Top 10 Alien Abductions in Movies and TV
These are kidnappings that we'd call out of this world. Join http://www.WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the Top 10 Alien Abductions in Movies and TV. For this list, we're taking a look at big and small screen moments in which characters are abducted by extra-terrestrial beings.
Special thanks to our users David Ram, Sanderson Sister and ninou78 for submitting the idea on our Interactive Suggestion Tool at http://www.WachMojo.com/suggest
#10: Peter Quill / Star-Lord
“Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014)
This superhero comic book adaptation introduces us early on to Peter Quill, a young boy whose mother is lying on her deathbed. Consumed by grief, Peter runs pell-mell from the hospital to a nearby green space where he’s descended upon by an alien spacecraft after which he’s whipped into a vortex of light. We later discover that his abduction may not have actually been all that bad though… after all, he does go on to become an intergalactic hero, so there’s that.
#9: Eric Cartman
“South Park” (1997-)
In the animated TV series’ pilot episode, the plot revolves around some... peculiarities that the young Eric Cartman is experiencing. He’s had what he believes to be a nightmare about being abducted by aliens the night before. But, in actuality, he really was abducted by aliens. Not only that, but they’ve implanted a strange device in his… nether regions that alternates between a mind-control device and a mechanism that shoots fire whenever Cartman farts. This plot is revisited again in a season 7 episode titled “Cancelled” and we have to admit it never gets old.
#8: Homer Simpson
“The Simpsons” (1989-)
You’d think there wouldn’t much more mischief that Homer Simpson could get into on Earth, so that’s why we’re heading to space. After having already been abducted along with his whole family back in the first “Treehouse of Horror”, Homer is visited again by the same aliens, Kang and Kodos, in the 7th Simpsons Halloween special, where he’s forcibly abducted and then consulted on the upcoming presidential election. While it’s not the most terrifying alien abduction to be presented on screen, it’s definitely one of the most odd, particularly when the aliens assume the identities of President Clinton and Bob Dole.
#7: Professor Donald Kessler and Nathalie Lake
“Mars Attacks!” (1996)
In this ‘90s sci-fi comedy, Earth has been invaded by Martians who are intent on world domination by any means necessary. While they’re slaughtering a good number of the population, the Martians have also abducted talk-show host, Nathalie Lake, and Professor Donald Kessler, whom they’ve been conducting experiments on. This alien abduction scene is slightly gross, if not silly, what with the whole body swapping and Chihuahua bodies. But it is also an opportunity for romance to bloom between the two captives, which makes it especially memorable as well.
#6: The “Galaxy Quest” Crew
“Galaxy Quest” (1999)
Most washed-up actors would jump at a chance to revive their careers, but probably very few would be willing to do it via alien abduction. In this sci-fi action comedy, the story centers on a group of actors who starred in a television series about their adventures as a space crew that travels the galaxy and rights wrongs. At a “Galaxy Quest” convention, they think they’ve been approached about a new acting gig when they’re suddenly transported onto a real spaceship and are commissioned for their assistance by the Thermians in warding off a marauding alien villain. It’s a seemingly light-hearted abduction that deceptively lands Jason Newsmith and company in the middle of an intergalactic battle for supremacy and survival.
#5: David Freeman
“Flight of the Navigator” (1986)
This sci-fi fantasy flick centers on a young boy who falls down a ravine, goes missing for eight years, and then suddenly reappears. So what happened? As it turns out, his fall down the ravine was a child-friendly alien abduction that leads to a fantastical journey across the galaxy and that eventually allows him to navigate a spaceship. When David reappears years later, he hasn’t aged even though the world around him has, and he becomes the subject of intense scientific scrutiny.
#4: Whitley Strieber
“Communion” (1989)
Based on real life events, the film centers on Whitley Strieber’s encounter with extra-terrestrial beings he refers to as “visitors”. Starring Christopher Walken as Strieber, the story follows him as he works to reconcile his memories of those interactions, and navigate the growing tension in his family. In the meantime, the visitors act like creepy uninvited houseguests, lurking behind doors and peeking around corners. Strieber’s encounters with the “visitors” leave him reeling, confused, and obsessed. The obsession appears to be mutual, as the “visitors” persist in terrorizing his family.
#3: Karen Swenson
“The X-Files” (1993-2002)
The opening scene of the very first episode of this classic series is an alien abduction: a young woman is scampering through the woods in her PJs while something dangerous but unknown is in hot pursuit. She falls and is then abducted by something shadowy, and her dead body is discovered the next day. The mystery surrounding Karen Swenson’s death, as well as a few others, leads to FBI involvement and the introduction of the series leads, Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. And with Mulder trying to uncover the mystery involving his sister’s alleged childhood abduction by aliens, Karen’s chilling and deadly kidnapping becomes an establishing thematic element for the show - and one you’re unlikely to forget.
#2: Travis Walton
“Fire in the Sky” (1993)
Another film based on a first-hand account, “Fire in the Sky” details the events that lead up to, and include, Travis Walton’s alien abduction. Walton is in the car, riding home with friends, when they happen upon a UFO hovering in the night sky. Of course, Walton exits the vehicle and is abducted after being knocked unconscious. His abduction and subsequent disappearance then cast a light of suspicion on his group of friends who are unable to account for Walton’s absence. For Walton meanwhile, the abduction is simply the beginning of a series of events that would terrify and scar him for the rest of his life.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Several Enterprise Crew Members
“Star Trek: The Next Generation” (1987-94)
- Marge and Dick Nelson
“Mom and Dad Save the World” (1992)
- Percy Dolarhyde and the Townsfolk
“Cowboys & Aliens” (2011)
- Ray Ferrier
“War of the Worlds” (2005)
- Lex
“Extraterrestrial” (2014)
- The Swimmer
“Under the Skin” (2013)
#1: Barry Guiler
“Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (1977)
In this Steven Spielberg classic, Barry, a three-year old boy, and his mom are living their life in Indiana, minding their business when a bunch of aliens start pranking them - basically. The aliencontact is a part of a series of global events orchestrated by the extra-terrestrial beings. Except the alien’s contact with Barry culminates in a terrifying moment where they descend upon him in a barrage of light, smoke, and relentlessness. It’s later revealed that Barry is only one of many who have been snatched up by the beings throughout history. But fortunately, as it turns out, they’re pretty decent alien fellows.
Do you agree with our list? What is your favorite TV or movie alien abduction? For more entertaining Top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
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