X

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The X-Files

Originally the pilot episode of The X-Files episode aired September 10, 1993 on the Fox network. The show was a creation from screenwriter Chris Carter, who envisioned the two main characters, Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, as being the two voices inside himself that represented his skepticism and faith. Mulder and Scully are FBI special agents who have been put together to work as investigators of the X-Files, unsolved cases involved with paranormal phenomena. Mulder is a believer whereas Scully is a physician, and remains skeptic and true to her scientific background, always searching for a logical reason behind the phenomena. Over the course of the nine seasons, sexual tensions between Mulder and Scully build and they become romantically involved. The X-Files gained a huge fan following and cult status quickly, basing many of the episodes on what is termed the mythology of The X-Files. Some of these mythologies include the “Monster-of-the-Week” and government conspiracies. Carter’s influences for the show were Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Twilight Zone and Tales From the Darkside to name a few. Some of the influences from the producers and writers were Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Silence of the Lambs. The last episode aired on May 19, 2002. There have been two films in conjunction with the series, and a spinoff series briefly aired titled, The Lone Gunmen. The opening sequence along with the theme song, many different slogans including "The Truth Is Out There" and the prolific characters have become an important part of pop culture over the years. The series won many awards over the years and generally has high respect from the industry for its influence on television.

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X

A 1963 horror film, X was directed and produced by Roger Corman. Dr. Xavier, a scientist, is experimenting with enhancing the range of vision by formulating a special eye drop. He finally tests the eye drops on himself. The longer he uses them, the bigger the effect is. At first he can see through clothing and bodies to the skeletal structure, and later he sees only forms of light and texture. Dr. Xavier ends up on the run after an accident and not only is his vision changed, but also the outward appearance of his eyes, going eventually to an all black look. He struggles with his vision and what he sees as it continues to enhance. The movie was made on a small budget and filmed in only three weeks. The special effects used to show what Dr. Xavier can see have made the film memorable over the years.