Join Emily Zarka, Ph.D. on a journey to discover humans’ unique drive to create and shape monster mythology through oral storytelling, literature and film.
Curated by: Storied (110 videos)
In 1952, a terrifying creature was spotted in Flatwoods, West Virginia — a 10-foot-tall creature with glowing eyes, a spade-shaped head, and cloaked in a metal skirt. Was it an alien, a Cold War experiment, or mass hysteria? ***** PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateStoried ***** Written and Hosted by: Dr. Emily Zarka Creative Director: David Schulte Executive Producer: Amanda Fox Executive Producer: Dr. Emily Zarka Producer: Thomas Fernandes Editor/Animator: Steven Simone Illustrator: Samuel Allan Executive in Charge (PBS): Maribel Lopez Director of Programming (PBS): Gabrielle Ewing Additional Footage: Shutterstock Music: APM Music Produced by Spotzen for PBS Digital Studios. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monstrumpbs ___________________________________________ BIBLIOGRAPHY Barker, Gray. “The Monster and the Saucer.” FATE, vol. 6, issue 1, January 1953, pp. 12-17. Byrne, Holt. “The Flatwoods Monster.” Beckley Post-Herald The Raleigh Register, 11 Sep. 1955, pp. 7. Darrach Jr., H.B. and Robert Ginna. “Have We Visitors From Space?” LIFE Magazine, 7 April 1952. Eghigian, Greg. After the Flying Saucers Came: A Global History of the UFO Phenomenon. 1st ed., Oxford University Press, 2024. Kelsey, Thomas. “Braxton County Monster chairs keep quirky folklore alive.” TCA Regional News: Chicago, 29 Aug. 2015. Keyhoe, Major Donald E. Flying Saucers from Outer Space. 1953. Sanderson, Ivan T. Uninvited Visitors: a biologist looks at UFO’s. Cowles Education Corporation, 1967. Statistics are from Aircraft Industries Association of America, The Aircraft Year Book 1955. Lincoln Press, 1956. “The Flatwoods Monster.” Braxton Official Website. Thompson, Emily G. Mysteries Uncovered: True Stories of the Paranormal and Unexplained. United Kingdom, DK, 2020. United States Air Force. USAF Fact Sheet 95-03 Unidentified Flying Objects and Air Force Project Blue Book. Released Jun 1, 2008.
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