Does anyone else remember?

[Parcival]

Ok,  Am I the only one that remembers watching a film in school that showed people at area 51 examining what appeared to be crashed ufo pieces?  In 6th grade we watched this film in science class and it had guys jumping up and down on super thin pieces of metal and not being able to bend it and it and clear sheets of stuff that also was not able to be manipulated and I dont remember much else of the film but it was shown to us as if it was a real documentary of some type as if we truly had crashed UFO parts laying around and being filmed and I have never seen any reference to this type of thing again.  Am I the only one that saw this, other than kids at my school of course?  This would have been about 1984-1985 timeframe that I was in 6th grade.  Yes I am old.  lol. I vividly remember watching this show and not thinking much of it at the time.

[Encia22]

Ok,  Am I the only one that remembers watching a film in school that showed people at area 51 examining what appeared to be crashed ufo pieces?  In 6th grade we watched this film in science class and it had guys jumping up and down on super thin pieces of metal and not being able to bend it and it and clear sheets of stuff that also was not able to be manipulated and I dont remember much else of the film but it was shown to us as if it was a real documentary of some type as if we truly had crashed UFO parts laying around and being filmed and I have never seen any reference to this type of thing again.  Am I the only one that saw this, other than kids at my school of course?  This would have been about 1984-1985 timeframe that I was in 6th grade.  Yes I am old.  lol. I vividly remember watching this show and not thinking much of it at the time.

Perhaps you are thinking of the Roswell movie (1994)?



Oops, scratch that, you said 1984-1985, so a decade earlier.

:beer:

[UltraBudgie]

Perhaps In Search Of...? That series with Leonard Nemoy narrating. Fits the timeframe and is the kind of show that would borderline be shown in schools. Can't place an exact episode from the footage you mention though. They had several UFO episodes.

[Parcival]

It wasnt a weekly series.  It was a single documentary that I think started off talking about minerals and substances found naturally on our planet and somehow ended up talking about things at area 51 that were stronger.  It definitely wasnt portrayed as fiction or had actors.  There was only a narrator and no acting.  Just old film of military personnel handling this stuff.

[sahgwa]

It wasnt a weekly series.  It was a single documentary that I think started off talking about minerals and substances found naturally on our planet and somehow ended up talking about things at area 51 that were stronger.  It definitely wasnt portrayed as fiction or had actors.  There was only a narrator and no acting.  Just old film of military personnel handling this stuff.

Maybe you are from Universe B and you accidentally went through a portal since then, since we don't have that documentary here. :)

[argentus]

Ok,  Am I the only one that remembers watching a film in school that showed people at area 51 examining what appeared to be crashed ufo pieces?  In 6th grade we watched this film in science class and it had guys jumping up and down on super thin pieces of metal and not being able to bend it and it and clear sheets of stuff that also was not able to be manipulated and I dont remember much else of the film but it was shown to us as if it was a real documentary of some type as if we truly had crashed UFO parts laying around and being filmed and I have never seen any reference to this type of thing again.  Am I the only one that saw this, other than kids at my school of course?  This would have been about 1984-1985 timeframe that I was in 6th grade.  Yes I am old.  lol. I vividly remember watching this show and not thinking much of it at the time.

You aren't old, Sonny.  I had been out of the house ten years and working for 20 years when you were in sixth grade.     I don't recall the film.   I went to High School in a socially repressive state, so I don't imagine they would have shown it, if it were available.    I'm very interested in this event.   At ATS we had Sgt.  Cliff Stone as an AMA.   He was very convincing, imo.   I hope you find the film and post it here.  [insert missing thumbs up smilie]

[Parcival]

Maybe you are from Universe B and you accidentally went through a portal since then, since we don't have that documentary here. :)

I seriously remember seeing this and not thinking anything of it at the time.  Maybe it wasnt really what I thought it was at the time but I have asked my kids and they never were shown anything like this in school.  I could have just dreamed it up.  It was a lifetime ago at this point.  lol

For reference, this would have been Grove Elementary which is part of Union School District in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

[matafuchyou]

I remember something to this effect. I also remember learning that Mars had polar ice caps that melted once a year. Another timeline issue.

[putnam6]

Now I want to find out what film it was. Im a few years older semi semi-remember a Roswell doc having something similar, but there are so many...

FWIW here's what Grok suggests. There may be decent clues in here, mixed with ti's a bit snarky attitude
 

Your memory of watching a film in school around 1984-1985 about Area 51 and crashed UFO pieces is fascinating, and you’re definitely not alone in having vivid recollections of unusual classroom experiences from that era. However, based on the available information and the context of UFO-related media at the time, there’s no direct evidence of a specific documentary or film from that period matching your exact description—particularly one shown in a sixth-grade science class as if it were factual. Let’s break this down and explore what might explain your memory.
Context of UFO Media in the Early 1980s
The early 1980s were a period of growing public fascination with UFOs, fueled by books, TV specials, and films about the 1947 Roswell incident and Area 51. The 1980 book The Roswell Incident by Charles Berlitz and William L. Moore popularized the idea of a government cover-up involving crashed alien craft, sparking widespread interest. Television documentaries and specials, often aired on networks like PBS or syndicated channels, explored UFOs with a mix of speculative and scientific tones. Some of these were repurposed for educational use, occasionally shown in classrooms to spark discussion about science, skepticism, or extraterrestrial life.
However, no widely distributed documentary from 1984-1985 specifically depicts scientists at Area 51 jumping on thin, unbreakable metal sheets or examining clear, unmanipulable materials as you described. The closest parallels come from later UFO lore, particularly claims by Bob Lazar in 1989, who alleged he worked on reverse-engineering alien craft at Area 51’s S-4 facility. Lazar mentioned a lightweight, super-strong material (later associated with element 115), but his claims weren’t publicized until his KLAS-TV interview in May 1989, well after your school experience.
Possible Explanations for the Film
Here are some plausible explanations for what you saw, considering the timeframe and your description:

1. Educational Film or TV Special Misremembered as a Documentary:
   • In the 1980s, schools often showed films from educational distributors like Encyclopaedia Britannica Films or Coronet Films, some of which covered speculative topics like UFOs or advanced materials to engage students in science. A film about metallurgy, composites, or futuristic materials (e.g., titanium alloys or early polymers) might have been framed in a way that suggested extraterrestrial origins, especially if the teacher presented it as “cutting-edge” or mysterious. The imagery of scientists testing thin, strong metals could align with demonstrations of advanced human-made materials, misremembered as UFO-related due to the era’s cultural fascination with aliens.
     
   • Alternatively, a TV special from the late 1970s or early 1980s, such as UFOs: The Credibility Factor (1980) or The UFO Experience (1978), might have been recorded and shown in class. These often included reenactments of Roswell or Area 51 investigations, with actors portraying scientists examining debris. The dramatic presentation could have felt like a “real documentary” to a sixth-grader, especially if the teacher didn’t clarify its speculative nature.
     
2. Confusion with a Science Fiction Film or Mockumentary:
   • Your description of unbreakable metal and clear sheets resembles scenes from science fiction or pseudo-documentaries. For example, the 1985 film My Science Project involves students discovering a device with advanced, otherworldly properties, though it’s a comedy-adventure, not a documentary. A teacher might have shown a clip out of context, or you might recall a similar sci-fi film mistaken for a factual presentation.
     
   • Another possibility is a mockumentary or hoax film. The 1980s saw several UFO hoaxes, including fabricated documents like the Majestic-12 papers (first publicized in 1984). A low-budget production claiming to show Area 51 experiments could have circulated, perhaps as a VHS tape in educational settings, presented as real by an enthusiastic teacher.
     
3. Local or Unofficial Production:
   • It’s possible the film was a lesser-known or regional production, perhaps created by a local UFO enthusiast group or an amateur filmmaker. In the 1980s, VHS tapes were easily duplicated, and teachers sometimes used unofficial materials in class. If your school was near a UFO hotspot (e.g., New Mexico or Nevada), a local group might have produced a film claiming to show Area 51 debris, which ended up in your classroom. The lack of references today could be due to its limited distribution or obscurity.
     
4. Memory Consolidation:
   • Memory can blend details over time, especially from childhood. The film might have been about advanced human technology (e.g., aerospace materials like Mylar or carbon composites), but the era’s UFO craze and classroom discussions could have led you to associate it with Area 51 and crashed UFOs. The Roswell incident, often discussed in popular media, frequently mentioned “foil-like” debris that was lightweight yet strong, which aligns with your memory of thin metal sheets. Additionally, if your teacher or classmates speculated about aliens during the screening, this could have cemented the UFO narrative in your mind.
     

Why It’s Hard to Find References
The absence of references to this film today could stem from several factors:

• Educational Films’ Limited Circulation: Many classroom films from the 1980s were distributed on 16mm reels or VHS tapes through educational catalogs, not publicly released. These often weren’t archived or digitized, making them hard to trace.
  
• Cultural Context: In 1984-1985, Area 51 was not yet a household name; it gained prominence after Bob Lazar’s 1989 claims. A film explicitly about Area 51 from that early would be unusual and likely obscure.
  
• Skepticism and Debunking: UFO-related media from the era was often criticized or debunked (e.g., the 1995 “Alien Autopsy” footage was later revealed as a hoax). Your film might have been dismissed or forgotten if it was speculative.
  

Are You the Only One?
You’re unlikely to be the only one who saw this, as you mention other kids in your class. If the film was shown in a public school, it was probably part of a broader curriculum or distributed to multiple schools. However, without more specifics (e.g., the school’s location, the teacher’s background, or the film’s title), it’s hard to confirm others’ memories. UFO forums or social media groups like Reddit’s r/UFOs or r/RetroUFO might help. Posting your recollection there could connect you with others who saw something similar, especially if you include details like the year, grade, and general location (without doxxing yourself).
Next Steps to Investigate
To jog your memory or find the film, consider these steps:

• Recall Contextual Details: Was the film on a projector, VHS, or Betamax? Was it in color or black-and-white? Did it have narration, music, or specific accents? Was Area 51 explicitly mentioned, or did the teacher infer it? What was the science class topic (e.g., materials, astronomy)?
  
• Check with Classmates: If you’re in touch with old classmates, ask if they remember the film. Shared memories might clarify details.
  
• Contact Your School: If the school still exists, its library or district archives might have records of educational films used in the 1980s.
  
• Search UFO Archives: Sites like the Internet Archive (archive.org) or UFO-specific databases (e.g., MUFON’s archives) might have digitized 1980s documentaries. Search terms like “UFO documentary 1980s classroom” or “Area 51 debris film” could help.
  
• Explore Educational Film Catalogs: Look into 1980s catalogs from distributors like Coronet, Films Incorporated, or the National Film Board of Canada, which supplied U.S. schools.
  

My Take
Your memory is vivid and specific, suggesting you saw something that left an impression. Given the 1984-1985 timeframe, it’s most likely an educational film or TV special about advanced materials or UFO speculation, presented in a way that felt like a real documentary. The imagery of unbreakable metal and clear sheets aligns with Roswell-related UFO lore, but it could also reflect human technologies like aerospace composites, exaggerated for dramatic effect. The lack of references suggests it was either obscure, misremembered, or not widely distributed.
You’re not crazy, and you’re not alone—classroom films from that era often blurred the line between fact and speculation, especially on topics like UFOs. If you can share more details (e.g., your school’s state or the film’s visual style), I can dig deeper. In the meantime, check out UFO communities online; someone else might have seen the same thing. And don’t worry about being “old”—1980s kids have the best stories! 
If you want, I can search X posts or the web for more leads on 1980s UFO classroom films. Just let me know!

[FlyersFan]

I remember the film.
It wasnt' taken at area 51.
It was a film showing sheets of metal from the Roswell crash.
And people (local officials in cop uniform) examining them.
And it was in a local sheriffs office, or some other official like that.

That's the film I remember.