Search for the Gods (1975 TV Movie) User Reviews

search for artifacts to prove alien visitation to Earth in the distant past

[jefffisher65-708-541158 · 6/10 · 30 June 2013]

I have only seen Search for the Gods once, or twice since the 1970s, and that was some time back. All the same, from what I do remember, it was a good pilot for a Kurt Rusell series which would have made a decent sci-fi program.

The ancient astronaut theme was very popular in the 1970s, bringing forth many books, and a number of documentary films. It also helped launch the long-running, spooky documentary series "In Search Of..' from Alan Landsburg, and Leonard Nimoy. SFTG itself seems to have largely been overlooked by present-days fans despite it starring Russell, and having good support from people like Ralph Bellamy, and Raymond St. Jacques. My memory is sort of fuzzy on details, but I seem to recall that the complete medallion led to an alien base, or possibly aliens in suspended animation within a mountain in the western U.S. desert regions. I think the medallion was then stolen, obviously to lead into the never=produced TV series - least, I think that was largely how the film ended.

Good-quality sci-fi type shows rarely get "green-lighted" by the networks,though; had this come along a little later, post- 'Star Wars,' it might have stood a better chance.

Astronauts

[BandSAboutMovies · 4/10 · 23 May 2024]

In 1975, ancient aliens were all people could think about other than the bicentennial. Or so it seemed. Directed by Jud Taylor and written by Herman Miller and Ken Pettus, Search for the Gods was a pilot for a series that was never picked up.

Willie Longfellow (Stephen McHattie), Genera Juantez (Victoria Racimo) and Shan Mullins (Kurt Russell) are looking for parts of a gold tablet that explains how these Erich Von Daniken alien gods came to Earth and inspired our technology. Longfellow meets Lucio (John War Eagle, a Native American who was actually born in England) and gets the first piece from him before he dies, which brings him to Genera, the magic man's granddaughter.

They bring the medallion to Dr. Henderson (Ralph Bellamy) who helps them learn what they have to find next while looking out for the rich men who want it all for themselves. Obviously, this is set to not have an ending as they wanted this to be a series, so the 100 minutes of this show just lead to more that will never come.

Originally airing on March 9, 1975 on ABC, this movie has Russell's character mention how much he wants beer many times. There aren't any effects or aliens, but who knows what the show would have had?

And man, why wasn't Victoria Racimo more of a star?

Indians and astronauts

[merklekranz · 7/10 · 29 August 2016]

Well made tale mixing Native American superstition with outer space visitors. McHattie and Russell along with an Indian woman try to piece together the meaning of a strange medallion. The bad guys want to buy it from them and when that effort fails, they resort to more desperate measures. In places, especially with some of the Indian ceremonials, things drag. The climax however in the bottom of a deep canyon is worth waiting for. The film is different enough to warrant attention by both the action movie fans, as well as the sci-fi crowd. "Search for the Gods" is interesting viewing, especially for those curious to see the young actors at the beginning of their careers. - MERK

Ancient Astronauts?

[AaronCapenBanner · 7/10 · 5 August 2014]

Jud Taylor directed this TV movie that stars Stephen McHattie as a wanderer in New Mexico who chances upon an old Native American being attacked by young thugs who are after a medallion that he has in his possession. Kurt Russell plays a mysterious man who befriends him because he is also interested in the medallion, and they are soon joined by a native American woman who suspects that it is really one piece of a nine-part artifact left behind by ancient alien astronauts, and are pursued by agents of a wealthy man who wants it for himself...

Intriguing film tells an interesting story with good characters that seems to lead to a proposed TV series that never materialized. Little-known but worth seeking out on DVD.

One of the first realistic 'aliens-among-us' movies

[allondro-2 · 10/10 · 6 December 2002]

I was eleven when this movie aired on TV, and it really captured my imagination. I was a sci-fi fan at an early age, and was really annoyed at the very low production values and cheesy special effects of most series of the time. This film was a surprise; a believable story and characters written to a higher grade point average than most TV movies. The premise of ancient alien contact has been used since many times, but it was quite original here. If you are a Kurt Russell fan, then this is an excellent example of his post-Disney acting. It was obviously written as a pilot for a series that didn't sell. Too bad. But historically, intelligent TV never prevails.

Only God knows how old he is.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 26 April 2021]

Secrets of the earth are too deep and go too far back to know everything, so the idea that aliens visited the Earth in ancient times seems to be a great possibility, especially through the presence of the ancient John War Eagle, a dignified native who has a medallion which could lead to the truth. Drifter Stephen McHattie comes along, and this gives the old man the peace to leave. While in the local jail, McHattie meets Kurt Russell who joins him on the journey to find the old man's great granddaughter (Victoria Racimo) who has more of the story to tell and more aide to provide. This pits them against two younger natives after the medallion for their own reasons, and they are obviously not noble ones.

Raymond St. Jacques and Ralph Bellamy appear as others interested in the mystery of the medallion, and St. Jacques appears to know more than he's telling, while researcher Bellamy discovers even without evidence that the medallion Racimo shows him is at least 50,000 years old. This delves not only into the mystery of the medallion being alien related but ancient tribe customs too which makes it very interesting. McHattie, playing an obvious mixed race with native blood, is somehow in tune with the past which explains why John War Eagle gave an indication that he's been waiting for him.

This has a slow but steady pace, and it is in the taking care of the details in that way that keeps you more intrigued because it's not only a mixture of science fiction and mystery but spirituality and mystery as well, two different things that rarely are combined. The performances in general are quiet and thoughtful, nothing that stands out, but technically the film is brilliant and that aides in making this intriguing as well as entertaining.