Fire in the Sky (1993)

An Arizona logger mysteriously disappears for five days in an alleged encounter with a flying saucer in 1975. His co-workers endure ridicule and contempt as they are wrongly accused of murder.

Director:

Robert Lieberman

Writers:

Travis Walton (book), Tracy Tormé (screenplay)

Stars:

D.B. Sweeney, Robert Patrick, Craig Sheffer

4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
D.B. Sweeney	...	Travis Walton
Robert Patrick	...	Mike Rogers
Craig Sheffer	...	Allan Dallis
Peter Berg	...	David Whitlock
Henry Thomas	...	Greg Hayes
Bradley Gregg	...	Bobby Cogdill
Noble Willingham	...	Blake Davis
Kathleen Wilhoite	...	Katie Rogers
James Garner	...	Frank Watters
Georgia Emelin	...	Dana Rogers
Scott MacDonald	...	Dan Walton
Wayne Grace	...	Cyrus Gilson
Kenneth White	...	Buck
Robert Covarrubias	...	Ray Melendez
Bruce Wright	...	Dennis Clay

Storyline

On the evening of November 5, 1975, a group of loggers saw a bright crimson light in a forest in White Mountains, Arizona. Curious, Travis Walton goes out for a closer look and is pushed to the ground by a blue-green energy beam. His co-workers escape in terror and they inform the police that Travis has been abducted by a flying saucer. For the next five days, Travis remains missing and the loggers endure ridicule and contempt as they are accused of murder. When he is found alive, Travis is unable to account the missing days, but the amazing ordeal slowly begins to emerge.

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Plot Keywords:

cult film | alien | alien abduction | logger | arizona | 

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Taglines:

Some say that we are not alone in the universe. Others say intelligent life surrounds us. Paramount Pictures presents the true story of one man who just made oversure. Based on the Travis Walton case.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Fantasy | Mystery | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sci-fi violence

Did You Know?

Trivia

There were actually a total of seven men in the logging crew. The writers whittled them down to six for the movie, not wishing to confuse the audience with too many characters. All seven men have passed lie detector tests, some of them twice.

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Goofs

In the logging scene, during the lunch break, Mike Rogers is shown sharpening his saw chain. He's using his file at entirely wrong angles (would ruin a saw chain), and is filing the same tooth way too many times.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Citizen: [truck just raced into parking lot] What the hell is that all about?

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Connections

Referenced in Ghost Adventures: Stardust Ranch (2016)

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Soundtracks

Wasted Days and Wasted Nights
Written by Huey P. Meaux, Freddy Fender and Wayne Duncan
Performed by Freddy Fender
Courtesy of MCA Records

User Reviews

Terrifying Climax

A terrifying climax highlights this portrayal of the alleged 1975 alien abduction of logger Travis Walton. Walton and fellow loggers were driving one night when, the story goes, they spotted a mysterious spacecraft hovering over head. When Walton is beamed aboard and declared missing for several days, nobody believes his friends, providing an interesting angle on the story. This element of the film is particularly effective in building up suspense. Where is Walton and what did he experience? A cast that includes D.B. Sweeney, Robert Patrick and Henry Thomas (Elliot from E.T.) deliver quality performances. It doesn't have the look or feel of a blockbuster (it wasn't one), but this is a classic example of an overlooked gem.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 March 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Fire in the Sky

Filming Locations:

Idleyld Park, Oregon, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,116,484, 14 March 1993

Gross USA:

$19,885,552

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$19,885,552

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1