Isaac Koi

This website was the first generated by my self-improving AI system (Skynet), to summarise the top 100 UFO cases.

This report examines one of the most enduring and significant cases in UFO history—the 1950 film captured by Nick Mariana in Great Falls, Montana. Often called the “Montana Film” or “Mariana UFO film,” this footage represents what many consider the first intentional motion picture documentation of unidentified flying objects. Over seven decades later, the case continues to generate discussion and remains neither conclusively explained nor debunked.

Historical Background and Incident Details

On August 15, 1950, at approximately 11:25-11:30 AM, Nick Mariana, general manager of the Great Falls Electrics minor league baseball team, was inspecting Legion Stadium with his 19-year-old secretary, Virginia Raunig. The day was ordinary until a bright flash caught Mariana’s attention12. Looking up, he observed two bright silvery objects that appeared to be rotating while flying across the sky over Great Falls12.

Mariana estimated the objects were traveling at speeds between 200 and 400 miles per hour, were approximately 50 feet in diameter, and maintained a consistent distance of about 150 feet between them1. Recognizing the unusual nature of what he was witnessing, Mariana called to Raunig to observe the objects while he ran to retrieve his 16mm movie camera from his car3.

Upon returning with his camera, Mariana managed to film the objects for approximately 16 seconds12. The color footage showed the two circular UFOs as they passed over a building behind a water tower3. This landmark would later become crucial for analysts attempting to determine the objects’ speed and size. According to Mariana and Raunig’s accounts, the objects eventually disappeared from view32.

The incident gained immediate attention. The following day, the Great Falls Tribune published an article about Mariana’s sighting and film1. For several weeks afterward, Mariana showed his footage to local community groups, including the Central Roundtable Athletic Club1. The footage’s development took over a week, meaning Mariana likely first viewed his own recording in late August or early September 19503.

Air Force Investigation

In October 1950, the U.S. Air Force entered the case after a reporter for the Great Falls Tribune contacted Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio to inform them about Mariana’s film13. Captain John P. Brynildsen interviewed Mariana at nearby Malmstrom Air Force Base1.

The Air Force’s involvement marked the beginning of a contentious chapter in the case. Initially, Air Force officers claimed they couldn’t identify any flying saucers in Mariana’s film, stating it was “too dark to distinguish any recognizable objects”4. Mariana subsequently alleged that when the film was returned to him, frames were missing—specifically, frames that he claimed clearly showed “rotating discs”5.

While the Air Force acknowledged that a single frame was damaged during transportation, they insisted they returned the film as they had received it4. This dispute over potential evidence tampering would become a significant point of controversy in the case and fodder for conspiracy theories in later years6.

The Great Falls, Montana UFO Film (1950): A Critical Analysis and Historical Investigation - Full-Text (SVG)

Technical Analyses and Expert Opinions

The Mariana film has undergone several formal analyses throughout the decades, with varying conclusions:

Dr. Robert M.L. Baker Analysis (1955)

In 1955, Dr. Robert M.L. Baker of Douglas Aircraft conducted a detailed analysis of the film7. His conclusion was significant: the images depicted objects moving faster than jets could fly in 19507. This technical assessment from a credentialed source lent credibility to claims that conventional aircraft could not explain the footage.

The Robertson Panel (1953)

In 1953, the CIA sponsored the Robertson Panel to investigate the UFO phenomenon. When examining the Mariana film, the panel concluded that the objects shown were “not birds, balloons, or meteors” and appeared to be “generating their own light”8. This assessment from a government-sponsored investigation is particularly noteworthy, as the panel was generally skeptical of UFO reports.

The Condon Committee (1968)

The University of Colorado’s Condon Committee, sponsored to study UFOs in 1968, had mixed opinions about the Montana film86. While some members believed the footage showed a natural phenomenon, others remained convinced it captured something truly unexplained86. One committee member reportedly stated that “this movie did more than other sightings of all time to convince me that there’s something to the UFO problem”8.

Credibility Assessment of Witnesses and Evidence

Nick Mariana’s Credibility

Mariana maintained his account of the sighting consistently from 1950 until his death in 1999, insisting the film showed two unidentified flying objects84. His immediate actions after the sighting—contacting the newspaper the next day and showing the film to local groups—suggest he believed he had captured something significant.

However, some have questioned his motives. Virginia Raunig reportedly stated later in life that Mariana was “kind of a self-promoter”8, which has been used by skeptics to suggest possible embellishment or fabrication.

Virginia Raunig’s Testimony

Raunig initially supported Mariana’s claims and confirmed seeing the objects12. However, according to historian Jon Axline, Raunig later stated that “she didn’t remember it, she didn’t remember anything about it”8. This apparent change in her recollection adds complexity to assessing the case’s credibility. Raunig died in 2021 in Inverness, Montana8.

The Film Itself

The film remains the most compelling evidence in the case. Several aspects make it particularly interesting:

  1. The objects are seen passing behind a water tower, providing a reference point for size and distance calculations86.
  2. Multiple analyses have concluded the objects were moving at speeds greater than conventional aircraft of that era could achieve87.
  3. The objects appear to maintain a consistent distance from each other while moving13.
  4. The timing of the film—1950—predates sophisticated special effects capabilities, making deliberate hoaxing more challenging.

Counterarguments and Skeptical Perspectives

The Jet Aircraft Explanation

The primary conventional explanation offered by the Air Force was that Mariana had filmed reflections of two F-94 jet fighters that were in the area at the time1. However, this explanation has been contested on several grounds:

  1. Mariana insisted that he saw the jets after the UFOs had disappeared, placing them in a different part of the sky6.
  2. Technical analyses suggested the objects were moving too fast for jets from that era7.
  3. The objects appear to be rotating, which would be inconsistent with aircraft12.

The Great Falls, Montana UFO Film (1950): A Critical Analysis and Historical Investigation - P1 (SVG)

Contextual Factors

The sighting occurred during the early years of the “flying saucer” craze in America. The late 1940s and early 1950s witnessed numerous UFO reports following Kenneth Arnold’s famous 1947 sighting9. This cultural context has led some to suggest that witnesses might have been primed to interpret unusual aerial phenomena as spacecraft.

Technical Limitations

The 16mm film technology of 1950 had significant limitations in terms of resolution and clarity, making precise identification of distant aerial objects challenging. This technical constraint has been cited by skeptics who argue that the blurry, indistinct nature of the objects makes definitive conclusions impossible.

Influence and Cultural Impact

The Mariana UFO film has had a lasting impact on UFO discourse and the local community of Great Falls:

Historical Significance

The footage is widely considered one of the first, if not the first, motion picture records of a UFO sighting287. This historical precedent gives it particular weight in UFO research and documentation.

Media Coverage and Documentaries

The film gained national exposure when it was featured in the 1956 documentary “Unidentified Flying Objects: The True Story of Flying Saucers”87. Mariana himself appeared in this film, bringing his account to a wider audience7. Since then, the footage has been included in numerous documentaries and television programs about UFOs2.

Local Cultural Impact

The sighting has become an integral part of Great Falls’s cultural identity. In 2008, the local Pioneer Baseball team changed their name from the Electrics to the Voyagers, partially in honor of the 1950 sighting84. The team adopted an alien mascot named “Orbit,” embracing this piece of local history4.

As recently as February 2025, the Montana Historical Society hosted a lecture by Jon Axline about the Montana Film, demonstrating its continued cultural significance in the region10.

Broader UFO Discourse

The Mariana case remains significant in broader UFO discussions because it features multiple elements that UFO researchers consider compelling evidence:

  1. Multiple witnesses
  2. Physical evidence in the form of film
  3. Objects exhibiting unusual flight characteristics
  4. Official investigations with inconclusive or conflicting results

In the decades since the sighting, Great Falls has reportedly become “one of the most active locations for UFO sightings in North America,” with over 100 additional sightings documented there2.

Unresolved Questions and Research Suggestions

Despite decades of investigation, several key questions about the Montana Film remain unresolved:

The Missing Frames Controversy

If frames were indeed removed from the film as Mariana claimed, who removed them and why? This question points to potential avenues for historical research, including:

  • Examining Air Force records and protocols for handling evidence in UFO cases during the early 1950s
  • Locating any surviving original documentation related to the chain of custody of the film
  • Interviewing any living individuals who might have had access to the original footage

Technical Reanalysis

Modern digital enhancement techniques could potentially reveal more details in the original footage:

  • Locating the original film (if it still exists) for high-resolution digitization and enhancement
  • Applying modern motion tracking and analysis algorithms to better determine speed, size, and flight characteristics
  • Conducting a comparative analysis with known aircraft filmed using similar technology from the period

Contextual Investigation

Further historical research could better establish the context of the sighting:

  • Comprehensive review of military flight records from Malmstrom AFB for August 15, 1950
  • Weather and atmospheric conditions at the exact time and location of the sighting
  • Investigation of any similar sightings in the Great Falls area during that period

The Great Falls, Montana UFO Film (1950): A Critical Analysis and Historical Investigation - P2 (SVG)

Conclusion

The Great Falls, Montana UFO film of 1950 represents a fascinating case study in UFO evidence. After more than 70 years of scrutiny, it continues to resist definitive explanation. While skeptical interpretations offer plausible conventional explanations, multiple technical analyses have concluded that the objects in the film exhibit characteristics inconsistent with aircraft, balloons, or other known phenomena of the era.

What makes this case particularly significant is not just its historical precedence as one of the earliest UFO films, but also its resilience to debunking efforts. As Jon Axline noted in a 2024 presentation, “after 74 years there’s still no consensus to what’s on that film… it’s still a mystery”8.

Whether one interprets the Montana Film as evidence of extraordinary technology, misidentified conventional objects, or something else entirely, its value as a historical document of the early UFO era is indisputable. The case reminds us that even with physical evidence, eyewitness testimony, and multiple investigations, certainty can remain elusive when dealing with unusual aerial phenomena.

The Montana Film has secured its place not just in UFO history, but in American cultural history—a testament to our enduring fascination with the possibility that we are not alone in the universe and that there may be technologies or phenomena beyond our current understanding.

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  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariana_UFO_film ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13

  2. https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-350388 ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10

  3. https://www.nicap.org/mariana.htm ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  4. https://www.krtv.com/news/great-falls-news/great-falls-voyagers-mark-the-anniversary-of-ufo-sighting-namesake-event ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  5. https://www.ufoinsight.com/ufos/cover-ups/mariana-ufo-film ↩ ↩2

  6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ2vKHj8rVM ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  7. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1319478/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8

  8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHHLRkYn37Y ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13 ↩14 ↩15

  9. https://journalnews.com.ph/the-strange-saga-of-the-mariana-ufo-footage/ ↩ ↩2

  10. https://mhs-mt.libcal.com/event/14003735?hs=a ↩ ↩2

  11. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6ZQf4WWbT0 ↩

  12. https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/listening-what-trust-news-means-users-qualitative-evidence-four-countries ↩

  13. https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/space-science/flying-saucers-ufo-history ↩

  14. https://www.gallatinhistorymuseum.org/book-store-and-gifts/montana-ufos-and-extraterrestrials ↩

  15. https://footagefarm.com/reel-details/sports/baseball/1950-ca—ufo-aka-ufo—montana-15aug50–utah-pre-1954–flying-saucers ↩

  16. https://www.greatfallshistorymuseum.org/blog/the-mariana-ufo-great-falls-visiting-voyagers ↩

  17. https://www.distinctlymontana.com/when-ufos-first-came-great-falls ↩

  18. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nick_Mariana_UFO_Footage_1950_Great_Falls_Montana.webm ↩

  19. https://pec.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/PEC-Tomorrow-comes-today-Trends-shaping-the-future-of-the-Creative-Industries-August-2023.pdf ↩

  20. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFO_(1956film)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFO(1956_film)) ↩

  21. https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/a-logical-take/202310/the-ufo-movie-examining-the-criticisms ↩

  22. https://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/17phsum/footage_of_the_1950_mariana_ufo_film_montana_film/ ↩

  23. https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/DOC_0000015458.pdf ↩

  24. https://sgp.fas.org/library/ciaufo.html ↩