Bigfoot Creek (2011)

I know, it's been a while since I reviewed anything.  That didn't mean,  I haven't been watching anything. In fact,  I've logged quite a few hours watching some stuff over the past few weeks.  Unfortunately,  I just haven't felt like sitting down and taking the time to jot down my thoughts.  That changed this afternoon as I wait for a Cthulhu idol to finish printing.  So,  I settled on the 2011 mockumentary Bigfoot Creek.

Plot: Since the 1970s he has roamed the countryside, watching...and waiting. This all-new docudrama chronicles these true events that occurred throughout the Midwest.

Also known as the Legacy of Boggy Creek, this movie attempted to follow the baseline established by original cryptid classic,  the Legend of Boggy Creek. Unfortunately,  this one did not quote resonate the same way and definitely did not spark the same amount of interest in the subject.  While I do applaud the independent origins and low budget nature of the film,  it was just a tough watch from start to finish.  The effects and costuming were bad, the pacing uneven,  and the overall feel lacked the rustic good natured realism of the source. As a researched myself,  it just took way too much effort to watch this one,  especially on a subject the I love.  In the end,  I understand what was trying to be accomplished with this film and appreciate it, it is just that the execution didn't allow me to enjoy a film that I could have really got behind.  Please,  do yourself a favor and just watch the Legend of Boggy Creek. It is a better flick. 

Boggy Creek Monster (2016)

One of the great things about attending events such as the Pennsylvania Bigfoot Camping Adventure is the knowledge you can gain on different facets of the unexplained. At these outings, not only are there great speakers on these different subjects; there are usually some interesting documentaries that can be watched. One such documentary is the 2016 film, Boggy Creek Monster.

Plot/ The third Small Town Monsters film dives into the long history of sightings of the legendary Fouke Monster spotlighted in the classic horror film, the Legend of Boggy Creek. Boggy Creek Monster shows the decades-long search for an unknown creature said to exist in the swamps and forests around the tiny town of Fouke Arkansas.

The Legend of Boggy Creek in many ways started me down the path that I am on today. When I saw that movie as a kid, it not only spawned my love of horror films, it got me interested in the strange creatures that exist in the dark corners of out society. This documentary does a great job at taking a modern look at the incident that inspired that film and the creature that many believe still walks the back wood of Fouke. Written and directed by Seth Breedlove, this documentary offers a unique look at the area, including interviews and updates on some of the people who experienced the ordeal decades ago. While this may not be a perfect documentary, the technical aspects of the film are top-notch. Between the editing, narration, sound, and the visuals, everything is there that a person could ask for. Unfortunately, with a roughly 70-minute run time, the amount of information explored was a touch scattered within the documentary with short interview segments and the history of Fouke and the movie, there was really nothing new or groundbreaking in the film. In the end, this documentary does do a great job at revisiting the cult classic The Legend of Boggy Creek and would be a great introduction documentary into the movie and the legend. I definitely recommend it.

The Legend of Boggy Creek (1972)

 

As a boy growing up in South Western Pennsylvania, it was easy to develop an interest in the unexplained. Everywhere you looked, it seemed like something strange as being seen or experienced. Since that time, I have had an interest in Bigfoot and the other creatures that wander our countryside. One of my first experiences was when I  saw The Legend of Boggy Creek .That really may be the only movie that actually scared me. The visuals took me to my home, a small wooden farmhouse in a valley on a desolate highway between Uniontown and Masontown. Even worse, the dreaded woods surrounded our house making it easy access for any creatures that wanted to straggle in.

This past weekend, I was reminded of this great movie on my friend Eric Altman's radio show Beyond the Edge Radio, where they interviewed Lyle Blackburn, who has written the definitive book on the subject. This was not only an informative broadcast, it was entertaining as usual.

Plot/ A documentary-style drama which questions the existence of a monster in an Arkansas swamp.

 

 

Looking at the movie today, it is a stretch to call the film a work of art or cinematic masterpiece. In fact, it has many flaws in the script, in the effects and in the filming. Yet, when you consider that the 1972 movie was made for roughly $100,000, it can be considered a work of genius for that day in age. Many of the shaky, grainy hand cam movies (Blair Witch, Paranormal Activity) should thank them for conditioning society to viewing that type of film. Besides the camera work, the documentary-like script, mixing staged interviews with some local residents who claim to have encountered the creature, along with fictitious reenactments of said encounters made it feel like the monster did live and survive in the swamps, waiting to terrorize its next victim.

  

I know now, 40-years later, that a man in a cheesy monster costume portrayed the creature in the movie, but at that time, it scared the crap out of me. Ironically, like many other groundbreaking films of a genre, The Legend of Boggy Creek, started a run on similar creature features and docudramas (The Legend of Bigfoot or Snowbeast for example), but this one is the true classic!

 

Boggy Creek: The Legend is True (2010)

Thanksgiving is a great time, food to make me feel bloated, football and enough time to watch some good movies. One movie that my brother Matt and I talked about tonight was the original Legend of Boggy Creek, an amazing flick. I love Bigfoot movies (almost as much as I enjoy searching for the legendary creature) and I cannot wait until the weather gets better so I can get out in the field with some of my Bigfoot researching friends. Until then, I will have to rely on movies like Boggy Creek: The Legend is True (2010) to keep me company.

Plot/ When Jennifer's father dies in a horrific accident, she finds herself drawn to his small cabin in Boggy Creek, Texas. She brings a few friends for a week-long stay, but their vacation soon turns deadly. They are warned of an evil that has lurked near the water for three decades, a terrifying creature that murders men and abducts women. While camping, Jennifer and her friends encounter this evil, finding themselves on the feeding grounds of a giant beast. What began as a journey of self discovery becomes a desperate fight for survival along Boggy Creek.

Let me start by saying that I am definitely a sucker for any and all Bigfoot related movies and when I saw this, I just had to watch it. What I found was a little twist and departure from the normal Bigfoot entry, focusing on characterization and storyline development more than straight creature feature, gore-driven or docu-drama. To me, this was a refreshing change from the norm (although, there seemed to be some story holes). Yes, it will definitely turn off most horror fans in it for the gore, but that’s OK. All-in-all, the script was solid, the acting decent and the special effects awesome! When the creature shows up, he was amazing and the kills were great (sure, there could have been more of both). In the end, it does have some flaws and it is not for everyone, but if you love Bigfoot (and especially the original Legend of Boggy Creek) you should enjoy this one. Like I said, it is not straightforward horror, but there enough moments to make it worth renting (and I thought the ending rocked more than the movie itself – loved it!)

Sasquatch: The Legend of Bigfoot (1977)

I decided to change things up today and move away from the typical horror movies that I have been watching. So, once I got back from picking up a couple of potential curiosity cabinet items, I decided to revisit my youth (and one of my inspirations for Searching the Abyss) and watch the 1977 docudrama Sasquatch: the Legend of Bigfoot.

Plot/ Scientists mount an expedition to find a Bigfoot-type creature.

It has been a long time since I have watched this one; it was one of the first movies (along with the Legend of Boggy Creek) that got me into the Bigfoot phenomena. Watching it again today brought back so many memories. A fictional docudrama / mystery, there were some very interesting moments. Yes, it was low budget and the B movie actors were had some rough moments, but the creepy atmosphere still holds up after all these years. While not perfect, it is an interesting look at the possible existence of one of the most famous cryptids in the world. Not for everyone, but I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in Cryptozoology or the legendary Squatch..

Please don't let someone remake this film

As a boy growing up in South Western Pennsylvania, it was easy to develop an interest in the unexplained. Everywhere you looked, it seemed like something strange as being seen or experienced. Since that time, I have had an interest in Bigfoot and the other creatures that wander our countryside. One of my first experiences was when my parents took me to the drive-in to see The Legend of Boggy Creek .That really may be the only movie that actually scared me. The visuals took me to my home, a small wooden farmhouse in a valley on a desolate highway between Uniontown and Masontown. Even worse, the dreaded woods surrounded our house making it easy access for any creatures that wanted to straggle in.

 

Looking at the movie today, it is a stretch to call the film a work of art or cinematic masterpiece. In fact, it has many flaws in the script, in the effects and in the filming. Yet, when you consider that the 1972 movie was made for roughly $100,000, it can be considered a work of genius for that day in age. Many of the shaky, grainy hand cam movies (Blair Witch, Paranormal Activity) should thank them for conditioning society to viewing that type of film. Besides the camera work, the documentary-like script, mixing staged interviews with some local residents who claim to have encountered the creature, along with fictitious reenactments of said encounters made it feel like the monster did live and survive in the swamps, waiting to terrorize its next victim.

I know now, some 30-plus years later, that a man in a cheesy monster costume portrayed the creature in the movie, but at that time, it scared the crap out of me. Ironically, like many other groundbreaking films of a genre, The Legend of Boggy Creek started a run on similar creature features (The Legend of Bigfoot or Snowbeast for example) and docudramas, but this one is the classic!

There was something about the movie that just craws under your skin, creeping in and staying there. That is one of the reasons that the rumored remake was taken so hard by rabid fans, this movie should never be remade, flaws and all, LEAVE IT ALONE! Fortunately, as it turns out, the remake may share a name, but, it will be a very different endeavor, possible more gruesome and a draw for hardcore horror fans.

One thing is certain though, the new movie definitely will fail to capture the cult following of the original. Many people like me pay more attention when they are in the wild because of that film. I know, when I am in the woods searching for the Jersey Devil, thoughts of the Fouke Monster always run through my mind, and I look, hoping to survive the afternoon, praying that I am not the next meal!