Talk:Alternative 3

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More info[edit]

There is an excellent article on alternative 3 here: http://www.forteantimes.com/articles/121_a3.shtml. Perhaps worth investigating. I have also read an article in FT where the original author goes to an A3 conference but doesn't really have the heart to say it was all a hoax, it ends with a tongue in cheek comment that he was beginning to beleive it all himself having heard the 'evidence' and been subjected to the zeal of the participants!—The preceding unsigned comment was added by 82.29.102.57 (talk) 14:53, 18 January 2007 (UTC).[reply]

Early Comments[edit]

This article takes three paragraphs to get to the point. It is not clear what "Alternative 3" is until that point. There's nothing really wrong with the text, it just needs to be improved structurally to explain what Alternative 3 is in the first paragraph, then get on to the explaination of it. --Sam

This article presents one point of view. It should be neutral. 128.250.6.243 04:56, 24 Mar 2004 (UTC)

I think the author should go here [1], and look at the copyright date [2], and then think about rewriting. Marnanel 01:46, Apr 25, 2004 (UTC)

Also, if there is a "documented disappearance of literally hundreds of scientists", then a list might start to convince us that the sky is really falling. It would also be helpful to answer the referenced website's claim that " its producers announced that the entire thing had been a joke." Is it true? If so, do you believe the government is pressuring them, or the aliens are mind-controlling them or something? Art LaPella 14:30, Sep 1, 2004 (UTC)

I keep thinking about how to improve this article and keep stalling because there's just so much wrong with it. There's lots and lots of POV stuff and inaccuracies (for example, a copyright date of April 1 is significant because copyrights on TV programmes never usually show the day and month-- in over twenty years of watching Anglia this is the only example I know of). Marnanel 14:52, 1 Sep 2004 (UTC)

Martian moles[edit]

I think I saw this in the 70s. What I remember was images of red rocks of Mars similar to those by the Viking probe and suddenly something moves under the ground, as if a mole were digging under the surface. Was this the program?

(Yes Rich Farmbrough)

I was there - NPOV ?[edit]

I saw this, and even kept the Radio Times for some years (I hesitate to suggest I may still have it!). It was not transmitted in April (too obvious), and stretched the credulity of a 15 year old. The copyright date was a clear admission of a hoax. It is amusing that people still believe this, they are probably the same ones who believe that the apollo missions didn'y go to the moon, an that the Earth is flat. Does anyone mind if we remove the NPOV tag now? Rich Farmbrough 17:14, 6 Oct 2004 (UTC)

I've just downloaded and watched the programme. Although it's dead creepy, it's not particularly convincing (the actor playing 'Bob Grodin' has a very unconvincing American accent). I believe the article makes it sufficiently clear that the programme was not real, although I think a lot of people would like to believe that there might be salvation in the planets. Eno's 'Music for Films' is well worth purchasing, and his theme music also popped up on a 1981 film called 'Schiele: Excess and Punishment' about Egon Schiele, the artist.

In fact, 'Bob Grodin' is played by Shane Rimmer, the British film industry's favourite cheap American. Ashley Pomeroy 23:20, 5 Nov 2004 (UTC)

Memories of the show[edit]

I also remember seeing this programme, but an interesting sidelight is that it was already known to be a hoax before it was broadcast. At least one newspaper (a local one for East Sussex) mentioned it in their TV listings. This must be a strike against the suggestion that only subsequent government pressure forced the programme makers to call it an April Fool.

Incidentally, I think the previous contributer must be in error in saying that the programme was in Radio Times. As it was broadcast on ITV, it would have had to be in TV Times. (Many people have forgotten, or never knew, that up till the 1980's you had to buy two listings magazines for television in the UK!)

Alternative 3 - Original Soundtrack (CD)[edit]

Didn't know where to put this and I can't seem to find it here on wikipedia.

In 2001 Lo Recordings released an album named Alternative 3: Original Soundtrack. The music is written and performed by Anne Shenton (Add N to (X)), Barry 7 (Add N to (X)), Steve Claydon (Add N to (X)), Richard Thomas and Jon Tye except tracks 02 (Alternative 1), 09 (Alternative 2), 16 (Alternative 3) & 18 (Brain Drain) written and performed by Tim Gane (Stereolab), Andy Ramsay (Stereolab) and Jon Tye. Produced by Jon Tye.

All music taken from the forthcoming motion picture "Alternative 3" - Is written on the back, I don't recall seeing any Alternative 3 movie ever advertised or any information about it on the internet so I was wondering: What movie?

The booklet contains an introduction to the story and the names of the songs clearly indicate a referance to the original Alternative 3 story so there is no other Alterntive 3 at hand.

What exactly were the three alternatives?[edit]

I only vaguely remember seeing the program (I was only 12 or 13 at the time), but I read the book quite recently. There the global crisis was not overpopulation (as it ways says in the article) but a runaway greenhouse effect. The three alternatives were: (i) The use of nuclear weapons to "puncture" holes in the earth's outer atmosphere and release the surplus heat (followed by a program of strict control on future CO2 emissions), (ii) moving human civilisation underground to escape rising surface temperatures and (iii) moving the human race elsewhere in the Solar System. Was the book different from the TV version, or are the three alternatives listed in the article incorrect? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 141.241.199.27 (talk • contribs).

Thats quite a HOAX![edit]

While this has all been admitted as a Hoax. There are reasons to believe that it was not just a Hoax, but something more. I first saaw the show in Hamilton, Ontario Canada. it was aired by CHCH channel 11. There were NO actor credits at the end of the movie what so ever.

Being an avid UFO buff at the time, I called some friends at CHCH tv including Tom Cherrington and asked about the program. Interestingly enough, the Feds had confiscated the original tape and replaced it with the one with the actors credits!

In 1981, Alternative 3 was in the bookstores here. My friend bought 3 copies for us at Book Villa on King street. More of our friends wanted copies and when he went back a few days later, the bookstore lady told him the book was banned and the Feds confiscated all remaining books.

Now thats what I call a HUGE Hoax.. Or none at all..

BadBoris (talk) 17:14, 29 April 2008 (UTC)[reply]

BadBoris: Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/True-believer_syndrome. I actually think THIS article should be referenced there. --75.178.83.29 (talk) 19:47, 7 September 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Too much speculation[edit]

Seems crammed full of too much speculation. Which is frowned upon for Wiki. Lots42 (talk) 10:38, 31 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Trimmed[edit]

I've trimmed that article to remove completely unsourced rubbish, and to remove most of the conspiracy angle which frankly is only believed by complete and utter loonies. --TS 21:38, 11 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

External Links not working[edit]

Not sure if this the place to post this, however I tried the 3 external links with streamed copies of the movie:

Alternative 3 Streamed in full and available for download for free at Archive.org
Alternative 3 Streamed in full for free at Blinkbox.com
Alternative 3 Streaming Video at the The Anomalies Network

Archive.org returns an error (The item is not available due to issues with the item's content.)
Blinkbox.com says its not available from my country - Canada (Sorry, we don't have the rights to sell this movie in your country)
Annomalies Network has rearranged its site so the link no longer works. (Oops! Can not find that page)

I guess the conspiracy continues?

74.15.111.239 (talk) 22:46, 4 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Details of original broadcast[edit]

Did the Anglia TV series "Science Report" actually exist? I can find no references to it anywhere other than in articles about Alternative 3 itself, and I have no recollection of the series despite having clear memories of the original broadcast. It has been suggested on a forum for archive TV enthusiasts that it was a fictional series created purely for the purpose of the Alternative 3 hoax.

Also, it has been suggested that the broadcast was delayed until June 20th not by industrial action, but by the fact that Anglia TV couldn't obtain a networked slot for the programme. At the time the ITV network was dominated by the "big five" companies and it was often difficult for regional broadcasters to get the slots they wanted. GDBarry (talk) 11:24, 9 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]

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