Movies and the Paranormal: Phenomenon

Movies and the Paranormal: Phenomenon
By James Paradie

A new feature to Scared Sheetless is that I’m going to share my thoughts on movies that have to do with paranormal or paranormal like plots. The first one that get’s the honor is the 1996 movie, Phenomenon. Now, I’m not one for spoiling movies, because I really don’t like it when people do that with me, but I will basically tell some of the plot in a nutshell.

George Malley, played by John Travolta, is your average day Joe: he lives in a small town, owns a body shop, and everyone knows him and loves him. They love him so much they pull this birthday party at a bar where everyone is having a good time. George meets a friend outside to say thanks for coming to his party when he goes out in the empty streets and toasts the stars for a great birthday. He notices something strange in the sky though, this bright light that is coming down…towards him. He has no time to move or to even panic as the lights comes down at him and he falls to the ground. This is the start to a movie that I honestly think is epic in a theatrical and a “what if” sort of way.

Theatrical it is intriguing because you have all the elements and they blend in real well. You have the, in my opinion, a great actor, that being John Travolta. You have the interesting plot, that being this man get’s struck by an unknown force and gathers super intelligence as well as telekinesis which means that he can move objects with his mind. You also have the FBI which is usually shown in its cliché way of being evil, but in a way where you can perceive that’s how they would act with a man who has these powers.

How’s it interesting in a “What if” sort of way? Well, with all movies I like to question myself “Could that happen?” Usually the movies that I answer yes are the ones that interest me the most. I did answer yes with this, but it’s not so much of someone having supernatural powers, but the fact of how people would react. You got this guy who has these powers, has these great ideas, wants to help people better their lives, but then you get the people who thinks he’s some sort of alien and are only interested in the negatives.

Pretty soon in the movie you realize that George does become this circus side show act where everyone forgets about the nice guy George and starts only caring about his powers. If you were in that position, wouldn’t you get a bit tensed? Feel like your trapped in your own skin? It’s like me hunting ghosts, I get these people all the time who thinks it’s awesome, but then there’s those few who just totally disrespect my beliefs and ask me foolish questions like, “Where’s the jar you put the ghost in?” Off the record, you’re mistaking me for a Ghostbuster. That’s a movie, what I do is real, and completely different. Second of all, it’s called an ecto-containment unit not a “ghost jar.” But no matter what, you will get these people who would rather just laugh in your face, spit on your theories, than just accepting them. Do I 100% believe in aliens? I can’t say for sure, but I got a good friend who does, so I respect his theories.

In this movie, however, the people just start becoming almost unbearable and do treat George like an alien. Some thinks he’s a fraud, others think he is sent down from the Heavens, or from aliens, but what it all comes down to is that they can’t handle it. Mass hysteria takes over the town where people just don’t leave the man be and just let him live his live. It’s not a question of “How are you doing?” anymore, it’s a question of “How did you become this way?” And I think everyone would agree that if something like this did happen, then that’s exactly how people would act. The majority at least, because most people fear what they do not understand. That’s probably why skeptics automatically throw any or all theories out, because they simply do not understand it.

The people feared this man and the way it all ends is definitely a tear jerker. Even if you do not believe in supernatural powers, I suggest you watch this movie, because it is phenomenal. It’s not an action, it’s not a thriller, but the best it does for you is that it makes you think. Are there people out there like this? How about those people who CAN open parts of their brain that others can’t. What they can do if they opened their minds even more. Think about it, but while you’re thinking of it, rent this movie.