Rob Price
Gutbrain Records
rob + gutbrain.com = email

Wednesday • 2010 April 14

Here's a curiosity from the Gutbrain bookshelves: Criswell Predicts Your Next Ten Years, by Criswell, the psychic who narrated Plan Nine from Outer Space.

The book was published in 1969, so we can look back in awe at Criswell's foresight.

RED FLOWS THE RIVER NILE
I predict that red will flow the river Nile, due to the invasion of African nations in a sweep to the west! Not since Genghis Khan have hoardes of fanatical tribes roared across Europe and the Mid-East! The Dark Continent will become the Red Continent — black with danger and red with blood! Let us stand by for the bloody battles!


HIGHWAY SLAUGHTER
I predict that highway slaughter will increase by 100% in the coming ten years!


THE FIRST DIVORCE IN THE WHITE HOUSE
I predict that the first divorce in the White House will take place in the next decade!


EYES TURN TO JELLY
I predict that one of the top secrets of our Pentagon, whispered around Washington, D.C. will be a potent gas, which can be sprayed over a city, causing all of the inhabitants to have their eyes turn to jelly! This major breakthrough in destructive gas will be known within the next five years! All mankind is basically depraved!


AMERICAN TRAGEDY 1980
I regret to predict an American tragedy on November 11, 1980! An instant newsflash from the White House will tell of the first suicide of an American president! This President will be popularly elected with much promise, but the Public will turn against him, and he will be the most hated official in all history. I predict that the suicide will take place in the lonely small hours of the morning. A shot will be heard, and upon investigating, his wife will find the sprawled body of her husband in his private office. A gentle rain will be falling, as will the tears of all Americans! The dead man did not fail us, we failed him!


THE STRANGLING, CHOKING DEATH
I predict that on a quiet Sunday afternoon, the sulphuric gases from outerspace will sweep the world when it passes through a gas belt. This gas will strangle and choke to death millions of people. Animals will survive for they will bury their noses in the dirt, but Man will perish in great numbers, for he has been softened by 20th century civilized living! Once man faced this same element, but survived, but this time Man will perish! Date: June 25, 1978.

And so on. Criswell looks beyond the next ten years and predicts "the end of the world on August 19, 1999!", which makes everything else seem trivial.

He also predicts that "the sunken continent of Atlantis will arise from the briny depths of the Atlantic Ocean on May 6, 1987!" (to be followed by the rise of "the sunken continent of Pacifica … from the briny depths of the Pacific Ocean exactly one year later on May 6th, 1988!").

It's nice to have specific dates like that. Too bad we only had about twelve years to enjoy Atlantic before the world ended.

Criswell also answered "the 101 questions most often asked him" in the second half of the book.

Q: Will standards of motion picture plots change?

A: I predict the return of all-male casts to the screen, as in the old days of the westerns, for men resent seeing a brave stalwart hero submit to a woman and her domination at the end of the film! Men can always live the life of a hero but cannot accept female domination!


Q: Are Witch Doctors organized?

A: I predict they have a very strong organization in Africa, where they are part of the ruling members of the nations. I predict there will be a move here in America where the Witch Doctors will demand recognition from the American Medical Association as discrimination will be claimed. There are many so called Witch Doctors practicing in the rural areas of many states, North, South, East and West!


Q: When will Niagara Falls cease to be?

A: Our geologists take a dim view on the continuation of Niagara Falls, and my prediction coincides with theirs — in a scant ten years! There will be no seven wonders of the world remaining by 1988! Remember this prediction!


Q: Will we ever have a national curfew?

A: I predict that America will have a national curfew for ten p.m. each night starting January 1, 1974 after the Boston burning and the sacking of Bridgeport, Connecticut!


Q: What is the shocking teenage craze people are whispering about?

A: I predict that the latest teenage craze is to openly steal a dead body from a mortuary, a morgue or even a hospital, dress it up and take it riding in the front seat of the car! You can expect many arrests on this new fun fad and it will be stopped almost overnight!

Criswell predicted Weekend at Bernie's! Well, there you have it. This is why they say that truth is stranger than fiction.