influenced by the success of this immensely popular hoax (to the point where they even produced their own TV special commenting on Heather’s found footage). Even if Fox didn’t intend to produce a narrative feature about the aftermath of the Roswell crash, the end product still holds up remarkably well as a highly entertaining mockumentary exploring the idea that we may not be alone in the universe.
While neither Santilli nor the rest of the production team has ever commented on this, I also think it’s very likely that the idea of a faux Alien Autopsy could have been influenced by Dean Alioto’s The McPherson Tape/UFO Abduction. I’ve already written about how this granddaddy of found footage was co-opted by rogue ufologists who began selling bootlegs of the tape at conventions as if it were real evidence of a close encounter, so it’s not that much of a stretch to imagine that Santilli and company could have heard about this phenomenon and been inspired to come up with their own highly profitable hoax.
At the end of the day, it’s unlikely that the Alien Autopsy film is recreating any real footage from Roswell, but I can still appreciate the short and the accompanying television event as a standalone horror story that still influences the way we see found footage to this very day.
After all, the possibility that something could be real is often much scarier than finding out for sure – and that’s why I think Alien Autopsy: Fact or Fiction is still worth revisiting three decades down the line.
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