The Legend of Boggy Creek

First things first- The Legend of Boggy Creek is in a class of its own, literally. This film is part Documentary, part Drama, part Musical(!) and 100% classic horror/speculation/fantasy, not to mention historical document (if you believe that Bigfoot's for real). But did you know that Bigfoot wasn't just tooling around the Pacific-Northwestern USA? Oh no. Apparently he likes to vacation in a little place called Fouke, Arkansas. At least he did back in the 70's when he was most active and when The Legend of Boggy Creek takes place.

"Boggy Creek" was a runaway low-budget smash hit in the mid 70's. Sequels tried to cash in on its success, but to no avail. Like the Blair Witch much later once the public had had its initial scare the magic was gone. I personally viewed the film at the theater during it's first release, and the kids packing the cinema ate it up, and yucked it up too, as perhaps the greatest genius of this film is that it is not only loaded with scares and suspense, and the famous monster of course, but also is loaded with (sometimes inadvertent) humor, as well as a musical score which lulls you into a sense that you are watching a harmless and serene Disney wildernesss travelogue, that's it! That's what it is. It's like "Charly the Lonesome Cougar" with a blood thirsty monster!

This film is one of the most remembered movies from the 70's because it was so unique and effective. It is funny, and it is pleasant to watch. It is hilariously cheap, but only with the DVD freeze-frame can you really tell that the Bigfoot is actually a guy in an gorilla costume (seriously). And since the people in the cast are purported to be the actual folks who this actually happened to, you can't fault their terrible acting either, but you sure can have a good laugh at their expense.

One of my brothers took a girl he really liked to see "The Legend of Boggy Creek" on their first date in 1972. She never went out with him again. Word to the wise.

This is basically a pseudo-documentary with incredibly cheesy music ("Hey there, Travis Crabtree," a local lad is serenaded as he travels to the home of a slackjawed yokel whose name escapes me, but not the fact that he shot off his own foot). As for the "Creature Theme," my brother and I took great delight in parodizing the lyrics:

This is where the creature goes / when he needs to blow his nose

etc. etc. etc. and other preteen humor (?).

But for your basic seventies celebration of Middle American white trash culture, it just doesn't get any better than this. Young girls in curlers, alone in the trailer with a big hairy creature stalking around outside! Cats meeting horrible fates just from espying said creature! Corn-pone accents galore! NOW how much would you pay?

With Charles Pierce's passing, it seemed appropriate that I finally check out his debut feature. And what a slog through the bog it is. Done up as a documentary, the film centers on a Bigfoot lurking in the woods of Fouke, Arkansas. The first scene has a kid running around and catching a glimpse of the monster. A narrator (who is supposed to be the kid grown up) comes on and tells the story of the Fouke monster. The next scene has someone running around and catching a glimpse of the monster. The scene after that has someone else running around and catching a glimpse of the monster. See where this is heading? Repeat for 85 minutes.

This is really pointless but interesting to see for how it paved the way for the the faux horror documentaries years later. Also, the production uses real folks in a majority of the roles, so the documentary quality in regard to the small town is somewhat real with lots of great "Hollywood couldn't make this" real production value. Of course, you can't really see much of it as the DVD is one of the worst transfers I've ever seen. The soundtrack is scratchy and the pan-and-scan (actually, more like lock-and-watch) is awful, which is a shame as Pierce seems to have made an effort to get some great looking shots in there. Perhaps the best thing I can say about it is that if there were no THE LEGEND OF BOGGY CREEK, we would never have gotten Aldo Ray in BOG (1983).

Minor drive-in classic from B movie director Charles B. Pierce that's made in the style of a documentary.

For years the folks of Fouke, Arkansas have had encounters with a terrifying Big Foot-type creature that dwells in the local swamps.

Director Pierce well over comes his low-budget limitations on this film by giving it some terrific atmosphere. It's a great narrative documentary that benefits from the use of the raw back woods locations of Arkansas, which gives off a great feeling moodiness and the unknown. It also conveys a nicely authentic look at the rural culture. The movie really has no plot, but there are some truly dark re-enactment sequences that boast some great tension!

The cast is composed of locals who often portray themselves, adding call the more to the documentary feel.

Over all, Ledgend of Boggy Creek is an interesting and occasionally creepy piece of film-making.

*** out of ****

This film sparked a great interest in Bigfoot, and is definitely worth checking out. It is probably the best or most beloved movie on the subject, because it is done with a lot of heart, especially for Arkansas and the Texarkana area. The songs are also quite memorable, although they are definitely on the homespun side. The people are also very real, and the scares are equally authentic. Charles PIerce is actually a pretty good film maker, when he puts his mind to it ("Winterhawk" was also quite good). But the sequels are probably best avoided, unless you enjoy the comedy factor of bad films. Since viewing this film, my brothers and friends actually wanted to go find the Bigfoot. We also started a collection of books and literature on the subject. There are a number of documentaries on the creature, and those are worth seeking out. But if you want the definitive film, with a genuine love for the animal and his environs, get this one. Then watch out where you paddle, because "he always travels the creeks.."