Why Spielberg's Disclosure Probably Won't Be the Answer

Why Spielberg's Disclosure Probably Won't Be the Answer

By Steve Douglass 

As someone who has spent decades chasing this mystery, I've learned to be wary of anyone promising "the answer." Whether it's a whistleblower, a government report, a leaked document, or a Hollywood blockbuster, the UFO subject has a way of turning certainty into more questions.

That's why I've been watching the growing excitement surrounding Steven Spielberg's upcoming film Disclosure Day with much interest.

In some corners of the UFO community, expectations are already soaring. Some see the film as a
potential "soft disclosure." Others speculate that Spielberg may have been given access to information the public hasn't seen. A few are even suggesting the movie could fundamentally change how people view the UFO phenomenon.

Maybe.

But probably not.

Let's remember what we're talking about here.

It's a movie.

And while Spielberg is arguably one of the greatest storytellers of our time, storytelling and disclosure are two very different things.

Part of the excitement surrounding Disclosure stems from the belief that Spielberg may know more than he's saying.

After all, he has spent decades around this subject. He has spoken with military personnel, astronauts, scientists, government officials, and researchers. His films have shaped the way generations think about UFOs and extraterrestrial life.

As a result, some people have convinced themselves that Spielberg possesses insider knowledge—or that Disclosure Day may contain information derived from sources unavailable to the public.

I remain skeptical of that idea.

While it's certainly possible that Spielberg has heard stories and perspectives that most of us haven't, there is a big difference between hearing interesting accounts and possessing definitive knowledge.

More importantly, if someone truly possessed evidence capable of resolving one of the greatest mysteries in human history, a Hollywood movie would be a very strange place to reveal it.

The purpose of filmmaking is storytelling.

The purpose of disclosure is evidence.

Those are not the same thing.

For nearly eighty years, people interested in UFOs have been waiting for the moment when everything finally clicks into place. The one event. The one witness. The one piece of evidence that makes sense of all the sightings, encounters, government investigations, rumors, myths, and mysteries.

The problem is that this subject has never worked that way. Every major development has generated more questions than answers.

When military gun camera footage surfaced, questions followed. When government reports were released, questions followed. When whistleblowers testified before Congress, questions followed.

Every time we think we're approaching the finish line, the mystery seems to expand.

There is no reason to believe Disclosure Day will be any different.

That isn't a criticism of the film. In fact, the best science fiction often asks important questions rather than pretending to provide definitive answers.

That was certainly true of Spielberg's earlier work. Films like Close Encounters of the Third Kind didn't tell audiences what UFOs were. They explored how humanity might react when confronted with something profoundly unknown.

There is another factor worth considering.

Like it or not, Roswell has become part of the UFO mythology. Over the past eight decades, books, television shows, movies, documentaries, government statements, witness accounts, hoaxes, disinformation campaigns, and outright speculation have all been layered on top of the original event.

The result is that Roswell has become less a single historical incident and more a cultural phenomenon.

Every generation adds something to the story. Every new witness, document, television special, and Hollywood production adds another layer.

Spielberg's Disclosure Day will probably do the same.

That's not necessarily a bad thing. Stories evolve. Myths evolve. Popular culture evolves.

But evolution isn't the same thing as understanding.

The simple truth—whatever it may ultimately be—has been buried beneath nearly eighty years of rumor, speculation, misunderstanding, competing agendas, and deliberate disinformation.

If Disclosure becomes a hit, it may well expand the mythology.

Whether it brings us any closer to the underlying truth is a completely different question.

From the trailers alone, it's clear Spielberg isn't focusing on a single UFO narrative. He appears to be drawing from the entire spectrum of modern UFO culture.

I see elements that resemble recent military pilot encounters. There are hints of black triangles. There appear to be themes associated with abductions and alien screen memories. There may even be touches of the long-running speculation that "they walk among us."

In other words, Spielberg seems to be doing what great storytellers do—drawing from the ideas, fears, mysteries, and folklore that have accumulated around the phenomenon over generations.

That's exactly why I think people should be careful about confusing entertainment with disclosure.

The UFO subject has accumulated layer upon layer of mythology over the past eighty years. Some of it may be true. Some of it may be partially true. Some of it is completely wrong. The challenge has always been separating the signal from the noise.

My concern isn't that Disclosure Day will get things wrong. It's that many viewers may assume it is trying to get things right.

I suspect Spielberg's goal is to tell a compelling story, not solve the mystery, and that's perfectly fine.

It's also worth noting that Spielberg himself has indicated the film is less about revealing hidden truths and more about the power of empathy. Frankly, that's something we could all use more of.

In a world that seems increasingly divided, empathy may be a more valuable message than any UFO revelation.

Perhaps that's the point.

Maybe Disclosure Day isn't trying to answer the question of whether we're alone in the universe.

Maybe it's asking whether we can better understand one another here on Earth.

If that's Spielberg's goal, then he's tackling a challenge far more difficult than explaining UFOs., perhaps a more important one.

I'm sure it will be a great film. I'll be in the theater opening weekend, and I'll be a tough audience. After spending decades following this subject, I'll be watching closely to see how much Spielberg got right—and how much he got wrong, but if you're expecting real disclosure, it probably won't come from Hollywood.

There is also another possibility.

Maybe the greatest value of Disclosure Day won't be in the answers it provides, but in the questions it inspires people to ask.

I know that's what Close Encounters of the Third Kind did for me.

Like countless others, I walked out of that theater looking at the night sky a little differently. It didn't answer the mystery. If anything, it made me more curious about it.

Perhaps Disclosure will do the same for a new generation.

Maybe it will inspire more people, more skeptical people to look deeper, ask harder questions, challenge assumptions, and begin seeking the truth for themselves. If it accomplishes that, it may ultimately have a greater impact than any revelation contained within the film itself.

It will come from evidence. It will come from facts. It will come from evidence.

Let me emphasize: it will come from indisputable evidence. Not blurry videos, questionable "photos" or government disclosure.  I list why - HERE.

Still, after nearly eighty years of rumors, mythology, speculation, and disinformation surrounding Roswell and the broader UFO mystery, it will probably be far simpler than most people imagine. Start at the beginning of this blog, and you'll see what I mean, a less complicated and more grounded in reality examination of the events surrounding Roswell in 1947. 

Until then, I'll enjoy the movie for what it is—a Spielberg film. That's reason enough to buy a ticket.

If Hollywood had the answer, Roswell would have been solved in 1977.