Home / Arts and Entertainment / Fake Alien Autopsy: The £1 Million Hoax Revealed
Fake Alien Autopsy: The £1 Million Hoax Revealed
6 Jun
Summary
- A fake alien autopsy film was created in a London flat in the 1990s.
- Animal organs were used to convincingly portray the alien's moist appearance.
- The creators maintained the hoax, even filming a homeless man as a witness.
A sensational documentary playfully reveals the behind-the-scenes creation of the infamous 1995 "Alien Autopsy" film. This grainy footage, purportedly showing an alien recovered from Roswell, was actually staged in a Camden flat. Two businessmen commissioned a Doctor Who sculptor to craft the alien, using animal organs like lamb's brain and pig's pluck to achieve a disturbingly realistic appearance.
Their deception escalated when skeptical journalists demanded to meet the film's cameraman. The pair recruited a homeless man, filming him in dim light to pose as a retired soldier. The creators, Ray Santilli and Gary Shoefield, continue to defend their work, framing their reconstruction as an "art restoration" of damaged original film. Their audacious chicanery generated significant profits from VHS rentals.
The documentary explores the creators' brazen persistence, with Santilli still claiming he was sold an original film. Shoefield's demeanor is described as reminiscent of a comedic character, adding to the farcical nature of the story. This elaborate hoax gained initial traction through Reg Presley, singer of The Troggs, who revealed the existence of alien footage.
In an era where digital manipulation is commonplace, the analogue charm of this particular hoax is noteworthy. The film's creators profited handsomely from their elaborate deception, highlighting how the public's desire to believe can be exploited. While trust may have eroded, the story serves as a peculiar reminder of a time when such elaborate falsehoods could captivate audiences.
