A Study of Strange

For lovers of true crime, mysteries, and outlandish tales of strangeness, join host Michael May as he and a guest study tales of the unknown each week. A Study of Strange attempts to debunk common misconceptions and encourages each guest to “play a role” in the storytelling process. Guests include entertainment industry insiders, friends, weirdos, randos, and more! Michael May is a filmmaker and performer known for producing films like GHOSTS OF THE OZARKS, 12 HOUR SHIFT, FUN SIZE HORROR and hosting the true-crime automotive TV shows AUTO/BIOGRAPHY and AUTOBIOGRAPHY: COLD CASES. He obsesses over historical mysteries and loves to bring fascinating stories to life.

Episodes

Talking Bigfoot with a Six Year Old

March 14, 2023 • 41 min

Albert Ostman's shocking encounter and kidnapping by a family of Sasquatch in 1924 is still a hotly debated topic. Was he telling the truth? Did he really spend almost a week living with Bigfoot? Are Bigfoot real? Maybe a six year old kid, and budding cryptozoologist, will have an answer.

Is this an appropriate story to share with my son? Probably not but the nightmares haven't been that bad....

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The Forgotten Witch Trials of Connecticut

March 7, 2023 • 78 min

Before the infamous Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts, the majority of witch accusations and executions in North America took place in Connecticut. But, the Connecticut Witch Trials were once forgotten by history, and some details, records, and accounts are still largely unknown. Can the terrifyingly absurd witch trials teach us anything about humanity? On this episode of the podcast, we're joined by brother and sister, Sea...

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Are Zombies Real? Part 2 - With Mali Elfman

February 28, 2023 • 42 min

In part 2 of “Are Zombies Real?”, we discuss accounts of zombification in Haiti. These include the dramatic experience of Clairvious Narcisse which inspired “The Serpent and the Rainbow”, the strange zombie tale of Felicia Felix-Mentor, and more. Writer/Director, Mali Elfman, of the new film NEXT EXIT, and producer of the film BIRTH/REBIRTH joins the podcast. Visit our sponsor here: https://www.audibletrial.com/strange List...

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Are Zombies Real? Part 1 - With Mali Elfman

February 21, 2023 • 41 min

Are zombies real, and where did the concept of a mindless, walking dead person originate? On this two part series we look into the history of the zombie, its ties to Haitian history, and explore the handful of stories of zombification that have been studied. Stories include the account of Clairvious Narcisse and the strange zombie tale of Felicia Felix-Mentor. Writer/Director, Mali Elfman, of the new film NEXT EXIT, and produce...

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The Redpath Mansion Murder Mystery

February 7, 2023 • 58 min

In 1901, one of Canada’s most wealthy and powerful families found themselves players in a real murder mystery. Ada Redpath and her son, Jocelyn Clifford Redpath, were found shot to death in their home. The murder weapon (or weapons) were found near the bodies, and it was concluded to be a murder-suicde. Why then is this a mystery? Police never investigated, the bodies were hastily buried, and the Redpath family never spoke of that ...

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Internet Mysteries

January 31, 2023 • 90 min

Joined by guest Sean Anthony Davis, a writer and an employee at Naughty Dog, we discuss some of the internet’s most baffling mysteries while attempting to plan our own online enigmatic creation. Topics include the video 11B-X-1371 (aka the plague doctor video), the most mysterious song on the internet, the Heaven’s Gate website, the Markovian Parallax Denigrate, and the site Oct282011.com. Listen to the episode unedited and comme...

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Devil’s Fire of Canneto Di Caronia - with Director Laura Moss (”Birth/Rebirth”)

January 24, 2023 • 53 min

Beginning in December of 2003, strange and unexplained fires began occurring in the seaside town of Canneto Di Caronia, Sicily, Italy. The fires caused damage to many homes and businesses and the residents had to evacuate by the next summer. What's strange is that the cause of the fires has never been determined even after scientists and government organizations studied the quiet town. Filmmaker Laura Moss joins the podcast to ...

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Sir Victor Goddard’s Time Slip Incident

January 17, 2023 • 53 min

In the mid-1930s, RAF officer Sir Victor Goddard experienced what might be the most famous case of a "time slip." By the end of his life, Goddard was a decorated and respected military veteran (of two world wars), writer, speaker, and firm believer in the paranormal. Though Goddard is full of mysterious stories and theories, his time slip experience remains the most perplexing. On this episode of A Study of Strange we explo...

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Werewolf Serial Killer

January 10, 2023 • 65 min

Spain’s first documented serial killer, Manuel Blanco Romasanta, claimed to have killed his victims while suffering from the curse Lycanthropy. Simply put, he claimed to be a werewolf. Romasanta’s case was bizarre and his trial lasted nearly a year before ultimately being sentenced to death. But that’s neither the beginning nor the end of the tale of “The Werewolf of Allariz.” With special guest R.J. Blake. Producer of the podcas...

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Murder at Greystone Mansion - with Dearly Departed’s Scott Michaels

December 27, 2022 • 65 min

Scandal rocked the small town of Beverly Hills, CA in 1929. At a massive mansion built by an oil tycoon's son, Ned Doheny, two men were shot and killed in an apparent murder-suicide. Almost 100 years later, no one can tell you exactly what happened that night because the case is full of rumors including a love affair, a coverup, and the inclusion of the political controversy of its time, the Teapot Dome scandal. Today, the g...

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Bloody Benders - Part Two

December 20, 2022 • 63 min

The conclusion of the tale of the infamous Bloody Benders! Special guest John M Keating joins the pod for both episodes of the Bloody Benders! Learn more about John M Keating: https://johnmkeatingacting.com/ His Movie: https://tubitv.com/movies/670622/the-concessionaires-must-die Visit our sponsor here: https://www.audibletrial.com/strange Join Patreon for exclusive content https://www.patreon.com/astudyofstrange Theme Mus...

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Bloody Benders - Part One

December 13, 2022 • 49 min

In 1873 it was discovered that a family known as the Benders had been killing travelers along the Osage Mission Trail in Labette County, Kansas. We know surprisingly little about the evil Benders. In fact, they may not have been a family at all. Their heinous acts of violence are still discussed to this day making the Bloody Benders the stuff of legend and folklore. Special guest John M Keating joins the pod for both episodes of ...

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19th Century Serial Killers

November 29, 2022 • 92 min

Serial killers are not just a modern affliction. Today's episode briefly covers six cases of serial murder from the 19th century. Three solved and three unsolved. These include the Kelly Family, the Austin Axe Murderer, Thames Torso Murders, Mary Ann Cotton, and Dr. Thomas Cream. And, a true-crime aficionado, Bridget Weitzel, joins the show!

Have you seen a UFO? We'd love to have you on a future episode. Write us at astudy...

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The Curious Case of the Sodder Children

November 22, 2022 • 82 min

In the early hours on Christmas dady, 1945, a fire quickly spread through the Sodder house and five of the nine children at home never made it out. They were presumed dead. It wasn’t long though before the Sodders began to notice that certain details didn’t add up, and they began to suspect the children were actually alive. A theory that persists to this day. The Sodder Children story has been passed down through generations and i...

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Kenneth Arnold and the Birth of the Flying Saucer

November 15, 2022 • 59 min

1947 was a historic year. On top of the atomic age and the Cold War knocking on the door, a man from Boise, Kenneth Arnold, saw nine strange objects in the sky and it changed the world forever. The press ate up Arnold's story, and the few weeks that followed saw a frenzy of "flying saucer" sightings including some of the most notorious UFO cases of the 20th century. Were they all just part of the mass hysteria that foll...

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The Man Under The Latrine

November 8, 2022 • 48 min

The "out of the ordinary" case, as described by our guest, Amber Keating, happened in 1989 in Fukushima, Japan where a deceased man was found in the collection tank of a squat toilet. The story has become a mainstay of mystery blogs, reddit posts, and youtube videos, but authentic sources for research are hard to come by. Regardless, it's a worthy mystery. If it's true, how and why did the man crawl into the small, ...

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Tom Holland - Halloween Bonus

October 27, 2022 • 35 min

Writer/director Tom Holland (FRIGHT NIGHT, THINNER, CHILD'S PLAY) discusses his inspirations and beginnings in the horror genre, and how the first film he directed lead to his new book "Fright Night: Origins".

Follow Tom on instagram @thterrortime and Twitter @RealTomHolland

Info and purchase links for the "Fright Night: Origins" by A. Jack Olrich and Tom Holland is available at the following links;

http...

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Halloween Special: Terrifying Tales Part Two

October 25, 2022 • 64 min

Part two of the Halloween Special includes the telling of various paranormal events and a UFO sighting. Happy Halloween!

Part Two's terrifying tales are told by filmmakers Mali Elfman (Next Exit), Joe Russo (Nightmare Cinema), Zeke Pinheiro (Fun Size Horror), and Bryan May.

Theme Music by Matt Glass https://www.glassbrain.com/

Instagram: @astudyofstrange

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Halloween Special: Terrifying Tales Part One

October 18, 2022 • 85 min

Halloween it's not just about the candy, horror films, and parties, but the excitement of sharing scary stories. It's not simply the feeling of fear we crave but the depth of emotions that the stories provoke. The tradition of sharing scary stories continues in our two part Halloween special. Stories include personal paranormal experiences, a short story, and unexplained phenomena. Happy Halloween!

Part one's terrifyi...

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Spooky Spirits - An Interview about Ghosts with Brandee Stilwell

October 11, 2022 • 62 min

We all love ghost stories. Especially this time of year around Halloween. Haunted houses, ghost hunting, scary movies, we can't get enough. Outside of the holiday fun though, some people have experienced paranormal activity in their daily lives. It can be emotional, frightening, or even funny. On today's episode, Brandee Stilwell shares some of her ghostly experiences.

Whether you believe in the paranormal or not, some thi...

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A Study of Strange

Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Talking Bigfoot with a Six Year Old

.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}The Forgotten Witch Trials of Connecticut

Are Zombies Real? Part 2 - With Mali Elfman

Are Zombies Real? Part 1 - With Mali Elfman

The Redpath Mansion Murder Mystery

Internet Mysteries

Devil’s Fire of Canneto Di Caronia - with Director Laura Moss (”Birth/Rebirth”)

Sir Victor Goddard’s Time Slip Incident

Werewolf Serial Killer

Murder at Greystone Mansion - with Dearly Departed’s Scott Michaels

Bloody Benders - Part Two

Bloody Benders - Part One

19th Century Serial Killers

The Curious Case of the Sodder Children

Kenneth Arnold and the Birth of the Flying Saucer

The Man Under The Latrine

Tom Holland - Halloween Bonus

Halloween Special: Terrifying Tales Part Two

Halloween Special: Terrifying Tales Part One

Spooky Spirits - An Interview about Ghosts with Brandee Stilwell

Popular Podcasts

For You.css-1r2bfgw{margin:0 0 -2px 5px;}

Talking Bigfoot with a Six Year Old

The Forgotten Witch Trials of Connecticut

For You