#(i'm proud to have only cheated once on the playlist; starcrossed lovers came out in april 1986 but other than that all period accurate)

[nancywheeeler]

"your cosmic call sign" inspiration bible

it was very strange not writing yccs this week and knowing i wouldn't have a new chapter to post tonight, so i've finally organized the media influences and playlist i promised! under the cut are the many different movies / episodes / podcasts / music that inspired "your cosmic call sign." another huge thank you to everyone who came along on this intergalactic adventure with me!

MOVIES

The biggest influences on YCCS were Super 8 (alien vs. a pack of teenagers and their camera) and The Vast of Night + The Fog (small town vibes and radio broadcasts as a narrative device). While I recommend all the movies on this list, The Vast of Night and The Fog deserve more love! The Vast of Night is atmospheric sci-fi, reminiscent of 50s radio dramas, and The Fog is atmospheric horror. Both are 90 minutes and make for great Sunday night watches, especially once it's dark outside.

The Vast of Night (2019)

Arrival (2016)

Super 8 (2011)

Adventures in Babysitting (1987)

Explorers (1985)

Starman (1984)

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

The Fog (1980)

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

The Blob (1958 & 1988)

Invaders from Mars (1953)

It Came from Space (1953)

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

TWILIGHT ZONE EPISODES

Where Is Everybody? (S1E1)

Time Enough at Last (S1E8)

The Hitch-Hiker (S1E16)

The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street (S1E22)

Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up? (S2E28)

To Serve Man (S3E24)

Death Ship (S4E6)

PODCASTS

Conspiracy Theories: Montauk Project Pt. I & II

Mile Higher: The Montauk Project Conspiracy

YOUR COSMIC PLAYLIST

[asterisks: songs explicitly mentioned in YSSC]

Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft {Carpenters}

Always Something There to Remind Me {Naked Eyes}

Owner of a Lonely Heart {Yes}

Radio Ga Ga {Queen}

The Passenger {Iggy Pop}

Oh! You Pretty Things {David Bowie}*

Symptom of the Universe {Metallica}*

Interstellar Overdrive {Pink Floyd}

Ticket to the Moon {Electric Light Orchestra}

Planet Caravan {Black Sabbath}

Space Oddity {David Bowie}*

Captain Jack {Billy Joel}*

Midnight Special {Creedence Clearwater Revival}*

Since I’ve Been Loving You {Led Zeppelin}*

Comfortably Numb {Pink Floyd}*

What’s Happening?!?! {The Byrds}*

Vienna {Ultravox}

Moving in Stereo {The Cars}

More Than This {Roxy Music}

Memory Motel {The Rolling Stones}*

Satellite of Love {Lou Reed}

Take It to the Limit {Eagles}

‘39 {Queen}

Everybody Wants to Rule the World {Tears for Fears}

Hazy Shade of Winter {The Bangles}

Moonage Daydream {David Bowie}

Twilight {Electric Light Orchestra}

Mr. Spaceman {The Byrds}

This Time Tomorrow {The Kinks}

Across the Universe {The Beatles}*

Rocket Man {Elton John}

Goodbye Stranger {Supertramp}

Drive {The Cars}

Starcrossed Lovers {Siouxsie and the Banshees}

Because the Night {Patti Smith}

Radio, Radio {Elvis Costello & The Attractions}

You Can’t Always Get What You Want {The Rolling Stones}

This Must Be the Place {Talking Heads}

Stand By Me {John Lennon}

Darling Be Home Soon {The Lovin' Spoonful}

Starman {David Bowie}*

Eclipse {Pink Floyd}