Dissecting Aliens, Imagining Futures. Rethinking the 1995 Roswell Autopsy Video Hoax

Marco benoit

Primo

2023-01-01

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Abstract

This article draws on Ernesto De Martino's theory of cultural apocalypses to analyze a video of a supposed "alien autopsy" filmed in post-war Roswell and released in 1995 as alleged "found footage," claiming to document the presence of aliens on Earth. The article focuses on the construction of the presumed authenticity that accompanied the video's dissemination, framing UFO and alien narratives as expressions of collective anxieties and questions related to themes such as exobiology, theories of anomie following potential contact with extraterrestrial life, and genetic engineering. Through the case of the Roswell video, the article explores how the figure of the alien has been integrated into various eschatological visions and concepts of interplanetary futures. The research further delves into Ufology's ambition to achieve scientific legitimacy and its distrust of power and institutions, drawing parallels and distinctions between discourses on UFOs and those found in the genres of speculative fiction. To illustrate these points, the study also examines an episode of the Italian national television program "Mixer," which aired the alien autopsy video during prime-time, sparking debates over the role of public broadcasting. Finally, the article offers an autoethnography by the author, reflecting on the personal reception of the video to highlight how this fake documentary succeeded in provoking discussions on concepts such as epistemic authority and transcendental thought.