Hollywood's close encounters with UFOs, aliens and the otherworldly

Hollywood's close encounters with UFOs, aliens and the otherworldly
February 2011
Emily Christianson
The Los Angeles Times

Battle: Los Angeles" lands on March 11 and if you thought this was just another UFO thriller, you had better check the history books.

Back in February 1942, Angelenos woke to air raid sirens and a city blackout. At first, residents thought the city was under attack. For nearly an hour anti-aircraft shells were fired at reported aircraft. However, the next morning, Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox told the press it was a false alarm. Just "war nerves," he said. The press and the people didn't buy it and rumors of a coverup ensued. Some even believed the alleged aircraft were really unidentified flying objects.

Now, "Battle: Los Angeles" stretches the theory, weaving a fictional tale about a world under alien attack while L.A. becomes the last stand for mankind. Of course, this isn't the first time Hollywood's aliens have stopped by. Let's look back at more big screen encounters with UFOs, aliens and the otherworldly.

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