Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious World

Overview

Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious World is a thirteen part British television series looking at unexplained phenomena from around the world. It was produced by Yorkshire Television for the ITV network and first broadcast in September 1980.

Each program is introduced and book-ended by science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke in short sequences filmed in Sri Lanka. The bulk of the episodes are narrated by Gordon Honeycombe. The series was produced by John Fanshawe, John Fairley and directed by Peter Jones, Michael Weigall and Charles Flynn. It also featured a unique soundtrack composed by British artist Alan Hawkshaw.

In 1981, Book Club Associates published a hardcover book with the same name, authored by Fairley and Welfare, where the contents of the show were further explored. It featured an introduction written by Clarke as well as his remarks at the end of each chapter or topic. In 1985, a paperback of this book was released by HarperCollins Publishers.

The series was followed by Arthur C. Clarke's World of Strange Powers in 1985 and Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious Universe in 1994.

Episodes

S01E01 The Journey Begins

September 2, 1980 30 min
This episode introduces the themes that are explored in the remainder of the series. Clarke expounds on his categorisation of mysteries, self-consciously aping the famous 'close encounters' categorisation used by some UFOlogists: Mysteries of the...

S01E02 Monsters of the Deep

September 9, 1980 30 min
This episode looks at the Giant squid, giant octopus and the megamouth shark.

S01E03 Ancient Wisdom

September 16, 1980 30 min
This episode is concerned with technology from history that was either ahead of its time and subsequently forgotten, or artefacts which are mysteries in themselves. This includes the Baghdad battery, where German scientist Arne Eggebrecht...

S01E04 The Missing Apeman

September 23, 1980 30 min
This episode is divided equally between considering evidence for the Bigfoot and Yeti. Interviewees for the segment on the Yeti include Don Whillans, Lord Hunt and Eric Shipton. Lengthy consideration is given to the Patterson-Gimlin...

S01E05 Giants for the Gods

September 30, 1980 30 min
Mystifying geoglyphs, giant pictures covering large areas on the ground, appear across the globe, many created by ancient peoples. They only become recognizable at great distances or are situated away from the common sight of...

S01E06 Monsters of the Lakes

October 7, 1980 30 min
This episode covers Scotland's Loch Ness Monster and the Ogopogo. At least 50 other lakes in the world are claimed to be likewise inhabited by such giant beasts. Are they fact, hoaxes or merely cases...

S01E07 The Great Siberian Explosion

October 14, 1980 30 min
This episode deals with the Tunguska explosion of June 30, 1908. To this day there is uncertainty as to the true nature of the incident and its possible implications should such an event happen again.

S01E08 The Riddle of the Stones

October 21, 1980 30 min
Clarke invites us to hear the legends and theory concerning Stonehenge and the hundreds of other megalithic structures to be found across the British Isles, including Newgrange and Avebury.

S01E09 Out of the Blue

October 28, 1980 30 min
This episode explores the phenomena of strange objects that fall from the sky. Clarke displays a variety of cases including ice and frog falls, and offers possible scenarios to explain their origin.

S01E10 U.F.O.s

November 4, 1980 10.0 30 min
Clarke states that he has been interested in UFOs for 50 years, and claims to have observed at least six. This episode covers the various UFO sightings and alleged alien abductions, including the Robert Taylor...

S01E11 Dragons, Dinosaurs and Giant Snakes

November 11, 1980 30 min
This episode covers alleged sightings of giant reptiles and other cryptids including Mokele-mbembe, the giant anaconda, Ameranthropoides loysi as well as excavations of animals such as the moa and the woolly mammoth. Clarke includes interviews...

S01E12 Strange Skies

November 18, 1980 30 min
In this episode, Clarke explores celestial mysteries including lost planets such as Vulcan, the Martian canals, and the identity of the Star of Bethlehem.

S01E13 Clarke's Cabinet of Curiosities

November 25, 1980 30 min
This episode includes a summing up of the series, and a collection of unrelated subjects including the sailing stones of Death Valley, the alma, entombed toads and ball lightning.

Cast

Arthur C. Clarke
Arthur C. Clarke
Self
Gordon Honeycombe
Narrator (voice)

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