World of Strange Powers
Acclaimed science fiction author Sir Arthur C Clarke (2001: A Space Odyssey) investigates inexplicable, confounding and puzzling wonders. Clarke sets out to take away the confusion to try and find some reasonable explanation for some of the weirdest events ever known. In World of Strange Powers, which follows his groundbreaking series Mysterious World, Clarke treads into the world of supernatural and paranormal events around the world. This thirteen-part series covers topics such as ESP, reincarnation, premonition, pain control, ghosts and spirits.
- 1985-1985
- 1 season
- Pacific Arts Video
- Documentary, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Suspense
- TV-G
Acclaimed science fiction author Sir Arthur C Clarke (2001: A Space Odyssey) investigates inexplicable, confounding and puzzling wonders. Clarke sets out to take away the confusion to try and find some reasonable explanation for some of the weirdest events ever known. In World of Strange Powers, which follows his groundbreaking series Mysterious World, Clarke treads into the world of supernatural and paranormal events around the world. This thirteen-part series covers topics such as ESP, reincarnation, premonition, pain control, ghosts and spirits.
Season 1 Episode Guide
13 Episodes 1985
Episode 1
Warnings from the Future
Wed, May 1, 1985 25 mins
Arthur C. Clarke investigates reports from individuals who claim to be clairvoyant and can foresee coming disasters. We learn about people with premonitions of airplane crashes, the Titanic sinking, earthquakes and horse race results.
Episode 2
Things That Go Bump in the Night
25 mins
Arthur C. Clarke examines unexplainable cases of poltergeists from all over the world. There's a neighborhood in England where rocks rain down on houses, an office in Germany where hundreds of phone calls were made from a phone that no one was dialing. Still, sometimes the explanations can be found, and sometimes it is even possible to detect cases of fraud.
Episode 3
From Mind to Mind
26 mins
Claims of individuals who can supposedly communicate telepathically are investigated. Is mind-to-mind communication really possible? Can one read an other's thoughts? Scientists have been investigating for generations. But will the search for the truth about telepathy ever be over?
Episode 4
Stigmata: The Wounds of Christ
25 mins
Arthur C. Clarke investigates the history of stigmata, which are markings on the bodies of people that are supposed to mirror the wounds of the crucifixion of Christ - bleeding hands and feet, the crown of thorns, the pierced side.
Episode 5
Ghosts Apparitions and Haunted Houses
25 mins
Are ghosts real? In this episode, Arthur C. Clarke reports on his experiences with ghosts and apparitions. Ghosts of Roman soldiers, apparitions of the Virgin Mary, a phantom hitch-hiker and a faceless monk are just a few of the spine-chilling sightings investigated in this episode.
Episode 6
Fairies, Phantoms and Fantastic Photographs
25 mins
Clarke examines the hoax photographs of Cottingley Fairies and other images that have supposedly captured ghost and phantoms in them. The widely criticized technique of "thoughtography," where individuals claim to possess the ability to burn an image from their mind onto camera film, is also investigated.
Episode 7
Have We Lived Before
26 mins
Clarke explores the concept of afterlife where claims of rebirth and re-incarnation are made. We meet a man who searches a cemetery for his grave from a previous life and recalls, under hypnosis, events that turn out to match the historical record. Have we lived before?
Episode 8
An Element of the Divine
25 mins
This episode features the technique of dowsing - where individuals use twigs or rods to detect underground water, oil and precious metals. A dowser in Texas finds oil. Another, in Germany, found water to support an army base of ten thousand people. In Vermont, dowsing is taught in school and applied to myriad activities. Dowsers such as these, as well as skeptics, are interviewed.
Episode 9
Walking on Fire
25 mins
The ritual of firewalking has been practiced by many cultures all over the world for centuries. This episode tries to determine the secret behind the technique and the reason for its popularity, along with other painful religious rituals. Arthur C. Clarke visits Greece, Spain and Sri Lanka in his investigation.
Episode 10
Messages from the Dead
26 mins
Arthur C. Clarke investigates claims of communication with dead artists and writers. In a séance room, can mediums conjure up the spirits of the dead? We meet a man who says he is in contact with the spirits of dead painters. Also featured is the particular narrative of Georgina Feakes, who was visited by her dead cousin holding a blue orchid.
Episode 11
The Roots of Evil
26 mins
Can witch doctors hex or bewitch their enemies to death? Was a man in Oklahoma killed by a curse and literally scared to death? Black magic has been known to cause its victim immeasurable amounts of pain and suffering. In this episode, Clarke investigates stories of people who were hexed, cursed or bewitched by evil magic that defies logic and rational science.
Episode 12
Metal Bending, Magic and Mind Over Matter
26 mins
Can a fork be bent by the power of thought alone? What is the truth about mind over matter? Are we all born with the power to move things with our mind? This episode features the technique of telekinesis, which is the ability to influence physical objects to move or change shape or form using only the powers of the mind.
Episode 13
Strange Powers: The Verdict
25 mins
The series finale looks to sum up the results of this investigation of the paranormal and the supernatural. Arthur C. Clarke notes that in Sri Lanka, where he lives, fortune tellers are often consulted before major endeavors, such as marriages and even the dedication of a new Arthur C. Clarke Centre for Modern Technology! He visits three different fortune tellers to discuss their methods. Finally, he shares his "scorecard," with his own views on the nature of the phenomena examined in this series.
