Is it possible that intelligent life forms visited Earth thousands of years ago, bringing with them technology that drastically affected the course of history and man s own development? — Presented in the 1968 bestselling b... more »ook Chariots of the Gods by Erich von Daniken, the theory of ancient aliens rocked people s beliefs in mankind s progress. Ancient cave drawings of strange creatures, remains of landing strips in Peru, and Indian texts that describe the flying machines of the gods were just a few of the odd archaeological artifacts cited by von Daniken as proof that ancient astronauts were well known to our ancestors.
Produced with the exclusive cooperation of von Daniken himself, Ancient Aliens launches all-new expeditions to seek out and evaluate this evidence, with a concentration on the latest discoveries of the last 30 years, including unusual DNA findings on man s evolution and newly decoded artifacts from Egypt to Syria to South America. It is a balanced investigation into a theory some believe cannot be true, but many agree cannot be ignored.
Stills from Ancient Aliens (Click for larger image)
Some love this series while others find it boring and dragged out. Do you believe is the question?
Movie Reviews
Entertaining and Enlightening
S. R. | USA | 05/13/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"It goes without stating that the controversial theory of extraterrestrials interacting with ancient humans works best as a thought-provoking alternative to more widely accepted scientific theories. To expect that irrefutable proof of alien involvement in mankind's past will be presented in this 94-minute TV special is illogical and hypocritical, to say the least. Consider for a moment that the vast majority of ancient artifacts and ruins can only be interpreted by historians and archaeologists as to the original intent, usage, construction, etc. No one knows with absolute certainty how or why the Peruvian Nazca lines were created, or how the ancient pyramids were built, or what the Easter Island statues represent. There are commonly accepted theories (which keep changing or evolving as more evidence is unearthed) and then there are deviant and less "credible" theories such as other-worldly intervention. It was certainly never the intent of this special to convince viewers without fail that many of these mysteries were in fact the result of alien meddling. Rather, the aim was to explore this alternative, less popular notion with a mixture of facts and conjecture from the vantage point of proponents and opponents from various fields of study. It is to the History Channel's credit that such a wide spectrum of human interests continue to be explored by the network.
Perhaps this program's greatest strength is the examination of some of mankind's most enduring mysteries, which are fascinating regardless of one's personal beliefs. It is safe to assume that some will find the mysteries themselves more entertaining than any potential explanations or theories. Anyone viewing this special as a repository for factual data will be sorely disappointed as the evidence consists of ruins and artifacts that are thousands of years old, thus interpretations are inevitable. And in this case, much of the evidence revolves around the polarizing theory of ancient aliens visiting Earth. Obviously, not everyone will be convinced by the material presented but that hardly indicates failure on the part of the show or its approach to the subject matter. Not that it is without shortcomings, but this is perhaps the best documentary addressing this topic currently available. It even proved popular enough to spawn several more episodes that have been released as a Complete Season 1 set. Approached from an open-minded perspective, this TV special will be an entertaining viewing experience for many and a sub par effort for others. But as the old adage states, "for those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible.""
Step Out of the Box
Clifton Strautman | Albuquerque, NM | 05/11/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Please give this dvd a chance by opening your mind and stepping out of the box that you have built in your lifetime. Certainly the ability to see past what most people have been programmed to believe with regards to our history as human beings is not a common trait. There is a wealth of information available for anyone who will take the time to look for it...some of that information is presented here. The monumental structures and technology that was utilized to build them is exhibited here in some detail, but certainly warrants further investigation. There have never been anything but theories put forth to explain how such advanced building techniques and inexplicable knowledge of the earth existed thousands of years ago. Personally, I can tell you that there is alot of truth to it, and the technology used to build some of these structures, such as the great pyramid in Giza, does not exist even today. Moving the stones and fitting them so tightly, cut with a precision that modern tools could duplicate, but unlikely hammers and chisels would never attain to.
Another point worth mentioning here is, the fact that this technology has been attributed to the influence of extra-terrestrial beings. This is not necessarliy true, since this technology could have existed here on earth in the advanced cicilizations of Mu and Atlantis to name two. Human history is older than many people think, and evidence of advanced civilizations in the ancient past is not uncommon, if one is willing to search for answers with an open mind.
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I agree with "supes" & "infinity"
Hamid Nabhani | Hawthorne, CA | 08/14/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This program was very interesting and the cinematography was great. This is more of an "open your mind" type of program. I realize that some theories presented in this program are a bit far fetched but the entertainment value more than makes up for it. The great scenery shown of Pre-Columbian sites in Central & South America were particularly interesting as well. History Channel obviously put in a lot of time and effort into the production and quality of this program. The people who gave this program a bad review, I think, forgot to take the content with a grain of salt."
Makes you wonder! A must buy for anyone who has questions.
Puckstopper37 | PA | 12/01/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I origanally saw this on the History Channel and was absolutly riveted by what i was watching. I am a Humanist, but i still have alot of questions about things on our planet. People think Von Daniken is anti religious, they need to realize that he is not asking you to stop believing in your religion but to see another side of things. Watch this with an open mind and think "what if" and it will capture you imagination. Sense i have bought this, I have lent it to 3 people. All of whom were stunned by what they watched and said that it raised some very interesting questions about things on this planet. Which is what i think Von Daniken was trying to accomplish."
Harmless speculation that boggles the mind
Annihilatrix1138 | CA, United States | 11/30/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I remember watching this for the first time on tv and being absolutely blown away. ANCIENT ALIENS, a documentary produced by the History Channel, details a string of theories pertaining to some of humankind's greatest achievements, and how they might not be OUR achievements after all.
With a documentary like this, you really have to press "play" with an open mind. The folks at the History Channel have not made it their business in the past to convert people to a certain way of thinking, and they're not starting now. They are objectively displaying a premise that many, including myself, had never heard before.
Most of the film mostly centers around the theories postulated by Erich von Daniken in his book Chariots of the Gods. Most of these theories assert the possibility that extra terrestrials actually intervened in Earth's history, and sort of nudged us down the right path toward creating monuments such as the Great Pyramid of Giza and Teotihuacan, and toward creating things unique for the time, such as the Antikythera Mechanism.
The documentary goes to some very unique places and interviews believers and skeptics alike. The History Channel was very, very thorough in assuring that all the bases were covered. It was a very fun experience, and is now one of my most favorite documentaries.
I realize that in the plothole-ridden history of humanity, there are events that will never be fully understood, and mysteries that will never be solved. Dawkins calls them "gaps," and within such gaps we can see marvelous possibilities of what COULD and MIGHT HAVE happened. In the case of this "intervention theory," it really is no harm, no foul.
The concept is absolutely brilliant (look for a few of the films directly inspired by Daniken's theory: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (Two-Disc Special Edition), Battlestar Galactica - Season One, Knowing, Stargate (Ultimate Edition). This documentary won't convert you and, again, it doesn't try to. But to someone like me, it really got me to think: What if? And it was a very fun question to ponder."