Mr Lobo Goes IN SEARCH OF ANCIENT ASTRONAUTS - Celebrating 10 Years Of Cinema Insomnia

Written By: Ken Hulsey

In honor of Cinema Insomnia's pending 10 year anniversary, I thought it would be cool to post this classic clip from the episode "In Search of Ancient Astronauts".

The show, as you have probably already rationalized, centers around the famed 1973 NBC documentary "In Search of Ancient Astronauts" which was hosted by "Twilight Zone" creator Rod Serling. The movie is kind of a poor man's version of the major motion picture "Chariots of the Gods" which is based on the novel by Swiss researcher Erich von Däniken who believes that mankind's origins may have come from outer space and that there is plenty of archaeological evidence in existence to prove it.

The film would also serve as the pilot episode for Serling's famed television series "In Search Of", which also dealt with subjects from the realm of the unexplained like UFOs, Bigfoot, Easter Island and spontaneous human combustion.

In this classic episode of "Cinema Insomnia" every ones favorite horror movie host, Mr. Lobo, sets out to find the truth about all of this alien visitation mumbo-jumbo by traveling across the globe to many of the locations featured in the film including the infamous "Area 51". Much to Lobo's surprise, finding the exact location of one our countries most top-secret instillation's isn't as difficult as one would expect, thanks in part to the 'Freedom of Information Act.' All anyone needs to do is simply call information (411) and ask for the number.

Simple right?

Well, as Lobo soon discovers, he has been given the number of "Area 51 Auto Salvage" not the "Area 51" where all the UFOs are kept.

Best line: "You'll never get Blue Book for a fixer-upper Yugo (UFO) no matter how many parts you buy from us."

In his quest for the truth Mr. Lobo also manages to get abducted by actual aliens, who intern do some rather intrusive testing on him, for which he earns $20 for his services.

In the end (no pun intended there) Lobo, like Fox Mulder before him, finds the truth on the subject of aliens and UFOs just outside his reach. It seems that there are just some things man was never meant to know.

Here is a quick update on Mr. Lobo's progress on raising $10,000 to produce a brand-new 26 episode 10 the anniversary season of "Cinema Insomnia". As of today, the fund-raising effort through Kickstarter has raised $3,086.

This is what the world famous horror host had to say in gratitude to everyone who has donated so far:

"Mr. Lobo is very thankful for the wonderful people who have pledged toward making the CINEMA ISOMNIA 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY the best season yet! That’s right, 44 total both on the grid and in the real world gave some of their hard earned cash for the cause of late night slumber party silliness.

There are certainly a lot of worthy causes asking for donations this Holiday season—but I hope you know how important some silliness on a Saturday night can be. Horror Hosts are not cancer scientists or missionaries or doctors but if you could read some of the letters I have received over the years…

CINEMA INSOMNIA has been a comfort people who can’t sleep because of illness or mothers up late with their babies, It has helped estranged fathers and sons come together, it was a sign of normalcy to families just getting regular TV signals again after a regional disaster, it has been the date night or family night for the very poor, a companion for the alienated and clinically depressed, the show has thwarted suicides and has brightened the life of severely disabled, and been a source of entertainment for so many more.

CINEMA INSOMNIA has giving me personally so very much. It has been a wonderful creative outlet and the process is very therapeutic. It’s how I get back what the real world beats out of me and I have had so many adventures and have got to know so many fantastic human specimens. As a look over my bounty I am very grateful to have such generous and supportive people in my life. Here are some folks I am particularly thankful for right now…I hope I won't let you down..."



See Also: Mr. Lobo Is Set To Begin Production On The Tenth Season Of CINEMA INSOMNIA / Zoinks! Mr. Lobo Makes A Guest Appearance On SCOOBY DOO?/ Bigfoot Pummels Both Peter Graves And Mr Lobo / Mr Lobo Invades Los Angeles To Host American Scary Tonight! / Lobotronic Film Show 7 To Feature The Best In Indie Horror / It's A Two Night Cinema Insomnia Loboween Spectacular! / Virginia Creepers: The Horror Host Tradition Of The Old Dominion - Following Virginia’s Rich Horror Hosting History / What Are Celebrities Doing For Halloween? - Part 1 / Plan 9 Remake Gets A Bigger Budget - Trailer On The Way / Mr. Lobo Is Going To Have A Very Busy Weekend! / Mr Lobo Hosts Nonstop Movie Party Zombies / Mr Lobo And Cinema Insomnia Triumphantly Return To The National Spotlight / Mr. Lobo Enters The 3rd Dimension For Virtual Fan Gathering / Mr Lobo Interviews Monsters From The ID Director David Gargani / Mr Lobo Continues To Be The Busiest Man In Showbiz Announcing New Appearences And DVDs / Plan 9 From Outer Space Strikes Again / A Public Memorial To Bob Wilkins In Sacramento / Is There Something Bold And Creative Brewing In Sacramento? / Support Your Local Horror Host....Or In This Case Mr Lobo / Bob Wilkins 1932-2009 The Passing Of A Bay Area Icon / Merry Christmas From Monster Island / Mr Lobo Composes A New Halloween Song / Silicon Presents The Lobotronix Film Show / Mr Lobo And Conrad Brooks Cast In Plan 9 From Outer Space Remake / Mr. Lobo & The Queen Of Trash Get The VIP Treatment At The B Movie Celebration / Sara Dunn Photo Shoot And Casting News

55 Flash Fiction Friday - 3 Word Wednesday -Validate, Rabble, Disarray - 2/11/09

Combining two great MEMEs: G-Man's 55 Flash Fiction Friday and 3 Word Wednesday is a fun challenge. I recommend you try it. This week's three words are: disarray, validate, and rabble. My fractured imagination came up with these 55 words:

They were back.
The cornfield was in disarray once again.
She no longer attempted to validate her claims.
It would just end with more ridicule from the rabble of the small Iowa town.
She had learned to control her terror and lead a “normal” life.
Anyway, it was time to get Klynor5 up for school.

Goosebumps - Sunday Scribblings 8/12/07

This week’s prompt was a no-brainer for me. While there have been several events in my life that when recalled can create goosebumps, only one raises them the size of small tumors.

First, I must declare that I am a well-educated and rational person (some who know me would disagree with rational in many cases, but I am claiming rationality for the purpose of this subject). Maybe skeptical would be a more accurate description of me.

When I was living in England in the early 90s, an English lady friend of mine was acquainted with a “renowned” medium. She lived near the coastal town of Great Yarmouth. It was a good hours drive from my home near Cambridge to the Norfolk Coast but my friend assured me it would be well worth it. This particular clairvoyant was evidently not easy to get a reading from as she held a high position in the pecking order of psychics. She even claimed to work as a consultant to local police and even Scotland Yard in helping to close unsolved crimes. Though I seriously doubt that either law enforcement agency actually admits to using parapsychology as an investigative method. (From what I understand that type of activity is limited to the Phoenix Arizona District Attorney’s Office.) It is common knowledge that any paranormal activity happening in England automatically gains credibility. The occult runs rampant in the British Isles. Lets face it, there are a lot more dead people in England than in the fairly infant United States. And apparently, many of them don’t know they are dead. But I digress, as usual.


Anyway, though skeptical, I agreed to have a reading. I arrived with a totally closed mind, using the hour drive to plan my strategy of providing no useful information to the medium. I would display the stoic face of a Texas Hold’em champion and answer any questions with curt yes and no answers. I was told to bring a personal item with me from which the psychic would feel my energy and emotion. I chose a ring that belonged to my late mother. So, I went in with absolute certainty that this reading was all hokum.

OK, we have come to the part where the goosebumps appear every time I think about the time that I spent with this witch. Not just goosebumps, but the hair on the back of my neck gets a life of its own. She allowed me to bring a cassette tape to record the entire session. I brought a one-hour tape and the reading lasted much longer than that, so I did not capture it all.

She began by taking both my hands in hers and examining my aura. Then she asked me to produce the personal item and hold it in my right hand without showing it to her. I cleverly reached in my pocket, concealing it in my already sweaty palm. She said, “Your mother’s ring is an excellent choice. She loves sapphire.” She made a point of using the present tense even though mom had been dead about 5 years. That subtle point did not go unnoticed. She put both her hands over my outstretched, closed fist, and the ring actually heated up in my hand. Not just warm from being in my sweaty fist, hot like Arizona.

Then she proceeded to talk about events and people in my life (by name) that no one could possibly know. I didn’t get the opportunity to use my poker face because my mouth remained wide open throughout. Nor did I get the chance to use my curt answer plan as she asked me no questions. She already knew everything. I am glad I did not have a full bladder.

As if I was not already primed to join her fan club, she sent me home with a final proclamation from my dad, then dead 2 years or so. This is the part that raises goosebumps on top of gooseflesh.

“Your dad said you could have at least gotten the watch fixed. There will come a time when you will have to because the one you are wearing will stop working.”

That simple statement really didn’t mean much at the time because my head was reeling from the information overload she had provided me. But on the way home I had time to think about her closing remarks. A year before I was on vacation in Miami and went into the ocean without removing the watch I was wearing. A gold Hamilton watch that my dad was awarded at his retirement for 35 years of service to the Bunker Hill Company, of Kellogg, Idaho. When I realized I still had it on, it was too late. The crystal was full of seawater. Upon arriving home I put it in a drawer in my bedroom and began wearing the watch I was wearing during the session. I forgot about it entirely but after she mentioned it I took it out and opened it up. It was severely corroded (a year of whatever seawater does to metal). I put it back in the drawer. It was a total loss. I was certain it could not be repaired. Again, I forgot about the watch.

A few years later, I was living in Riverton, Wyoming. I woke up in the middle of the night and looked at the illuminated dial of my watch. It was stopped. I went to the drawer and pulled dad’s watch out. It was funny, but I was not surprised that it was running. The second hand made a couple of revolutions and then stopped dead. I took it into the jeweler the very next day. He said that he could repair it but had to order some parts and it would take a while. He said it was impossible that it had been running at all as severely corroded as it was. It was totally seized up. I did not argue, though I knew better.

A few months later, since I had not heard from him, I went back to the shop to check on the status of the watch. The jeweler had retired and the guy running the shop could not find the watch or any record that I had actually brought it in. I would never regain possession of the watch. He had no reason to lie about it as in a store full of diamonds and gold, a $300 watch is of little consequence. I do not believe I was meant to have it.

I still do not believe in the legitimacy of most mediums, psychics, or clairvoyants, but I know the lady in Great Yarmouth was the real deal. By the way, during the hour I spent writing this I shuddered several times and there is a constant drip of perspiration running between my shoulder blades.

If you don't buy this story I will not bother with my UFO encounter.