Animal X Goes Euro
Posted by: Loren Coleman on June 26th, 2006
Remember Animal X (not to be confused with the BBC’s X-Creatures and their badly made up red Patterson-Gimlin footage “lookalike”)?
The series included a visit with your Cryptomundo host at my museum to tape parts of the “Winged Creatures” and other cryptid segments.
WorldScreen is announcing on June 26, 2006, that TV2 Norway, Plante in France, and Ceska, Spektrum and Cyfra+ in Eastern Europe have all acquired the ten part cryptozoology series, Animal X: The Natural Mystery Unit.
They report that "originally commissioned by Animal Planet in the U.S., the $2.5 million series from Australia’s Storyteller Media Group concerns a team of investigators in search of the world’s strangest animal stories, including episodes on Bigfoot, El Chupacabras, Mothman and the Beast of Gevaudan."
About Loren Coleman
Loren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists, some say “the” leading living cryptozoologist. Certainly, he is acknowledged as the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Starting his fieldwork and investigations in 1960, after traveling and trekking extensively in pursuit of cryptozoological mysteries, Coleman began writing to share his experiences in 1969. An honorary member of Ivan T. Sanderson’s Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained in the 1970s, Coleman has been bestowed with similar honorary memberships of the North Idaho College Cryptozoology Club in 1983, and in subsequent years, that of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, CryptoSafari International, and other international organizations. He was also a Life Member and Benefactor of the International Society of Cryptozoology (now-defunct).
Loren Coleman’s daily blog, as a member of the Cryptomundo Team, served as an ongoing avenue of communication for the ever-growing body of cryptozoo news from 2005 through 2013. He returned as an infrequent contributor beginning Halloween week of 2015.
Coleman is the founder in 2003, and current director of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine.
So how about that long-overdue and sorely-needed “Cryptomundo Channel” already?! 😀
I’ve seen this show. The narrator guy gave me the impression that he either A) was reading from a delayed cue card, or B) failed a middle school drama class. Either way, not a real fantastic program, but not horrible either.
Not a very serious show in my opinion. Two perfectly coiffed actors stomping around the woods in $500 sweaters and surely reeking of expensive cologne, trying to set game-cam traps, I’m surprised that they got the field mouse photo.
It was not a bad show could have been better but I watched them all. At least crypto on the tube is not dead!
at least there is a show about mysterious animals. They need more shows like this. How bout it Loren. Are you ready to put one on TV? I’ll definitely watch it.
A friend of mine was tasked with selling this documentary in Europe-I have only seen the Bigfoot episode and to be honest was not impressed-especially with the ‘Face Of Bigfoot’ they have a still shot which they think may be of bigfoots face-To me it looks like an interesting leaf formation.
I thought the show was a good idea but ultimatly poorly executed. Oh well at least someone is trying to make mainstream Crypto television which is indeed a good thing.
They could do without the weird narrator guy that acts like he is in charge from some secret compound but its no worse than Mysterious Encounters (it couldn’t get any worse than that show) and they are only trying to get the interest of people other than crypto geeks like us by giving it a mission theme. Actually I found most of the episodes quite entertaining especially the one on the Thylacine.
I look forward to another series and good on them for putting it out. The BBC’s X-Creatures still rules as the best cryptid series so far on tv in my opinion.
The show is actually a re-working of another Discovery Channel show of the same name. Those who may have seen the original series, would definitely agree, the first one was far superior. That narrator wasn’t in it and neither were the other 2 from the second attempt at the show. Also, the subject matter was treated much more respectfully though without as many “expeditions”, as seen on the re-work.
I miss “In Search Of…”
it use to be on english channels is it coming back on english channels and what time would this be and what channel if anyone knows?
I’ve seen this show and I am not impressed by it. It never really answers any of the questions it raises, and I’m guessing the older gentleman was, until Animal X came along, an out-of-work (for good reason) actor. This show is a great example of something Mr. Coleman brought up some time ago: it features two young, attractive people in the most prominent roles to allegedly attract a younger viewing demographic. The young man is a cinematographer which makes me wonder why he’s qualified for cryptozoological field research. At least the young lady has some credentials to go along with the pretty face. I say skip this show and read a book.
Anybody remember a show called “Secrets And Mysteries”? The set up had a well-known British actor (Whose name unfortunately eludes me at the moment) as on-screen narrator, apparently living in a Victorian mansion filled with hidden viewscreens, computers, and gizmos that all looked like Jules Verne or H. G. Wells had built them, which he used to relate information on the given subject. As a teen, I loved that show, staying up late every week night just to watch it.
Where I lived in New Jersey, it was followed by another show called “The Secret World”, narrated by the occasionally on-screen Christopher Lee, whose voice could make phone book entries sound like excerpts of the Necronomicon. This show was, for the most part, about the myths and folklore associated with animals, with an obviously macabre bent. In effect it sounded like a nature program written by a medieval sorcerer.
I have to say that both were quite influential on me, does anyone else remember them?
This reply is directed to Mnynames:
I do indeed remember “The Secret World” narrated by the great Christopher Lee, and I have spent years trying to find evidence of it’s existence, convincing people that it did exist and that I’m not going mad, so thank you for your recollection; your description of the show is also spot on.
It was a very cool and interesting show. I saw it in NJ; summer of 1990. It came on (I think) Friday nights around 11pm or so on either WWOR cannel 9 or WPIX channel 11.
I’m puzzled that every filmography for Christopher Lee I’ve ever seen makes no reference to this TV show, although many list even his most minor and obscure contributions. WHY?
I even tried to send a letter to Mr. Lee asking him about it, but I never got a response. I know it sounds a bit crazy, but all I have wanted was confirmation that it was him (unmistakable)narrating this show. I tried to track down tapes of the show to no avail, not surprisingly.
If anyone else remembers this show, please post a comment and share your memories. And if anyone has videos of the show, I would be interested in buying them.
My fondest and most vivid memory of the show was the one about the “EEEVIL pirhanyaaaah” (Mr. Lee voice) where the unsuspecting capybara “falls” into the water and is devoured by a school of pirhanna, but was obviously flung into the water by the film crew. Macabre, yet hilarious!
Thank you Mnynames, you have restored a bit of my sanity, but the search continues.
These comments are for Mnynames and others interested in The Secret World:
I do indeed remember the series “The Secret World” narrated by the great Christopher Lee. I also saw it in NJ, during the summer of 1990. I think it came on about 11pm or so (Friday nights?) on either WWOR channel 9 or WPIX channel 11.
What a cool and interesting program! Mnynames’ description is spot on. All animals have an evil side; there was even the sinister fieldmouse! It was basically a montage of older animal documentary clips re-edited for the series darker theme, but Christopher Lee’s narration made it absolutely riveting. My roommates and I would darken the room, light candles and await Mr. Lee’s dark introduction. Awesome!
I want to thank Mnynames for his recollection; I have spent YEARS trying to find any reference to this wonderful program. After finding no sign of it anywhere, I started doubting myself- was it really Christopher Lee (of course it was, how could he be mistaken for anyone else?), did the program really exist? Am I crazy???
After looking at every filmography for Christopher Lee I could find, there is never any mention of The Secret World, although you’ll find every minor project or obscure role he ever played. WHY IS THIS? I even wrote a letter to Christopher Lee asking him about it, but my letter was returned unopened (I probably sent it to the wrong contact).
My most vivid memory of the show was the one about the “EEEEVIL piranyyyyah!” (Mr. Lee vocal style) (everything was evil) where the unsuspecting capybara “falls” into the river and is devoured by a school of piranha. The film crew obviously flung the animal into the water, it was so obvious. Macabre, yet hilarious at times!
So thank you, Mnynames, for restoring a shred of my sanity by sharing your memories. If anyone else out remembers this wonderful program, please share your comments. And if anyone has or knows where to get copies of “The Secret World” PLEASE let me know; I’m willing to pay!