“I know it’s true, oh, so true, ‘cause I saw it on TV.” – I Saw It On TV, John Fogerty (1985)
“People tend to see what they want to see.” – Dr. Grover Krantz, Bigfoot buff
Over the years many films and documentaries have explored this mystery. Some good, some bad, but, you know, sometimes bad is good.
Back in the 1970’s there was a rash of documentary type films that graced television and movie screens. Among these were Erich von Daniken’s In Search of Ancient Astronauts narrated to the hilt by the great Rod Serling and adapted from the sensational (and highly illogical) 1968 book Chariots of the Gods. And on the heels of this sort of speculation came Schick Sunn Classic Pictures offerings such as In Search of Noah’s Ark, In Search of Historic Jesus and The Lincoln Conspiracy. Awesome stuff for a youngster and I watched and believed nearly all of them.
Not so much anymore.
Except, that is, for some of the Bigfoot stuff, old and new, which occasionally finds me scratching my head and thinking, “Well, maybe…” A little something called The Mysterious Monsters by the aforementioned Sunn Classic Pictures left quite a mark and I’ve been a Bigfoot fan ever since.
With the explosion of television channels in recent history the list of “monster hunting” programs has grown considerably. However, my frugality and fear of becoming a couch potato courtesy of the vast wasteland of the airwaves has made my home cable and satellite free since the mid 1990’s (I waste enough time on the internet anyway). Thus, I am not up to speed on the latest bunch of Animal Planet/Discovery/Learning/Outdoor Channel Bigfoot shows. I’ve considered playing some catch up online but time can be in short supply and I suppose most of it is the same anyway. Just change the time and place, add the tease of “the latest technology” and I imagine that we’re still right on the cusp of “proving the existence of this elusive beast, once and for all.”
So, I’ll leave the present endeavors for my fellow Bigfoot fans while I provide the following reviews. This list consists of documentaries that have included the good old “on the verge” tagline over the last forty five years as well as some “fictional” required viewing for the Bigfoot fan.
The Legend of Boggy Creek (1972) – A creepy documentary-type movie that used to show up on late night TV and scared kids like me. It deals with Arkansas’ Fouke Monster and while it hovers on pretty bad, that’s certainly part of the appeal. A buddy of mine lent me a copy of this one many years ago and unfortunately, I gave it back. According to promos, it’s one of those “based on real events” films. It would go on to spawn several other “Boggy Creek” pictures, some were sequels, some were not and I have no idea if they were as cheesy as the original.
The Mysterious Monsters (1976) – Back in 2011, I was able to purchase a copy of the film that captured my imagination all of those years ago at the West Cinemas in Galesburg, IL. After being tough to find for many years, the aptly named Cheesy Flicks Entertainment released the classic documentary on DVD in 2009. I’d longed to see this one again despite being afraid…afraid that it would disappoint. It didn’t, as it definitely lived up to the moniker of its new distributor. Peter Graves’ narration and his seeming sincerity are a treat along with the incredible 70s backdrop of sideburns, bell bottoms, horn rimmed glasses, reel to reel tapes, panel station wagons and a cigarette in every hand. Seriously though, the Patterson-Gimlin tape and appearances by much younger Bigfoot hunters Dr. Grover Krantz, Peter Byrne and John Green make this one worth the time. Notable quote (from Peter Graves featured as the opening lines of the film): “The facts that will be presented are true (dramatic pause for effect). This may be the most startling film you’ll ever see.” Yikes!
In Search Of – Leonard Nimoy (Spock of Star Trek fame) hosted this series that was great fare for a youngster as I never knew what manner of mystery was going to show up on the tube. The original series aired from 1976-1982 and began with the disclaimer that “This series presents information based in part on theory and conjecture.” It also seemed to conclude with a statement along the lines of “We are on the verge of solving this mystery…” Thirty-five years later I can’t help but wonder if we are “still on the verge” or truly know the answer but just won’t admit it because it would ruin all the fun.
A&E Ancient Mysteries: Bigfoot (1994) – Nimoy also narrates this documentary which is pretty standard Bigfoot history. One puzzling segment features a video shot by a pair of Bigfoot hunters, Scott Herriot and Daryl Owen, in California in October of 1992. For one thing it’s hard for me to figure out what they are claiming as a Bigfoot and for another, I can’t recall seeing this footage on subsequent programs. Regardless, I still enjoy this video and it serves as a solid introduction to the subject.
Sasquatch Odyssey: The Hunt for Bigfoot (1999) – Four of the most renowned experts (three are now deceased) who probably have a combined 200 years worth of Sasquatch experience share their thoughts on the elusive creature. Their history, feuds and banter are worth the price of admission. I also enjoyed the aspects of the film showing that “Bigfoot” is truly about more than just some large, hairy mystery.
Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science (2003) – I was eager to see this documentary when it originally aired on The Discovery Channel back in 2003. I was unable to have anyone record it but have since purchased a copy of the DVD. A cast of experts from various fields are assembled to analyze evidence such as footprints, video, vocalizations and potential sources of DNA. The researchers do their thing and then report in with their conclusions. Personally, I found this video interesting as it employed science over speculation to resolve the mystery once and for all. But guess what? Oh, I suppose you already know.
Harry and the Hendersons (1987) – Yes, I did, purchasing this one for the kids, of course. Despite being a Sasquatch fan, I’d honestly not seen this one, never had a desire to do so but eventually figured that it was the right thing to do. Not so much, as I wound up paying little attention. The whole time I couldn’t help but wonder if a classically trained star of stage and screen such as John Lithgow ever wondered as I did during the course of the film, “What am I doing?” It also reminded me of the night I watched Xanadu in its entirety, which not so coincidentally led to my decision to live without a cable bill all those years ago.
As noted previously, I’m out of the loop on a great deal of newer Bigfoot programming. Therefore, I am now counting on you guys and gals to provide reviews of the latest batch of “monster hunting” shows so I can invest my YouTube time wisely.
Talk to you tomorrow. Troy