Monstrum: The Kelly Hopkinsville Horror
"Monstrum: The Kelly Hopkinsville Horror" examines the 1955 Kelly-Hopkinsville encounter in Kentucky, a famous American UFO case. The video reconstructs witness accounts from the Sutton farmhouse, compares them with police findings, and analyzes how newspapers, rumor, and pop culture transformed reports of silver or gray creatures into the legend of “little green men.” Key concepts include eyewitness testimony, media literacy, misinformation, folklore, unidentified flying objects, and skeptical inquiry. The episode also explores possible explanations, including great horned owls, and references Project Blue Book, J. Allen Hynek, and the cultural legacy of the case in films such as "E.T." and "Gremlins." Relevant to social studies, history, and critical thinking curricula, the video highlights how narratives change over time and how evidence is evaluated. Part of the "Monstrum" series.
Media Details
Runtime: 11 minutes, 52 seconds
- Topic: Education, History, Language Arts, Literature, Science
- Subtopic: Critical Thinking, Information Literacy, Mass Media, Mystery and Horror - Literature, U.S. History (General), Unidentified Flying Objects
- Grade/Interest Level: 9 - 12
- Release Year: 2026
- Producer/Distributor: PBS Digital Studios
- Series: Monstrum
- Report a Problem
Related Media
Monstrum: Golem--The Mysterious Clay Monster of Jewish Lore
Monstrum: Windigo--The Flesh-Eating Monster of Native American Legend
Monstrum: Banshee--Ireland's Screaming Harbinger of Death
Monstrum: Cyclops
Monstrum: Mothman
Monstrum: Tokoloshe
Monstrum: Manananggal
Monstrum: Martians! How Aliens Invaded Earth
Monstrum: The Wicked Feline Murder Floof, a Yule Cat Story
Monstrum: The Legend of La Llorona