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Please Help Me Find The Name Of This Movie!!!

posted 5 years ago by WillieG (5)
9 replies | jump to latest

Hi folks,

This is a bit of a long shot but here goes.

My wife often speaks about a movie she saw many years ago but can’t remember the title and can only recall some of the details. I’d love to be able to trace it and maybe even get a DVD if one exists so would appreciate if you could tell me if the following rings any bells re any films you may have seen.

Probably made some time between 1980’s and early 1990’s, possibly a TV movie. A Sci-Fi movie not unlike Independence Day whose plot is basically that a spaceship lands on earth and we earthlings incorrectly decipher a message from the spaceship which causes us to (unfairly) attack the spaceship and a battle ensues. The final scene apparently shows people in a science lab looking at a monitor which shows a couple of dots (spaceships) on the screen which soon increases to thousands of spaceships apparently descending upon earth in a kind of revenge attack – and that’s where the movie ends. (It appeals to me because I’m always complaining that all Sci-Fi movies seem to finish with the earth as victors and this one at least seems to leave that part open to your imagination!)

Regarding who stars in the movie, she initially thought that one of the actors from the TV show ‘Soap’ (Ted Wass) had been in it but she’s not sure and can’t find anything on it. There was apparently a real-life American newscaster in the film.

Not a lot to go on and any feedback appreciated! Many thanks!

[–] Videon (24) 5 years ago

Is it 'Without Warning' (1994) maybe? It sounds vaguely similar.

[–] WillieG (5) 5 years ago

Thanks, though that one seems to be about meteorites rather than aliens?

[–] Videon (24) 5 years ago

Yeah it seems like aliens are sending meteorites to try and communicate with us. Good luck on your search though!

[–] kuku (3510) 5 years ago

That could be an episode of The Twilight Zone. The bitter ending fits. The series had a revival with a few seasons during the 80s. Perhaps it was one of the episodes.

[–] johnmarti59 (2356) 5 years ago

Did you find out what movie it was?

[–] WillieG (5) 5 years ago

Not yet...

[–] slimone (7996) 5 years ago

You might want to post this on the "need to know" forum of MC.

[–] Roguemail (1614) 5 years ago

Much of this sounds like one of the 80s Twilight Zone episode A Small Talent For War.

Plot spoiler...

It does not all fit...but the basic idea of this short is that a pile of spaceships descend on earth, and the head alien (John Glover) appears at the UN.

He tells the diplomats that his species have been following mans exploits for centuries, and are dismayed to learn they have 'a small talent for war'. He urges mankind to change their ways or they will annihilate the planet.

The assembled diplomats decide to put aside their cultural and political differences, and spend the whole night putting together a peace treaty for all the nations on the planet.

When the alien returns next day to check on their progress, they eagerly present him with the peace treaty. The alien looks at it in disbelief, and starts to laugh uncontrollably. It seems he was misunderstood...his race travel the universe looking for worthy warrior races to nurture. And he is dismayed to find mankind lacking in the art of conflict with its petty squabbles...a small talent for war.

At that point the spaceships descend over the earth and everything goes black as the inevitable happens.

Great little story. I could be wrong of course, but it was the first thing I thought of.

[–] GlenEllyn (21526) 5 years ago

As slimone suggested, try posting your question here:
https://moviechat.org/bd0000001/I-Need-To-Know
Lots of knowledgeable people on that board.